Case Study 1 Assignment

Case Study 1: Crisis in the Zion Emergency Room (Chapter 3, pp. 101-102)

You'll develop a page in the Case Study 1 Post & Comment discussion area for your analysis of the Crisis in the Zion Emergency Room (pp. 101-102) case study. I will not accept late assignments.

Include these items along with your analysis:

Title: [give your case study analysis a title]
Name: [your name]
Image: [embed at least one image relevant to what you wrote about for the case someplace in your page]

You'll analyze this case from two theoretical perspectives, classical management approach and the systems perspective. Answer the following questions (not the ones in the book) in a minimum of 1000 words (for your completed assignment).  Use boldface to identify the concepts you apply. Clearly label sections with the headings and subheadings listed below.

Identifying the Problems
Classical Management Approach: Using the language (the concepts) of classical management approaches (Chapter 3), what problems in this case would be the most difficult to address? Which would be the easiest to address? Use boldface to highlight the concepts you apply in identifying the problems.

Systems Perspective: Using the language (the concepts) of systems theories (Chapter 3), what problems in this case would be the most difficult to address? Which would be the easiest to address? Use boldface to highlight the concepts you apply in identifying the problems.

Communication Issues
Classical Management Approach: From a classical management approach, what are the specific communication issues associated with the case? Use boldface to highlight the concepts you apply in discussing the case's communication issues.

Systems Perspective: From a systems perspective, what are the specific communication issues associated with the case? Use boldface to highlight the concepts you apply in discussing the case's communication issues.

Addressing the Issues
Classical Management Approach: From a classical management approach, what kinds of communication might you use to address the situation? What obstacles would you expect to encounter? How will you overcome those obstacles? (Consider the different views of classical management theory here, including scientific management, Fayol's administrative science, and the role of bureaucracy.) Use boldface to highlight the concepts you apply in discussing how you would address the issues.

Systems Perspective: From a systems perspective, what kinds of communication might you use to address the situation? What obstacles would you expect to encounter? How will you overcome those obstacles? (Senge's learning organization and Weick's sense-making model will be applicable here.) Use boldface to highlight the concepts you apply in discussing how you would address the issues.

Theory Critique
In Chapter 3, the authors of your text describe all theories as partial, partisan, and problematic (pp. 60-61). Based on your analysis of the case, evaluate classical management approaches and systems theories in these areas, highlighting in boldface the concepts you apply:
Partial: What does each theory leave out or not address? What does each theory hide or ignore? Give examples from the case.
Partisan: What particular story does each theory tell? What does each theory highlight or foreground? Give examples from the case.
Problematic: How does each theory invite dialogue or further questions about organizational communication? That is, what more do you want to know about aspects of organizational communication that the theory highlights? List 4 questions related to the case that you'd ask from each theoretical perspective.