20 Mar Pfizer Inc.

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In this paper, you will consider all concepts and theories discussed up to week nine in the class and integrate them into one document that demonstrates you understand the concepts and you can link them together to show some deeper thinking about them. You will choose a company and spend the term researching it in relation to the research questions below. Your paper must include at least three diagrams, charts, or visual representations of related data or information CREATED BY YOU.

The final paper should be a minimum of 5000 words long (not including visuals or bibliography) with 1-inch margins, double spaced. Please include the following:

       Title Page

       Table of Contents

       At least three visual representations of data or information that YOU create (i.e., not copied from other sources)

       An Introduction and Conclusion

       List of references in APA citation format (google it if you are not familiar with APA style)

       Cited sources within the body of your paper

You must use at least eight sources (in addition to your textbook). The company website and does not count as one of the eight sources, but feel free to use it! You can have more than eight.

Note: If you choose a large company, consider narrowing down your research to one specific division, product line, or portion of the overall company. The more specific and deep you can get, the better. 

Week 9 Overview:

The problems that many established companies encounter are a warning about the need to encourage organizational learning so organizations have the ability to continuously adapt to and modify their environments. Organizational decision making is the process of responding to a problem by searching for and selecting a solution or course of action that will create value for organizational stakeholders. Managers make two basic types of decisions: programmed and non-programmed. The rational model of decision making outlines how decision making takes place when there is no uncertainty. It ignores the effects of information costs and managerial costs. Newer models of decision making recognize the effects of uncertainty, information, bounded rationality, statistics, and bargaining by coalitions on the decision-making process.  Organizational learning is the process through which managers seek to improve organization members desire and ability to understand and manage the organization and its environment so they can make decisions that continuously raise organizational effectiveness. The routines and procedures that an organization uses to make programmed decisions can cause organizational inertia.

Information technology and knowledge management systems can be developed to improve decision making and enhance organizational learning. An organization can counter the effect of cognitive biases and raise the level of learning and decision making in several ways. It can implement strategies for organizational learning, use game theory, increase the breadth and diversity of the top-management team, use devils advocacy and dialectical inquiry to evaluate proposed organizational structure.

Learning Objectives

Differentiate among several models of decision making that describe how managers make decisions.

Describe the nature of organizational learning and the different levels at which learning occurs.

Explain how organizations can use knowledge management and information technology to promote organizational learning and improve the quality of their decision making.

Identify the factors, such as the operation of cognitive biases, that reduce the level of organizational learning and result in poor decision making.

Discuss some techniques that managers can use to overcome these cognitive biases and thus open the organization up to new learning.

Research Questions – Address all of them in your paper:

1. Give a short history of your company. How has it changed over time? How has the company been impacted by COVID-19? Provide specific examples.
2. Who is the current CEO and what is their approach to leadership? 
3. Who are your companys internal and external stakeholders? (HINT: refer to concepts in Chapter 2)
4. Create an organizational chart of your company (this counts as one of your required visuals). Describe the hierarchical structure, differentiation, and levels of bureaucracy. (HINT: see examples in chapter 4 and 5)
5. Describe the companys culture. Where does the culture come from? Does your companys culture differ from its closest competitor? Why or why not? Include the values and internal and external forces that shape the organization. (HINT: use concepts from Chapter 7)
6. Describe your companys domain. What goods, products, or services does it produce/provide? What core competencies give the organization a competitive advantage? Any disadvantages? How well does the companys structure and culture match its strategy? (HINT: refer to Chapter 8 concepts)
7. What is the most innovative product, strategy, or technology your company has employed to date? What were the results? (HINT: use concepts from Chapter 9)

Due: Sunday 11:59pm of Week 10