Walden WMBA6040 2022 January Complete Course Latest (Full)

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 1 Discussion

What Is a System? And What Is Systems Thinking?

Donella Meadows, the pioneer of systems thinking and author of Thinking in Systems: A Primer, defines a system as “an interconnected set of elements that is coherently organized in a way that achieves something. If you look at that definition closely for a minute, you can see that a system must consist of three kinds of things: elements, interconnections, and a function or purpose” (2008, p. 11). In this Discussion, you will identify systems within an organization and define what systems thinking means to you.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Consider an organization with which you are familiar. This can be a current or former employer. Then, using Meadows’s definition of a system, think about the various systems that make up this organization and the multiple elements within these systems.

After identifying some examples of systems within an organization, consider how you would define systems thinking.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 2 Discussion

Moral Imagination

Most are familiar with Nestlé, one of the world’s largest food producers, whose marketing slogan is: “Good food, Good life.” On its website, the corporation states that its three main ambitions are helping children live healthier lives, improving livelihoods in communities, and striving for zero environmental impact (Nestlé, n.d.). These are commendable goals that generated considerable positive publicity; however, recent allegations and court proceedings have suggested that the company may not actually be achieving those ambitions. Nestlé has been accused of using child labor in its cocoa supply chain in Western Africa, using forced slave labor in its seafood supply chains in Southeast Asia, and overusing diverted water from a national forest in drought-stricken California (Singh, 2021). These allegations illustrate that—even when companies adopt policies to promote ethical behavior—serious lapses can occur.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review the article titled “Mental Models, Moral Imagination and System Thinking in the Age of Globalization” (located in this week’s Learning Resources) and think about how organizations apply these models.

Consider an organization with which you are familiar. This can be a current or former employer. Focus specifically on the organization’s ethics and sustainability policies, practices, and goals, and identify one issue you think the organization should improve upon with regard to its moral imagination and action.

By Day 3

Positive Social Change IconPost a synthesis of how your selected organization could use a moral imagination framework to address issues and create positive social change. In your synthesis, do the following:

Briefly describe your selected organization and identify one issue the organization should improve upon with respect to its moral imagination and action. Provide a rationale.

Explain how Werhane’s moral imagination framework could be applied to the issue you identified to help create positive social change within the organization or its stakeholder context.

Refer to the Week 2 Discussion Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

Read some of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 5

Respond to two or more of your colleagues’ posts in one or more of the following ways:

Compare your organizational issue to that of your colleague and draw any connections between their suggested use of the moral imagination framework and yours.

Provide an insight you gained by reviewing your colleague’s example.

Ask a probing question supported by additional context from your experience and the readings from the week.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 3 Discussion

Detail and Dynamic Complexity

Are you overwhelmed by complexity? If so, you are not alone. Peter Senge notes that people are now able to “create far more information that anyone can absorb,” and he continues to say that the “scale of complexity is without precedent” (2006, p. 69). This “detail” complexity can make managing a business and making informed decisions particularly difficult. Additionally, because organizations do not operate in a vacuum, they are invariably dealing with dynamic complexity. A company that attracts new customers with an innovative product will likely find itself facing many competitors with a similar offering. The market changes as a result of the new product, and the competitive response further changes the market. These shifting dynamics constitute the world in which most managers operate.

To prepare for this Discussion:

As you review Senge’s Chapter 5, “A Shift of Mind,” consider his descriptions of detail complexity and dynamic complexity.

Then think about organizations with which you are familiar. The organizations could be businesses, nonprofits, government agencies, or current or former employers. Think about examples of detail complexity and dynamic complexity at these organizations. Choose at least two organizations for this week’s Discussion.

By Day 3

Post an analysis of detail and dynamic complexity on systems performance within organizations. In your analysis, include the following:

Provide a brief overview of the organizations you chose.

Using two or more examples from your selected organizations, illustrate important elements of detail complexity and dynamic complexity within their systems and explain the impacts (both positive and negative) of such complexities.

Refer to the Week 3 Discussion Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

Read some of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 5

Respond to two or more of your colleagues’ posts in one or more of the following ways:

Provide a different or expanded perspective by offering an insight that you gained by reading your colleague’s conclusions.

Ask a question that will help your colleague think about their comparisons and conclusions more deeply or broadly. Make sure you provide context and/or references based on the class readings, your own investigation, or your experience.

Provide an example that further illuminates complexity in organizations and compare it to what your colleague presented.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 4 Discussion

The Rise and Demise of the Innovative Entrant

System archetypes describe and illustrate common patterns or common behaviors that occur within organizations (Braun, 2002). These archetypes can be utilized as effective tools in two main ways, first, as a diagnostic tool to identify and understand the underlying systemic issues and, secondly, as a planning tool to test the systemic effects of a proposed change. By recognizing the presence of the systems archetype, managers can better understand fundamental solutions in improving business performance.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Read and review the case study Rise and Demise of the Innovative Entrant:

Landel, R. D. & Timoshin, D. (2001, March 8). Rise and demise of the innovative entrant. Darden Business Publishing. http://hbr.org

Review, as needed, the following resource: How to Analyze a Business Case Study (PDF)

Consider the systems archetypes that Senge reviews in Chapter 6, “Nature’s Templates: Identifying the Patterns that Control Events.” Review the articles “Towards the Definition and Use of a Core Set of Archetypal Structures in System Dynamics” and “The System Archetypes” (located in this week’s Learning Resources) to view examples of the use of archetypes to analyze business problems.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 5 Discussion

A Study of Mental Models

Peter Senge (2006) describes a mental model as a “deeply engrained assumption, generalizations, or even pictures or images that influence how we understand the world and how we take action” (p. 8). People with a different mental model can see the same issue or event and describe it completely differently, as seen in the Sufi parable of The Blind Men and the Elephant. In this tale, there are six blind men examining an elephant for the very first time. Each develops a very different mental model of what an elephant is. The following is a summary of the story:

Six blind men encountered an elephant for the first time. Each inspected the elephant by touching it. They then described it based on what they felt. The first person touched the elephant’s trunk and said, “This animal is like a snake.” The next, whose hand touched the elephant’s ear, claimed it is like a rug. The third person, whose hand touched its leg, said, “The elephant is a like a tree.” The fourth, who placed his hand upon its side, said “This is a wall.” The fifth, who felt its tail, described the elephant as a rope. The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is hard, smooth, and shaped like a spear.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review the resources in the Mental Models area of this week’s Learning Resources.

Consider some of the mental models that you have and some that you have seen in others in your professional or personal life.

By Day 3

Post an analysis of the impact of individual perceptions on problem solving and decision making. In your analysis, do the following:

Describe at least two mental models that you personally have that differ from those of a colleague, family member, or friend.

Examine how these mental models have affected your interactions with your colleague, family member, or friend and what actions you took or could have taken to address these differences.

Explain how understanding mental models can help you become a better problem solver and decision maker.

Refer to the Week 5 Discussion Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

Read some of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 5

Respond to two or more of your colleagues’ posts in one or more of the following ways:

Relate your own experiences with mental models and their effect on your interactions with others to what your colleague shared.

Provide a different or expanded perspective by offering an insight that you gained by reading your colleague’s conclusions.

Ask a question that will help your colleague think about their conclusions more deeply or broadly. Make sure you provide context and/or references based on the class readings, your own investigation, or your experience.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 6 Discussion

The Goal—Part 1

According to The Foundation for Critical Thinking (n.d.), “[c]ritical thinking is that mode of thinking—about any subject, content, or problem—in which the thinker improves the quality of [their] thinking by skillfully analyzing, assessing, and reconstructing it.” As a manager, much of your work requires analyzing complex situations, which, in turn, requires critical thinking skills. For example, you may be presented with information, but you may need to decide if that information is relevant, if it is accurate, or if the sources it cites are credible. If a company leader forwards an article to you and asks you if the claims are valid, you may take steps such as identifying any biases or incorrect assumptions found within it.

This week, and continuing into Weeks 7 and 8, you will be using your critical thinking skills to analyze business issues from the business novel The Goal. You will analyze the relevance of systems thinking concepts described in the book to effective business practices.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Read pages 1–123 (Chapters 1–16) of The Goal.

As you read this part of the book, consider passages that contain ideas that you find compelling and particularly relevant to effective business management. You will select at least three passages to discuss this week.

In addition, consider how understanding these concepts might have influenced your past decision making.

By Day 3

Post your analysis of The Goal to include the following:

Identify three or more short passages from this week’s assigned reading in The Goal that contain one or two essential ideas that you found compelling, and explain why each passage you chose is relevant to and important in effective business management. Be sure to include the citation for each passage in your explanation.

(Note: This section of The Goal outlines the various performance problems that the Bearington plant is having, so feel free to practice your systems thinking skills to explain why the plant is having such difficulties.)

Then, reflect on and complete this statement based on your own experience: “If I had only known this back when…”

Refer to the Week 6 Discussion Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

Read some of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 5

Respond to two or more of your colleagues’ posts in one or more of the following ways:

Provide an insight you gained from the passages your colleague found compelling or from another example from the book.

Ask a clarifying question about your colleague’s analysis, either of the concept from the book or of their reflection on past experiences.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 7 Discussion

The Goal—Part 2

Through the lens of the business novel The Goal, you have been following many characters, complex business issues, and various management methodologies proposed for correcting problems. In choosing to write a novel, the authors are able to explore abstract concepts in an informative and accessible format. In effect, they are comparing and contrasting strategies in a realistic setting, rather than presenting their argument in an academic article. This format helps meet the intent of the Discussions for this module, in which you can relate the concepts of this book to your experiences and understanding of the business world.

This week is a continuation from Week 6, in which you used critical thinking skills to analyze business issues from the business novel The Goal. You will analyze the relevance of systems thinking concepts described in the book to effective business practices.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Read pages 124–236 (Chapters 17–28) of The Goal.

As you read this part of the book, consider passages that contain ideas that you find compelling and particularly relevant to effective business management. You will select at least three passages to discuss this week.

In addition, consider how understanding these concepts might have influenced your past decision making.

By Day 3

Post your analysis of The Goal, to include the following:

Identify three or more short passages from this week’s assigned reading in The Goal that contain one or two essential ideas that you found compelling, and explain why each passage you chose is relevant to and important in effective business management. Be sure to include the citation for each passage in your explanation.

(Note: A theme you can focus on this week is explaining why the techniques that the team are implementing are working, as well as how “breaking the rules” in this case makes sense from a systems performance perspective.)

Then, reflect on and complete this statement based on your own experience: “If I had only known this back when…”

Refer to the Week 7 Discussion Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

Read some of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 5

Respond to two or more of your colleagues’ posts in one or more of the following ways:

Provide an insight you gained from the passages your colleague found compelling or from another example from the book.

Ask a clarifying question about your colleague’s analysis, either of the concept from the book or of their reflection on past experiences.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 8 Discussion

The Goal—Part 3

This week is a continuation from Week 6 and Week 7, in which you used critical thinking skills to analyze business issues from the business novel The Goal. You will analyze the relevance of systems thinking concepts described in the book to effective business practices.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Read pages 237–337 (Chapters 29–40) of The Goal.

As you read this part of the book, consider passages that contain ideas that you find compelling and particularly relevant to effective business management. You will select at least three passages to discuss this week.

Consider how management challenges were often misunderstood because some managers could not see beyond their own paradigms. Think about how some of the most effective actions focused on the system, and the policy constraints, rather than the immediate, local issues.

In addition, consider how understanding these concepts might have influenced your past decision making.

By Day 3

Post your analysis of The Goal, to include the following:

Identify three or more short passages from this week’s assigned reading in The Goal that contain one or two essential ideas that you found compelling, and explain why each passage you chose is relevant to and important in effective business management. Be sure to include the citation for each passage in your explanation.

Then, reflect on and complete this statement based on your own experience: “If I had only known this back when…”

Refer to the Week 8 Discussion Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

Read some of your colleagues’ postings.

By Day 5

Respond to two or more of your colleagues’ posts in one or more of the following ways:

Provide an insight you gained from the passages your colleague found compelling or from another example from the book.

Ask a clarifying question about your colleague’s analysis, either of the concept from the book or of their reflection on past experiences.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned or any insights you have gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 1 Assignment

Today’s Problems Come From Yesterday’s Thinking

Albert Einstein is credited with saying, “We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them.” This is as true in business as it is in science. Peter Senge (2006) describes this systemic phenomenon as “today’s problems come from yesterday’s solutions” (p. 58). Solutions that attempt to solve the symptomatic cause tend to simply shift the problem from one part of the system to another. For example, imagine a company that finds that its product quality and delivery times are slipping, which results in a loss of sales. To counteract this loss, the company increases customer rebates. However, that countermeasure causes a spike in business that overwhelms its production team, which results in even lower product quality and more delayed deliveries.

As you develop your evaluation, be sure to include specific examples from Senge’s book as well as relevant citations from the Learning Resources, the Walden Library, and/or other appropriate academic sources to support your evaluation.

To prepare for this Assignment:

Review Chapter 1 and Chapter 4 of Peter Senge’s The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization and consider his premise that “today’s problems come from yesterday’s solutions” (2006, p. 57).

Think back through your own work history to identify a situation that illustrates poor systems thinking at a current or former organization. Consider whether managers were applying yesterday’s solutions to a current problem.

Download the Week 1 Assignment Template.

By Day 7

Submit a 3- to 4-page evaluation (excluding title page and references) that addresses the following:

Briefly describe an organization with which you are familiar (this can be a current or former employer) and the example of poor systems thinking you observed at this organization.

Assess the core issues that you think led to this systems failure, including whether managers were using “yesterday’s thinking” to solve today’s problem.

Explain whether there might have been a different or better outcome if managers had understood the principle and the value that systems thinking can bring to an organization’s operations. Justify your explanation.

Refer to the Week 1 Assignment Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 2 Assignment

An Evaluation of the Dilemma at Benevento Foods: Thinking in Systems

For this Assignment, you will evaluate a real-world business scenario using a systems thinking approach to evaluate the workings of an organization. You will identify areas within the case where systems thinking is applied and where it is not. You will also evaluate the dilemma in terms of the concepts of a learning organization and moral imagination.

Marco Benevento, the owner of Benevento Foods, a manufacturer and distributor of food products to hotels and restaurants, has received a complaint from one of his customers that several pieces of rubber have been found in one of the baking mixes. The customer is placing all incoming orders on hold until the issue is resolved. Adding to the situation, the annual BRC Food Safety audit is scheduled for the end of the month. Mr. Benevento knows that you are working toward completing your MBA and wonders if there are any techniques you have learned that may help to identify the causes of the quality issue. As you begin to tell him about systems thinking and root cause analysis, he is impressed and asks you to take charge of finding the root cause(s) of the quality issue and to provide him with recommendations for improvements. After reviewing the case, you will compile a business report using the template provided, including specific examples from the case as well as relevant citations from the Learning Resources, the Walden Library, and/or other appropriate academic sources to support your evaluation.

To prepare for this Assignment:

Read and review the case study Benevento Foods: When the Rubber Hits the Dough.

Wood, D., Vachon, S., & Singh, M. (2015). Benevento foods: When the rubber hits the dough. Ivey Publishing. http://hbr.org

Review, as needed, the following resource: How to Analyze a Business Case Study (PDF)

Download the Week 2 Assignment Template.

By Day 7

Submit your 3- to 4-page business report, to include the following:

Thinking in Systems

Positive Social Change IconYou are to evaluate the workings of Benevento Foods—including production, quality control, and maintenance processes—through the lens of systems thinking. Through your evaluation, be sure to address the following:

Identify two to three areas where Benevento Foods applied key principles of systems thinking and where this thinking appears to be lacking. Explain why. 

By applying the concept of a learning organization, evaluate the core issues that you think led to the dilemma. Note: Be sure to consider the 11 laws of systems thinking as you perform your evaluation.

Apply the concept of moral imagination to the scenario and explain how it could help bring positive social change within the organization. Be sure to consider who the stakeholders are and explain how the framework would impact them.

Refer to the Week 2 Assignment Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 3 Assignment

An Evaluation of the Dilemma at Benevento Foods: Understanding Cause and Effect and Recommendations for Improvement

For this Assignment, you will continue to evaluate the same scenario from the previous week (Benevento Foods). For this evaluation, you will use systems thinking tools to perform a root cause analysis and examine the results as well as identify complexities. You will also summarize the dilemma that the business owner is facing (including the root causes) and provide recommendations for improving quality and making long-term improvements.

Continuing from last week’s scenario, you will create an additional business report for Marco Benevento, the owner of Benevento Foods, a manufacturer and distributor of food products to hotels and restaurants. As a reminder, Mr. Benevento has received a complaint from one of his customers that several pieces of rubber have been found in one of the baking mixes. The customer is placing all incoming orders on hold until the issue is resolved. Adding to the situation, the annual BRC Food Safety audit is scheduled for the end of the month. Mr. Benevento knows that you are working toward completing your MBA and wonders if there are any techniques you have learned that may help to identify the causes of the quality issue. As you begin to tell him about systems thinking and root cause analysis, he is impressed and asks you to take charge of finding the root cause(s) of the quality issue and to provide him with recommendations for improvements. After reviewing the case, you will compile an additional business report using the template provided, including specific examples from the case as well as relevant citations from the Learning Resources, the Walden Library, and/or other appropriate academic sources to support your evaluation.

To prepare for this Assignment:

Review the case study Benevento Foods: When the Rubber Hits the Dough.

Wood, D., Vachon, S., & Singh, M. (2015). Benevento foods: When the rubber hits the dough. Ivey Publishing. http://hbr.org

Review, as needed, the following resource: How to Analyze a Business Case Study (PDF)

Download the Week 3 Assignment Template.

By Day 7

Submit your 5- to 6-page business report, to include the following:

Understanding Cause and Effect

Using a systems approach to evaluate the dilemma at Benevento Foods, address the following in 3–4 pages:

Develop a robust effect-cause-effect logic tree diagram using the 5-Whys tool to identify the root cause(s) of the quality issue. The diagram itself can be drawn by hand or with software. (Note: Tables are not appropriate; it must be in the form of a diagram.)

In addition to the diagram, explain the effect-cause-effect flow leading to the root cause(s). (Reminder: The concept of systems thinking and its associated tools are new to the owner.)

Create an appropriate causal loop diagram to capture the fundamental system behaviors, outcomes, and causes of the quality issue at Benevento Foods. The diagram itself can be drawn by hand or with software. (Note: Tables are not appropriate; it must be in the form of a diagram).

In addition to the diagram, explain the causal loop flow of the diagram. (Reminder: The concept of systems thinking and its associated tools are new to the owner.)

There are both detail complexity and dynamic complexities at work at Benevento Foods. Through a systems thinking viewpoint, evaluate the complexities that have led to the identified dilemma.

Recommendations for Improvement

You are to provide the owner with a summary of your findings and your recommendations to include the following in approximately 2 pages:

Based on your evaluation, summarize the dilemma at Benevento Foods, including the identified root cause(s) of the quality issue and systemic issues that you discovered.

Develop a set of at least three immediate recommendations, based on your evaluation, to improve the quality of the product.

Develop a set of at least three recommendations for longer term improvements based on systems thinking.

Refer to the Week 3 Assignment Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 4 Assignment

An Analysis of the Customer Service Issues at Starbucks, Part 1

In this Assignment, you will integrate your systems thinking and management skills and you will prepare an organizational improvement plan based on your analysis of a case study. With this case in mind, this week you will put yourself in the shoes of a paid consultant and perform a thoughtful systems analysis. Then, based on that analysis, you will write an effective and concise plan that you believe would help improve the performance of the organization.

After reviewing the latest marketing data, Christine Day, senior vice president of administration at Starbucks, is concerned with the company’s performance in meeting customer expectations in the area of customer satisfaction. She is contemplating an annual investment of $40 million to increase the weekly labor hours in the North American stores, but before she makes this recommendation, she wants to better understand the cause of the decrease in customer satisfaction. She calls on your consulting service to investigate the cause of this issue and to recommend improvements. You are selected for this consulting job based on your knowledge of systems thinking. After reviewing the case, you will compile an improvement plan, using the template provided.

The final plan will include two parts plus an executive summary. This week, you will submit Part 1, and next week you will submit Part 2 and your executive summary. As you develop your plan, be sure to include specific examples from the case as well as relevant citations from the Learning Resources, the Walden Library, and/or other appropriate academic sources to support your analysis.

To prepare for this Assignment:

Read and review the following case study:

Moon, Y., & Quelch, J. (2018). Starbucks: Delivering customer service. HBS Case 9-504-016. Harvard Business School Publishing. http://hbr.org

Refer to the following article:

Braun, W. (2002). The system archetypes. In The systems modeling workbook [Unpublished manuscript]. http://www.albany.edu/faculty/gpr/PAD724/724WebArticles/sys_archetypes.pdf

Download the Module 2 Assignment Template. Note: Be sure to keep a copy of your completed Assignment this week, as you will be adding to the same file for your Week 5 Assignment.

By Day 7

Submit Part 1 of your improvement plan, to include the following:

Part 1: Tools for Improvement: Causal Loop Analysis

In Part 1 of your improvement plan (pp. 2–4), you are to analyze the customer service issue identified at Starbucks using causal loop analysis. You should address the following:

Create a robust causal loop diagram to capture the fundamental system behaviors, outcomes, and causes of the customer service issue at Starbucks. The causal loop diagram should identify with one of the common system archetype patterns, as defined in the Braun article. The diagram should describe fundamental system behaviors and outcomes. The diagram itself can be drawn by hand or with software. Tables are not appropriate; it must be in the form of a diagram.

In addition to the diagram, explain why you chose this particular archetype as the best fit for the situation. (Reminder: The concept of systems thinking and its associated tools may not be understood by your audience.)

Analyze the root cause(s) of the low customer satisfaction being experienced by Starbucks. Your analysis should be substantiated by the causal loop analysis, discussing the causal flow of the chosen archetype.

Refer to the Week 4 Assignment Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 5 Assignment

An Analysis of the Customer Service Issues at Starbucks, Part 2 and Executive Summary

In this Assignment, you will integrate your systems thinking and management skills and you will continue to prepare an organizational improvement plan based on your analysis of a case study. Last week, you put yourself into the shoes of a paid consultant and performed a thoughtful systems analysis of the case study. This week, you will develop Part 2 and the executive summary of your plan to improve the performance of the organization.

As a reminder, here is the scenario: After reviewing the latest marketing data, Christine Day, senior vice president of administration at Starbucks, is concerned with the company’s performance in meeting customer expectations in the area of customer satisfaction. She is contemplating an annual investment of $40 million to increase the weekly labor hours in the North American stores, but before she makes this recommendation, she wants to better understand the cause of the decrease in customer satisfaction. She calls on your consulting service to investigate the cause of this issue and to recommend improvements. You are selected for this consulting job based on your knowledge of systems thinking.

As you complete your improvement plan, be sure to include specific examples from the case as well as relevant citations from the Learning Resources, the Walden Library, and/or other appropriate academic sources to support your analysis.

To prepare for this Assignment:

Review the following case study, as needed:

Moon, Y., & Quelch, J. (2018). Starbucks: Delivering customer service. HBS Case 9-504-016. Harvard Business School Publishing. http://hbr.org

Review the following article, as needed:

Braun, W. (2002). The system archetypes. In The systems modeling workbook [Unpublished manuscript]. http://www.albany.edu/faculty/gpr/PAD724/724WebArticles/sys_archetypes.pdf

Review, as needed, the following resources on executive summaries:

Walden Writing Center. (n.d.). Common assignments: Executive summaries. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/assignments/executivesummaries

Asana. (n.d.). How to write an executive summary, with examples. https://asana.com/resources/executive-summary-examples

Return to the same improvement report template you utilized in Week 4. With the research and readings from Week 4 and Week 5 in mind, incorporate any feedback, as needed, into your report as you complete Part 2 and the executive summary.

By Day 7

Submit Part 2 and the executive summary for your improvement plan, which should include the following:

Part 2: Applying Systems Thinking Concepts

For Part 2 of your improvement plan (pp. 5–7), address the following:

Analyze how the concept of mental models is present at Starbucks and how this concept either negatively or positively affects the customer experience.

Analyze how the concepts of team learning and of building a shared vision could benefit Starbucks in terms of improving the customer experience, thereby improving customer satisfaction.

Propose a minimum of three recommendations, based on your analysis, that might improve the customer experience at Starbucks. Explain why.

Executive Summary

Provide Christine Day with an executive summary (p. 1) of your findings and recommendations for improvement. Address the following in your executive summary:

Clearly identify the purpose of the improvement plan.

Summarize the cause(s) of the low customer satisfaction (referencing the causal loop diagram in the main report).

Concisely synthesize the recommendations to improve customer satisfaction.

Refer to the Week 5 Assignment Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 6 Assignment

Systems Thinking for Good, Part 1

In the Assignments for this module, you will assume the role of a consultant who has been asked by the upper management team to evaluate an organizational performance problem within an organization. You will present your findings in the form of a written report with an executive summary presented as a PowerPoint presentation. The organization for this evaluation will be one of your choosing, and it should be one with which you are familiar. This organization could be where you currently work or where you have worked in the past.

After selecting an organization with which you are personally familiar, you are to present your evaluation and recommendations in a detailed business report. Additionally, you will prepare an executive summary of your findings to be presented as a PowerPoint slide deck to the organization’s upper management team. Your report should contain three parts (Part 1 is due this week; Part 2 is due in Week 7; and Part 3 is due in Week 8) and must include specific examples from the organization, as well as relevant citations from the Learning Resources, the Walden Library, and/or other appropriate academic sources to support your evaluation.

To prepare for this Assignment:

Download the Module 3 Assignment Template. Note: Be sure to keep a copy of your completed Assignment this week, as you will be adding to the same file for your Assignments for Week 7 and Week 8.

By Day 7

Submit Part 1 of your business report, to include the following:

Part 1: Business Improvements (4–5 pages)

Analyze some of the basic details about the organization. At a minimum, the basic details should include: the industry and products/services the organization offers, the overall operational and financial health of the organization, and a qualitative or systems diagram summary of how the organization operates to fulfill its commitments to customers.

Analyze what you believe to be the fundamental physical, policy, or market constraints that are preventing your organization from moving to the next level of performance. Be sure to clearly identify each primary constraint and provide a detailed argument and evidence for why you think each is a primary constraint to organizational performance. Be sure to support your response with appropriate concepts from performance management and/or systems thinking.

For each of the fundamental physical, policy, or market constraints that you identified as preventing your organization from moving to the next level of performance, justify a specific recommendation for how to elevate, support, and potentially eliminate the constraint.

Using the concepts of throughput accounting and Theory of Constraints accounting measurements for each of your recommendations, evaluate how the primary metrics of T, I, and OE would be affected and why the recommendations would make sense from a performance measurement perspective.

Refer to the Week 6 Assignment Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 7 Assignment

Systems Thinking for Good, Part 2

This week, you will return to the business report you began working on in Week 6. As a reminder, you have assumed the role of a consultant who has been asked by the upper management team to evaluate an organizational performance problem within an organization. You will present your findings in the form of a written report with an executive summary presented as a PowerPoint presentation. The organization for this evaluation is one that you selected and with which you are very familiar. You will continue your business report using that selected organization.

As you complete Part 2 of your business report, remember to include specific examples from the organization as well as relevant citations from the Learning Resources, the Walden Library, and/or other appropriate academic sources to support your evaluation.

To prepare for this Assignment:

Return to the same business report template you utilized in Week 6. With the research and readings from Week 6 and Week 7 in mind, incorporate any feedback, as needed, into your report as you complete Part 2.

By Day 7

Submit Part 2 of your business report, to include the following:

Part 2: Social Responsibility and Ethical Considerations (2–3 pages)

Positive Social Change IconYour second task is to evaluate the organization in terms of social responsibility and ethical considerations. You should address the following:

Identify the major stakeholders of the organization. Illustrate how the organization’s actions do or do not effect positive social change for these stakeholders (explain in detail).

Through a systems thinking lens, apply improvements to the organization to positively effect social change.

From a systems perspective, evaluate the organization’s performance in terms of diversity and inclusion.

Assess whether there is a relationship between ethics and inclusion (explain and substantiate your position). Recommend what improvements can be implemented to positively impact both.

Refer to the Week 7 Assignment Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.

 

WMBA-6040B/MMSL-6645/WMBA-6040/MGMT-6645

WMBA6040 Improving Business Performance

Week 8 Assignment

Systems Thinking for Good, Part 3

This week, you will complete the business report you have been developing during the last 2 weeks. As a reminder, you have assumed the role of a consultant who has been asked by the upper management team to evaluate an organizational performance problem within an organization. You will present your findings in the form of a written report with an executive summary included in the form of a PowerPoint presentation. The organization for this assessment will be one of your choosing, and it should be one with which you are very familiar. This organization could be where you currently work or where you have worked in the past.

Business Skills for Good IconImportant Note: This week’s Assignment features one of the Business Skills for Good that you will develop throughout your MBA program. The Business Skill for Good for this course is personal mastery. Peter Senge, in his book The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization (2006), offers the following definition of personal mastery at the individual level: “Personal mastery is the discipline of continually clarifying and deepening our personal vision, of focusing our energies, of developing patience, and of seeing reality objectively” (p. 7). He goes on to describe the organization that supports personal mastery as being able to “provide that environment by continuingly encouraging personal vision, commitment to the truth, and a willingness to face honestly the gaps between the two” (p. 162).

As you complete the final parts of your business report, be sure to include specific examples from the organization as well as relevant citations from the Learning Resources, the Walden Library, and/or other appropriate academic sources to support your evaluation.

To prepare for this Assignment:

Return to the same business report template you utilized in Week 6 and Week 7. With the research and readings from Week 6–8 in mind, incorporate any feedback, as needed, into your report as you complete Part 3.

Download the Module 3 Presentation Template.

By Day 7

Submit Part 3 of your business report, to include the following:

Part 3: Personal Mastery (1–2 pages)

Based on Senge’s definition of personal mastery, the information shared in the Learning Resources, and your own research, address the following:

Defend recommendations you would make to the upper management team to support personal mastery at both the individual level and the organizational level, being sure to include your rationale. (Consider all major stakeholders: employees, customers, and the community.) Provide specific examples to support your position.

Compose your personal vision. (Note that this personal vision goes far beyond traditional goals and objectives and should focus on purpose). In what ways does your personal vision relate to your ability to lead positive social change within your organization, your community, or more broadly?

Executive Summary Presentation (1–2 slides)

Develop an executive summary of your overall evaluation to be presented to the upper management team. This should consist of a 1- to 2-slide PowerPoint deck.

Refer to the Week 8 Assignment Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this grading rubric to assess your work.