I want you to identify a specific public service organization that has recently undergone a major change or reform; or a specific public service organization that might change as a result of pending legislative action. Another option would be to discuss a change to a nonprofit organization. Below are some examples of organizations that have undergone reforms and changes that we have mentioned or discussed in class:
- The Department of Veteran’s Affairs
- Washington D.C. Public Schools
- Reforms at Arizona Child Protective Service (CPS)
I encourage you to pick something aligned with your own personal interests, however, if you are having a hard time identifying one that interests you, I suggest you chose one from the list above. Ultimately, you will not be graded on which public service organization you examine; it will be graded on your ability to apply the course material to that particular case.
- Write a 2,500 word discussion paper applying key concepts from the course to your case.
- You are required to use a minimum of 10 sources (including course materials).
- Format your paper in accordance with APA style guidelines.
- The paper is to be written in Times New Roman 12pt font, double-spaced, with 1-inch margins.
- Writing should be clear, well-organized, and contain minimal grammatical errors.
Organize your paper with the following sections and be sure to answer all questions in each section:
1) Background
- What is the organization?
- What does this organization do?
- What is the reform or proposed change (please be specific)?
- What were the drivers of the change?
- Were they internal or external?
- What level (individual, group, or organizational) is the change occurring?
2) Leadership: Who is the current leader of this organization?
- Did the events driving the change occur when he/she was in charge?
- Based on your research, do they appear to be transformational or transactional? Why or why not?
3) Barriers to Change
- What are the environmental barriers to change?
- Are resources available to support the change?
- Is there consensus on what the goal of the change should be?
- How are the organization’s employees likely to respond to the proposed changes? Why might employees resist change?
4) Strategies for Successful Change
- Based on the readings for this class, what advice would you give to this organization to successfully implement the proposed changes or reforms?
- Specifically, how might a leader overcome the barriers to change that you have identified?