Assignment 2: Analysis of the Selected Agency

As a consultant, you need to develop an in-depth analysis and evaluation of the selected agency’s planning, organizational design, decision-making process, and implementation and then provide recommendations for improvement. Therefore, you will conduct interviews with agency representatives and research related academic sources, the agency’s Website, or any government Website. The analysis will be read by the VP of Accounts and Client Support as well as by the leaders of the agency for whom you are working.

Write a five to seven (5-7) page paper in which you:
1. Describe the history of the selected agency and department by explaining its reasons (goals / objectives) for being established. (Title this section History of {Insert name of Agency})
2. Analyze the organizational design of the selected agency and specific department by describing the design and organizational chart. Assess its effectiveness in making major policy decisions and providing services to its primary recipients. (Title this section Organizational Design.)
3. Include a figure of the current organizational design within the text of the paper.
4. Recommend a redesign of the agency’s structure to serve the needs of the department’s businesses better without jeopardizing the goals / objectives of the agency. Explain your reasoning for changing the design and explain the change’s impact on the agency’s effectiveness in delivering quality services. (Title this section Assessment of Organizational Design.)
5. Include a figure of the new organizational design within the text of the paper.
6. Analyze two to three (2-3) major milestones, factors (internal or external), or actors affecting the agency’s success and its influence on the effectiveness of the agency’s planning, organizational design, decision making, and implementation. Also, analyze two to three (2-3) possible causes (internal or external) that appear to have the effect of impeding the organization’s implementation of its policy and for meeting its goals / objectives. (Title this section Evaluation of Planning and Implementation)
7. Recommend two to three (2-3) strategies (from criteria 4 above) that the agency could implement to improve its effectiveness in the areas of planning, decision making, organization, and / or implementation by explaining each recommendation and providing reasons each recommendation would bring about improvement. (Title this section Recommendations for Planning and Implementation.)
8. Include a Cause and Effect Diagram in the text of the paper.
9. Provide proof of one to two (1-2) interviews by submitting the completed interview forms and a list of questions you asked each interviewee. (Put this in the Appendix under Interview Forms.)
10. Provide four to five (4-5) relevant and credible outside resources that support the content of this assignment. (Include no more than one (1) non-government Website.)

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The sections must have appropriate titles. The cover page, reference page, and appendix pages are not included in the required assignment page length. The assignment must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
• Examine the basic components and functions of public sector administration.
• Analyze the elements of effective planning in the public sector.
• Examine the steps and models used in effective decision making.
• Recommend ways to improve specific areas of public administration.
• Examine the fundamentals and process of effective organizational design.
• Evaluate the various strategies for and implications of implementing public administration programs.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in public administration.
• Write clearly and concisely about public administration using proper writing mechanics.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic/organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.