Student Guide for the "Analysis

Undergraduate Capstone Guide

Student Guidefor the

“Analysis and Integration in

Business and Management Paper”

Management 485The Capstone Course

for the Bachelor of Science, Business and Management

The Capstone Paper

Supported by the Artifact Courses MGMT 330: Managing and Leading Organizations

MGMT 356: Human Resources ManagementBUAD 335: MacroeconomicsBUAD 336: Microeconomics

BUAD 365: Accounting II – ManagerialBUAD 461: Financial ManagementBUAD 340: Principles of Marketing

BUAD 455: Business Law

University of Redlands School of Business

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD 4

CAPSTONE AND ARTIFACT DIAGRAM 5

TIMELINE OF CAPSTONE ENGAGEMENT 6

WEBSITE AND CITATION INFORMATION 7

CHAPTER I - WHO: THE CAPSTONE PAPER PERSONNEL 8Students 8Capstone Instructor 8Artifact Faculty 9Undergraduate Program Director 9Armacost Library Staff 10Blackboard 10

CHAPTER II - WHY: PURPOSE OF THE CAPSTONE PAPER 11What is a “Capstone” Experience? 11Mastering the Learning Objectives for the Capstone Paper and MGMT485 11Integrating the School of Business’s Mission in your Degree Program 12Expectations of Your Study and Classroom Engagement with MGMT 485 13

CHAPTER III - WHAT: THE CAPSTONE PAPER 15What is a Capstone Paper? 15What is Your “Target” Organization? 15What is Your Approach to the Target Organization? 16

Business Analysis 16 Problem Analysis 17

Business Innovation 19The Topic Proposal Form 20The Role of the Artifacts in the Capstone Paper 20

CHAPTER IV - WHEN: THE CAPSTONE TIMELINE 22Meeting with Your Capstone Instructor 22Submitting the Topic Proposal Form 22Capstone Instructor Response to the Topic Proposal 23Changes to an Approved Topic Proposal 23Updates to Artifacts – Pre-class Assignment for MGMT 485 23Schedule for Class Sessions and Submission of the Capstone Paper 25Disposition of the Capstone Paper 25

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CHAPTER V - HOW: COMPONENTS OF THE CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE26The Artifacts 26

Genesis 26Updating Your Artifacts for Utilization in the Capstone Paper 26Grading Criteria for Artifact Updates 27

The Capstone Paper 27 Components of the Capstone Paper 27

Front Matter 28 Text 29 Updated Artifacts 31

Grading Criteria for the Capstone Paper 31The Oral Report 32

The Purpose and Opportunity of the Oral Report 32Components of the Oral Report 32Utilization of AV and PowerPoint Resources 33The Peer Response Process 33Grading Criteria for the Oral Report 33

CHAPTER VI - WHERE: FINAL SUBMISSION OF THETHE CAPSTONE PAPER AND ARTIFACTS 34

Delivery of the Capstone Paper on CD-R 34Guidelines for Burning your Capstone CD-R 34

REFERENCES 41

APPENDIX A: Glossary 42APPENDIX B: BSBAM Program Texts 44APPENDIX C: Topic Proposal Form 45APPENDIX D: Peer Response Process 48APPENDIX E: BSBAM Program FAQs 51

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Foreword

“What students have to realize is that they are creating artifacts, not homework.”

Thus spake Dr. Kevin O’Neill, professor of philosophy and long-time faculty at the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies and the College of Arts and Sciences here at the University of Redlands. When he made that observation, he had no idea how far that concept would travel. In fact, it only traveled across Colton Avenue, the street that bisects the University’s main campus, from Bekins Hall to Hornby Hall. In philosophy, however, it moved an entire undergraduate degree program.

The University of Redlands has been providing superlative educational opportunities for working adults in Southern California since 1973. At that time, the concept of designing academic programs and scheduling courses to fit the needs of adult students was revolutionary. We again improved the program in 2002 to ensure that you, as a business undergraduate, are able to integrate your newly acquired course material and business knowledge within your own world—and that you can demonstrate that analytical capability in concrete ways. The Capstone paper—more formally known as The Analysis and Integration in Business and Management Paper—represents the vessel of accrued program learning and the final resting place of the Artifacts. Through this creative process, you will be able to reflect on your learning, examine it in new and different ways, and apply it to new situations

Completion of the undergraduate program with the Artifacts and the Capstone paper will prove that you understand the concepts, principles, philosophies, and facts that you discovered during your undergraduate program. When you graduate with your degree, your Capstone Paper and your Artifacts will provide you and others—current and prospective employers, family, and friends—with tangible evidence of your successful academic efforts. Completing this Capstone process is an important accomplishment reflective of your learning and your dedication—not just your diploma. This is the purpose of—and the benefit of—the Capstone experience.

Monica PerryUndergraduate Program Director

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MGMT 330

Artifact

BUAD 336

ArtifactBUAD365

Artifact

BUAD461

Artifact

BUAD340

Artifact

BUAD455

Artifact

BUAD335

Artifact

MGMT356

Artifact

MGMT 485The Capstone

Figure 1. A Diagram Illustrating the Inter-relatedness of Artifact Courses, Program Courses, and Additional Transcripted Work to the Capstone Course and Paper

As you can see from this diagram, the BSBAM courses in which you create Artifact papers have a direct relationship to the Capstone paper; other program courses, the courses you have taken at other institutions, and your work-place learning contribute more indirectly.

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Here is the timeline of your engagement with the Capstone process:

Week Course Sequence*

Course Title Links to the Capstone Experience

1 MGMT 330 Managing and LeadingOrganizations

Artifact Course

7 MGMT 491 Management Ethics in a Global Environment

13 MGMT 356 Human Resources Management

Artifact Course

19 ENGW 301 Advanced Writing and Critical Analysis

25 MTHW 305 Mathematical Applications For Business & Economics

31 BUAD 332 Business Statistics37 BUAD 335 Macroeconomics Artifact Course43 BUAD 336 Microeconomics Artifact Course49 BUAD 364 Accounting I – Financial Capstone Instructor

Meeting55 BUAD 365 Accounting II – Managerial Artifact Course61 BUAD 461 Financial Management Artifact Course67 BUAD 340 Principles of Marketing Artifact Course73 BUAD 342 International Business79 BUAD 470 Managing Quality and

Operations85 BUAD 455 Business Law Artifact Course and

Submission of Updated Artifacts to Capstone Instructor

MGMT 485 Analysis and Integration inBusiness and Management

Capstone Course

*Course sequence effective Fall 2004Figure 2. Timeline of Capstone Engagement

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University of Redlands Web Sitewww.redlands.edu

References are made throughout this Guide to the University of Redlands web site. Please become familiar with these particular features if you have not done so already.

-Armacost Library-Retrieving forms by following this path:

www.redlands,edu > School of Business > Student Resources >BS Business Management Program Resources

Topic Proposal Form“Confidential” Cover Sheet Release FormJewel Case Label for Capstone CDPeer Response FormsFormatting and Usage GuidelinesArtifact and Capstone Summary

Citation and Formatting Styles

School of Business faculty have the freedom to choose and to require in their courses any recognized manual style that creates a proper and consistent citation of works used. Your Capstone instructor will inform you of the style manual you need to follow for your work in this course.

Like all BSBAM program documents, this Guide is formatted using the American Psychological Association’s (APA’s) style recommendations for reference citations, section headings, running heads, and page numbers. The left-hand margin is wider than the APA standard in order to accommodate the three-hole punching of this document.

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CHAPTER IWHO: THE CAPSTONE PAPER PERSONNEL

Students

As you reach the mid-point of your BSBAM sequence of courses, you are looking forward to a creative and summative opportunity at the culmination of your degree program. In the last course, MGMT 485, you will create a “Capstone” paper that analyzes and integrates all of the accrued learning from your program. You will explore a topic that has meaning and value to you, utilizing the breadth of your business and management learning and the depth of knowledge about specific disciplines from your Artifact papers.

This Guide will provide the information you need to meet the developmental requirements of the Capstone paper. It also provides some insights into the course itself, since it will be used as an adjunct to the course syllabus. Acquaint yourself with the details of the Capstone paper now, so that you will be able to mold subsequent Artifact papers more closely to your chosen topic. Additionally, the earlier you know about the paper and its components, the better you will be able to utilize your contacts with the Capstone instructor assigned to work with your class.

A small but critical responsibility of every student is to keep your Capstone instructor informed of any change to your e-mail address, your mailing address, and your telephone numbers. The quality of the student/instructor support system is diminished greatly when the avenues of communication break down.

Capstone Instructor

Your Capstone instructor is part of an elect group of faculty that has been identified to teach MGMT 485, the course in which you will create your Capstone paper. Each instructor has demonstrated the teaching and research skills necessary to guide you through this process; each instructor also has a long history with the School of Business and understands the unique challenges and needs of the adult learner. Each instructor received special training before undertaking this Capstone process.

Your relationship with your Capstone instructor begins during BUAD 364 with a scheduled gathering to get acquainted, distribute a timeline for the work to be completed prior to the start of MGMT 485, and exchange contact information. Utilize your Capstone instructor’s expertise as you complete many of the required tasks prior to the start of MGMT 485.

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Artifact Faculty

The Artifact component of each course was designed by the full-time faculty specialist in that discipline in conjunction with the development of the Capstone concept. The Artifact assignments have been analyzed and integrated into each course, just as your Artifact papers will by analyzed and integrated into your Capstone paper.

The Artifact faculty may also be available as resources for any discipline-specific inquiries you have during the composition of your Capstone paper. The Capstone instructor has a breadth of business and management knowledge; the Artifact instructor can answer questions peculiar to that subject.

Before you reach MGMT 485, you may have completed as many as eight Artifact courses. Those courses are:

MGMT 330: Managing and Leading OrganizationsMGMT 356: Human Resources ManagementBUAD 335: Macroeconomics (Artifact required for students enrolling after 7/1/03)BUAD 336: MicroeconomicsBUAD 365: Accounting II – ManagerialBUAD 461: Financial ManagementBUAD 340: Principles of MarketingBUAD 455: Business Law

We understand that some students will not have completed all of the Artifact courses due to transfer waivers, admissions entry points, or interruptions in the BSBAM sequence of courses. Obviously, the more Artifacts you bring to your Capstone paper, the better prepared you will be for the analysis and integration required for your topic.

You are expected to save your Artifact papers electronically for use later in MGMT 485. It is very IMPORTANT that you save the hard-copy Artifact papers returned to you by your instructors with their comments. These annotated Artifacts will be updated as a pre-class assignment for MGMT 485 and as appendixes to the Capstone paper.

Undergraduate Program Director

The Undergraduate Program Director oversees the implementation and operations of the entire undergraduate program. If you have questions or concerns about any element of your program that cannot be addressed by your instructors or campus staff, please contact the Undergraduate Program Director.

Your Undergraduate Program Director is Dr. Monica Perry. She can be reached by e-mail at [email protected] or at (909)748-8780.

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Armacost Library Staff

The staff of professional librarians at the University’s Armacost Library is ready to assist you with your research needs. You are encouraged to schedule a visit to the library on campus to become familiar with resources there and to meet the librarians in person. Visit them at http://www.redlands.edu/library.xml. You may access many different databases to do your research; please contact Susan Clayton at (909) 748-8083 or by e-mail at [email protected] when you need research assistance and passwords. You may also request books, articles, database searches, and other library information by using the library’s website. Requests are usually answered within one business day; the library delivers books, articles, and database searches via fax or mail.

Susan Clayton also schedules visits to the regional campuses. Watch for announcements at your campus that will inform you of her scheduled visit to your campus. You are also welcome to attend her library and database orientations at other campuses that may be more convenient to your workplace or home.

Blackboard

Recognizing the anthropomorphizing tendencies of today’s world, we hereby assign human attributes to the University’s electronic teaching platform, Blackboard; that is why it is included here under the heading of “Capstone Paper Personnel.” The Blackboard Learning System ® provides electronic software that supplements traditional learning tools.

You may use Blackboard in other courses throughout the program as well as for some of your contacts with your Capstone instructor and your MGMT 485 classmates. Your instructor can post updates and announcements there for the entire class. Peer reviews and drafts of the Capstone paper that are due during MGMT 485 can also be posted here. Blackboard allows your instructor—and you!—to compile all work and communications in one place. If you have not already used Blackboard prior to meeting your Capstone instructor, you will access Blackboard via the University’s website with the password you use to access your University e-mail account.

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CHAPTER IIWHY? THE PURPOSE OF THE CAPSTONE PAPER

What is a “Capstone” Experience

Webster’s New World Dictionary tells us that “capstone” is “the uppermost stone of a structure; any stones in a coping” (Neufeldt, 1988, p.209). If we use this image of a structure to consider this idea of a “Capstone Experience,” we can also consider the different foundational levels that will ultimately support the structure.

While you are moving forward to your Capstone course, the demands of the work ahead may be looming large at this moment. Be reminded that you are not alone or unsupported in your progression. Your faculty in each course, your Capstone instructor, your Undergraduate Program Director, the staff of the Armacost Library, and the personnel at your regional campuses are all part of the foundation to support your successful completion of your degree.

Webster’s also tells us that “capstone” is “the highest point, as of achievement” (Neufeldt, 1988, p.209).Capstone courses are prevalent among many of the departments here at the University of Redlands. Some of the words used to describe these courses are summative, cumulative, representation of best practices, comprehensive, concentration, culminating body of work, inquiry, in-depth study, synthesis, and integrative review. All of these terms apply to the expectations and outcomes of your Capstone course, MGMT 485.

While the shorthand reference for MGMT 485 may be “the Capstone course,” the course’s formal title is “Analysis and Integration in Business and Management.” The course’s description provides the foundation for the course and was also crafted with care in order to represent these institutional expectations:

Focus on integrating knowledge and skills acquired during the program and applying them to an organizational analysis, presented as a Capstone Paper that utilizes artifacts created in earlier courses, synthesizes principles and theories from a broad arena of learning, and demonstrates effective skills of critical inquiry, communication, and secondary research. (University of Redlands, 2003, p. 294)

You will become the expert on a topic of your own choosing, then, and the Capstone Paper will be the distillation of your expertise. It will be your culminating and summative work—your capstone experience.

Mastering the Learning Objectives for the Capstone Paper and MGMT 485

In addition to the broad expectations noted in the course description, the syllabus for the MGMT 485 course sets forth specific learning objectives. These learning objectives—course foundations—are:

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1. To analyze a real-world business issue.2. To utilize interdisciplinary resources in analyzing an organizational issue and then to

apply these resources if it is necessary to identify prescriptive solutions for that issue.

3. To demonstrate skills of critical inquiry in the analysis of the topic. 4. To construct an integrated paper that reflects on the student’s accrued learning and

strengthens important academic and professional skills for current and future application.

5. To demonstrate progress toward managerial competency in three areas: 1) effective communication; 2) analytic skills and 3) knowledge areas.

6. To analyze the knowledge gained in the Capstone process, to reflect on one’s learning outcomes at the conclusion of the undergraduate program, and to exhibit this in the paper.

7. To collect, evaluate, and utilize information from many kinds of resources.

Mastering these objectives may seem intimidating at the moment, but you are quite capable of accomplishing these things. In each course that you complete successfully, you will find yourself a little closer to these objectives. You are accruing the necessary knowledge, skills, and Artifact papers as you move forward to degree completion. By the end of your program—and the end of MGMT 485—you will demonstrate your ability and competence in meeting these objectives.

Integrating the School of Business’s Mission in your Degree Program

The University of Redlands School of Business is guided by our mission statement which provides the underpinning for all of our work. This is the mission statement:

The University of Redlands School of Business enriches our society with graduates who manage well, solve business problems creatively, communicate effectively, learn continually, think globally, and act ethically.

We are a community of learners that provides high quality teaching, fosters leadership, opens doors of opportunity, and creates knowledge. (University of Redlands, 2003, p. 271)

You should already have a sense of these themes in the courses you have completed; you will certainly see them represented in subsequent courses and in the material you receive pertinent to MGMT 485. The Capstone paper is one of the vehicles with which you can exercise these themes. You will manage well—time, other people and commitments in your life, academic materials. You will solve business problems creatively—overcoming the challenges of your topic, your research, and your life. You will communicate effectively—in your writing, your conversations, in your presentations. You will learn continually—this cannot be avoided! You will think globally—isolationism has no place in the learning world. You will act ethically—attributing academic credit where credit is due and dealing fairly and honestly with classmates, faculty, and staff. These are the foundations of the School of Business.

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Expectations of your Study and Classroom Engagement with MGMT 485

Your engagement with the Capstone experience actually began last year in MGMT 330 and MGMT 356 when you wrote your first Artifact papers. While MGMT 485 may still be a calendar year away, you need to be thinking about this Capstone business with greater concentration now. You are on the brink of committing to a topic for your Capstone paper; in the next year you will focus more closely on your Capstone topic as you create new Artifact papers.

Chapter IV of this Guide provides a general timeline for the Capstone paper and the other components of the MGMT 485 course. When you meet with your Capstone instructor during BUAD 364, you will receive a calendar of specific dates related to your commitments for the course. For now, it is essential to shift gears from the one-course-at-a-time learning paradigm to a new mode of thinking. Imagine, if you will, that you are on a railway to degree completion. You are riding on parallel rails—one is the course-by-course rail and the other is the Capstone rail. You will arrive at your destination in one piece and, we hope, according to schedule; however, it is necessary for you to “tie” those rails together now by working cooperatively and concurrently on two different program components.

Your first assignment will be to submit a Topic Proposal Form to your Capstone instructor. Pay particular attention to the discussion of topic options and approaches in Chapter III and start now to finalize your topic possibilities. You will be living with this topic for a year, so be sure you and your topic will be compatible! When you submit your topic proposal, your Capstone instructor will review it and do one of three things: approve it; approve it with required modifications; or decline to approve it. From that point, you will be on your way or back to the drawing board.

There are several contact points identified in the schedule for you and your Capstone instructor to check in on your Capstone engagement once your topic proposal is approved. As MGMT 485 approaches, you will be hearing about all pre-class assignments and any new information pertinent to the course.

When you arrive at MGMT 485, it is expected that you will have updated your Artifact papers so they will be current and applicable to your Capstone paper topic. These will be submitted to your Capstone instructor as a pre-class assignment prior to the first meeting of MGMT 485. This updating work will be more necessary on your earlier Artifact papers, for you will have been able to tailor your later Artifact papers directly to your selected Capstone topic. Still, you should plan to check statistics and some data in all of your Artifacts. It will be important for you to save your Artifacts electronically throughout the program so you will not have to create them anew when you reach MGMT 485. Your Capstone instructor will want to see the original Artifact papers you submitted in those classes with the comments provided by those earlier instructors. Save these hard-copies, too. Finally, your updated Artifacts will be included in the final version of your Capstone paper as appendixes. You will read more about the submission details for your Capstone paper in Chapter VI of this Guide.

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Once you arrive in MGMT 485, you will be working with a course syllabus that is designed to distribute the volume of research, reports, and assignments over the six-week period in a reasonable way. The final Capstone paper is due 10 days after the last scheduled night of class, increasing the opportunity for a high-quality and on-time submission of the final product. You will rely on the style manual your instructor has selected for all of the format and citation details for writing your Capstone paper. Chapter V of this Guide provides the guidelines for burning your Capstone paper to a CD-R disk.

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CHAPTER IIIWHAT: THE CAPSTONE PAPER

What is the Capstone Paper?

The Capstone paper is more formally known as “The Analysis and Integration of Business and Management Paper.” This paper provides you with the opportunity—and the challenge—to integrate all BSBAM program learning into a meaningful whole instead of a series of subject-specific capsules of knowledge. You will integrate the knowledge you gained in your classes, what you have experienced in the “real” business world, and new information from your secondary research on your selected target organization. There may be other resources you can utilize as you create and present your Capstone paper.

The paper will be a university-level, formally written examination of a business or management subject. While we call it a paper, the final document will be submitted on a CD-R disk. It is expected that the text of the Capstone paper will be a minimum of 20 pages in length, excluding the Artifact appendixes.

You will choose both the target organization for this paper and the topic option you will utilize in this study. There are three topic options from which to choose, all of which are described shortly in this chapter. As you explore the possibilities for your target organization and topic options, please keep in mind that you are beginning a one-year engagement with your Capstone paper. Choose a target organization and a topic option with which you can happily co-exist for that period of time.

If you are reading this Guide for the first time, then you are about to reach the mid-point of your BSBAM curriculum. Familiarize yourself with the information in this Guide. You will soon be meeting with your Capstone instructor. Please be prepared for these initial meetings. Come prepared with questions you have about the possibilities for your own target organization and topic options. As you establish a working relationship with your Capstone instructor, keep in mind that, like your working relationship with the subject you choose for your Capstone paper, your relationship with your Capstone instructor lasts a year, too. Build a positive relationship from the start.

Your Capstone instructor will provide a timeline for your work together that occurs before the start of MGMT 485. This timeline will include submission dates for your “Topic Proposal Form” and the updates you will perform on your Artifact papers. There will also be certain communication “checkpoints” so you can ask questions as they arise about your Capstone paper.

What is Your Target Organization?

What company, business, or industry do you want to examine? That is your target organization.

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Do you want to write your Capstone paper on the company by which you are employed? Do you want to explore a company with which you would like to be affiliated? Perhaps you want to think more broadly and utilize this assignment to learn more about an industry-wide issue. Or, is there an innovation that you want to bring to your workplace?

Maybe your special interest is in customer service and satisfaction in restaurants. You could focus your study on KFC, Sizzler, or on some other specific company, or you could take a broader look at customer service and satisfaction in the broader arena of food-service franchises. `

Remember those two Economics courses you recently completed? Does anything here seem familiar? We hope you are seeing the “macro” and the “micro” possibilities as you approach your Capstone paper. As your ideas take shape, explore them with your Capstone instructor. Do not be afraid to think BIG.

What is Your Approach to the Target Organization?

This is not necessarily a sequential process. You cannot fully commit to a target organization in a vacuum—that is, without considering how you will approach that organization in terms of strategies. What is it that you want to know about that organization? How do you want to examine this organization? What are your expectations for this study?

There are three approved topic options for your organizational study. Select one as your approach to your target organization.

1. Business Analysis2. Problem Analysis3. Business Innovation

Business Analysis

This is an organization- or industry-targeted study for the purpose of analyzing its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis). A summary recommendation is made to address the findings.

Two Examples of a Business Analysis

1. SWOT Analysis. Conduct a SWOT analysis and closely examine the financial strength and the legal and ethical environment of the industry and your company. BUAD 365, BUAD 461, BUAD 455)

As you identify the opportunities and threats in the industry, use them to help you understand where the organization should go by reviewing the human resources situation and the managerial and leadership environment. (MGMT 330, MGMT 356)

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Once you have completed the quantitative analysis, then bring in the qualitative analysis to deal with convincing the organization to adopt a change plan.

2. “Five Forces” Model. Go to Chapter Eight of Contemporary Management and review the “Five Forces” model. Use that model to evaluate these forces found in your Artifacts.

The level of rivalry among organizations in an industry The threat of substitute products

o Look at your microeconomic environment, including the rates of innovation and disruptive technologies

The power of supplierso Look at macroeconomic factors

The power of customerso Look at market factors

The potential for entry into an industryo Look at marketing and macroeconomic factors

The following types of components could typically be included in either kind of business analysis. Many of these components will be part of the Artifact papers you completed earlier in the program. Each component is identified by the Artifact course number and discipline area.

1.1. Financial analysis of an existing industry area (BUAD 461: Finance)1.2. Analysis of the management and control systems involved (BUAD 365: Managerial

Accounting)1.3. Analysis of the legal parameters and ethical concepts involved (BUAD 455:

Business Law)1.4. Analysis of the marketing issues involved (BUAD 340: Marketing)1.5. Analysis of the economic issues involved (BUAD 335: Macroeconomics and BUAD

336: Microeconomics)1.6. Analysis of human resource issues involved (MGMT 356: Human Resource

Management)1.7. Analysis of the situation in terms of leadership (MGMT 330: Managing & Leading

Organizations)

Problem Analysis

This is a study of a target organization (a company or an industry) for the purpose of examining a specific problem and proposing a solution.

In your target organization, is your problem in the Human Resource Management arena? with the legal department? in the departments running the accounting and forecasting processes?

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There are more than enough problems to solve in the environments of business and industry. Most of us could easily list four or five problem areas without stressing our imaginations at all. The surprising thing about conducting a problem analysis, though, is that clearly defining the specific problem can often be as challenging as analyzing it.

In their text, Practical Research: Planning and Design, Leedy and Ormrod (2001)observe,

The problem or question [for analysis] is the axis around which the whole research effort revolves. The statement of the problem must first be expressed with the ut- most precision; it should then be divided into more manageable subproblems. Such an approach clarifies the goals and the directions of the entire research effort.

(p. 49)

Students choosing the problem analysis topic option would do particularly well to utilize this text as a resource; it provides helpful guidelines for finding and stating different kinds of problems during the developmental stages of the research process. “Finding” problems and “stating” problems are not the same things. Each requires thorough examination and deduction. The more clearly you can identify your problem initially, the greater is your likelihood for success with the Capstone paper in the time available for its completion.

Examples of a Problem Analysis

Problems are often identified by conversational questions or workplace exclamations. “Whatever were they thinking when they adopted this new code?” “Are they crazy to think that we can (fill in the blank)______________?” “Why not?” Questions are a good place to start in identifying issues appropriate for a problem analysis.-Is there a faster and more efficient way to keep time records for payroll?-How could the ranges and steps of the pay scale be amended to reflect merit more than simply time-served?-How can we promote a new product with limited funds for marketing?-How can we regulate inventory to conform to seasonal demands?-Do we really want to implement a 360-degree performance appraisal process? -How can we control employee theft?-How can we keep pace with technological innovations?-Why are we not receiving updates to the procedural manuals in our department? Are

other departments having this same problem?

The following types of components could typically be included in a problem analysis. Many of these components will be part of the Artifact papers you completed earlier in the program. Each component is identified by the Artifact course number and discipline area.

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2.1 Financial analysis of the target organization’s position within its industry (BUAD 461: Financial Management)

2.2 Analysis of management and control systems (BUAD 365: Managerial Accounting)2.3 Analysis of the legal parameters and ethical concepts involved (BUAD 455: Business

Law)2.4 Analysis of the marketing issues involved (BUAD 340: Marketing)2.5 Analysis of the economic issues involved BUAD 335: Macroeconomics and BUAD

336: Microeconomics)2.6 Analysis of human resource issues involved. (MGMT 356: Human Resource

Management)2.7 Analysis of the situation in terms of leadership (MGMT 330: Managing & Leading

Organizations)

Business Innovation

In this study, you are seeking to adopt or create an innovation.

Examples of an Analysis of a Business Innovation

There are many examples of innovation: technological changes, new products, perhaps even a new organization. Innovation can happen industry-wide, company-wide, division-wide, or only department-wide. You will be concentrating heavily upon defining an innovation and developing its implementation in the future as opposed to performing an analysis of the past. The message that you are trying to deliver is, “Here is the innovation, this is what it can do for us, and this is how and when we can make it happen.”

Technological Change. Predicting the outcome of technological change is very difficult. Technological change puts a strain upon human resources, ethics policies, financial ratios, and accounting controls that result in unpredictable events taking place. The intangibles of vision and leadership are also often sorely tested.

Product Development. New product development depends heavily upon marketing, operations, human resources, finance, macroeconomics, microeconomics, and law.

New Organizations. New organizations can be created within existing organizations or as entirely new ones built from scratch.

One Last Item. Set up a chart of accounts for each innovation or technological change with budgets supported by written assumptions.

The following types of components could typically be included in the analysis of a business innovation. Many of these components will be part of the Artifact papers you completed earlier in the program. Each component is identified by the Artifact course number and discipline area.

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3.1 Financial analysis appropriate to the study (BUAD 461: Financial Management)3.2 Analysis of management and control systems (BUAD 365: Managerial

Accounting)3.3 Analysis of the legal parameters and ethical concepts involved (BUAD 455:

Business Law)3.4 Analysis of the marketing issues involved (BUAD 340: Marketing)3.5 Analysis of the economic issues involved (BUAD 335: Macroeconomics and

BUAD 336: Microeconomics)3.6 Analysis of human resource issues involved. (MGMT 356: Human Resource

Management)3.7 Analysis of the situation in terms of leadership (MGMT 330: Managing &

Leading Organizations)

The Topic Proposal Form

The Topic Proposal Form appears as Appendix C in this Guide. It is also available on-line at the University’s web site. Your Capstone instructor will tell you when it needs to be submitted for review, comment, and approval.

When you submit your Topic Proposal Form to your Capstone instructor, you will receive some helpful feedback to help clarify your vision of your Capstone paper. Look forward to receiving this information and trust the experience of your instructor in adding more clarity and definition to your ideas. You might be asked to re-consider, re-define, re-organize, re-everything. This very important step in the process should help to make sure that you and your Capstone paper are getting off to a great start. If your first proposal is declined by your instructor, there is still plenty of time to re-organize your plans and stay on schedule.

Once you submit this form to your instructor, please be sure to update any changes to your telephone numbers or mailing addresses. Your instructors and administrators assume that all School of Business students use the University’s e-mail. The lines of communication to your Capstone instructor are critical. You will not want to miss any important information.

The Role of the Artifacts in the Capstone Paper

By this mid-point in your BSBAM program, you may have written as many as four Artifact papers: MGMT 330, MGMT 356, BUAD 335, and BUAD 336. It is also possible, based on your point of entry into the BSBAM program and the units you transferred from other institutions, that you have not yet written any Artifact papers. This is another element that makes the Capstone paper process unique to each student! We recognize that not all students will complete all of the eight Artifact papers prior to the start of MGMT 485. Obviously, though, the more Artifacts one has written, the greater one’s readiness and one’s resources for the Capstone paper.

You can now focus more specifically on your approach to your target organization. Thus, the subsequent Artifact papers (BUAD 365, BUAD 461, BUAD 340, and BUAD 455)

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can be written with more precision and in greater support of your Capstone paper. You are creating your own collection of resources to serve as a foundation to your Capstone paper. You have been developing your competencies to think clearly, communicate effectively, and research competently and ethically.

Your Artifact papers will be an external source of memory—reminders of what knowledge you have already mastered and how that knowledge can be applied in the bigger picture. That is what this “analysis and integration” business is all about.

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CHAPTER IVWHEN: THE CAPSTONE TIMELINE

The Capstone course, Analysis and Integration in Business and Management, is the culminating experience in your BSBAM degree program. Preparation for it actually started in the first course, Managing and Leading Organizations, when you created the first Artifact paper. The following information chronicles your progress over the entire BSBAM program toward the completion of your Capstone paper.

Meeting with Your Capstone Instructor

A Capstone instructor will meet with your cluster as you move into the second year of the program. Your instructor will provide the guidance necessary for you to prepare for the Capstone course.

The Capstone instructor will contact your cluster’s CEO and arrange a face-to-face meeting with your cluster at the mid-point of your BSBAM program. At this meeting, you will receive the framework for the work leading up to MGMT 485, including a timeline for all assignments and deliverables. On scheduled dates, you will submit one or more completed forms or documents to your Capstone instructor. Your Capstone instructor will provide details concerning contact methodology for future communications to support the progress you will be making. It is necessary for all BSBAM students to have an operable University of Redlands e-mail address.

At this point you will also learn more specifically about selecting your target organization and about the three topic options available that define your approach to the Capstone paper. You will be assisted in making your choice of one of the three topic options through a topic proposal process. You will receive information concerning the design and submission of your Topic Proposal Form and learn about the approval process for your proposal.

Submitting the Topic Proposal Form

As you have progressed through your BSBAM curriculum, your focus and interest in business and management have become more defined. You may find yourself very interested in a problem or set of problems in your company (a.k.a, the “target organization”), or you have determined that you wish to become an industry expert in the industry in which you currently function or in another industry in which you would like to become involved. A third option is to study in depth a particular innovation in business or an industry. In all cases, industry knowledge will be a core subject area. The midpoint meeting with your Capstone instructor will be another step toward refining your particular interest. The Capstone course allows you to pursue your interest in depth.

Note: If you are undecided about your topic when it is time to submit your Topic Proposal Form, you are advised to submit up to three alternative Topic Proposal Forms. There is a box on the form where you can indicate if this proposal is your first, second, or

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third choice. The Capstone instructor will comment on the viability of all of the topics and recommend one topic proposal that seems most viable for your study. The decision is ultimately yours; the instructor’s feedback should make your decision easier.

Capstone Instructor Response to the Topic Proposal

Your Capstone instructor will review your Topic Proposal Form(s) and respond with comments according to the MGMT 485 schedule of communications. The first decision to be made is whether the topic is appropriate and feasible. An appropriate topic will fit into one of the three topic options, will address a significant issue or opportunity, and will have strong potential for allowing you to apply a number of course disciplines from the program. A feasible topic will also be confined in scope to a task that can realistically be accomplished within the six-week time frame of the Capstone course.

Other comments will be made when appropriate. These could address such subjects as, but would not be limited to, the appropriate literature in the area, possible studies or resources known to the Capstone instructor that connect well with the topic, and writing/citation strengths and weaknesses.

Changes to an Approved Topic Proposal

Changes to your topic prior to arriving at the first workshop of MGMT 485 may be unavoidable, but they are not encouraged. Whenever circumstances dictate a change to the topic, an immediate consultation with your Capstone instructor is in order.

If it becomes necessary for you to revise your topic significantly—or to change your topic entirely—you are required to submit a revised Topic Proposal Form. When your new topic is approved, your instructor may direct you to carry the comments for the revision forward into the first draft of the Capstone paper. When such revisions are required, delivery dates for these will be stipulated.

Updates to Artifacts – Pre-class Assignment for MGMT 485

Your Artifact papers should all be returned to you with instructor comments. (If you do not receive graded papers back from an instructor in a timely way, please notify your Adjunct Faculty Liaison immediately.) These comments should be addressed and your Artifact papers should be updated to reflect major suggestions. It will be necessary to review and update your Artifacts immediately prior to MGMT 485 for currency and applicability to your Capstone topic. Data cited in MGMT 330 will be almost two years old when you write your Capstone paper! Additionally, the data may need to be tailored more specifically for your Capstone paper since the earlier Artifacts papers may be too generic now that you have a specific topic focus.

Here is one example of how it will be necessary to update an Artifact paper for issues related to the currency of the data. Student A is doing an industry study as his Capstone topic option. In the Artifact paper he wrote in his Managerial Accounting course, he used current

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literature regarding Generally Accepted Accounting Practices. Between the writing of his Artifact paper and preparing for the Capstone course, the Enron story broke and the GAAP standards are now reviewed in the literature from a new perspective. An updated analysis of the current literature needs to be included in the Capstone paper.

Here is another example of Artifact updating. Student B’s Capstone paper focuses on a particular problem in her own organization (the target organization). In the first Artifact paper, written during MGMT 330, she addressed a broad range of management issues in regard to this problem. As she approaches the Capstone course, however, the problem in her organization is clarified; she becomes convinced that leadership is the central issue. For the Capstone paper, she would need to update her first Artifact paper with more focus on current leadership theory (e.g. Transactional vs. Transformational).

These examples illustrates how the data in an Artifact paper may need to be tailored more specifically to your Capstone paper since the earlier Artifacts papers may be too generic now that you have a specific topic focus.

The Artifact Reflection and Updating Process

Re-read your Artifacts and review your Artifact instructors’ comments, asking yourself these questions:

Does the Artifact apply to my target organization? If yes, what does it recommend? What process/framework did it use to make that

recommendation? If no, what process or technique related to this Artifact course/discipline would be

appropriate to apply to my target organization? Apply this process/technique to your current situation or target.

What updating will your Artifact need? Consideration should be given to the currency and applicability of the data in the original Artifact to the topic and organization selected for the Analysis and Integration Paper.

What additional secondary research will you have to do to integrate the Artifact with the Capstone paper?

One Last Item

Make sure that you are familiar with six steps of decision-making found in chapter seven of Contemporary Management. Use these steps to bring any Artifact paper back into your Capstone at any point. Perhaps the data have changed, but the model that you used in the paper will still work well.

These updates to the Artifact papers should be made prior to the first class meeting of the MGMT 485; your instructor will inform you of the due dates and the delivery methods for your Artifact updates..

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Schedule for Class Sessions and Submission of the Capstone Paper

The schedule below is the standard schedule of deliverables for the MGMT 485 course. Your Capstone instructor may adjust this schedule; however, any changes will be made in writing. Please see Figure 2 to identify the contents of each component.

Delivery of Assignments Capstone Class Meeting NumberUpdating the Artifacts SOI Week Number 87Reading assignments and program texts Capstone Course - Week 1 Draft of Component #1-hard copy for in-class work Capstone Course - Week 2Draft of Component #2-hard copy for in-class work Capstone Course - Week 3Drafts of Components #1, #2, and #3-hard copy for in-class work AND by electronic means to the instructor one day prior to this class meeting

Capstone Course - Week 4

Draft of entire Capstone Paper with Appendixes-hard copy for in-class work

Capstone Course - Week 5

Oral Report Capstone Course - Week 6Final Submission Capstone Course - Week 6 + 10 daysFigure 3. Schedule for Class Sessions and Submission of the Capstone Paper

The final Capstone paper CD-R with Artifacts as appendixes and other required components must be in the hands of your Capstone instructor no later than 10 days after the date of your last class meeting. No late penalty will be assessed as long as you honor this 10-day grace period. Logistical details concerning the delivery of your Capstone CD-R to your instructor will be provided during MGMT 485.

Disposition of the Capstone Paper submitted to the University

The University’s copy of your Capstone paper should be delivered in the form of a CD-R disk. Your Capstone instructor may require an additional hard copy for grading.

The University’s copy will be kept for up to three years before disposal. It will be available to School of Business faculty for various academic and pedagogical reasons, to the Undergraduate Program Director for assessment of outcomes, to School of Business administration for a variety of purposes, and to accrediting bodies such as WASC and AACSB. The confidentiality statement you include among the “Front Matter” documents of your Capstone paper will control access of your paper to readers outside of these groups.

It is important that you keep a copy of your Capstone paper.The CD-R you submit to your instructor will not be returned to you.

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CHAPTER VHOW: COMPONENTS OF THE CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE

The experience of preparing and presenting the Capstone paper starts at the very beginning of your program and culminates with the delivery of the Capstone paper with Artifact appendixes and an oral presentation to your MGMT 485 class. At the mid-point of your program, you will meet your Capstone instructor and, in partnership, you will begin to delineate the specifics of your target organization and topic option.

The Artifacts

This section of the Guide discusses utilization of the Artifact papers and provides details about the Capstone Oral Report, the Capstone Paper itself, and the Peer Response Process used in the development of the Capstone deliverables.

Genesis

Artifact papers are assigned in these eight classes:MGMT 330: Managing and Leading OrganizationsMGMT 356: Human Resources ManagementBUAD 335: MacroeconomicsBUAD 336: MicroeconomicsBUAD 365: Accounting II – ManagerialBUAD 461: Financial ManagementBUAD 340: Principles of MarketingBUAD 455: Business Law

As noted earlier, it is understood that some students will not have completed all of these eight courses prior to the start of the Capstone course (depending on your entry point to the program and the units you transferred to the University).

Updating your Artifacts for Utilization in the Capstone Paper

Prior to the Capstone course, you are expected to review and update all of your Artifact papers except for the one written for BUAD 455: Business Law. There is not time between the end of Business Law and the start of the Capstone course. There are two goals for this update process. First, you will address any of the comments and deficiencies noted by your instructor for the course in which the Artifact paper was originally written. Second, you will want to make sure that the Artifacts are current and applicable to your Capstone paper. Your Capstone instructor will then review all the updated artifacts and make suggestions concerning further updates meant to enhance and improve these papers in relationship to your Capstone paper. Comments will focus on such content and process issues as format consistency, adherence to citation and reference rules, writing quality, evidence of information literacy, and evidence of critical thinking. These are not new criteria; they have been stressed in all of the BSBAM courses. The Capstone instructor will also analyze the

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content of your Artifact papers for adherence to and agreement with your selected topic option. Suggestions concerning your topic will also flow from this analysis. Due dates for these updates to your Artifact papers will be included on the timeline provided by your Capstone instructor at your first meeting.

NOTE: The School of Business emphasizes the improvement of writing throughout the program and believes it to be a universally applicable goal—no matter at what skill level you enter the program. If you have not yet contacted your Regional Writing Consultant and availed yourself of this free service, it is strongly recommended that you do so prior to entering the Capstone course. Submitting one or more of your Artifact papers to this person for comment will provide helpful guidance on improving your writing in preparation for all BSBAM courses. Providing evidence of this contact to your Capstone instructor is expected.

Grading Criteria for the Artifact Paper Updates

Your instructor may assign up to 10 points of the grading scheme for MGMT 485 for the submission of your Artifact paper updates. They will be evaluated on the level of engagement demonstrated in your work on the updates. Your Capstone instructor will provide more specific information about faculty expectations for the updates.

The Capstone Paper

The Capstone paper is the most important component of your University of Redlands undergraduate program. It is not only a significant requirement in order to complete the program; it is the most tangible evidence of the quality of your scholarship. It can also be the key to furthering your professional career, for it provides opportunity to gain recognition and reward from top management, begin an exciting new career, and contribute significantly to society. Such an opportunity deserves—and requires—a considerable commitment of your time and energy

As recommended by the accrediting bodies for the University, undergraduate credit is awarded by the University of Redlands commensurate with the level of work output. The recommendation of forty (40) hours of effort for each unit of credit means that you should anticipate spending a total of 120 hours working on your Capstone course requirements over the six-week period.

Components of the Capstone Paper

The Capstone paper consists of three major components:a. front matter, consisting of four items (for some, five); b. your Capstone paper with a reference section, and any appendixes in support of

the text itself;c. your updated Artifact Papers as appendixes to the paper.

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Typically, the document will range in length from 20 to 40 pages for the entire paper, but this is not to be taken as an absolute indication of the length. The 120-hour time frame is a much better parameter by which to plan.

Please note that the text subsections that you will write depend on the Topic Option you have chosen (see Chapter III).

Format your Capstone paper in compliance with APA formatting rules unless otherwise instructed by your Capstone instructor. The Manual will provide the guidance you need; your Capstone instructor will be able to answer your questions and interpret the APA information if necessary.

Front Matter

The title page, an abstract of your paper, and your approved “BSBAM Topic Proposal Form” are the front matter for the Capstone paper. This section will also include your release form and, if appropriate, a statement concerning the confidentiality your paper. The release form indicates the degree to which others may access and utilize your paper. Students whose papers include sensitive or proprietary information may include a confidentiality notice which means that your paper cannot be accessed by anyone outside of the University’s processes. These forms may be downloaded from the University’s web site.

The importance of the title page is to identify you, your cluster, and the date. The following should be noted:

1. After your name and your institutional affiliation (University of Redlands School of Business), add the following information:

a line that provides your student identification number. The number is a unique identifier used for archiving and other administrative purposes by the school. It is assigned by the University in a manner which guarantees privacy of information and is used for the University’s administrative purposes throughout the program.

a line that provides your cluster identification, such as IERDL..123.456. a lines that provides the official submission date of your Capstone paper.

TitleJohn Q. Student

University of Redlands School of BusinessStudent Identification Number 1234567

IERDL.123.456June 15, 2005

2. Each draft version submitted as a scheduled deliverable to the Capstone instructor must carry the current date and, below it, the version number. This information will not, however, appear in the final version.

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Text

You will write this material as a summary and final discussion of your selected topic. The content details of this main section are presented below in two ways. The first is a chart showing how the sub-sections relate to the three topic options. Following that, the sub-sections are explained in terms of expected content.

Component Identification: for sub-mission dates,see Figure 1.

Text Sub-Sections Topic Option #1 – An Analysis of an Organization or Industry

Topic Option #2 – An Analysis of a Problem in a Target Organization

Topic Option #3 – Exploration of an Innovation in an Organization or an Industry

Component #1

Introduction Yes Yes Yes

Component #1

Business Context Yes Yes Yes

Component #1

Current Business Strategies

Optional Yes Optional

Component #2

Current Business Capabilities

Yes Yes Yes

Component #2

S.W.O.T. Yes Yes Yes

Component #2

Five Forces Model

Yes N/A Yes

Component #3

Assessment – Solutions, Conclusions, and Recommendations

Yes Yes Yes

Figure 4. Sub-Sections of the Capstone Paper Determined by Topic Options

Notes:Yes = RequiredOptional = Not all situations are under study in each topic option. Some areas of study may apply to a particular study. This adaptation should be proposed by the student to the Capstone instructor for discussion and review.N/A = Not Applicable. Students may also propose adaptations of this.

Introduction. The Introduction is meant to provide an overall explanation of the study that will allow the reader to gain a broad and general understanding of the study. There are three sub-areas to this section: Purpose, Scope, and Definitions.

1. Purpose. The purpose of the study will be identified as ONE of the following three topic options:

a. This explains your reasons for selecting a particular industry to study, what information you will gain from the study, and how you will apply that information.

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b. This explains your reasons for choosing to study a particular problem in an organization with which you are familiar. Explain further what information you will gain from the study and how you will apply that information.

c. This explains your reasons for choosing to study the innovation of a particular change, a new product, or a new service. Explain further what information you will gain from the study and how you will apply it.

2. Scope. Due to time and other boundaries, you will find that it is important to define and clarify what the study will and will not cover. One approach to this is to list the areas that you will emphasize in your study.

3. Definitions. On a separate page(s), list those terms that may not be familiar to the reader and provide definitions for these terms. Be sure to cite the sources for these definitions. Remember that this section allows you to avoid the burden of inserting definitions in the middle of your material; breaking up the thought and interrupting the reader; and making the writing more difficult.

Business context. In summary form, describe the environment in which the organization or industry functions. For example: regulatory restraints, competition, labor supply, etc. These elements may be mentioned again in other sections, but this allows you to make a statement about what you consider the most important factors.

Current business strategies. For the target organization you have chosen to study, describe any currently known strategies the organization is pursuing, or plans to pursue. For industry studies, describe any common threads of strategy, e.g., the creation of a separate ‘cheap fares’ airline by a major airline (Delta created Song) to compete with the other discount airlines (JetBlue, etc.).

Current business capabilities. The business capabilities described below are frequently overlooked in the analysis of an organization or industry. They may or may not also be mentioned in a SWOT analysis, but a detailed examination in these areas is also overlooked many times. They are important to the overall success of a problem solution, the understanding of an industry’s position, or the implementation of an innovation.

1. Business Processes. Describe the processes that enable the functioning of the organization on a day-to-day basis and support the achievement of the operational goals. For example, the utility industry supplies a service and commodity (natural gas, water, etc.); bills and collects revenue from customers for the delivery of the services and commodity; responds to customer service requests; builds and maintains facilities used in the delivery of the services and commodity; maintains an inventory of equipment and supplies in support of daily operations; and periodically applies to the regulatory commission that oversees it for changes in the rules that govern the operations. The analysis you provide should determine how responsive these processes are, whether they are integrated in order to provide visibility to all impacts that changes make, etc.

2. Supporting IT tools. Describe the state of the IT infrastructure and analyze the adequacy of it for its role in the support of the operations.

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3. Internal organization. Define the organizational structure’s history and current approach (hierarchical vs. matrix, etc.). For a review of these structures, see the chapter on Organizational Structure in the Contemporary Management text.

4. Ethical environment. Describe the ethical considerations and processes. Use as evidence mission statements, codes of conduct, media articles, quotes from upper-level management, and any other evidence discovered.

5. Financial analysis. Analyze the organization or industry based on the financial statements.

6. Management and control systems. Analyze the organization or industry using the perspectives from the Managerial Accounting course.

7. Marketing issues. Analyze the organization or industry using the perspectives from the Marketing course.

8. Microeconomic and macroeconomic issues. Analyze the organization or industry using the perspectives from the Economics courses.

9. Human Resource Management issues. Analyze the organization or industry using the perspectives from the HRM course.

10. Legal issues. Analyze the organization or industry using the perspectives from the Business Law course.

SWOT. Provide an analysis of the target organization using SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats).

“Five Forces” model. Provide an analysis of the target industry using the Five Forces model (level of rivalry, potential for entry, power of suppliers, power of customers, and the threat of substitute products).

Assessment – solutions, conclusions, and recommendations. In this section you will summarize your main points and arrive at appropriate conclusions and recommendations. Utilize the concepts put forth in the Browne and Keeley text, Asking the Right Questions.

Updated ArtifactsThis section contains the eight Artifact papers from the program. They have been updated and submitted to your Capstone instructor as a pre-class assignment for MGMT 485. Please see Chapter IV.

Grading Criteria for the Capstone Paper

Component #1 10 pointsComponent #2 10 pointsComponent #3 10 pointsAnalysis and Integration Paper – draft 15 points

(Please refer to Figure 2 for identification of the contents of each component.)

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The Oral Report on the Capstone Paper

While you are reading this Guide at the mid-point of your BSBAM program, you already know that the School of Business values the ability to communicate one’s ideas in an oral presentation. You have already given several oral presentations in previous courses; more will be expected in subsequent classes. Oral presentations are a common learning tool used throughout all School of Business degree programs, not only to share the content of your learning with your classmates, but also to support a key element of School of Business’s mission—to enrich our society with graduates who can communicate effectively.

The Purpose and Opportunity of the Oral Report

On the last night of the Capstone course, you will share the results of your Capstone paper in an oral presentation to your instructor and learning cohorts. Depending on the nature of the topic you chose to explore, this classroom presentation may be a dry run for making the same presentation to the management of your company, to a prospective employer, or to an enterprise banker.

Your Capstone instructor will provide pertinent details concerning the length of your oral presentation when you reach the MGMT 485 course. Such details may, by necessity, be determined simply by the number of students in your class.

Components of the Oral Report

This presentation is a formal report. Envision yourself presenting your research findings to your supervisor’s supervisor. Come prepared, as a professional would, in dress and demeanor. More is expected here than the oral reports given in previous courses.

Before the day of the class meeting when you present your oral report, you will post an abstract of your paper on Blackboard or distribute it to your instructor and classmates by e-mail. Your classmates will print and review the abstracts before bringing them to class, so everyone will be prepared to listen and comment thoughtfully on the oral reports.

These topics are suggested for use when organizing your oral report. This is not an exhaustive list; please include other topics that are significant to your paper. Your instructor may provide additional content guidelines for this report.

Greetings and Introduction of the Topic Option and the Organization/Innovation Your Motivations in Selecting this Topic Option and Organization/Innovation Methods of Inquiry: Secondary Research Successes and Challenges Utilization of the Artifact Papers Results of the “Analysis and Integration” Processes Unexpected Outcomes? Surprises? How Will You Utilize this Information? Did You Discover Any Ethical Challenges in this Analysis and Integration Paper? How Would You Undertake this Paper/Process Differently?

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Utilization of AV and PowerPoint Resources

We encourage the use of charts, graphs, illustrations, and figures to support your oral report. These can be prepared as hard-copy displays or on acetates for an over-head projector. Additionally, a PowerPoint projector will be available for your presentation. While your instructor may not require you to use these additional resources, such visual aids will enhance your presentation.

The Peer Response Process of Oral Presentations

The Peer Response Process will be employed for the oral reports. The process will be familiar to you by the end of MGMT 485 because you will also have used it for drafts of your Capstone paper and an Artifact paper during earlier class sessions. You will receive feedback from each of your classmates following your presentation. These are responses to your presentation, not evaluations or corrections. Due to time constraints, the feedback will be written and given to you at the end of the class session. Please refer to Appendix D for the Peer Response Worksheets. These are also available on the University’s web site.

Grading Criteria for the Oral Report

Twenty points of the overall grade for this course are assigned to the oral report. This is the distribution of those points:

5 points Preparation and distribution of the Abstract before Week Six 5 points Delivery of the oral presentation10 points Content of the oral presentation

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CHAPTER VIWHERE: THE FINAL SUBMISSION OF THE

CAPSTONE PAPER AND ARTIFACTS

Delivery of the Capstone Paper on CD-R

Management 485 is a six-week course, during which you will write your Capstone paper, give an oral presentation, and present updated artifact papers. The final delivery of the CD-R to your Capstone instructor is due no later than 10 days after the date of the last class meeting. No late penalty will be assessed as long as you honor this 10-day grace period. Your instructor will provide delivery details concerning final submission of your Capstone CD-R.

It is essential that you keep an electronic copy of your Capstone Paper! The Capstone Paper you submit to the University will not be returned to you!!!

Guidelines for Creating your Capstone CD-R

These guidelines are intended to provide general technical information for the delivery of your completed Capstone paper to your instructor and to the University. These guidelines will provide you with the support you need to develop the layout and content of the Capstone CD-R. Defer to other sections of this Guide for all instructions having to do with the development of the Capstone paper text and other components; use these guidelines for sending the Capstone paper to your instructor.

Overview of the Electronic Capstone Paper

To develop the electronic Capstone paper, you will have an electronic folder on your computer with subfolders. These subfolders are like tabbed dividers—they will keep your files separated and organized. Some documents, such as charts and brochures, will be scanned with a flatbed image scanner and converted to image files.

Structure and Layout of Directories and Files

The structure of the digital Capstone paper should conform to this sequence: Create a main folder and name it “Capstone Paper.” Create ten subfolders and name them “SectionI,” “SectionII,” etc. (with NO spaces).

All files, whether Word documents, images, etc., will be saved in their appropriate folders. Place the subfolders for the sections in this order:

Subfolder Purpose:Name:Section I Front MatterSection II Capstone PaperSection III MGMT 330 ArtifactSection IV MGMT 356 Artifact

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Section V BUAD 335 ArtifactSection VI BUAD 336 ArtifactSection VII BUAD 365 ArtifactSection VIII BUAD 461ArtifactSection IX BUAD 340 ArtifactSection X BUAD 455 Artifact

If you are missing an artifact, do not skip that section. Include that artifact’s section in the appropriate order. In that file, include a Word document that says, “The artifact for _____________(course alpha and number i.e., MGMT 330) is not available.”

Table of Contents

Using MS Word, create a Table of Contents for your Capstone paper and call it contents.doc. Save this file in the main Capstone directory; do not save it in one of the subfolders. In this document you will identify, section by section, each item in your Capstone. You will also identify each document’s filename. This way the reader will be able to identify your files easily. The first line of text for your Table of Contents should read: “Capstone Paper by: (Your Name) (Your Student ID).

A Table of Contents may look like this:

Capstone Paper by John Q. Student (ID# 1234567)

Table of Contents

SectionI: Front Matter

1. Front Matter (frontmatter.doc)

SectionII: Capstone Paper

1. Capstone Paper (Capstone.doc)SectionIII: MGMT 330 Artifact

1. Artifact for “Managing and Leading Organizations” (mgmt330.doc)SectionIV: MGMT 356 Artifact

1. Artifact for “Human Resources Management” (mgmt356.doc)SectionV: BUAD 335 Artifact

1. Artifact for “Macroeconomics” (buad335.doc)SectionVI: BUAD 336 Artifact

1. Artifact for “Microeconomics” (buad336.doc)SectionVII: BUAD 365 Artifact 1. Artifact for “Accounting II - Managerial” (buad365.doc)SectionVIII: BUAD 461 Artifact 1. Artifact for “Financial Management” (buad461.doc)SectionIX: BUAD 340 Artifact

1. Artifact for “Principles of Marketing” (buad340.doc)SectionX: BUAD 455 Artifact

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1. Artifact for “Business Law”” (buad455.doc)

If you have additional information to include in your Capstone paper, you may further organize those documents by adding more subfolders in the appropriate sections.

**Note: If you wish to use hyperlinks within your Table of Contents document to link items from the Table of Contents to the actual files on your CD, you may do so. This is not required.

Scanning Original Documents into Images

You will need to use an image scanner to scan all original documents that cannot be otherwise included in the electronic Capstone paper. If you can obtain a digital version of the item without having to scan your paper version, that is preferable. An example of this would be saving a brochure that you developed related to your Capstone topic, rather than scanning the entire brochure.

The University’s main computer lab (located in the Fletcher Jones Center) is equipped with several flatbed image scanners. Each scanning station is equipped with the full version of Adobe Acrobat. Using this application, all Artifact papers can be scanned and saved as a PDF file. A a second choice, Photoshop and Adobe ImageReady are also available. These are image editing tools that you would use for orienting pages, adjusting contrast/brightness, and sharpening blurry images. Most PCs across the labs are outfitted with Microsoft Photo Editor and some have Adobe Photoshop and Adobe ImageReady.

NOTE: Students are reminded to adhere to all copyrightlaws pertaining to scanning images and documents.

Scanning Guidelines

Scanning color documents (such as a brochure) to black and white is acceptable as long as it is still clear and legible.

Scan documents to 100% of the actual image size or larger. Do not scan documents to less than 100% of original size.

Scanned images MUST be saved in either .jpg or .gif formats ONLY. (No documents in .tiff, .bmp, .art, etc., format, please. )A note about file naming: Do not use the “/” character, and do not use any spaces. Use the underscore (“_”) character instead of spaces. Filenames should be descriptive of the contents of the file.

Scanned documents MUST be legible when viewed with Internet Explorer. Scanned documents MUST be oriented properly (i.e. not upside down or sideways).

Scanning Tips

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Every scanner and its accompanying software are different, so follow the manufacturer’s instructions to get started. The scanners in the labs sometimeshave instructions contained in a vinyl sheet protector that is taped to the top of the scanner; if you are working on campus, the student assistants in the Fletcher Jones Center are available to assist with the scanning process.

When scanning images, forms, brochures, etc., start with a clean, clear, legible copy. A hard-to-read photocopy will not scan well.

Each scanner defaults to a different dpi (dots per inch) setting. If you are having trouble scanning a clear image, check this setting. It is recommended that you scan documents at between 150 and 300 dpi for better image quality and clarity. Keep in mind that it will also increase the file size and the scan may take a bit longer to complete, depending on how fast the scanner is.

When scanning things with a lot of text such as forms and brochures, scan in grayscale mode. Some scanning programs allow you to specify the type of document you are scanning, such as an image, a page with print, or a page with print and images. Some scanning programs also allow you to pre-determine what type of file you are going to save the results to (such as an image, a Word document, etc). Work with these settings until you get a clear, legible image.

Most scanners do a “pre-scan” to show you what they will actually scan. (This is somewhat like a “print preview” for scanners.) At this point, use the crop tool to cut out any extra white or gray space that is not part of the actual document that you are scanning. This will cut down on file size, increase the speed of the scan, and give you a better-looking image all around.

Writing Documents with MS Word

Write your documents using MS Word or a compatible application. Save all such documents with a .doc file extension. These documents MUST be compatible with MS Word 97 or a later version.

A note about file naming: Do not use the “/” character, and do not use any spaces. Use the underscore (“_”) character instead of spaces. Filenames should be descriptive of the contents of the file.

Saving Web Pages

You may find it appropriate to include a web page as a part of your Capstone paper. In Internet Explorer (your web browser), navigate to the web page you want to save. Click File|Save As. Give the item a name and choose the file type “Web Page, Complete (*.htm,*.html). Click Save. Internet Explorer will save the web page itself and a directory that goes with it.

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“Burning” Your Capstone Paper to CD-R

Once you are finished compiling all the files for your Capstone paper, write or “burn” the data to a CD-R. CD-R stands for Compact Disk-Recordable. It is not the same as a CD-ROM (CD-Read Only Memory) and not the same as CD-RW (CD-Read/Write). Burn the Capstone paper with the directory and subdirectory structure that is outlined above.

Because there are many CD-R/RW drive brands on the market, and because each model is different, it would be impossible for us to give specific instructions within this document on how to burn your CD. If you are just learning how to burn CDs, expect to waste a few CDs as “test” CDs—this is part of the learning process. Plan on familiarizing yourself ahead of time with how the drive works. Arrange for some time to read the manual, get some help from a lab technician or librarian, or just burn a test CD or two.

Students have occasionally experienced compatibility issues between CDs and the burners. Please allow adequate time to experiment with the CD-burning process.

Labeling your Jewel Case and CD

We have provided a CD jewel case insert with the “BSBAM Topic Proposal Form” on the University’s website at www.redlands.edu. This label is in PDF (Portable Document Format) form and requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download it at no cost from http://www.adobe.com.

Type the appropriate information and print this insert. Read the authorship statement and sign the insert in ink. You can print it on plain paper (although heavier stock works better), then cut it out and slip it inside the front cover of the CD jewel case. This helps us identify your CD case, and helps us verify that the material contained on the CD reflects your own scholarship.

It is also a good idea to label the CD itself. If you do not have a CD label maker (sometimes called a “stomper”), you can simply print your name, student ID number, and “Capstone Paper” on the top of the CD using a permanent marker such as a “Sharpie” marker.

General Guidelines

Minimum Compatibility and Requirements

Your digital Capstone paper must be compatible with the following:

MS Office 97 or a later version (includes Word, Excel and PowerPoint)MS Internet Explorer 5.5Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0

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Acceptable File Types (formats)

.PDF (Adobe PDF is the first choice, using Adobe Acrobat reader 5.0 or better) .jpg (Joint Photographic Experts Group—an image file—is a second choice) .gif (Graphic Interchange Format—an image file—is also a second choice) .doc (MS Word 97 or a later version) .xls (MS Excel 97 or a later version) .html/.htm (HyperText Markup Language – a web page)

Tips

When you think you are finished burning the Capstone paper, test it. Open each document, making sure that there are no errors and that everything displays as you intend it to. Take the CD-R to another computer (at the lab, at work, a friend’s house) and test the CD-R to make sure it works. Remember, if your instructor cannot read what is on the CD-R, your work cannot be evaluated.

If you have access to a USB flash drive, it maybe useful for you to work off of this type of drive while writing your paper, updating your Artifacts, etc. You can set up the directory structure (i.e., SectionI, SectionII, etc.) on the flash drive and place all the files where they need to go. Then, when you are ready, you can burn it all onto a CD-R straight from the flash drive. This may be easier for you than juggling several floppy disks.

REMEMBER: It is essential that you keep a copy of your electronic Capstone Paper! The Capstone Paper you submit to

the University will not be returned to you!

In the Classroom

During the course, your instructor will require that you bring hard-copy drafts of parts of your Capstone to class to share in work sessions or to submit as homework. These requests are at the discretion of your instructor and do not affect the final electronic submission of your Capstone paper.

FAQs

Can I email my Capstone paper to you?

No. The CD-R is the required format.

Can I submit my Capstone paper on a Zip Disk or a Flash Drive?

No. The CD-R is the required format.

Can I submit my Capstone paper as one single Adobe PDF?

No. Please use the directory structure described above in the section titled Structure and Layout of Directories and Files and Table of Contents.

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Can I use Roxio’s DirectCD to burn my CD?

No. Do not use DirectCD. If you have Roxio Easy CD Creator pre-mastering software, use that instead. You must burn your CD in an ISO9660 format (this means it is compatible with most newer Macintosh and PC CD-RW drives). You can also use the CD burning utility built into Windows XP to make your CD.

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REFERENCES

Leedy, P. D. & Ormrod, J. E. (2001). Practical research: Planning and design. (7th ed.).

New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Neufeldt, V.E. (Ed.). (1988). Webster’s new world dictionary. New York: Simon &

Schuster.

University of Redlands. (2003). Catalog. Redlands, CA: Author.

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APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY

APA – The American Psychological Association created the citation, punctuation, and publication style used as the default style for all undergraduate program documents. It recommended that you follow APA guidelines in all reference work you do in the program unless otherwise indicated by your instructors.

Analysis and Integration in Business and Management – This is the title of MGMT 485, the final course in the BSBAM degree program.

Analysis and Integration in Business and Management Paper – This is the final paper written in the BSBAM program that utilizes the Artifact papers written in some of the previous courses. The student first selects a target organization and then selects a topic option that provides developmental guidelines for the paper.

Artifact Paper – A paper written in a BSBAM course that meets the subject-specific requirements of that course and can then be used later as a resource for the Analysis and Integration Paper written in MGMT 485. There are eight Artifact courses offered in this sequence in the BSBAM program: MGMT 330, MGMT 356, BUAD 335, BUAD 336, BUAD 365, BUAD 461, BUAD 340, BUAD 455. It is possible that not all BSBAM students will have completed all eight of the Artifact Papers prior to MGMT 485.

Artifact Updates – Prior to the start of MGMT 485, all Artifact papers except for BUAD 455 will be updated to reflect currency and applicability to the approved Capstone Paper topic and submitted to the Capstone instructor for review. The deadline for submitting these updates will be provided by the Capstone instructor early in your Capstone engagement.

Assistant Campus Director – This is the person based in your campus with whom you should discuss all issues related to completing all graduation requirements. If you need to earn units outside of the BSBAM program to meet General Education or other graduation requirements, or if it becomes necessary for you to withdraw from a course or the program, please do not delay in contacting your Assistant Campus Director.

BSBAM Program Texts – There are a number of textbooks that you have purchased for this program that will be required and helpful for MGMT 485 and the development of the Capstone paper. Please refer to Appendix B for a listing of all program texts.

Blackboard (Bb) – This is the web-based instructional program used by the University to facilitate teaching and communications for certain classes and programs.

Capstone Course – This is the informal reference to MGMT 485: Analysis and Integration in Business and Management.

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Capstone Instructor – This is the faculty member assigned to your cluster to teach MGMT 485. Even though this is the last course in the BSBAM sequence, you will meet your Capstone instructor at the mid-point of the program so you can began the initial stages of development for your Capstone Paper—identifying a target organization; selecting a topic option; and receiving general information and a timeline about the course, the pre-class assignments, and communications prior to the start of MGMT 485.

Capstone Paper – This is the informal reference for the Analysis and Integration in Business and Management Paper.

Peer Response Workshops – These are in-class activities in MGMT 485 when students provide helpful feedback to classmates on written and oral assignments. Orientation for the process is provided in the classroom; forms are in Appendix D of this Guide and also amongthe Student Resources for the program on the website.

Undergraduate Program Director – This is the person charged with the administration and oversight of all aspects of the BSBAM program. You may contact your Undergraduate Program Director with any questions or concerns about the BSBAM program or this CapstonePaper and the MGMT 485 course: [email protected](Please direct concerns about classroom and facilities management issues to the Campus Director at your local campus.)

Target Organization – This is the business or industry that you choose as the focus of your Capstone Paper.

Topic Option – There are three topic options for the development of a Capstone Paper. You may choose to write a business or industry analysis, an analysis of a business or industry problem, or you may propose a business innovation.

Topic Proposal Form – Students submit this form to the Capstone Instructor after the midpoint of the program to indicate the selection of the target organization and the topic option. The instructor will approve the proposal or recommend that revisions be made. Changes to a target organization or a topic option require submission of a new Topic Proposal Form. An approved Topic Proposal Form is required before the start of MGMT 485. Access the Topic Proposal Form at www.redlands.edu > School of Business >Students Resources > BS in Business and Management Program Resources

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http://www.redlands.edu/

mailto:[email protected]


APPENDIX B – BSBAM PROGRAM TEXTS

These are texts you will have already purchased by this point in your BSBAM program. It is essential that you retain them in your personal library for the duration of your coursework.

Browne, M. N. & Keeley, S. M. (2001). Asking the right questions: A guide to critical

thinking. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Hacker, D. (2003). A writer’s reference. (5th ed.). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Jones, G. R. & George, J. M. (2003). Contemporary Management. (3rd ed.). New York:

McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Jones, G. R. & George, J. M. (2006). Contemporary Management. (4th ed.). New York:

McGraw-Hill/Irwin. (This edition was adopted in May, 2005.)

University of Redlands. (2003). Catalog. Redlands, CA: Author.

University of Redlands. (2005). Student guide for the “analysis and integration in business and

management” paper. Redlands, CA: Author.

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APPENDIX C: BSBAM Capstone Topic Proposal

BSBAM Capstone Topic Proposal

NameClustere-mail addressDaytime phone numberEvening phone number

Topic Option Description Check one: #1 Business Analysis #2 Problem Analysis #3 Business Innovation

Proposed Title _____________________________________________________________

Prioritization of Topic Proposal:This is my _____first topic choice ______second topic choice _____third topic choice

Description_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

____I will ____I will not need approval from my employer to develop this paper.

Please discuss these topics in the space allotted. These should help you to identify the focus and the scope of your Capstone paper.

1. Background:

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2. What is the current situation?

3. What should be the desired situation?

4. Identify the problem/purpose of your paper:

5. What is the scope of your paper?

6. What are the benefits to be gained from investigating your topic?

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Artifact Courses Will be completedbefore MGMT 485

Will not becompleted beforeMGMT 485

Waived atAdmission

MGMT 330: Managing andLeading OrganizationsMGMT 356: Human Re-sources ManagementBUAD 335: MacroeconomicsBUAD 336: Microeconomics BUAD 365: Accounting II-Managerial AccountingBUAD 461: Financial Management BUAD 340: Principles of Marketing BUAD 455: Business Law

APPROVAL BY CAPSTONE INSTRUCTOR

________ Approved________ Approved with required modifications________ Not approved

Comments:

Capstone Instructor _____________________________________________________

Date _________________________________________________________________

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APPENDIX D: Peer Response Workshops

Since writers write to communicate with audiences, it can often be very helpful to hear from those audiences during the writing process. As you draft and revise your Capstone papers, receiving feedback from your peers helps to identify questions for further exploration, isolates moments of confusion, and provides an interactive environment in which to work with other students. This peer response process can also be applied to the updates to your artifact papers and your oral report.

Following are ways to explore the writer-audience dynamic in MGMT 485. The central idea is that you will read your classmates’ work and provide feedback for the writers. One key assumption informs everything that appears in this process: these peer response groups work with the idea that you are responding to each other’s work, not evaluating it. Peer response groups are not about grading or evaluating each other’s work. Instead, the emphasis is on the writer-audience relationship. As classmates, you are audiences for each other’s ideas and, as such, you can provide crucial feedback about issues raised in the writings. As readers, you can ask about parts that confused you or tell the writer about places where you might like to have seen more explanation or examples. In many cases, you will be able to suggest helpful references you have come across in your own research or provide ideas relating to your own area of expertise.

“WHAT ABOUT”Read each others writing and generate a list of questions that begin with the phrase “What about…?” The form of this question is open-ended and asks you to generate ideas about what the writers might consider further.

“QUESTION ON EVERY PAGE” Read each other’s work and write a question on each page of the text. This exercise often works best when you ask open questions that begin with “How” and “Why.” Questions that press for precision are also helpful, such as “Who?” “When?” “What?” and “Under what conditions?” Less helpful questions are ones that can be answered with a simple yes or no because they can foreclose on further exploration.

“QUESTIONS FROM THE WRITER”As the writer, develop a set of questions you would like your readers to consider as they read the piece. Again, open-ended questions are more helpful.

“RESPONSE LETTER”Read each other’s work, but this time do not write anything down as you read. Just read and try to take in what you can. Afterwards, write a letter to the writer that considers as many issues from the reading you can recall. Letters might pose questions, try to summarize some points, and offer other perspectives. The response letter is an attempt to focus on a holistic reading of the piece.

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Peer Response Worksheet #1

(Blank forms can be downloaded from the web site.)

Author:

Respondent:

1. What is the writer’s topic?

2. What is the writer trying to claim about the topic?

3. What moments in the piece seemed particularly important to you? Intriguing? Explain the reasons for your choices.

4. What moments in the piece confused you? Explain. Where would you like to see more examples or more explanation of an example?

5. Develop two or three questions about the piece that the writer might consider for revision.

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Peer Response Sheet #2

Author: Respondent:

TOPIC THESIS

INTRIGUING ASPECTSPoints of Confusion, Vagueness, Unsubstantiated Claims

Questions for the Writer to Consider:

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Appendix E: BSBAM Program FAQs

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