PAD 717
Structure for final organizational analysis
All Final Papers should be structured using this format. Identify a public/nonprofit organization and analyze the organization using the 4 frames. Be sure to review syllabus carefully for details
I. Introduction
a. Purpose of the paper
b. Introduce and summarize organization of focus
c. Introduce and summarize methods and approach for analysis
d. What should the reader expect to learn
II. Organization of Focus
a. Introduce and describe
i. Mission, objectives, goals, services, products (i.e. outputs), strategies, activities, populations served, and other details that tell the reader what this organization is focused on achieving and doing
ii. Introduce inputs – how is the organization they funded? What capital and/or human resources do they have? What technologies do they use? How do they do their work?
iii. What can you tell the reader about the environment – affiliations, regulatory/authorizing agents, etc
iv. Other pertinent information that provides a description of the organization
III. Analysis
a. Analyze the organization using the 4 frames
b. Describe the organization using the key concepts and elements of each frame. In what ways are the structural, human resource, symbolic and political dimensions of the organization operationalized, or how do they look and/or behave in this organization, AND how does your description align with, or diverge from the elements described by Bolman and Deal? Compare your organization to each frame and its elements.
c. Beyond describing each element, go beyond the description by using other organizational theory/theories tell us WHY each element comes to life in the way it does, as you describe. For instance, if the organizational structure in Organization A is set up as B – identify an organizational theory that tells us WHY it is this way.
d. Is there anything to learn from comparing the organization to best practices, within or across the frames
What kids of challenges, benefits or assumptions can you refer to as a result of your analysis?
IV. Conclusions
a. What is a summary of your analysis?
b. What have you learned about alignment between the organization, the frames, organization theory, and/or best practices
Resources for Organizational Theory
• Start with Bolman and Deal…in each chapter the authors introduce different theories from organizational studies, within each frame. These can be found in numerous places, including the boxes titled “Greatest Hits from Organizational Studies” (e.g. March & Simon). There are many references to research within the text to inform your work here.
• In the Sawyer Library of Suffolk University, you can search multiple databases, under the category of “Research” to explore science in the organizational studies field. You can start here: https://www.suffolk.edu/academics/libraries/mildred-f-sawyer-library/research/search-ejournals
• Or, you can also select the “Google Scholar” option on this page
• Some journals are:
• Organizational Studies
• Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies
• Administrative Science Quarterly
• Group & Organization Management
• Strategic Organization
• Academy of Management (several journals)
• Organization Development Journal
• Journal Of Management Inquiry
• Journal of Human Resources
• Industrial and Labor Relations Review
• Journal of Industrial Relations
• The Leadership Quarterly
There are journals also focused on Nonprofit Organizations
• Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly
• Administration & Society
• Public Performance Management Review
• Public Administration Review
• The American Review of Public Administration
Structure for Final Organizational Analysis PAD 717 2021
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