In Week 11, we discussed the goals of project closure; to complete the project and to improve the performance of future projects. In this assignment, you will individually develop a project closure checklist that is tailored/unique to your group project that you have worked on throughout the course.

Exercise 1 – Project Closure Checklist: Using the concepts discussed this week to develop a short (no more than 1 page in length) project closure checklist that you could use to close out your group project. Once you have completed the checklist answer the following:

Question 1 – Project Retrospectives: Advocates of retrospective methodology claim there are distinguishing characteristics that increase its value over past lessons learned methods. Conduct a search of the University’s academic data bases (see Resources>Library in course navigation bar) to learn more about the project retrospective process. What are the distinguishing characteristics between project lessons learned and project retrospectives? How does each characteristic enhance project closure and review?

In Week 11, we discussed the goals of project closure; to complete the project and to improve the performance of future projects. In this assignment, you will individually develop a project closure checklist that is tailored/unique to your group project that you have worked on throughout the course.

Exercise 1 – Project Closure Checklist: Using the concepts discussed this week to develop a short (no more than 1 page in length) project closure checklist that you could use to close out your group project. Once you have completed the checklist answer the following:

Question 1 – Project Retrospectives: Advocates of retrospective methodology claim there are distinguishing characteristics that increase its value over past lessons learned methods. Conduct a search of the University’s academic data bases (see Resources>Library in course navigation bar) to learn more about the project retrospective process. What are the distinguishing characteristics between project lessons learned and project retrospectives? How does each characteristic enhance project closure and review?

Task: “Systems thinking essentially seeks to understand phenomena as a whole formed by the interaction of parts.” (Stacey, 2011)

Critically appraise the above statement in relation to changing ideas of strategic thinking and explain how it exists within YOUR company’s approach to strategic management.

A strong essay must use the key themes addressed in the first part of the module to develop the analysis, namely:

Approaches to Strategic Thinking   Systems Thinking  Complexity Perspective: New Ways of Thinking About Strategy?   Complex Adaptive Systems: Modelling Complexity   The Practice Perspective:

Organisational examples can be used to illustrate the themes covered in the essay. However, the essay is not a case study, it is a theoretical paper.

Remember that a critical study aims to provide a balanced analysis of differing perspectives, and points of view, before drawing the argument to a coherent conclusion

Required: A word processed essay with referencing to literature. The essay will be 3,000 (+/- 10%) words (inclusive of appendices, NOT inclusive of references).

In order to complete this activity you need to undertake three principal tasks:

(1) Utilise academic research using literature from journals, books, etc.

(2) Undertake a critical evaluation making effective use of evidence and sources

(3) Present findings in an appropriate format (ensure that Harvard referencing is used)

Task: “Systems thinking essentially seeks to understand phenomena as a whole formed by the interaction of parts.” (Stacey, 2011)

Critically appraise the above statement in relation to changing ideas of strategic thinking and explain how it exists within YOUR company’s approach to strategic management.

A strong essay must use the key themes addressed in the first part of the module to develop the analysis, namely:

Approaches to Strategic Thinking   Systems Thinking  Complexity Perspective: New Ways of Thinking About Strategy?   Complex Adaptive Systems: Modelling Complexity   The Practice Perspective:

Organisational examples can be used to illustrate the themes covered in the essay. However, the essay is not a case study, it is a theoretical paper.

Remember that a critical study aims to provide a balanced analysis of differing perspectives, and points of view, before drawing the argument to a coherent conclusion

Required: A word processed essay with referencing to literature. The essay will be 3,000 (+/- 10%) words (inclusive of appendices, NOT inclusive of references).

In order to complete this activity you need to undertake three principal tasks:

(1) Utilise academic research using literature from journals, books, etc.

(2) Undertake a critical evaluation making effective use of evidence and sources

(3) Present findings in an appropriate format (ensure that Harvard referencing is used)

Okay—you’ve got a drafting plan and a working thesis statement. Those are the basic elements of your persuasive essay. Now let’s add some development (that’ll be your argument)! Rest assured—if your thesis statement or drafting plan changes as you begin shaping the argument, that’s okay.

Please keep in mind that you’ll have an opportunity to work on this assignment until the Sunday 11:59 pm deadline (of your local time zone), so don’t hesitate to revisit it if you need to.

Constructing Your Persuasive Essay Draft

Before you begin, you should refer to the assignment guidelines and rubric below to make sure you’re fulfilling each aspect of the assignment.

We’ll be using the PIE method to structure supporting paragraphs, so feel free to look back over that material. Although this activity only requires five paragraphs, keep in mind that the first draft is only a starting point, and you may wish to expand your paper for the final submission in Module Seven.

Click here to briefly review the PIE method.

Submitting Your Persuasive Essay Draft

Save your work in a Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Then, check your writing for errors. Once you have proofread your document, submit it via the Module 5, 5-6 Milestone One: Persuasive Essay Draft link in Brightspace.

Assignment Guidelines and Rubric

Overview: Persuasion is a constant in each of our lives. No matter where we look, what we read, what we see, or who we interact with, we are inevitably going to encounter some form of persuasion. Advertisements want us to buy things. Newspapers and television want to convince us of how we should feel about events. We are put into positions where we must defend our thoughts and beliefs to others, and the process we apply is typically some form of persuasion.

Persuasive writing is one of the most powerful forms of writing—it has the ability to influence one’s thoughts, and also the ability to change one’s mind about a particular issue. The persuasive essay is an ideal tool for supporting an opinion on an issue using researched facts and information. It also gives you the chance to recognize an opposing viewpoint and refute it, noting that those who hold the opposing viewpoint are the intended audience of the piece.

Prompt: For this milestone, you will submit a draft of your persuasive essay. At this point in the course, you have completed activities that will help you transform your essay into a draft. This milestone will help you address critical elements I–III below, which will ultimately inform your final submission of the persuasive essay. You must submit your completed Milestone to the assignment page in Brightspace by the deadline.

Specifically, the following critical elementsmust be addressed:

I. Introduction

This is where readers will have a chance to get an idea of what your essay will be about and what you will prove throughout. Do not give all of your information away here, but give readers a sample of what is to come. Do not forget to review your writing plan to make sure you are hitting all of the points that you planned out, while also stating your claim.

1. Provide an overview of the issue you have selected, briefly describing main points and your argument.
2. Compose an engaging thesis statement that explains the argument that you will prove and support throughout your essay. This statement will give direction to your essay and should be well thought out.

II. Body

The body is your opportunity to describe and support your argument in depth. Make sure your thoughts and evidence are clear and organized in a way that is easy for readers to follow and understand.

1. Be sure that you write multiple paragraphs that are focused, clearly state their intent, and move logically from one to the other, building the thesis argument as the essay progresses.
2. Your body paragraphs should support your argument by combining thoughts and ideas with evidence from sources. There is no such thing as a right or wrong argument; the key is how it is supported and the quality of the evidence used.
3. Address and refute any opposing viewpoints to your argument. This is your chance to discredit any opposing views, thus strengthening your own.

III. Conclusion

Think of the conclusion as a review of your argument. Use this section to restate your argument and remind readers of your supporting evidence. Think of this as your last chance to persuade readers to agree with you.

1. Review your argument. This section should consist of a review of your main points employed to support your argument. Think of this as your last chance to prove your point or your closing arguments.
2. Your conclusion should articulate insights about your argument established through your essay. This should follow logically from your essay, referring to key points or quotes used to support your argument.

Guidelines for Submission: Save your work in a Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. Then, check your writing for errors. Once you have proofreadyour document, submit it via the Module 5, 5-6 Milestone One: Persuasive Essay Draftlink in Brightspace.

NOTE: Refer to the Instructions for Citrix in the Course Materials.The purpose of this assignment is to create a work breakdown structure (WBS) for a given project.  Specifically, complete Case 4.1: Manchester United Soccer Club in Larson and Gray.In addition to the items requested for Question 1 in the case, complete the following for Question 1 using Microsoft Project:Create a list of tasks in Microsoft Project. At a minimum, 30 lowest-level tasks are required. Using Microsoft Project’s task indent tool, create a WBS for your project. Include summary tasks to effectively identify the key areas of work for the project.Ensure that the WBS column is displayed.Respond to Questions 2, 3 and 4 in the case.  Ensure each response includes at least 100 words. APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and in-text citations and references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.NOTE: Refer to the Instructions for Citrix in the Course Materials.The purpose of this assignment is to create a work breakdown structure (WBS) for a given project.  Specifically, complete Case 4.1: Manchester United Soccer Club in Larson and Gray.In addition to the items requested for Question 1 in the case, complete the following for Question 1 using Microsoft Project:Create a list of tasks in Microsoft Project. At a minimum, 30 lowest-level tasks are required. Using Microsoft Project’s task indent tool, create a WBS for your project. Include summary tasks to effectively identify the key areas of work for the project.Ensure that the WBS column is displayed.Respond to Questions 2, 3 and 4 in the case.  Ensure each response includes at least 100 words. APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and in-text citations and references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

Answer the following questions in a Microsoft® Word document and save the file on your computer with your last name in the file. (Example: module_04_projects_Jones.doc)

1. After reading the information presented in this module and other sources, write a one-page paper that outlines five recommendations for improving the privacy of e-mail in an organization. Your recommendations should also highlight ways that minimize or eliminate corporate data leakage.
2. After reading the information presented in this module and other sources, write a one-page paper that describes GDPR. Describe how businesses may benefit from this compliance. Research three companies that have been sued by the European Union. Which privacy issues were violated by each company?
3. The admissions office of Southern State University needs a simple and easy-to-follow Web policy document to send to its incoming freshmen. The document should tell students how to behave while on the Web. After reading the information presented in this module and other sources, create a document that includes a 10-item bulleted list highlighting the key issues of which incoming students should be aware.
4. An oil company in central Texas with more than 2,000 employees needs a document regarding green computing to send to all its key employees. After reading the information presented in this module and other sources, create a one-page document that includes an eight-item bulleted list highlighting the key issues of which all division managers should be aware. Give three examples of information technologies that can play a role in this green computing implementation.
5. Southern Tech, a major distributor of electronic devices, needs your advice. With more than 1,500 employees who use tablets and smartphones to perform their jobs, the company needs a document highlighting key health-related issues, which it will distribute to its employees to improve efficiency and reduce work-related injuries.

After reading the information presented in this module and other sources, create a one-page document that
includes a five-item bulleted list highlighting key health-related issues of which employees need to be aware. Why could tablets and smartphones potentially create more work-related injuries than desktop computers?

1. An Internet company in Northern California is receiving frequent requests from employees who want to telecommute. The company’s CTO wants to be flexible and accommodate as many employees as possible. At the same time, the CTO wants to achieve productivity goals and keep to a minimum any legal issues that may arise from this new work alternative. After reading the information presented in this module and other sources, create a one-page document that includes three guidelines that telecommuters need to follow and three guidelines that the company needs to follow to achieve both personal and organizational objectives. What are three examples of information technologies that could help this company monitor these telecommuters?