PAD 631 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

Overview Public managers need to be able to position their organizations to achieve desired program outcomes by utilizing fundamental strategic management techniques. Managers may be charged with diagnosing complex situations and resolving them in ways that enhance organizational performance. Throughout this course, you have learned strategic perspectives on the management and leadership of public sector organizations. Now for your final project, you will develop a strategic management white paper that can be used to guide decision making for a public or nonprofit sector organization. To do this, you will select three public, nonprofit, or governmental organizations and research their strategic management practices to make recommendations regarding effective strategies and best practices in strategic management. Your recommendations should be targeted toward the leadership and management of any public sector or nonprofit organization; you do not need to focus specifically on making recommendations for the three organizations you selected. Rather, they will be your basis for making recommendations for public and nonprofit organizations in general. Your white paper should be written so that it could be presented to the leaders of a public, nonprofit, or governmental organization.

Select three of the following for your white paper:

Public Agencies Private Sector Companies Nonprofit Organizations Washtenaw County, Michigan Johnson & Johnson Minnesota Council of Nonprofits City of Grand Rapids, Michigan Google United Way City of Albany, New York Microsoft Corporation American Red Cross Rock Hill, South Carolina General Motors NELLCO (New England Law Library Consortium) Durham, North Carolina British Petroleum The Denver Foundation Monmouth County, New Jersey Disney Corporation National Council of Nonprofits City of Tamarac, Florida Walmart Lumina Foundation City of Peoria, Arizona Dell Commonwealth Foundation City of Seattle, Washington Cargill Human Rights Watch City of Portland, Oregon Koch Industries New York Academy of Art Lake County, Illinois Meijer Sierra Club Prince William County, Virginia Amway Miami-Dade County, Florida

The final project represents an authentic demonstration of competency because strategic management white papers are regularly used to guide decision making for a public or nonprofit sector organization. The project is divided into three milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three, Five, and Eight. The final project will be submitted in Module Ten.

In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:

 Assess alignment of public institutions’ discrete resources to their organizational visions based on elements of the strategic management process  Determine best practices for enhancing the effectiveness of public programs based on qualitative and quantitative evaluation of program outcomes  Recommend program reengineering best practices appropriate for program redesign in government or nonprofit organizations based on cost, benefit,

and risk analysis  Assess strategic management processes for their effectiveness in overcoming unique constraints facing government agencies  Recommend strategies to enhance organizational performance and mitigate the impact of contemporary challenges to strategic management in the

public sector

Prompt Your strategic management white paper should answer the following prompt: Develop a white paper discussing strategies and best practices in strategic management that can be used to guide decision making. The target audience for your white paper is the leadership and management of a public or nonprofit sector organization; you should write the white paper with the idea that it could be presented to key decision-makers in a governmental agency or public or nonprofit organization.

Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

I. Introduction: Concisely describe the three organizations you will be comparing in your white paper. Make sure to include the organizational vision for each organization in your description.

II. Analysis: In this section of your white paper, you will analyze the strategic management practices of the three organizations. Specifically, you should address the following:

A. Strategic Management: Compare the elements of strategic planning and the strategic management process that were utilized by the three organizations. In other words, how did the organizations apply elements of the strategic management process? What worked and why?

B. Resource Alignment: Assess the alignment of the three organizations’ discrete resources to the organizational visions. C. Resource Allocation Decisions: Describe how the organizations’ resource allocation decisions were altered or guided by the strategic planning

and management process. In other words, how did the organizations apply elements of the strategic management process to align resources to organizational vision?

D. Outcome Evaluation: Describe the qualitative and quantitative measures that were used to evaluate the program outcomes. E. Best Practices: Identify the best practices used by the three organizations to increase the effectiveness of program outcomes. F. Cost-Benefit Analysis: Create a cost-benefit analysis that identifies the costs, benefits, and risks associated with program or process redesign in

the three organizations. G. Constraints: Describe the constraints facing the three organizations. Examples of constraints include diffused leadership, limited managerial

autonomy, politically defined performance outcomes for programs, and legal requirements.

H. Private Sector Techniques: Analyze the private sector strategic planning techniques used by the three organizations to address the constraints you described. Support your response with specific examples of instances when the organizations used private sector techniques instead of public sector techniques.

III. Recommendations A. Program Success: Based on the measures used to evaluate the program outcomes and the best practices you identified, which best practices

could decision makers implement to enhance the likelihood of program success? B. Participation: Recommend a participation best practice by contrasting the participation characteristics of the reengineering processes used in

the three organizations. C. Program Reengineering: Recommend a best practice model for program reengineering based on your cost-benefit analysis for the three

organizations and independent research. D. Overcoming Constraints: How effective were the strategic management processes used by the three organizations to overcome the constraints

they faced? E. Organizational Success: Explain how governmental and nonprofit agencies can improve organizational success by best utilizing the principles of

benchmarking, best practices, and comparative governmental performance. F. Customer Service: Recommend a strategy to mitigate the impact of the challenge of providing effective and efficient customer service. Justify

your recommendation. Your response should be based on your analysis of the three organizations and additional research. G. Boundary Limitations: Recommend a strategy or tactic that governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations can implement to mitigate the

impact of the challenge of territorial boundary limitations. Justify your recommendation. Your response should be based on your analysis of the three organizations and additional research.

Milestones Milestone One: Introduction In Module Three, you will submit the Introduction portion of your final project. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.

Milestone Two: Analysis In Module Five, you will submit the Analysis portion of your final project. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.

Milestone Three: Recommendations In Module Eight, you will submit the Recommendations portion of your final project. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric.

Final Submission: White Paper In Module Ten, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final project. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.

Deliverables Milestone Deliverable Module Due Grading

One Introduction Three Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric

Two Analysis Five Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric

Three Recommendations Eight Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric

Final Submission: White Paper Ten Graded separately; Final Project Rubric

Final Project Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Your strategic management white paper should adhere to the following formatting requirements: 15–20 pages, double-spaced, using 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. You should use current APA style guidelines for your citations and reference list.

Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (90%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value Introduction Meets “Proficient” criteria, and

description expertly balances necessary detail with brevity

Concisely describes the three organizations being compared and their organizational visions

Describes the three organizations being compared and their organizational visions, but description is wordy or vague

Does not describe the three organizations being compared and their organizational visions

3

Analysis: Strategic Management [PAD-631-01]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and comparison demonstrates keen insight into strategic management process

Compares elements of strategic planning and management process utilized by the three organizations

Compares elements of strategic planning and management process utilized by the three organizations, but with gaps in accuracy or detail

Does not compare elements of strategic planning and management process utilized by the three organizations

6.2

Analysis: Resource Alignment

[PAD-631-01]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response demonstrates nuanced understanding of alignment of discrete resources and organizational vision

Assesses alignment of the three organizations’ discrete resources to organizational visions

Assesses alignment of the three organizations’ discrete resources to organizational visions, but assessment is cursory or inaccurate

Does not assess alignment of the three organizations’ discrete resources to organizational visions

6.2

Analysis: Resource Allocation Decisions

[PAD-631-01]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and description demonstrates nuanced understanding of applying the strategic management process for aligning resources to organizational vision

Describes how the organization’s resource allocation decisions were altered or guided by the strategic planning and management process

Describes how the organization’s resource allocation decisions were altered or guided by the strategic planning and management process, but with gaps in clarity or detail

Does not describe how the organization’s resource allocation decisions were altered or guided by the strategic planning and management process

6.2

Analysis: Outcome Evaluation

[PAD-631-02]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response demonstrates nuanced understanding of program outcome evaluation methodologies

Describes the qualitative and quantitative measures that were used to evaluate the program outcomes

Describes the qualitative and quantitative measures that were used to evaluate the program outcomes, but with gaps in clarity or detail

Does not describe the qualitative and quantitative measures that were used to evaluate the program outcomes

6.2

Analysis: Best Practices

[PAD-631-02]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response demonstrates nuanced understanding of best practices used to enhance the effectiveness of public programs

Identifies best practices used by the three organizations to increase effectiveness of program outcomes

Identifies best practices used by the three organizations to increase effectiveness of program outcomes, but with gaps in accuracy or detail

Does not identify best practices used by the three organizations to increase effectiveness of program outcomes

6.2

Analysis: Cost-Benefit Analysis

[PAD-631-03]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and analysis demonstrates keen insight into costs, benefits, and risks of program redesign

Creates a cost-benefit analysis that identifies the costs, benefits, and risks associated with program or process redesign in the three organizations

Creates a cost-benefit analysis that identifies the costs, benefits, and risks associated with program or process redesign in the three organizations, but analysis is cursory or inaccurate

Does not create a cost-benefit analysis that identifies the costs, benefits, and risks associated with program or process redesign in the three organizations

6.2

Analysis: Constraints [PAD-631-04]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and description demonstrates nuanced understanding of constraints facing governmental agencies

Describes the constraints facing the three organizations

Describes the constraints facing the three organizations, but with gaps in clarity or detail

Does not describe the constraints facing the three organizations

6.2

Analysis: Private Sector Techniques

[PAD-631-04]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and analysis demonstrates keen insight into relationship between strategic management processes and constraints facing governmental agencies

Analyzes private sector strategic planning techniques used by the three organizations to address constraints and supports response with specific examples of instances when the organizations used private sector techniques instead of public sector techniques

Analyzes private sector planning techniques used by the three organizations to address constraints and supports response with specific examples of instances when the organizations used private sector techniques instead of public sector techniques, but analysis has gaps in accuracy, detail, or support

Does not analyze private sector planning techniques used by the three organizations to address constraints and does not support response with specific examples of instances when the organizations used private sector techniques instead of public sector techniques

6.2

Recommendations: Program Success

[PAD-631-02]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response demonstrates nuanced understanding of best practices used to enhance the effectiveness of public programs

Determines appropriate best practices decision makers could implement to enhance likelihood of program success, based on measures used to evaluate program outcomes and best practices identification

Determines best practices decision makers could implement, but practices are not appropriate for enhancing likelihood of program success or are not based on measures used to evaluate program outcomes and best practices identification

Does not determine best practices decision makers could implement

6.2

Recommendations: Participation [PAD-631-03]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response demonstrates nuanced understanding of program reengineering best practices

Recommends appropriate participation best practice by contrasting participation characteristics of reengineering processes used in the three organizations

Recommends participation best practice by contrasting participation characteristics of reengineering processes used in the three organizations, but best practice is not appropriate

Does not recommend participation best practice by contrasting participation characteristics of reengineering processes used in the three organizations

6.2

Recommendations: Program

Reengineering [PAD-631-03]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response demonstrates keen insight into relationship between program reengineering best practices and costs, benefits, and risks of program redesign

Recommends appropriate best practice model for program reengineering based on cost-benefit analysis for the three organizations and independent research

Recommends best practice model for program reengineering, but model is not appropriate or is not based on cost-benefit analysis for the three organizations and independent research

Does not recommend best practice model for program reengineering

6.2

Recommendations: Overcoming Constraints

[PAD-631-04]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and assessment demonstrates keen insight into relationship between strategic management processes and constraints facing governmental agencies

Assesses effectiveness of strategic management processes used by the three organizations to overcome constraints

Assesses effectiveness of strategic management processes used by the three organizations to overcome constraints, but assessment is cursory or inaccurate

Does not assess effectiveness of strategic management processes used by the three organizations to overcome constraints

6.2

Recommendations: Organizational

Success [PAD-631-05]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and explanation demonstrates keen insight into enhancing organizational performance

Explains how governmental and nonprofit agencies can improve organizational success by best utilizing the principles of benchmarking, best practices, and comparative governmental performance

Explains how governmental and nonprofit agencies can improve organizational success by best utilizing the principles of benchmarking, best practices, and comparative governmental performance, but with gaps in clarity or detail

Does not explain how governmental and nonprofit agencies can improve organizational success by best utilizing the principles of benchmarking, best practices, and comparative governmental performance

6.2

Recommendations: Customer Service

[PAD-631-05]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response demonstrates nuanced understanding of mitigating the impact of contemporary challenges to strategic management in the public sector

Recommends and justifies appropriate strategy to mitigate the impact of the challenge of providing effective and efficient customer service, based on analysis of the three organizations and additional research

Recommends and justifies strategy to mitigate the impact of the challenge of providing effective and efficient customer service, but strategy is not appropriate or is not based on analysis of the three organizations and additional research

Does not recommend and justify strategy to mitigate the impact of the challenge of providing effective and efficient customer service

6.2

Recommendations: Boundary Limitations

[PAD-631-05]

Meets “Proficient” criteria, and response demonstrates nuanced understanding of mitigating the impact of contemporary challenges to strategic management in the public sector

Recommends and justifies appropriate strategy to mitigate the impact of the challenge of territorial boundary limitations, based on analysis of the three organizations and additional research

Recommends and justifies strategy to mitigate the impact of the challenge of territorial boundary limitations, but strategy is not appropriate or is not based on analysis of the three organizations and additional research

Does not recommend and justify strategy to mitigate the impact of the challenge of territorial boundary limitations

6.2

Articulation of Response

Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to-read format

Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas

4

Total 100%