Assingments % - Organizational Behavior Term Project: Observation, Action, and Analysis Paper Guidelines

Each student will complete a term-long action project that will culminate with an original 7- to 10-page paper.

Observe organizational behavior: During this course, take the opportunity to observe organizational behavior firsthand for at least 10 hours during the term. The setting of your observation experience may be your workplace, a small business, a local organization (e.g., a volunteer site, a house of worship group), a St. Francis student club, or a virtual organization (e.g., a professional networking community).

Background and action (1-2 pages)

Take action. Contribute a minimum of 10 hours during the term to a specific organizational situation (engaging in a project, activity, task, or routine operations of the organization).

Present an overview of your organizational experience. What is the setting? What is your role? How do you fit within the organization? Is this a new or ongoing experience for you?

Action component and analysis (5-8 pages)

Identify two specific organizational behavior topics from the list below that were explored this term:

Individual (Micro-Level)

Group (Meso-Level)

Organization (Macro-Level)

· Diversity*

· Perception, attitudes, and beliefs

· Motivation

· 21st century challenges (rapid technology diffusion, globalization, changing definition of work, changing gender roles)

· Communication

· Teams

· Conflict negotiation

· Decision-making

· Power and politics

· Leadership

· Equity and inclusion*

· Organizational structure

· Organizational culture

· Strategy

* Historically, diversity is considered an individual-level issue in organizational behavior because focus has been on the responses of individual employees to diversity (their perception, attitudes, and beliefs). However, diversity, inclusion, and equity are issues at the macro-level because they require institutional commitment and are embedded into the organizational culture.

Reflect on your experience within the organization as it applies to the topics you identified.

Based on your action and your research into your topics, answer the following questions in your paper.

What strengths does this organization offer to its employees, volunteers, or members?

How would you describe the organization’s ethical climate?

How can this organization improve to better engage and motivate its employees, volunteers, or members?

What specific recommendations do you have do you have for this organization? What actions should they continue, start, or stop based on your analysis of the two topics and your experience within the organization? Remember to support your recommendations with your observations and/or with references.

The paper must include in-text citations and a reference list in APA format. In addition to course readings, you must include at least 5 recent references to credible and reliable sources published in the last 5 years. These references can include to the organization’s website; news media or business publications; and/or academic journals. Please note your reference list is not included in the page length.

Prepare the paper using APA formatting guidelines.

This paper is the culminating written report of your term-long exploration into organizational behavior. Since it includes both a research and an action component, it cannot be completed in a rush at the end of the course. Late submissions will not be accepted.

The paper will be graded based on the MS in Management Writing Rubric.pdf

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

✅ Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Your Organizational Behavior Action Paper

📄 Section 1: Background and Action (1–2 Pages)

Step 1: Describe the Organization

Where is it located?
What does it do?
Size and type (nonprofit, business, student group, etc.)

Step 2: Describe Your Role

Are you a volunteer, employee, intern, or participant?
Was this a new or continuing experience?

Step 3: What Did You Do During Your 10 Hours?

Describe the tasks, meetings, activities, or projects you participated in.
Focus on how you engaged with others or observed key behaviors.

📊 Section 2: Action Component and Analysis (5–8 Pages)

Step 4: Select Two Organizational Behavior Topics

Choose from the provided list.
Example: Motivation (Individual) + Leadership (Macro).

Step 5: Analyze Your Experience
For each topic:

Define the topic using scholarly sources.
Describe how you saw it in action during your organizational work.
Analyze how this behavior influenced outcomes (e.g., productivity, communication, morale).

Step 6: Reflect on Organizational Strengths

What does this organization do well to support its people?
Use examples and explain how these strengths align with OB theories or models.

Step 7: Evaluate the Ethical Climate

Are decisions transparent?
Is there fairness, respect, and accountability?
Use course readings and at least one outside reference to support your assessment.

Step 8: Identify Areas for Improvement

Based on your OB topics and experience:
- What motivates people?
- What barriers or challenges did you notice?
Include scholarly insights to propose meaningful improvements.

Step 9: Make Specific Recommendations

List 2–3 concrete things the organization should start, stop, or continue doing.
Back these with research and personal observation.

📚 Step 10: Research and APA Formatting

Include at least 5 recent, credible sources:
- Academic journals
- The organization’s website
- Industry news or analysis
Use APA 7th edition for all citations and formatting:
- Title page
- Headings
- In-text citations
- Reference list (not included in page count)

✅ Final Reminders

Write in a professional, academic tone.
Proofread for grammar, clarity, and format.
Start early! This paper requires time and thought.