Assignments

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The assignments in this course are openly licensed, and are available as-is, or can be modified to suit your students’ needs. Selected answer keys are available to faculty who adopt Waymaker, OHM, or Candela courses with paid support from Lumen Learning. This approach helps us protect the academic integrity of these materials by ensuring they are shared only with authorized and institution-affiliated faculty and staff.

If you import this course into your learning management system (Blackboard, Canvas, etc.), the assignments will automatically be loaded into the assignment tool.

Sun City Boards Assignments and Discussions

Half of the written assignments and discussions are based on a case study, whose focus is a fictional high-end surfboard company, Sun City Boards, which is also highlighted in the Why It Matters and Putting it Together in Module 3: Planning and Mission. Many of these assignments take the form of asking students to give Tom, the company’s inexperienced owner, advice about how he can run his business more effectively. The Sun City Boards assignments create a common framework for applying knowledge and skills developed through the course, encouraging students to demonstrate mastery of the content through real-world tasks and work products.

Alternate Assignments and Discussions

The other half of the written assignments and discussions use a variety of approaches, depending on the subject and learning outcome being assessed; many ask students to go beyond course content to form connections between research topics and what they’ve learned in class.

Using Assignments

We recommend assigning one discussion OR one assignment per chapter, rather than all of them. Some instructors prefer to stick with the Sun City Boards theme throughout the course; others like to use some of the alternates along the way. You can view any assignments or discussions below or throughout the course.

You can view them below or throughout the course:

Module-Aligned Assignments and Alignment
Module Alignment	Sun City Boards Assignment	Alternate Assignment
Module 1: Introduction to Management	Assignment: Evaluating Sun City Boards	Assignment: Primary Functions of Management
Module 2: History of Management	Assignment: Sun City Boards’ Management Style	Assignment: History of Management
Module 3: Planning and Mission	Assignment: Creating a Plan for Sun City Boards	Assignment: Mission Impact on Business Practice and Employee Behavior
Module 4: Environments and Strategic Management	Assignment: Strategizing for Sun City Boards	Assignment: Environmental Scanning
Module 5: Decision Making	Assignment: Decision Making at Sun City Boards	Assignment: Your Decision-Making Process
Module 6: Organizational Structures	Assignment: An Organizational Structure for Sun City Boards	Assignment: Organizational Structures
Module 7: Human Resource Management	Assignment: Hiring at Sun City Boards	Assignment: Memo to Costco’s CEO
Module 8: Groups, Teams, and Teamwork	Assignment: Team Plan for Sun City Boards	Assignment: Leadership Competition
Module 9: Culture and Diversity	Assignment: Memo on Diversity at Sun City Boards	Assignment: What Is Diversity?
Module 10: Leadership	Assignment: Leadership at Sun City Boards	Assignment: Evaluating Leadership
Module 11: Motivation	Assignment: The “Chief Motivator” at Sun City Boards	Assignment: Motivation
Module 12: The Individual and the Organization	Assignment: New Operational Plans at Sun City Boards	Assignment: Personality and Performance
Module 13: Ethics in Business	Assignment: Culture Survey at Sun City Boards	Assignment: Memo to 3M CEO
Module 14: Communication	Assignment: Communication Plan for Sun City Boards	Assignment: Communications Failures in the World
Module 15: Control	Assignment: Controls at Sun City Boards	Assignment: Financial Controls vs. Balanced Scorecard
Module 16: Globalization and Business	Assignment: Taking Sun City Boards Global	Assignment: When to Go Global

Rubric for Assignments

There is also a sample rubric to assist you in grading. Instructors may modify these guidelines or use their own.

Criteria	Inadequate (40%)	Minimal (60%)	Adequate (80%)	Exemplary (100%)	Total Points
Organization and format	2 pts Writing lacks logical organization. It may show some coherence but ideas lack unity. Serious errors and generally is an unorganized format and information.	3 pts Writing is coherent and logically organized, using a format suitable for the material presented. Some points may be contextually misplaced and/or stray from the topic. Transitions may be evident but not used throughout the essay. Organization and format used may detract from understanding the material presented.	4 pts Writing is coherent and logically organized, using a format suitable for the material presented. Transitions between ideas and paragraphs create coherence. Overall unity of ideas is supported by the format and organization of the material presented.	5 pts Writing shows high degree of attention to details and presentation of points. Format used enhances understanding of material presented. Unity clearly leads the reader to the writer’s conclusion and the format and information could be used independently.	5 pts
Content	8 pts Some but not all required questions are addressed. Content and/or terminology is not properly used or referenced. Little or no original thought is present in the writing. Concepts presented are merely restated from the source, or ideas presented do not follow the logic and reasoning presented throughout the writing.	12 pts All required questions are addressed but may not be addressed with thoughtful consideration and/or may not reflect proper use of content terminology or additional original thought. Additional concepts may not be present and/or may not be properly cited sources.	16 pts All required questions are addressed with thoughtful consideration reflecting both proper use of content terminology and additional original thought. Some additional concepts may be presented from other properly cited sources, or originated by the author following logic and reasoning they’ve clearly presented throughout the writing.	20 pts All required questions are addressed with thoughtful in-depth consideration reflecting both proper use of content terminology and additional original thought. Additional concepts are clearly presented from properly cited sources, or originated by the author following logic and reasoning they’ve clearly presented throughout the writing.	20 pts
Development—Critical Thinking	8 pts Shows some thinking and reasoning but most ideas are underdeveloped, unoriginal, and/or do not address the questions asked. Conclusions drawn may be unsupported, illogical or merely the author’s opinion with no supporting evidence presented.	12 pts Content indicates thinking and reasoning applied with original thought on a few ideas, but may repeat information provided and/ or does not address all of the questions asked. The author presents no original ideas, or ideas do not follow clear logic and reasoning. The evidence presented may not support conclusions drawn.	16 pts Content indicates original thinking, cohesive conclusions, and developed ideas with sufficient and firm evidence. Clearly addresses all of the questions or requirements asked. The evidence presented supports conclusions drawn.	20 pts Content indicates synthesis of ideas, in-depth analysis and evidence beyond the questions or requirements asked. Original thought supports the topic, and is clearly a well-constructed response to the questions asked. The evidence presented makes a compelling case for any conclusions drawn.	20 pts
Grammar, Mechanics, Style	2 pts Writing contains many spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors, making it difficult for the reader to follow ideas clearly. There may be sentence fragments and run-ons. The style of writing, tone, and use of rhetorical devices disrupts the content. Additional information may be presented but in an unsuitable style, detracting from its understanding.	3 pts Some spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors are present, interrupting the reader from following the ideas presented clearly. There may be sentence fragments and run-ons. The style of writing, tone, and use of rhetorical devices may detract from the content. Additional information may be presented, but in a style of writing that does not support understanding of the content.	4 pts Writing is free of most spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors, allowing the reader to follow ideas clearly. There are no sentence fragments and run-ons. The style of writing, tone, and use of rhetorical devices enhance the content. Additional information is presented in a cohesive style that supports understanding of the content.	5 pts Writing is free of all spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors and written in a style that enhances the reader’s ability to follow ideas clearly. There are no sentence fragments and run-ons. The style of writing, tone, and use of rhetorical devices enhance the content. Additional information is presented to encourage and enhance understanding of the content.	5 pts
				Total:	50 pts

Open Pedagogy Assignments

Open Pedagogy Assignments are assignments in which students use their agency and creativity to create knowledge artifacts that can support their own learning, their classmates’ learning, and the learning of students around the world. (See this peer-reviewed article for more details.) All of the assignments can be created with a cell phone camera or any video recording device, Google or Word documents, and your learning management system.

Open Pedagogy Assignments and Alignment
Assignment	Module
Why It Matters To You	Module 1: Introduction to Management
Midterm Muddiest Point	Module 8: Groups, Teams, and Teamwork
End of Term Reflection	Module 16: Globalization and Business

Discussions

The following discussion assignments will also be preloaded (into the discussion-board tool) in your learning management system if you import the course. They can be used as is, modified, or removed. You can view them below or throughout the course.

Discussions and Alignment
Module Alignment	Sun City Boards Discussion	Alternate Discussion
Module 1: Introduction to Management	Discussion: Successful Management at Sun City Boards	Discussion: The Importance of “Why”
Module 2: History of Management	Discussion: Sun City Boards’ Management Toolbox	Discussion: How the Past Influences the Present
Module 3: Planning and Mission	Discussion: Sun City Boards’ Values Statement	Discussion: Mission Accomplished?
Module 4: Environments and Strategic Management	Discussion: SWOT Analysis for Sun City Boards	Discussion: The Strategy Behind Your Favorite Product
Module 5: Decision Making	Discussion: Improving Decision Making at Sun City Boards	Discussion: Could These Bad Decisions Have Been Avoided?
Module 6: Organizational Structures	Discussion: Sun City Boards’ Organizational Structure	Discussion: Considering Organizational Structures
Module 7: Human Resource Management	Discussion: Temporary Workers at Sun City Boards	Discussion: Show Me the Benefits
Module 8: Groups, Teams, and Teamwork	Discussion: Team Dynamics at Sun City Boards	Discussion: What Makes Teams Successful?
Module 9: Culture and Diversity	Discussion: Hostile Culture at Sun City Boards	Discussion: Evaluating Company Culture Discussion: Color Blind or Color Brave?^[1]
Module 10: Leadership	Discussion: Sun City Boards’ Self-Leadership Audit	Discussion: What Makes a Good Leader?
Module 11: Motivation	Discussion: Sun City Boards Employee Rewards	Discussion: Rethinking Motivation
Module 12: The Individual and the Organization	Discussion: Biases at Sun City Boards	Discussion: Exploring Personality in the Workplace
Module 13: Ethics in Business	Discussion: Sun City Boards’ Code of Ethics	Discussion: Are They Simply Guidelines?
Module 14: Communication	Discussion: Sun City Boards’ Managers and Team Leaders	Discussion: Communication Breakdown on Mars
Module 15: Control	Discussion: Developing Balanced Scorecard for Sun City Boards	Discussion: Out of Control
Module 16: Globalization and Business	Discussion: Global Business Practices for Sun City Boards	Discussion: Managing Globalization

Rubric for Discussion Posts