MGT 610-BAP011
SMAC PAPER LAYOUT:
Consider the following format for your paper:
COVER PAGE – your name, course title, instructor’s name, semester and year, title of SMAC.
TABLE OF CONTENTS – include first page number of each section.
ABSTRACT – at most half a page in length containing the summary and overview of SMAC.
INTRODUCTION – about one page in length which includes:
· Background information (briefly, please).
· What issues are being addressed? Be specific. Consider listing the issues
· Why are the issues important? (as it relates to the subject matter that you are addressing.
· How do the issues relate to this course content?
· Bullets are not suggested. Full paragraphs should be used with secondary sources for support (document in APA and do not forget to have a bibliography)
SUMMARY CONCLUSION (ABBREVIATED) – about half a page in length.
What did you do and what did you discover? Always provide the reader with the “punch line” upfront. In this way the reader can follow your analysis within the context of your stated conclusion.
PROJECT ANALYSIS – The bulk of the paper – should be about 50% to 70% of SMAC Which includes:
· Detailed description of the project process, i.e., what did you do and why
· Details of “data” sought and obtained: Why did you pick this particular data? Why not other data? Why this amount of data? (data review must include at least 5 secondary sources: document in APA format)
· Analysis of data
· Interpretation of the data, i.e., what did all your work tell you about your stated issues
CONCLUSION – In somewhat greater detail, summarize your project process, findings, and how it addressed the stated issues – about one page in length
ETHICS/SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY SECTION (at least one page) –
You must address how ethics will be addressed in relation to the issue that you are investigating. Using a secondary source here could be helpful. If any research is addressed include the IRB approval for the research.
MANAGERIAL ABILITIES SECTION – no more than 2 abilities per student, each abilities assessment at least half page in length
· Which abilities are you targeting and how the work you did in this SMAC demonstrates that you developed those abilities. (Please do not repeat the abilities definitions from the Student Handbook.)
· Discuss how the class content, team exercises or exams allowed you to address the managerial abilities. This section will be graded so you must reflect how you developed in the class.
REFERENCE SECTION –
· With the exception of interviews, every citation in the body of your paper must have an entry in the References section.
· For every entry in your References section there must be a corresponding citation in the body of your paper in APA format! When in doubt, cite!
APPENDICES
· Approved Learning Contract with the MGT500 Abilities Recap attached( Mandatory)
· Data, charts etc
SOURCES: A minimum of five publically available sources, and at least two (2) references to professional journals and/or books (not including textbooks).
NOTE : Make certain you refer back to this course content throughout your paper.
POINTS TO CONSIDER
1. Learning Contract (LC) – Make certain the LC provides adequate detail for the instructor to understand the proposed project and how it relates to this course and your identified abilities gaps. You are not restricted to a two page LC. The LC will not be accepted for review unless it:
1) is on the latest LC form (see https://mysjc.sjcny.edu/academics/pgs/gr/Pages/Graduate- Management-Studies.aspx 2); 2) has attached the students’ Abilities Recap form from MGT 500; and 3) is in Microsoft Word format.
2. Paper length should be between 12 and 15 pages (excluding appendices, references, and the Learning Contract), depending on the project and organization. Less than this may impact your ability to demonstrate the depth of your knowledge and analysis. More than this will cause the instructor’s mind to wonder and to question your organization and content. In either case, the impact will be negative (translation: loss of points). Speak to the instructor if you seek an exception.
3. To maintain confidentiality, you may use a pseudonym (i.e., an alias) for the organization(s) in your paper. However, the instructor must be informed of the organization(s) analyzed in a separate disclosure attachment. If you do choose to use pseudonyms, include as part of the disclosure attachment at least two identifying documents relating to the organization(s), e.g., a web-page, news release, letterhead memorandum.
4. Your SMAC must have a substantive component relating to ethics, governance, social responsibility or some combination of these. In the case of a health management issue, a discussion of HIPAA is acceptable. That component should be at least one page in length. The component must directly relate to the SMAC project; a general statement on ethics does not fulfill this requirement.
5. Since your SMAC is to be a document of substance that will stand challenge, it should include publicly available support and references of a scholarly nature. At least two (2) references to professional journals and/or books (not including textbooks) are appropriate. Articles from “mass market” sources (i.e., Business Week, The Economist, or industry-specific trade journals) will provide additional support, as will references to the textbook. Qualified references provide support to a SMAC; unrelated references – to “get one in” – do not carry weight. To begin the search for related material, consider scrutinizing the Notes section at the end of the appropriate chapters. Wikipedia is not an authoritative source and not to be utilized in the SMAC.
6. Regarding the use of direct quotations in the document, keep quotations to a minimum, or better, none at all. If you have large third-party inserts you feel add to your paper (e.g., a mission statement; a technology description; or an organization memorandum), place in one or more appendices.
7. Team SMACs: As stated in the course syllabus, a “management team” SMAC is the responsibility of the team and represents an end-product of the team. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the team to make certain that the SMAC conforms to all rules relating to a SMAC. There is no notion, therefore, that a departure from those rules is the fault of any one team member. The only exception to this is where peer evaluations indicate that a member has not fulfilled their responsibilities.
SMAC GRADE BREAKDOWN: | |||
Content: Depth of analysis, quality, and number of research sources | Points Available | Points Earned | |
A. Depth of analysis | 25.00 | ||
B. Format of analysis | 7.50 | ||
C. Accuracy of analysis | 7.50 | ||
D. Quality of research sources | 5.00 | ||
E. Required quantity of research sources | 5.00 | ||
Total of this section | 50.00 | – | |
Related course material to SMAC: | |||
A. Related course material | 10.00 | ||
Total of this section | 10.00 | – | |
Ethics and social responsibility |
A. Relating ethical and social responsibilities | to project | 10.00 | ||
Total of this section | 10.00 | – | ||
Assessment of Managerial Abilities | ||||
A. Assessment of managerial | abilities | 15.00 | ||
Total of this section | 15.00 | – |
Quality of writing
A. Organization of paper | 3.00 | |
B. Learning Contract Included | 2.00 | |
C. Spelling and Grammar | 3.00 | |
D. APA Format | 3.00 | |
E. Citations | 2.00 | |
F. Reference Page | 2.00 | |
Total this section | 15.00 | – |
Lateness Penalty (if applicable) | – | – |
Grand Total | 100.00 | – |
Days Late | 0 |