This assignment is different from your case study assignment. In the case study assignment, you are asked to choose and focus on one organization (one case) and to build a case study around that organization. In the case study assignment, the topic of conversation (communication content in organizations) is one that has been decided for you. In this current assignment, however, instead of answering a question that has been decided for you, you have the opportunity to design your own research question and pose your own inquiry. You will write a short proposal for your own research question but you dont have to actually do the research! Completing this assignment will help you achieve one of the courses learning outcomes: Develop an inquiring capacity for organizational thinking and build a research proposal within the realm of organizational communication.
The possibilities for this assignment are endless. You might consider taking a critical stance in an attempt to illuminate some element of organizational communication/thinking in a specific organization. You might consider asking a question about organizational networks or organizational hierarchies. You might have a question surrounding culture in organizations. You might be interested in a particular question about Human Resources or Human Relations approaches. Because of your involvement or interest, some of you will have your own questions about self-managing organizations. Maybe you have a question that relates to organizational change and the communication strategies associated with organizational change. Perhaps you have an interest of your own that you would like to explore. You might be interested in conceptual arguments and have a theoretical or abstract question. Or perhaps you have an interest that is more hands-on and grounded in practice and empirical work. In this assignment, you are left to your own devices but should ultimately frame your research question within the context and within the field of organizational communication. If you need help picking a topic, let the Instructor or the TAs know. A tentative research question (worth 3% of your final grade) is due well in advance of the final proposal.
