In your final paper, you’re tasked with a project that bridges the gap between academic theory and the real world of management. This assignment is your opportunity to analyze and connect the dots between the management practices of a professional you consider effective and the theories you’ve studied. Here’s how to approach and structure your paper:
Objective:
Your goal is to analyze into the management style and strategies of an individual you regard as an effective manager. By applying relevant management theories to their actions and perspectives, you’ll provide a comprehensive analysis that demonstrates how theoretical concepts are realized in practical settings. This paper is not a critique but an exploration and application of theories to real-life management scenarios.
Paper Structure:
Introduction:
– Start with an overview of the assignment’s purpose.
– Introduce the manager you’ve chosen to study, including their role and the context in which they operate. Mention why you selected this particular individual.
– If possible, include a direct quote from your interview subject that encapsulates their management philosophy or approach.
Context of Management Activities:
– Provide a detailed description of the organization or environment your chosen manager works within. Cover aspects like the industry, team size, scope of their responsibilities, and any specific challenges they face.
– Highlight the significance of the manager’s role and how it impacts the organization.
Managerial Actions and Perspectives:
– Describe the key actions, strategies, and leadership style of the manager based on your observations or their own accounts.
– Include direct quotes from your interview that reveal the manager’s perspectives on leadership, decision-making, and their managerial priorities.
Theoretical Framework:
– Identify one or more management theories from your course that align with the manager’s actions and perspectives. Whether it’s classical theories, human relations movements, or contemporary theories, choose the ones that best frame your analysis.
– Explain these theories and analyze how your manager’s practices reflect these theoretical principles. Use direct quotes from your textbook to support this connection when possible.
Application of Theory to Practice:
– Discuss how the manager’s approach serves as a practical application of the management theory to address real-world challenges or achieve goals.
– Provide examples of outcomes or successes that highlight the effectiveness of applying these theories in their management practices.
Conclusion:
– Summarize your key findings and underscore the importance of connecting theoretical knowledge with management practices.
– Reflect on the insights you’ve gained regarding effective management and how the theories you discussed provide a lens for understanding real-world management dynamics.
– Contemplate how this analysis might influence your own management style or perspective in the future.
Submission Guidelines:
– While there’s no specified length requirement, ensure your paper is comprehensive and detailed.
– Integrate academic sources with personal observations and interview quotes to enrich your analysis. Make sure to properly cite these references, adhering to APA formatting.
– Remember, your focus is on exploring and applying management theories rather than critiquing your interview subject.
Assessment Criteria:
– The depth and clarity of your analysis in connecting managerial practices with theoretical concepts.
– The relevance and accuracy in applying management theories to your chosen manager’s actions and context.
– The quality of your writing, including the organization of your paper and adherence to citation guidelines.
– Your critical thinking and ability to extract meaningful conclusions about the relationship between management theories and practices.
This paper is a significant component of your course, offering a unique lens through which to view the principles of management. It encourages you to think critically about the role of theory in understanding and shaping effective management practices.
paper should be 2-5 pages
