MSL Organizational Systems

Assignment 2

Common Fallacies in Explaining Organizational Problems

(25 points)

*Option-You may work in pairs/groups/individually

For this paper, select an organization with which you are familiar, (if working as a group brainstorm and decide on one) and use Bolman & Deal’s common fallacies to analyze the organization’s functioning and behavior. The organization may be one in which you work, volunteer, or otherwise interact – you should know it well enough to be able to describe it in detail and apply the organizational problems effectively.

• Include analysis of at least one fallacy, demonstrating how the fallacies make sense of the organization’s systems. The fallacies from Bolman & Deal include: blaming people; blaming the bureauracy; thirsting for power. You must have a minimum of 5-7 articles outside the course texts in your reference list and the material from these articles must be integrated into the analysis.
• APA style must be used throughout the paper, including headings, citations and reference list.

Your paper must include the following elements:

• Description of the organization including overview of its systems.
• Definition of fallacies and application of the fallacies to the organization
• Discussion of how the fallacies interact or co-exist in the organization
• Discussion of how identification of the fallacy can be applied to the improvement of your organization’s systems that deals with the specific leadership opportunities you identified for your organization through this assignment

If done as a pair/group – all names should appear on the cover sheet, each person should upload the final draft of the paper to their individual drop box – and “note well” each person receives the same grade.

Paper Requirements:

• Length of paper 5-7 pages not including the title or reference page.
• Use 5-7 scholarly references to support your research and arguments. Must be published within the last 5-7 years.
• This is a scholarly paper that should be based on research, not just on personal opinions and experiences.
• Submit (upload) as a Word document in the assignment area