As our world become increasingly complex, the need for critical thinkers and researchers increase.  People want to understand certain changes in their world and phenomena as it occurs.  The academic community requires that some type of theory be linked to any type of understanding used to explain certain occurrences.  Gray (2004) noted that a theory consists of a set of interrelated concepts, definitions, and propositions that demonstrate relationships between variables (p. 11).  As a graduate student, you have been required to conduct research in terms of synthesis of research studies, analysis of the findings, and evaluation any possible linkages, generalizations, and/or provide possible recommendations or suggestions for the area(s) being studied.

To demonstrate your ability to conduct research, you will need to exhibit your research skills and abilities in the form of a mini-research project. What is a current issue or social problem in your field of study that may require additional research?  After you have considered such a issue or problem, then write up a research problem statement to guide you on this research endeavor.  With this research problem statement, you are to develop a mini-research project to demonstrate your ability to critically think through a problem situation in today”s workplace/marketplace.  The format of the mini-research project shall be as follows:

¨     Title

¨     Problem Statement

¨     Theoretical framework

¨     Research questions or propositions

¨     Methodology and/or research design with limitations

¨     Results and findings

¨     Conclusions and recommendations

¨     How would this research contribute to new knowledge in your field

Since this research project will not actually be conducted, you may approach this mini-research project from the perspective of a research study proposal.  However, the student should consider any possible or anticipated results and findings, as well as conclusions and recommendations. Finally, the student should include how the research would contribute to new knowledge in one”s field of study.

OR

Change Mangement and Management Styles

As economic times change, management styles have changed accordingly. New concepts and issues of management styles have been analyzed, synthesized, and evaluated to meet the changing needs of the marketplace. The concept of change management has gained great acceptance and/or disapproval by all sectors, including civilian and military.

Katzenbach (1995) wrote that Real change leaders are the linchpins connecting three critical forces for organizational change and performance: top leadership aspirations (what are we trying to become?); workforce energy and productivity (how will we climb the mountain?); and the marketplace reality (what do our target customers truly seek, and what can and will our potential competitors really do?) (pp. 8-9).

Analyze the changes in your field to determine if there have been periods of time in which leaders in the field, as well as actual practitioners in the field, have had to address the issue of change management. Specifically, this analysis should be based on a synthesis of the current literature (and literature no older than 1995) to demonstrate how leaders in your field of study have addressed the issue of change management ” as well as any changes in management style. Finally, the student should relate these specific changes to their own current, previous, and/or future career paths. This analysis should help to reveal how you have seen changes occur over the past decade or so in your field. Finally, what possible changes, suggestions and/or recommendations would you consider to be necessary in your field of study?