Monsanto
This assignment will continue your prior organizational analysis for the midterm paper. Since this is a research paper, you must conduct two types of research: 1. Short literature review. Please use a min. of 5 academic sources to describe this organization (the organizational website can be an extra source). In addition to books and peer reviewed articles, you may also use the business section of leading newspapers and magazines (New York Times, Wall Street, Harvard Business Review, Fortune Magazine, Forbes, AJC etc). 2. Empirical research. You are encouraged to collect your own original/ primary data or analyze/ interpret existing/ secondary data on the organization of your choice. You may use participant observation/ visit the organization, interview employees and/ or managers face-to-face or by phone. It is best to visit the organization, so you can provide primary unfiltered observations on the organization of your choice. However, you may also find a ton of information on the organizational website and/ or documentaries/ employee interviews on YouTube, Netflix etc. (please make sure to provide references for your secondary data).
The Final Paper should cover the following sections: 6. Technology (from a modern, symbolic and post-modern perspective: type of technologies, mediating technologies, new and emerging technologies and normal accidents, the interaction between humans and technology, use of control and surveillance technologies as they relate to your organization). 7. Organizational Culture (dominant culture, subculture and counterculture, cultural clashes, Hofstedes dimensions, values, norms, rituals and practices, artifacts and symbols, cultural changes, organizational stories and legends, postmodern perspectives -fragmented cultures-). 8. Physical Structure (location, layout, proximity, building design, open versus closed office, symbolic conditioning, symbolic communication, sense of place, organizational dcor and style, postmodern perspectives dynamics of power, domination and place-). 9. Power, Politics, Conflict and Control (class conflict and cooperation, formal and informal power, sources of power, resource dependence, symbolic power, status marking, factors of conflict, control, reward and punishment, types of control, deskilling, ideological control, the three faces of power, postmodern perspectives disciplinary power, self-surveillance and self-control-, gender, race and organizational politics, controversies/ scandals that have shaken the organization, internal and external conflicts with the larger communities/ society). 10. Organizational Identity (what is your organizations identity, the organization and its place in the community, industry, region, nation and the world). 11. Conclusion emphasizing the lessons learned from this organization and its impact and influence on society.
Midterm Paper format: 8-10 pages, Time News Roman 12, double space. American Sociological Association (ASA) or American Psychological Association (APA) citation style. All papers will be reviewed with Turnitin; please avoid plagiarism at any cost!!
Try to apply at least 10 theories and sociological concepts that weve learned till midterm and please highlight them in your paper (with bold letters). Explain/ elaborate how the knowledge gained in this class helped you gain a different perspective on organizations, work and employment. The most important learning objective of this assignment is to demonstrate that you have comprehended the material, and know how to apply organizational theories to real life organizations, work and employment situations. Late papers will be penalized with 1 point/ day. Please upload your papers under the Dropbox function according to the deadline.
