MGT 6615 Ethical Leadership: Term Paper Instructions

 Overview: Students are to write an original research paper studying an important and unique aspect of leadership. In this assignment, your task is to select a specific leadership concept or question that intrigues you, thoroughly explore its real-world applications, and connect it with academic theory. You must clearly define what you're studying, explain its importance, and explore the outcomes.

 Purpose: This assignment challenges students to develop critical thinking skills and expertise in understanding complex leadership dynamics. By writing a 3,000-word research paper, grounded in a minimum of 10 external sources, students will explore specific leadership concepts and analyze their real-world applications. Additionally, students are expected to demonstrate their understanding by integrating at least three relevant leadership theories and models into their analysis. This exercise bridges theoretical knowledge with practical scenarios, preparing students to navigate intricate leadership challenges and emerge as discerning leaders in diverse professional environments.

Requirements:

Students must apply their leadership topic in their research article and demonstrate critical thinking. This goes beyond a mere compilation of facts about their topic. Based on this paper, students will demonstrate an understanding of the leadership topic, apply theoretical knowledge, exhibit critical thinking skills, synthesize information, and provide unique insights and recommendations.

Students must provide background, outcomes, and real-world relevance of the leadership scenario.

The research paper must be written in APA format. This includes Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced lines, and 1-inch margins. Students must use proper in-text citations and use quotations when citing a direct quote.

Students must write a minimum of 3,000 words (this excludes the title page and references).

Students must cite and utilize at least 10 references, excluding the textbook. At least 2 references must come from respected journals or books.

Less than 5% plagiarism as tested by TurnItIn.com.

Topics: Students should pick a topic that goes beyond “the importance of leadership”. Find a unique topic that has real-world relevance. Students can ask the instructor for approval if they are worried about their topic of choice. Students are free to research any topic they would like. Below are a few examples:

Example Topics:

The Dark Side of Leadership: Abusive leadership, narcissistic leaders, Machiavellian leaders, leaders with psychopathy traits. Examine the negative AND positive aspects of these leadership behaviors.

Leadership and Organizational Culture: Explore the relationship between leadership styles and the development and maintenance of positive organizational cultures, focusing on the impact on employee morale and productivity.

Leadership in Sports Contexts: Examine how leadership exists in the competitive realm of athletics. Address competitiveness, followers, and the goal of the leader.

Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility: Analyze the role of ethical leadership in promoting corporate social responsibility initiatives within organizations and assess its impact on public perception and brand reputation.

Leadership and Diversity: Investigate the challenges and opportunities faced by leaders in diverse workplaces, examining strategies for promoting inclusivity, addressing biases, and leveraging diversity for organizational success.

Leadership Development Programs: Evaluate the effectiveness of leadership development programs in different sectors (corporate, non-profit, government) and analyze the long-term impact on organizational growth and leadership succession planning.

Leadership in Crisis Management: Study the leadership strategies employed by organizations and leaders during crises (natural disasters, pandemics, economic downturns) and assess their effectiveness in managing and mitigating the impact of such events.

Cross-Cultural Leadership: Explore the complexities of leadership in a globalized world, focusing on the skills and attributes necessary for leaders to navigate diverse cultural contexts and lead multicultural teams effectively.

Leadership and Innovation: Investigate how different leadership styles foster or hinder innovation within organizations and analyze case studies to understand the relationship between leadership approaches and successful innovation initiatives.

Leadership in Non-Profit Organizations: Examine the unique challenges faced by leaders in non-profit sectors, including fundraising, stakeholder engagement, and social impact assessment, and propose effective leadership strategies tailored to these contexts.

Rubric

Grading: Students will be graded on the following criteria.

Total Points: 100

Critical thinking & understanding (20 points)

Integration of theories/models (20 points)

Research & citations (20 points)

APA format & writing quality (20 points)

Organization & word count (20 points)

Rubric: Students will be graded on the following 5 criteria.

Critical Thinking & Understanding (20 points):

Exceptional (20): Demonstrates exceptional critical thinking skills and profound understanding of the topic.

Proficient (16): Displays strong critical analysis and understanding, demonstrating clear insights into the topic.

Competent (12): Applies critical thinking, showcasing a basic understanding of the topic.

Developing (8): Demonstrates limited critical analysis, reflecting a basic understanding of the topic.

Limited (4): Lacks critical analysis, indicating a lack of understanding of the topic.

Integration of Theories/Models (20 points):

Exceptional (20): Exceptional integration of three or more relevant leadership theories/models with profound critical analysis and deep insights.

Proficient (16): Integrates at least three theories/models appropriately, demonstrating clear critical analysis and insights into the topic.

Competent (12): Applies critical thinking, integrating at least two theories/models with minor inconsistencies, showcasing a basic understanding of the topic.

Developing (8): Applies one theory/model but lacks depth or clarity in integration, reflecting a limited understanding of the topic.

Limited (4): Fails to integrate relevant theories/models, indicating a lack of critical analysis and understanding of the topic.

Research & Citations (20 points):

Exceptional (20): Exceptional integration of 10 or more high-quality sources, demonstrating comprehensive research and citations.

Proficient (16): Integrates at least 10 credible sources effectively, showcasing thorough research and proper citations.

Competent (12): Uses 10 sources, though with minor inconsistencies in citations, demonstrating adequate research.

Developing (8): Utilizes fewer than 10 sources with major gaps in research and citations, reflecting limited research effort.

Limited (4): Fails to meet the minimum source requirement, indicating a lack of research effort and credibility.

APA Format & Writing Quality (20 points):

Exceptional (20): Exceptional adherence to APA format; impeccable grammar and style, showcasing a high level of writing proficiency.

Proficient (16): Adheres to APA format with minor errors; strong writing quality, demonstrating good language proficiency.

Competent (12): Some APA errors present, but writing is clear though lacks sophistication, demonstrating basic language proficiency.

Developing (8): Numerous APA errors; basic writing style with limited sophistication, indicating fundamental language proficiency.

Limited (4): Serious APA violations; poor writing quality, reflecting a lack of language proficiency and attention to detail.

Organization & Word Count (20 points):

Exceptional (20): Exceptionally organized; logical flow of ideas; meets the 3,000-word requirement with substantial and relevant content, showcasing excellent organizational skills.

Proficient (16): Well-organized; clear structure with smooth transitions; meets the word count requirement with relevant content, demonstrating good organizational skills.

Competent (12): Adequate organization; some disruptions in flow; approaches the word count requirement but lacks depth, indicating basic organizational skills.

Developing (8): Disorganized with major disruptions in structure; falls significantly short of the word count requirement, reflecting limited organizational skills.

Limited (4): Poorly organized; incoherent flow of ideas; fails to meet the minimum word count, indicating a lack of organizational skills and effort.