Module 4: Overview

For this fourth week, you will delve into readings that were prominent in the early through mid part of the 20th century. You will also hand in the Theory Reflection Assignment on Sunday before midnight. You are also invited to take part in the weekly conference call that will take place on Wednesday at 8pm. In addition, you will turn in your Draft Theory paper by Sunday at midnight. And finally, you will watch my lecture for Week 4 to be posted the following Monday morning. 

Module 4: Objectives

1. To engage with original theoretical texts through careful reading.

2. To understand key figures in social theory and important social science concepts.

3. To grasp the relevance of social theory and to apply it to areas of everyday life.

4. To demonstrate an understanding of class material through writing and class discussion.

5. To prepare for the Theory Component of the Comprehensive Exam.

Module 4: Assignments

Please progress through this module as follows:

1.  Read all the assigned readings under Week 4.  Lemert Weekly Readings – SS6698-3.docx. Do not read the highlighted excerpts as these are optional.

2. Participate in weekly video conference call (must attend 2 video calls during the term). This week’s conference call is on Wed, September 5th at 8pm CENTRAL STANDARD TIME – Follow the Zoom link – https://zoom.us/j/208113930.  (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.Please allow about 5 – 10 minutes before if you have never used Zoom before.

3. By Sunday at midnight, you have the option of submitting Reflection 4 Assignment. Reflection Assignment Week 4. For sample of what I am looking for in a Reflection Assignment – please refer to my Week 4 – 2nd Announcement.

Please note: Based on my Lecture Posted in Week 4 Announcements about the Changing Requirements for the Class, you are now only required to have four Reflection Assignments total for the class this term.  That does not mean that you are not allowed to turn in more than four if you wish. I will certainly grade an assignment if you turn it in. It simply means that I will only be counting the top four grades for the Reflections Assignments.  However, I will not grade late assignments. So if you want feedback, your work must be turned in on time.  

4. Watch professor’s lecture for Week 4 that will be posted by Wednesday at midnight as per Week 4 Announcement 2. 

5. Work on Theorist Paper/Presentation.

Week 4 Reflection Assignment – You will write 375- 1000 words (not including the reference page) to reflect on the assigned readings for each week. Please respect the word limits as I will need to count off in either direction. You will also submit this on Turnitin to double-check for plagiarism. You must be at 15% similarity index or lower. The paper must be submitted in a Word format – .doc or .docx.

For EACH AND ALL of the excerpts assigned for this week (including the overview Lemert excerpts), you will need to provide a short summary (minimum three sentences to maximum five sentences) in your own words for that excerpt of what you think are the author’s main point/s or argument/s. These summaries should be at 3/4 of your submission. Please note that two of these summaries will need a quote from the excerpt that corresponds with it. Then choose one of the excerpts and explain what you think the strengths and weaknesses are of the theorist’s argument/s in at least three sentences. Finally, discuss how this particular excerpt has implications for your own life. You will need to have a reference page where you should list all excerpts assigned for the week in APA format. In addition, please note that one point will be deducted for all writing issues. One word of caution: Do not over quote (i.e., use more than a line or two of quotes in the whole paper). 

  

Grading Rubric

Points Earned

Comments

 

Student submits work   on time and the work meets word requirements. 10

 

Summary of the   excerpts is coherent and well-developed (at least .75 of the submission). 30

 

The analysis of the   strengths and weaknesses of a particular excerpt’s argument/s is coherent and   well developed.15

 

Student discusses how   excerpt has implications for own life. 15

 

The reflection assignment   is well written and organized – demonstrating few grammatical issues. Also,   APA format is followed for in-text citations and reference page. 30

 

Final Grade:

Sample References 

Marx, K. (2017a). The manifesto of class, with Friedrich Engels. In C. Lemert (Ed.), Social theory: The multicultural, global, and classic readings (6th ed., pp. 34-37). Boulder, CO: Westview Press. (Original work published 1848)

Marx, K. (2017b). The eighteenth brumaire of Louis Bonaparte. In C. Lemert (Ed.), Social theory: The multicultural, global, and classic readings (6th ed., pp. 37-40). Boulder, CO: Westview Press. (Original work published 1852)

Sample In-Text Citations – (Marx, 1848/2017a, p. X) OR (Marx, 1852/2017b, p. X)

Below Are the excerpts that I have to complete except for the highlighted concepts. 

  

Week 4

 

Karl   Mannheim by   Charles Lemert – p. 177

The   Sociology of Knowledge and Ideology – pp. 178-180

Robert   K. Merton by   Charles Lemert – p. 181

Social   Structure and Anomie – pp. 181-190

W.E.B.   Du Bois   by Charles Lemert – p. 190

Black   Reconstruction and the Racial Wage – pp. 191-193

Reinhold   Niebuhr – Unavoidable   Dilemmas – by Charles Lemert – p.194

Moral   Man and Immoral Society – pp.194-195

Gunnar Myrdal by Charles Lemert – p. 195

The Negro Problem as a Moral Issue –   pp. 195-197

William I. Thomas and Florian   Znaniecki by Charles Lemert – pp. 197-198

Disorganization of the Polish   Immigrant – p. 198-202

Louis Wirth by Charles Lemert – p. 202

The Significance of the Jewish Ghetto   – pp. 202-205

Walter   Benjamin by   Charles Lemert – p. 205

Art   in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction: War and Fascism – pp. 206-207

Virginia   Woolf by   Charles Lemert – p. 207

A   Roof of One’s Own – p. 207

Antonio   Gramsci   by Charles Lemert – p. 209

Intellectuals   and Hegemony – pp. 209-210

Mao Te-tung by Charles Lemert – pp. 210-211

Identity, Struggle, Contradiction –   pp. 211-213

PART   THREE – The Golden Moment: 1945-1963 by Charles Lemert – pp. 215-227

Winston   Churchill   – The Golden Age by Charles Lemert – p. 228

The   Cold War – pp. 228-229

Daniel   Bell   by Charles Lemert – pp. 229-230

The   End of Ideology in the West – pp. 230-232

W.W.   Rostow   by Charles Lemert – p. 232

Modernization:   Stages of Growth – pp. 232-237

 

Assignment 1

Using Analytic Tools for Strategic Decision-Making

In this Assignment, you will culminate one Course Outcome by analyzing a business case:

MT460-2: Use a variety of analytical tools to monitor and improve business strategy.

In this Assignment, you will complete “Practice” Round 3 in the Capsim Core simulation. By completing the “Practice” exercises, you will be prepared to begin the “Competition” rounds in the simulation. Follow these steps to complete “Practice” round 3 and the associated tasks. Complete the following requirements and submit the deliverables to the Unit 3 Assignment Dropbox:

Step 1: Log into the Capsim Core simulation by clicking on the “Capsim.com” link on the “Course Resources” page. Click on the “MT460MCO Management Policy and Strategy-Prac” link.

Step 2: Create a new PowerPoint presentation file with 10 slides, including a title slide.

Step 3: Complete Round 3 in the “Practice” simulation. Take a screenshot of the Proforma for Round 3. Insert the screenshot onto slide 2 of the PowerPoint presentation.

Step 4: Click on the “Reports” link on the horizontal navigation bar at the top of the simulation page. Click on the “Report” link, and the “Capsim Core Round 3” report will open in a new screen. On the upper right hand side of the screen, click on the “PDF Version” link. It will generate a .PDF file in your browser. Save the .PDF file to your computer.

Step 5: In slides 3 -10 in your PowerPoint, analyze and verbally present the results of your strategic decision-making using information from the Round 3 Capsim Core Reports. Apply the strategy concepts and language you have learned thus far. Your target audience is the Board of Directors for your Capsim Core company. Use research to help substantiate your analysis. Use the following topics to guide your report analysis:

• Analyze and interpret the results of your Round 3 “Practice” strategy decisions by conducting a SOAR analysis using information derived from the “Capsim Core Round 3” report. Conduct the SOAR analysis from the perspective of one out of the four departments (Research and Development, Marketing, Production, and Finance) to identify strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results from the perspective of organizational assets, growth, enhanced customer satisfaction, etc… within “Capsim Core Round 3” report. Explain how the strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results impact the other departments in the company. Explain the sources of competitive advantage based on the information in the report based on the SOAR analysis.
• Analyze and interpret the results of your Round 3 “Practice” strategy decisions by conducting a SWOT analysis using information derived from the “Capsim Core Round 3” report. Conduct the SWOT analysis from the perspective of one out of the four departments (Research and Development, Marketing, Production, and Finance) to identify problems and/or opportunities for improvement, growth, market risks, customer engagement, etc. within “Capsim Core Round 3” report. Explain how the problems and/or opportunities impact the other departments in the company. Explain the sources of competitive advantage based on the information in the report based on the SWOT analysis.
• Produce illustrations to depict each the SOAR and SWOT analyses you conducted, and to aid in the presentation of facts. You may develop illustrations such as charts, diagrams, matrices, infographics, or graphs to aid in the presentation of your findings. 

Step 6: Your presentation will contain one screenshot slide and eight narrated strategic decision-making analysis slides. Submit your presentation and the “Capsim Core Round 3” report. PDF file to the Unit 3 Assignment Dropbox.