Case studies, role-plays and simulations should be important learning tools for the MBA learner but there is no substitute for practicing skills and applying new knowledge in the midst of a real work experience. For the last 20 years, the major critique of business education complains about the separation of theory from practice. On the academic side with its almost exclusive emphasis on theory, the practical application is largely left to the learner to figure out on his/her own. On the business side with its emphasis on current practice, new knowledge and challenging the existing knowledge base are largely ignored and opportunities to improve existing practices missed. This class seeks to bridge that divide.
For maximum learning, we need a better blend of theory and action into a single program. Having said that, we must constantly keep in mind that ultimately we are most concerned with what the new learners can do, not what they know, with their accomplishments at work not their grades on a test, or framed certificates on a wall. The problem for us academics is to make sure that all of the theoretical material we include in our courses is tied directly and explicitly to particular problems, issues and practices. It means in designing the curriculum, I looked for ways to incorporate work experiences directly into the curriculum.
Beyond experiential classroom exercises, case studies, consultancy, field research and multi-media activities, real work projects are more motivational and bring a heightened intensity to the study because of the risks and rewards on the job for success or failure. Not only that but management issues and problems at work are always imbedded in emotional and political contexts that are difficult to replicate in classroom simulations and case studies. So case studies tend to look easier and more rational to resolve than is the reality on the job. In the end, we seek to explore and enrich real life management behaviors not student behaviors. Hence we should use work-based problems to teach theory and research. This has lead to the development of management education based on work place Action Projects.
The Action Project needs to be a concrete action activity, not simply planning or analysis although those activities can be included. Focus should be on either strategic problems or opportunities for the Learner’s organization – meaning the Project needs to have a direct impact on the goals of the unit or organization. Projects should look to involve something that is never been done before at the organization, something that has/is being done but which is currently failing, something where the solutions are not immediately obvious or that there is controversy over likely solutions. The Project should specify challenging but attainable goals. It might be a part of an over all change effort underway at the organization.
Learners need to know that they will be either be implementing or recommending for action from their project and so what they say and do here will be judged by the normal business parameters. This helps learners address the real constraints in terms of time, money, emotions and politics of accomplishing things on the job. Of course, we will supplement the learning with cases, exercises, readings, discussions and simulations but only as these become obvious and needed as the teams identify what is needed.
These are typical kinds of Action Projects we might expect in a course like this:
q creating a strategy for a new performance evaluation system
q developing alternatives to downsizing
q ramping up to hire many people in a hurry
q developing a new selection strategy
q developing a new recruiting network with local educational institutions
q improving a job analysis/description method
q easing work-life conflicts
q changing the configuration of indirect benefits
q enhancing commitment of temporary workers
q changing the compensation system
q instituting work groups or work teams as units of operation
q improving employee needs analysis for training development
q redesigning the corporate HR function(s)
q
streamlining the delivery of training
Action Projects:
Allen: John Deere Dav Works Study and recommend how to staff and operate a 24-7 global help line for dealers and field tech’s with problems on mechanical issues. Emphasis would be on the staffing issues and challenges.
Jeff: Mid American Energy Study and recommend the change from single based corporate call center to adding ‘as needed’ home based customer assistance employees. Hiring, training, compensating and supervising as key issues.
Josh: Rock Island Arsenal Study, identify, clarify and prepare the department for the coming initiative to change the compensation system from current GS system to ‘pay for performance.’ Compensation, job performance measures, motivational theory.
Justin: SAU Develop and implement a continuous mentoring system for new admissions counselors that focuses on developing and strengthening healthy productive internal relationships between admissions and its stakeholder departments. Mentoring, orientations, training and relationship building.
Ross: HNI (formerly Hon) Build his management team from the ground up and use that team to set the department goals for the coming year. Strategic staffing, management team building and goal setting.
Rosana: SAU Develop and recommend a thorough orientation program for student security officers including the development of an operations manual for on-the-job reference. Orientations, training, employee manuals and relationship building.
Chris: First Trust and Savings Develop and gain approval for the first ever job descriptions for 25 employees in five branches. Perhaps 15 different job descriptions. Job analysis, job descriptions, performance standards.
Kerri: Rock Island Arsenal Develop and recommend a systemic training needs analysis program for an accounting department of 14 employees and use it to assist employees in identifying training foe career advancement. Employee needs analysis, training, career planning
Chris: Rock Island Arsenal Develop and gain approval for a one year employee developmental assignment as a Cost-Price analyst as part of the career development path for Contract Specialists. Job analysis, training, career planning
Vikki: Alcoa Develop and implement an experimental training program for a new TPM initiative aimed at eliminating clutter, out dated equipment, supplies and improving general cleanliness. Job analysis and training.
Zee: American Heart Develop and implement an improved method to recruit and train leaders for volunteer labor. Motivation, training, recruiting
Kelly: Sears (retail) Analysis of breakdown between assigning tasks and having customer assistance employees work to complete the tasks quickly and thoroughly. Recommendations to implement new communication and team interaction strategies. Motivation, communication, group interaction, empowerment
Dan: Alcoa Matching changes in software implementation with changes in job descriptions for a major software roll out.
Each of you needs to develop an Action Project Proposal as quickly as possible. The Proposal needs to include the following elements:
This upfront proposal can be
accepted, accepted with suggestions for change or rejected by the professor.
Additional Action Project requirements
q Learners should also be encouraged to assemble or identify other people on the job who are part of the work group.
q Learners will present their recommendations for action at the end of the semester
q Project reflection paper needs to be completed at end of the semester (see the Reflection Paper Requirements below)
The Project will be a major source of learner’s evaluation. The following lists the criteria for assessing the Action Project Proposal:
Based on my readings, research and reflection, I have built the following components into the Action Project element of the curriculum:
The Course Schedule:
1 Course design, requirements and expectation. Team assignments and team building. HR issues and topics overview. Access to electronic reserves and article databases.
2 Self study on HR topics and issues using HR Undergraduate web site resources
3 More team building, getting and giving feed back, SMART Goals, project management, HR topics
4 No Class
5 Project paper due. Whole class formal presentations - 12-15 minutes, Powerpoint and handouts. Video taped Team meetings. 360 eval
6 Team meetings and updates. Just in time theory. 360 eval
7 Team meetings and updates. Just in time theory 360 eval
8 no class meeting
9 Whole class formal presentations: progress to date Video taped Team meetings. 360 eval
10 Team meetings and updates. Just in time theory 360 eval
11 Team meetings and updates. Just in time theory 360 eval
12 Team meetings and updates. Just in time theory 360 eval
13 No CLASS
14 Team meetings and updates. Just in time theory 360 eval
15 Final whole class presentations. Reflection paper due Video taped Team meetings. 360 eval
At the end of the course you must complete a ‘reflection paper’ as a required exercise. The research on learner development is clear that this is essential to helping you make explicit what you may have only grasped intuitively in practice. This takes on special importance for us because a significant part of the course is the Action Project and I am trying to get you to both apply what you are learning to your project and bring problems from your projects into class. The reflection paper is a good way to get you to focus on just what you have learned and how you have or may use it back on the job. The reflection paper is also a mechanism where I as an instructor can 1) see if the material was truly grasped by you and to see if what you got from it was what I expected and desired and 2) by looking at the aggregate of reflection papers, develop an informed opinion about the efficacy of the course and how to improve it. As we evaluate our effectiveness and look to make program improvements, these reflection papers should serve as a valuable source of information.
The paper should be between four and five single spaced pages. I am encouraging you to write succinctly and concisely. This is a completely individual effort and not part of any team activity.
The purpose of the Reflection Paper is to give you an opportunity to make explicit some of the learning you have achieved through this course of study. As part of the program, you have set certain goals and expect to achieve certain kinds of knowledge and to improve specific skills and competencies. So in part, the paper is a kind of self-evaluation. A clear and true self-understanding is an indispensable piece of knowledge for any executive and is a major advantage in the workplace. Understanding yourself means less chance making a wrong decision that you will later regret and more chances to gain respect and cooperation from your direct reports and other colleagues.
But as you to pause and look back of the course of study, you are also being asked to analyze, criticize and evaluate the connections between what you are studying in class and your work based Action Project.
Properly executed this paper will
reinforce and make explicit what you learned through both the in class activity
and your work place project connecting the issues and topics of this course.
To
guide you in this activity, I ask that you address the following questions:
1.
Briefly describe
in short a paragraph your work based project.
2. Think about what you have learned from any readings, multi-media, web visits, in class exercises, discussions, your team members, and work project experiences.
a. How have these helped you accomplish your learning objectives for this course?
b. What have you discover about yourself and how this affected your understanding of your own development?
c. Make explicit references to development of competencies and skills.
3. Which of the topics that we covered in this course did you find the most relevant and applicable to your work situation?
a. Briefly describe the theories, exercises or activities that contributed to your improved understanding.
4. Assess the effect that this course has had on increasing your personal confidence in analyzing and addressing problems on the job related to the issues and topics we covered.
5. What did you not learn about this topic that would have been useful to you in analyzing problems related to the course topics?
a. How would that have been useful?
b. What interfered with you learning more about this?
6. Feel free to add any other comments you think appropriate about the class and what you learned or did not learn.
The Action Project Proposal 100
In Class Presentations 100
Company Evaluation 100
Reflection Paper 100
Instructor Observations 100
Total 500
Course Material Requirements
1.
Everyone needs a dedicated binder/folder to store the reports from Team
Members from each meeting. Tab separators for each team member.
2.
Also use as a place to store handouts or download printouts from the
Instructor
3.
No text, but I will provide material either electronically or hand out.
4.
Make enough copies of 360 Evaluation Forms as required (see below)
5.
Make enough copies of Action Project Status Form as required (see below)
ACTION PROJECT STATUS REPORT
Complete all but Item Six before
meeting, pass out copies to the team, after discussion, fill in Six and Seven
– keep one copy and give one to the instructor.
NAME:
Project Name:
Date of team meeting : Team:
1. What I’ve done since the last set meeting
2. Action points outstanding
3. What is/are my most pressing problem(s)
4. Proposed next steps in Project
5. What I need from this team meeting
6. Action to be taken before next meeting
7. Just in Time Instruction Request
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360 Feedback Form
Name of team member receiving feedback__________________________________
Team____________________ Date________________________
Rating scale: 1 seldom or never practices this, 2 occasionally practices this but it is not typical of this persons behavior, 3 typically practices this although there are lapses, 4 almost always practices this, lapses are rare.
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