Instructions Based on the case study transcripts provided, look for instances in which the characters employed communication to manage the situation, collect relevant information, and build common gro
WCM 620 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric Overview Advising colleagues, employees, managers, and senior leaders on actions that minimize organizational discord is key in creati ng a more effective organizational culture. For the final project for this course, assume you are an employee relations specialist . You have been asked by a senior human resources business partner to create a “summary of findings ” that conveys key information from a fact -finding assignment related t o a former employee ’s potential law suit. Your task is to read the final project case study that includes a transcript of interviews previously conducted by your colleague and produce a paper that analyzes the emotional cause of the employee conflict, details the personal biases of each conflict participant, identifies best practices by which the affec ted department can rebuild trust, addresses the legal context of the issue, and recommends actions to mitigate the problem. =t is i mportant to cultivate the expertise necessary to productively engage in a conflict situation and effectively facilitate its resolution. This expertise is critical both to cre ating positive change in the workplace and in advancing a human resource professio nal ’s career. The project is divided into three milestones , which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Three, Five, and Seven. Th e final product will be submitted in Module Nine . =n this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes: Analyze perceptive and communicatory elements of interpersonal conflicts for how they could be changed to de -escalate conflict between employees Analyze heuristics based on beliefs, past experiences, and cultural norms that impact workplace interactions for informing co nflict management strategies Recommend individual strategies for managing differing cultural perspectives applying contemporary conflict resolution concepts Analyze stakeholder communications for their implications in building trust among organizational stakeholders in conflict sit uations Assess the legal context of organizational conflicts for r ecommending appropriate risk -minimizing strategies Prompt For this final project , you will construct a su mmary of findings paper , based on the case materials provided. Your paper should be well -structured , clear, and concise, containing each of the sections below. To complete this assignment, you will use information in the Final Project Case Study document as well as these guidelines. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed: I. Overview : Summarize the pattern of facts leading up to this interpersonal conflict, identifying the stakeholders in the conflict. II. Conflict Analysis: =n this section, you will analyze the transcripts provided and determine how stakeholders ’ self -perceptio n and communication practices influenced the conflict. Be sure to address the following : A. Assess how the stakeholders’ self -perception influenced the conflict. Provide specific examples to support your assessment. In other words, how might the involved stak eholders’ self -perceptions be at odds with how others see them? B. Describe the communication practices, implicit or explicit, that were used. What implications did they have for the conflict? C. Assess how communication practices might be changed to de -escalate the conflict . Provide specific examp les to support your assessment. III. Analyzing Heuristics to De -escalate Conflict: =n this section, you will analyze the heuristics in the transcripts provided and determine how they impacted the interactions in the workpla ce. A. Appraise the heuristics you found in the transcripts that were the most relevant to the conflict in this case. Support your appraisal with specific examples. For example, was there a bias such as “more is better ” or “faster is better ”? B. Determine how th is heuristic resulted in impressions of bias that negatively impacted workplace interactions in this case. Support your determination with specific examples. For ex ample, did a heuristic of “people who look like me do a better job ” result in a perception o f discrimination? C. Determine what techniques your colleague might recommend to help the stakeholders to use their past experiences to positively benefit similar interactions moving forward. Support your determ ination with specific examples. IV. Creating a More Effective Organizational Culture: =n this section, you will analyze the transcripts provided to determine the influence of cultural differences on the conflict. A. Analyze how the stakeholders ’ cultural perspectives affected their points of view in this conflict. Support your analysis with relevant examples. B. Describe instances in which you see a match or gaps between the former employee and organizational culture . Support your desc ription with specific examples. C. Rec ommend strategies that individual stakeholders can use to deal with employees who have disparate cultural perspectives. Hustify your recommendation(s) with appropriat e conflict resolution concepts. V. Building Common Ground: =n this section, you will primari ly analyze the transcripts provided to find instances when your co worker employed communication skills to manage the situation, collect relevant information, and build common ground. Then, you will identify practices through which your team can rebuild tru st in the affected department. A. Referring to the transcripts provided, assess the utility of the open -ended questions that were used for eliciting useful information. Support your ass essment with specific examples. B. =dentify the points during the transcrib ed conversations in which the interviewer verbally summarized key ideas , describing the importance of each occurrence to the co mmunications in the interviews. C. Determine how the impact of th e former employee ’s actions was at odds with his intent . Support your determination with specific examples bas ed on the transcripts provided. D. =dentify practices by which the affected department can rebuild trust. Support your identification with accepted conflict resolution practices. VI. Dispute Resolution and Legal Ramifications: =n this final section, you will determine the best course of action for resolving the conflict and provide your recommendations for moving forward. A. What laws are applicable in this situation and how are they appl icable? Support your r esponse with specific examples. B. Describe the benefits and risks of direct negotiations , mediation, and arbitration between the stakeholders. Support your desc ription with specific examples. C. Recommend appropriate risk -minimizing strate gies for your conflict negotiations based on your analysis of potential means of dispute reso lution and legal ramifications. Milestones Milestone One : Overview and Conf lict Analysis In Module Three , you will submit a draft of the first two sections of your summative assessment . Read the transcripts provided for you for this case analysis. This milestone wil l be graded with the Milestone One Rubric . Milestone Two : Analysis of Heuristics =n Module Five , based on the transcripts you read in Module Three and th e Module Five reading, you will analyze the heuristics of the transcripts and determine how they impacted the interactions in the workplace. Additionally, you will determine the influence of cultural differences o n the conflict. This milestone wil l b e graded with the Milestone Two Rubric. Mile stone Three : Building Common Ground =n Module Seven , based on the transcripts provided, y ou will look for instances in which the characters employed communication to manage the situation, collect relevant information , and build common ground. Then, you will identify practice s through which the team can re build trust. Finally, you will determine the best course of action for res olving the conflict and provide your recommendations for moving forward. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric. Final Submission : Summary of Findings =n Module Nine , you will submit your final project. =t should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. =t should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with t he Final Project Rubric. Deliverabl es Milestone Deliverable Module Due Grading One Overview and Conflict Analysis 3 Graded separately ; Milestone One Rubric Two Analysis of :euristics 5 Graded separately ; Milestone Two R ubric Three Building Common Ground 7 Graded separately ; Milestone Three Rubric Final Submission: Summary of Findings 9 Graded separately ; Final Project Rubric Final Project Rubric Guidelines for Submission: Your summary of findings paper should be 6 to 8 pages in length , double -spaced, using 12 -point Times New Roman font and APA format ting . Critical Elements Exemplary (100% ) Proficient (90% ) Needs Improvement (70% ) Not Evident (0% ) Value Overview: Pattern of Facts Meets “Proficient” criteria and summary demonstrates a complex grasp of the pattern of facts lead ing up to the conflict Summarizes the pattern of facts leading up to this interpersonal conflict, identifying the stakeholders in the conflict Summarizes the pattern of facts leading up to this interpersonal conflict, identifying the stakeholders in the conflict, but summary is verbose or contains inaccuracies Does not summarize the pattern of facts leading up to this interpersonal conflict, identifying the stakeholders in the conflict 5 Conflict Analysis:Stakeholders’ Self - Perception [WCM -620 -01] Meets “Proficient” criteria and examples provided demonstrate a complex grasp of how stakeholders’ self - perception influences conflict Assesses how the stakeholders’ self -perception influenced the conflict and provides specific examples to support assessment Assesses how the stakeholders’ self -perception influenced the conflict and provides examples to support assessment, but assessment is cursory or contains inaccuracies, or examples are not specific or relevant to argument Does not assess how the stakeholders’ self -perception influenced the conflict 6 Conflict Analysis:
Communication [WCM -620 -01] Meets “Proficient” criteria and descriptions make especially cogent connections between the communication practices and the conflict Describes the communication practices, implicit or explicit, that were used a nd their implications for the conflict Describes the communication practices, implicit or explicit, that were used and their implications for the conflict, but description is cursory or contains inaccuracies Does not describe the communication practices, impli cit or explicit, that were used 6 Conflict Analysis: De - escalate the Conflict [WCM -620 -01] Meets “Proficient” criteria and examples provided demonstrate a complex grasp of how altering communication practices can de -escalate conflict Assesses how the communication practices might be changed to de -escalate the conflict, providing specific examples to support assessment Assesses how the communication practices might be changed to de -escalate the conflict, providing examples to support assessment, but assessment is cursory or contains inaccuracies, or examples are not specific or relevant to argument Does not assess how the communication practices might be changed to de -escalate the conflict 6 Analyzing Heuristics:
Heuristics in the Transcripts [WCM -620 -02] Meets “Proficient” criteria and examples provided demonstrate a complex grasp of what makes heuristics relevant Appraises the heuristics found in the transcripts that were the most relevant to the conflict in this case and supports appraisal with specific examples Appraises the heuristics found in the transcripts that were most relevant to conflict and supports app raisal with examples, but appraisal is cursory or contains inaccuracies, or examples are not specific or relevant to argument Does not appraise the heuristics found in the transcripts that were most relevant to conflict 6 Analyzing Heuristics:
Impressions of Bias [WCM -620 -02] Meets “Proficient” criteria and supporting examples make sophisticated connections between impressions of bias and workplace interactions Determines how this heuristic resulted in impressions of bias that negatively impacted workplace interactions in this case and supports determination with specific examples Determines how this heuristic resulted in impressions of bias that negatively impa cted workplace interactions and supports determination with examples, but determination lacks clarity or contains inaccuracies, or examples are not specific or relevant to argument Does not determine how this heuristic resulted in impressions of bias that negatively impacted workplace interactions 6 Analyzing Heuristics:
Positively Benefit [WCM -620 -02] Meets “Proficient” criteria and supporting examples demonstrate a complex grasp of how stakeholders can use prior experiences to positively benefit workplace interactions Determines how the stakeholders in the interactions could have used their past experiences to positively benefit workplace interactions and supports determination with specific examples Determines how the stakeholders in the interactions could have used their past experiences to positively benefit workplace interactions and supports determination wit h examples, but determination lacks clarity or contains inaccuracies, or supporting examples are not specific or relevant to argu ment Does not determine how the stakeholders in the interactions could have used their past experiences to positively benefit workplace interactions 6 Organizational Culture: Cultural Perspectives [WCM -620 -03] Meets “Proficient” criteria and examples make sophisticated connections between stakeholders’ cultural perspectives and their points of view in the conflict Analyzes how the stakeholders’ cultural perspectives affected their points of view in the conflict and supports analysis with specific examples Analyzes how the stakeholders’ cultural perspectives affected their points of view in the conflict and supports analysis with examples, but analysis is cursory or contains inaccuracies or examples are not specific or relevant to argument Does not analyze how the stakeholders’ cultural perspectives affected their points of view in the conflict 6 Organizational Culture: Employee and Organizational Culture [WCM -620 -03] Meets “Proficient” criteria and supporting examples demonstrate keen insight into what does or does no t make employees a good fit for organizations Describes instances in which a match or gaps can be found between the former employee and organizational culture and supports description with specific examples Describes instances in which a ma tch or gaps can be found between the former employee and organizational culture and support description with examples, but description is cursory or contains inaccuracies or examples are not specific or relevant to argument Does not describe instances in which a match or gaps can be found between the former empl oyee and organizational culture 6 Organizational Culture: Strategies [WCM -620 -03] Meets “Proficient” criteria and justification makes especially cogent connections between conflict resolution concepts and employees who have disparate cultural perspectives Recommends strategies that individual stakeholders can use to deal with employees who have disparate cultural per spectives, justifying recommendations with appropriate conflict resolution concepts Recommends strategies that individual stakeholders can use to deal with employees who have disparate cultural perspectives, but recommendations are cursory, illogical, or are not justified with appropriate conflict resolution concepts Does not recommend strategies that individual stakeholders can use to deal with employees who have disparate cultural perspectives 6 Building Common Ground: Open -Ended Questions [WCM -620 -04] Meets “Proficient” criteria and supporting examples demonstrate a complex grasp of the utility of open -ended questions in eliciting information Assesses the utility of the open -ended questions that were used for eliciting useful information and supports assessment with specific examples Assesses the utility of the open -ended questions that were used for eliciting useful information and supports assessment with examples, but assessment is cursory or contains i naccuracies or examples are not specific or relevant to argument Does not assess the utility of the open -ended questions that were used for eliciting information th at was useful or your colleague 4.5 Building Common Ground: Summarized Key Ideas [WCM -620 -04] Meets “Proficient” criteria and description demonstrates a complex grasp of the importance of summarization in negotiation Ide ntifies points during transcrib ed conversations in which interviewer verbally summarized key ideas, describing the importance of each oc currence to communications in the interviews Ide ntifies points during transcrib ed conversation in which interviewer verbally summarized key ideas, describing the importance of each occurrence to communications in intervi ews, but description is cursory or response contains inaccuracies Does not iden tify the points during transcrib ed conversation in which interviewe r verbally summarized key ideas 4.5 Building Common Ground: Impact and Intent [WCM -620 -04] Meets “Proficient” criteria and supporting examples demonstrate a complex grasp of how employee actions and the intent of those actions can be at odds Determines how the impact of the former employee’s actions was at odds with the intent, supporting determination with specific examples Determines h ow the impact of the former employee’s actions was at odds with the intent, supporting determination with examples, but determination lacks c larity or contains inaccuracies or examples are not specific or relevant to argument Does not determine how the imp act of th e former employee’s actions was at odds with the intent, supporting determination with examples 4.5 Building Common Ground: Practices [WCM -620 -04] Meets “Proficient” criteria and supporting conflict resolution practices demonstrate a complex grasp of what makes practices relevant in different situations Identifies practices by which the affected department can rebuild trust and supports identification with accepted conflict resolution practices Identifies practices by which the affected depart ment can rebuild trust and supports identification with accepted conflict resolution pra ctices, but support is cursory or conflict resolution practices are not relevant Does not identify practices by which the affect ed department can rebuild trust 4.5 Dispute Resolution and Legal Ramifications: Laws [WCM -620 -05] Meets “Proficient” criteria and supporting examples exemplify connections between relevant laws and the specific situation Determines what laws are applicable in this situation and how they are applicable, supporting response with specific examples Determines what laws are applicable in this situation and how they are applicable, supporting response with examples, but determination is cursory or contains inaccuracies or examples are not specific or relevant to argument Does not determine what laws are applicable in this situation and how they are applicable 6 Dispute Resolution and Legal Ramifications:
Negotiations [WCM -620 -05] Meets “Proficient” criteria and supporting examples demonstrate a complex grasp of the complexities involved in direct negotiations, mediation, and arbitration Describes the benefits and risks for direct negotiations, mediation, and arbitration between the stakeholders and supports description with specific examples Describes the benefits and risks for direct negotiations, mediation, and arbitration between the stakeholders and supports description with examples, but description is cursory or contains inaccuracies or examples are not specific or relevant to argument Does not describe the benefits and risks for direct negotiations, mediation, and arbitration between the stakeholders 6 Dispute Resolution and Legal Ramifications:
Strategies [WCM -620 -05] Meets “Proficient” criteria and recommended risk -minimizing strategies make especially cogent connections between the conflict negotiations and the analysis Recommends appropriate risk - minimizing strategies for the conflict negotiations based on the analy sis of dispute resolutions and legal ramifications Recommends risk -minimizing strategies for the conflict negotiations, but recommendations are cursory, inappropriate, or not based on analysis of dispute resolutions and legal ramifications Does not recomme nd risk - minimizing strategies for the conflict negotiations 6 Articulation of Response Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is prese nted in a professional and easy -to- read format Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas 5 Total 100 %
