Instructions

Housekeeping

Due: Sunday ending Week 8, 11:59 pm ET

Word Count: 1800-2000 words (excludes Title Page and References Page)

Format: APA 7th Edition Style (Student), MS Word

Voice: Professional & scholarly, first person acceptable

Required Research Sources: Minimum: five (5) credible sources, supporting points required throughout the paper; remember in-text citations

Course Objectives: CO-5/LO-5.2 Help Sources

•        Week 7 Lesson: Reflection, and related readings

•        How to Format Your APA 7 Paper in 2025. [YouTube Video]

•        How To Know if a Source is Credible [Web article, Purdue]

•        Please see Grading Rubric

Purpose of the Paper

The capstone Scholarly Reflection Paper is an opportunity to critically analyze your knowledge, career development, and professional growth acquired in the MBA program. Tell your story reflecting from past, present, and future perspectives.

Calling upon your coursework and other relevant experiences during your MBA program, in this paper you will integrate the insights, applications, and learning you have gained.

Overview

•        Your professional evolution (Past → Present → Future)

•        How your MBA learning and experience apply to real-world business challenges

•        Scholarly reflection on key business themes such as: leadership, organizational change, stakeholder engagement, global trends, cultural differences, decision-making in complex markets; and career development themes such as career planning, mentorship, networking, and civic engagement. •           Use of ePortfolio  

Required Structure & Content

Note: The following Instructions specify the required content to cover in your paper and will help you organize your approach. Each section of your paper requires support with reference citations.

1. Introduction

Introduce purpose of the reflection paper, importance of career reflection, and key themes that will be explored.

2. Past: Foundations of Professional Identity

Who were you are the starting gate of your MBA program? Your reflection should be a wellintegrated, thoughtful narrative that incorporates the following:

•        Describe your career aspirations and professional background before the MBA.

•        What motivated you to pursue an MBA?

•        Identify key challenges or limitations in your professional skills before entering the program, including at least one key strength and one key weakness you saw in yourself.

•        Discuss early learning moments that started shaping your approach to business.

•        Scholarly integration: Apply leadership and business theory principles to contextualize your pre-MBA mindset.

•        Other observations or insights you wish to include.

3. Present: Growth and Key Learning

Your past reflection should segue into now, the Present. Reflect on your growth and knowledge today, in a well-integrated narrative covering the following:

•        Analyze the most impactful learning experiences in the MBA program. Use real examples from projects, internships, case studies, leadership experiences, or mentorship. One example might relate to the artifact you selected for Week 5 Assignment.

•        To illustrate, briefly describe another artifact from your MBA program suitable for your ePortfolio and why it enhances the ePortfolio. (Note: in addition to the artifact, you selected for the Week 5 Assignment.)

•        Reflect on the present aspect of your key strength and weakness you identified in your discussion of the “Past” above. Have these changed? In what way?

•        Scholarly integration: With assistance of research, reflect on and describe insights and knowledge you have gained and can apply in at least three (3) of the following areas of study. This is not a question related to a specific artifact. This question is applicationfocused, that is, your unique and creative application of your MBA-acquired knowledge to these areas of business operation and management.

o   Leadership

o   Organizational change & adaptability o Stakeholder engagement & management o Global business trends

o   Cultural awareness’ impact on business o Strategic decision-making

 

•        Other observations or insights you wish to include.

4. Future: Application to Career & Industry Impact

Reflection is not only about the past and present. Looking ahead, reflect on the future.

Incorporate and blend the following into the “Future” section of your reflection paper. Segue your “Present” discussion to looking at the future. Include the following in your reflection on the future.

•        Career development: As part of this course, you prepared a Career Development Plan. Briefly summarize your plan as part of your reflection

•        Civic & social responsibility: What do you see as the role of civic and social responsibility in your career plan for the future?

•        Networking & mentorship: Reflect on how networking, mentorship, or other personal associations play a role in the pursuit of your goals.

•        ePortfolio: The jewel in the midst of all this planning is the ePortfolio. Explain how you can use your ePortfolio and its artifacts in your career advancement.

•        Scholarly integration: Long-term professional impact is central to future reflection. How will your MBA knowledge and skills (that you discussed in your “Present” refection above) influence your leadership, strategic decision-making, or industry contributions in the future? Apply and appropriately cite relevant credible research sources about career planning, leadership development, and substantive global business trends in support of your future reflection.

•        Other observations or insights you wish to include

5. Conclusion

Summarize your key takeaways from the reflection and plan for continued growth.

The Paper Word Count – Guidance

The Exemplary level word count per the Grading Rubric is 1800-2000 words (excluding title page and References list page). This means the minimum is 1800 and the maximum is 2000. Balance the length of the sections of the paper. The introduction and conclusion should be shorter than your three main discussion sections.

Hint: Write your first draft without paying attention to word count. Then you will have a document to revise, remove repetition, add something missing, tighten wording and style, and so forth, to balance the paper and regulate your word count. Your narrative should be succinct, organized and clear.

Submission Requirements

•        Paper must be in Microsoft Word

•        APA 7 Format

•        Submit to Assignment tool by end of Week 8

•        Review Turnitin (TII) report. A high % similarity score (i.e., over 15%) must be addressed and resolved as needed.

As part of the financial planning  process, a common practice in the corporate finance world is  restructuring through the process of mergers and acquisitions (M&A)  or business combinations. It seems that on a regular basis, investment  bankers arrange M&A transactions, forming one company from separate  companies. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a merger? Why do  you think that these companies have decided to merge? Discuss the  financial performance of the newly combined entity. In your response,  provide an example of a merger that was successful and one that was  unsuccessful, and discuss the overall success or downfall of the merger.

Prepare this  Assignment according to the APA guidelines, including a title page, an  introduction, and a conclusion. An abstract is not required. Use in-text  citations and include a References section. A template is included in  the Resources and Supports.

In your  report, make certain that you include at least three (3) credible  outside references from search engines or scholarly sources from the  APUS Online Library.

Capella University

Overview

For this assignment, you will complete an interactive activity, Empowered to Learn – Set Your Path at Capella.  and then save your results as a pdf to submit. You will complete a  planning activity first, and then a reflection activity that you’ll  submit.

Preparation

Before you begin the interactive activity, please complete the following steps:

Step 1: Familiarize yourself with the requirements for your degree

Take some time to explore the Psychology Program Journey interactive. Then, select the most recent catalog on the University Catalogs web page and read about the degree program you are enrolled in (below) to learn about your degree requirements.

• General Psychology BS Degree Program.
• Applied Behavioral Analysis BS Psychology Degree Program.
• Pre-Counseling and Therapy BS Psychology Degree Program.

Take notes on the following items:

• How many general education credit hours will you need and are there any that are required for your program?
• What are your core courses?
• What are your specialization courses and do you have any specialization electives?
• What other required courses or additional requirements do you need to fulfill?

Step 2: Self-assess your current writing and math skills

To assess your writing skills, please complete this quick quiz: Writing Correctly.  Once you’ve completed the quiz, reflect on your experience with it. Did  you feel confident of your answers? Did your score match what you  expected? This is not an empirically validated tool. The intent is to  give you a chance to reach your own conclusion about your writing skills  and choose an English course based on where you think you will be most  successful. If you are looking for some general guidance:

• If you got 10 or more right, consider taking ENG1000: English Composition  for your English class. This course focuses on how to improve writing  skills at the level of composition (papers). It assumes learners have  the basics of sentences and paragraphs mastered.
• If you got less than 10 correct, consider taking ENG1001: Essential Writing Skills  for your English class. This course provides a refresher on basic  English skills and helps with learning the essential components of  academic writing.

To self-assess your math skills, please complete Math Skills Self-Assessment.  As with the English quiz above, this is a tool for you to help  self-assess your math skills and allow you to make better decisions  about what math courses to take. It’s not a validated assessment of your  skills. Reflect on your confidence in answering the questions and how  you scored (compared to how you expected to score). If you are looking  for some general guidance:

• If you got 25 or more correct, consider taking MAT2150: Data Driven Decisions  (this is a required course). In this course, you’ll be expected to know  the basics of equations and using them. Unlike algebra, you won’t be  solving an equation for x. You will need to know the mathematical  notations used in equations and how to complete the required math  operations when given the numbers to work with.
• If you got less than 25 correct, consider taking MAT1150: Essential Math for Everyday Life  before taking MAT2150. This course covers the essential math operations  and basics of equations. If you struggled to remember the basics and  don’t feel like you’d do so well brushing up on them on your own, you  might want to take this course before taking MAT2150. It will count as 6  of your required 45 credit hours of general education courses.

Step 3: Become familiar with the General Education courses you might select

If you click the toggle button by “Show course descriptions” from  your degree program portion of the catalog (see the links above), you’ll  be able to read what each course is about. Start thinking about which  courses might be interesting and which ones will help you reach your  career goal. Remember your self-assessment of your writing and math  skills. Note: If you have questions about your program, you can contact  your Coach. The conversation may be more productive if you complete a  first draft using the media piece and then ask the Coach questions based  on what you have on your draft .pdf.

Step 4: Become familiar with where you can get answers to your financial aid questions

Review the information you have on your financial aid and look for answers to the following questions:

• How many credit hours must I be enrolled in each term to get  financial aid? All forms of financial aid require learners to be  enrolled in a minimum number of credit hours each term. Different forms  of financial aid require a different number of credit hours. Unless you  are paying for school out of pocket, you will need to know what that  minimum is.
• What grades and/or GPA do I need to maintain my financial aid?  Each form of financial aid has a different requirement for minimal  grades and/or GPA. It’s important to understand what the minimum is for  your specific form of financial aid.

If you aren’t sure where to find this information, you can use the following resources:

• Ask Ella. Simply click the red chat button in the lower right  corner, type your question, and she will find your answer. She can’t  answer all of your questions, but she often does have the answer.
• If Ella doesn’t know, go to Campus: Financial Aid and select one of the live help options.

Step 5: Listen

Listen to the podcast “How to spend your time more wisely” if you haven’t already done so.

Instructions

Open the Empowered to Learn: Set Your Path at Capella  activity. Complete each section of the activity, following the  instructions provided. The first portion is focused on college and  course planning. You will not be turning this portion in, but you should  try to fill in the parts you know. It will help you successfully  complete this assignment’s deliverable—a reflection on your planning  process—as well as help you identify areas that you might want to learn  more about or dig into later. Don’t worry though if you don’t know some of the answers—that’s ok!  Remember this first part is for you—you won’t turn it in for this  course. You may find it useful when having discussions with your  academic coach about course and academic planning.

On the final tab, you will complete the second part—a reflection. Your responses to these reflection questions will  be your submission for this assignment. Once your reflection responses  are complete, download them as a PDF and submit it to this assignment.

Submission Requirements

Submit your .pdf through the assignment link.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your  proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide  criteria:

• Competency 1: Apply information literacy skills.
• Describe how to determine if a source is credible.
• Competency 2: Explain foundational psychological principles in psychology.
• Describe considerations needed to manage time for psychological health.
• Competency 3: Describe the role of critical thinking in the field of psychology.
• Describe how critical thinking helps with planning.
• Competency 4: Apply self-regulation skills to online learning.
• Describe considerations for course scheduling.
• Identify three resources that can help learners make good decisions about course scheduling and financial aid.
• Competency 6: Use effective oral or written communication skills.
• Write using proper sentence structure and grammar.

Capella University

Overview

For this assignment, you will complete an interactive activity, Empowered to Learn – Set Your Path at Capella.  and then save your results as a pdf to submit. You will complete a  planning activity first, and then a reflection activity that you’ll  submit.

Preparation

Before you begin the interactive activity, please complete the following steps:

Step 1: Familiarize yourself with the requirements for your degree

Take some time to explore the Psychology Program Journey interactive. Then, select the most recent catalog on the University Catalogs web page and read about the degree program you are enrolled in (below) to learn about your degree requirements.

• General Psychology BS Degree Program.
• Applied Behavioral Analysis BS Psychology Degree Program.
• Pre-Counseling and Therapy BS Psychology Degree Program.

Take notes on the following items:

• How many general education credit hours will you need and are there any that are required for your program?
• What are your core courses?
• What are your specialization courses and do you have any specialization electives?
• What other required courses or additional requirements do you need to fulfill?

Step 2: Self-assess your current writing and math skills

To assess your writing skills, please complete this quick quiz: Writing Correctly.  Once you’ve completed the quiz, reflect on your experience with it. Did  you feel confident of your answers? Did your score match what you  expected? This is not an empirically validated tool. The intent is to  give you a chance to reach your own conclusion about your writing skills  and choose an English course based on where you think you will be most  successful. If you are looking for some general guidance:

• If you got 10 or more right, consider taking ENG1000: English Composition  for your English class. This course focuses on how to improve writing  skills at the level of composition (papers). It assumes learners have  the basics of sentences and paragraphs mastered.
• If you got less than 10 correct, consider taking ENG1001: Essential Writing Skills  for your English class. This course provides a refresher on basic  English skills and helps with learning the essential components of  academic writing.

To self-assess your math skills, please complete Math Skills Self-Assessment.  As with the English quiz above, this is a tool for you to help  self-assess your math skills and allow you to make better decisions  about what math courses to take. It’s not a validated assessment of your  skills. Reflect on your confidence in answering the questions and how  you scored (compared to how you expected to score). If you are looking  for some general guidance:

• If you got 25 or more correct, consider taking MAT2150: Data Driven Decisions  (this is a required course). In this course, you’ll be expected to know  the basics of equations and using them. Unlike algebra, you won’t be  solving an equation for x. You will need to know the mathematical  notations used in equations and how to complete the required math  operations when given the numbers to work with.
• If you got less than 25 correct, consider taking MAT1150: Essential Math for Everyday Life  before taking MAT2150. This course covers the essential math operations  and basics of equations. If you struggled to remember the basics and  don’t feel like you’d do so well brushing up on them on your own, you  might want to take this course before taking MAT2150. It will count as 6  of your required 45 credit hours of general education courses.

Step 3: Become familiar with the General Education courses you might select

If you click the toggle button by “Show course descriptions” from  your degree program portion of the catalog (see the links above), you’ll  be able to read what each course is about. Start thinking about which  courses might be interesting and which ones will help you reach your  career goal. Remember your self-assessment of your writing and math  skills. Note: If you have questions about your program, you can contact  your Coach. The conversation may be more productive if you complete a  first draft using the media piece and then ask the Coach questions based  on what you have on your draft .pdf.

Step 4: Become familiar with where you can get answers to your financial aid questions

Review the information you have on your financial aid and look for answers to the following questions:

• How many credit hours must I be enrolled in each term to get  financial aid? All forms of financial aid require learners to be  enrolled in a minimum number of credit hours each term. Different forms  of financial aid require a different number of credit hours. Unless you  are paying for school out of pocket, you will need to know what that  minimum is.
• What grades and/or GPA do I need to maintain my financial aid?  Each form of financial aid has a different requirement for minimal  grades and/or GPA. It’s important to understand what the minimum is for  your specific form of financial aid.

If you aren’t sure where to find this information, you can use the following resources:

• Ask Ella. Simply click the red chat button in the lower right  corner, type your question, and she will find your answer. She can’t  answer all of your questions, but she often does have the answer.
• If Ella doesn’t know, go to Campus: Financial Aid and select one of the live help options.

Step 5: Listen

Listen to the podcast “How to spend your time more wisely” if you haven’t already done so.

Instructions

Open the Empowered to Learn: Set Your Path at Capella  activity. Complete each section of the activity, following the  instructions provided. The first portion is focused on college and  course planning. You will not be turning this portion in, but you should  try to fill in the parts you know. It will help you successfully  complete this assignment’s deliverable—a reflection on your planning  process—as well as help you identify areas that you might want to learn  more about or dig into later. Don’t worry though if you don’t know some of the answers—that’s ok!  Remember this first part is for you—you won’t turn it in for this  course. You may find it useful when having discussions with your  academic coach about course and academic planning.

On the final tab, you will complete the second part—a reflection. Your responses to these reflection questions will  be your submission for this assignment. Once your reflection responses  are complete, download them as a PDF and submit it to this assignment.

Submission Requirements

Submit your .pdf through the assignment link.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your  proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide  criteria:

• Competency 1: Apply information literacy skills.
• Describe how to determine if a source is credible.
• Competency 2: Explain foundational psychological principles in psychology.
• Describe considerations needed to manage time for psychological health.
• Competency 3: Describe the role of critical thinking in the field of psychology.
• Describe how critical thinking helps with planning.
• Competency 4: Apply self-regulation skills to online learning.
• Describe considerations for course scheduling.
• Identify three resources that can help learners make good decisions about course scheduling and financial aid.
• Competency 6: Use effective oral or written communication skills.
• Write using proper sentence structure and grammar.

Subject Code and Title HEP601 Critical Literature Review
Assessment 3 Minute in class presentation and script
Individual/Group Individual
Length 3 minute in class presentation with script (PPT notes 1000 words max +/-10%)

Learning Outcomes The Subject Learning Outcomes demonstrated by successful completion of the task below include:
a) Demonstrate information literacy and problem-solving skills to locate, gather and organise, credible and relevant resources.
b) Evaluate the quality and relevance of secondary sources related to your chosen field through critical reading.
c) Critically appraise, annotate and synthesise literature to develop a project statement for scholarly research in your chosen field.
d) Identify and distinguish between practice and theory based literature in your chosen field.
Submission Due By 11:59pm AEST/AEDT Sunday end of Week 5
Weighting 20%
Total Marks 100 marks
Assessment Task
Locate, gather and organise a range of practice and theory-based literature in your chosen field, then analyse and evaluate their interconnected topics, ideas, relationships and relevance, to develop a skeletal framework for a proposed literature review and annotated bibliography. Present in a 3 minute in class presentation. Use notes in PPT to include maximum 1000 words script.
Context
A literature review is a multi-stage process. The researcher is required to scan the available information; meticulously take notes; evaluate, synthesize, and structure the information; write a critical review of the literature; and build the list of references. The more complex the research, the more demanding the literature review process becomes. Several steps precede the task of writing the review, and a number of different approaches to organising the body of the literature review exist. Before embarking on a full-length literature review, it is prudent to determine the approach, or combination of approaches, to take.
Encountering the messy nature of knowledge while working towards the literature review can be intimidating. Concept maps can help to make sense of gathered information while conducting a literature review by visualising connecting ideas across a collection of literature or a research area. They can be used as a tool to identify additional search terms during the literature search, clarify thinking about the structure of the literature review in preparation for writing the review. They enable the researcher to better understand the theory, concepts and the relationships between concepts. 1
Instructions
This assessment has three parts:

1. Concept map
2. Outline of the proposed topic and research project area
3. Literature framework tables with 10-15 key seminal papers
   This assessment will also form the basis for the work you will undertake in Assessment 2.
4. Concept Map (visual)
   Concept Maps are graphic representations of topics, ideas, and their relationships. They allow users to group information (such as research sources) in related modules so that the connections between and among the literature become more readily apparent than they might from an examination of a list. See an example of concept map below:

Follow the steps below to complete this part (1) of the Assessment.
I. Identify an area of research that interests you, which you would like to explore further. This could be inspired by an existing problem or simply be driven by a curiosity and desire to contribute to the existing body of knowledge in the field.
II. Locate and gather a range of practice and theory-based literature focussed around your selected area of research.
III. Evaluate the literature sources for their relevance to your area of research.
IV. Conduct an analysis of the literature, in order to understand the interconnected topics, ideas and relationships, these are known as emergent themes.
V. Determine an appropriate approach, or combination of approaches, for organising the literature to highlight key concepts.
VI. Create a concept map of the literature that logically visualises the connecting topics, ideas, and relationships; and highlights the important themes, potential debates and existing gaps in the body of knowledge.
2. Outline of the Literature Review
Create a skeletal framework of the proposed literature review that outlines the structure, and defines the scope and focus of the proposed literature review.
In your outline present the following information:
● The literature search strategies applied (be as detailed and specific as possible, as this is the basis on which your mentor or learning facilitator can check if you are looking at the literature correctly)
● Group the articles and briefly discuss them in the context of the basis on which they were grouped (Chronological, Methodological, Thematic or Theoretical, or some combination thereof).
● Develop a table of citations and literature (recommend approximately 10-20 papers with coverage in 4 themes/streams.
3. Literature Framework Table and annotations
Include a minimum of 10-15 annotations of significant works in the literature that are driving your research project area and topic in your literature framework table. This is an evolving document, and you should continue to update it through your research process, maybe even after this course – if applicable.
An annotation may contain all or part of the following elements depending on the content of the sources you are examining. You must include as many of these elements as are relevant for your source. These can be developed to the headings in your table.
● Bibliographic citation.
● author(s).
● scope of the research/paper.
● Key argument.
● The research methods if applicable.
● Conclusions made by the author/s.
● Strengths and limitations of the text.
● Gaps in knowledge needing exploration.
Please refer to the Assessment Rubric for details on how your submission will be assessed.
Your presentation slides may include the following slides:

1. Search process
2. Literature framework table and annotation 10-15 seminal references
3. Concept map visual
4. Gaps and directions that need to be researched
5. Project title and topic area for approval
   Referencing
   The references list should contain the sources of information you used and cited in your paper. Only include those cited in the text (this is not a bibliography) but include every citation.
   It is essential that you use appropriate APA style for citing and referencing research. Please see more information on referencing in the Academic Skills webpage.
   Submission Instructions
   Submit your Assessment 1 Concept Map, Outline of the Literature Review and Annotated Bibliography using the following naming convention: HEP601_First name_Family name_Assessment 1.pdf. Submit your report via the Assessment link in MyLearn. Your Learning Facilitator will provide a mark and feedback via the MyMarks

Academic Integrity
All students are responsible for ensuring that all work submitted is their own and is appropriately referenced and academically written according to the Academic Writing Guide. Students also need to have read and be aware of Torrens University Australia Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure and subsequent penalties for academic misconduct. These are viewable online.
Students also must keep a copy of all submitted material and any assessment drafts.
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Industry Case Study Report

Brief

Research and compile a report relating to the construction industry.

Essential information

•        Word count – 5000 (excluding, Table of Contents, Appendices, References)

•        10-15 references required

•        All work to be submitted through Turnitin on Blackboard

Case Study Report – Report Structure

Abstract

1.    Introduction

•        Background/Overview – briefly describe key problem/issue central to the Case

•        Rationale 

– why area is worth researching; reference(s) to support

•        Aim

(One sentence)

•        Objectives  what needs to be done to fulfil the aim e.g.

o   Examine relevant literature…..

o   Conduct a questionnaire/interview or other forms of primary research o Evaluate findings from primary research…. o Analyse data/statistics…? o Synthesis and evaluate relevant primary and secondary data

•        Research Questions

3/4 questions to achieve the objectives and address or ‘answer’ the Aim)

 

 

2.    Methodology 

Brief justification for methods used (show understanding of

Qualitative/Quantitative/Research Methods (Interview; Questionnaire; Experiment; Action Research; Observation; Statistical Analysis / Reference to sample and how data will be analysed)

 

 

3.    Literature Review: related to issue/problem.

 

4. Findings

•        Overview of the Case – What? Why? How? Who? When?  Etc. • Describe and outline the main facts/issues/problems

•        Suggest solutions/actions etc.

•        Outline the advantages/disadvantages of solutions/actions

CD 2025

•        Create links implicitly or explicitly with Research Questions

•        Evaluate the best approach(es)

•        See the case from the perspective of the reader or potential audience (some or all of the above may need to be underlined by Literature?)

 

5. Conclusion

•        Briefly summarise (in own words background; issue/problem; findings etc.

 

•        Recommendations

•        Offer and justify recommendations/solutions (perhaps balance practice with theory/literature?)

•        Suggest approach/action plan….?

 

References

•        List of sources referenced in the work.

 

Bibliography

•        Background reading which informed research but is not referenced.

 

Appendices

•        Case study data not included in main report.

CD 2025

Assignment Requirements 1. Case Study Development (30%) Create a detailed fictional or real (de-identified) case study of an individual that includes: a. Demographic Information Age, gender identity, cultural/ethnic background Educational history Socioeconomic context b. Disability Profile Clearly defined disability (autism spectrum disorder) Functional implications (cognitive, physical, social, emotional, sensory) Co-occurring conditions (if applicable) c. Personal Strengths and Interests Skills, talents, and capabilities Career interests and aspirations Personality traits and work preferences d. Barriers and Challenges Environmental barriers (attitudinal, systemic, physical) Skill gaps Previous employment or transition experiences e. Support Systems Family, community, educational supports Professional supports (e.g., counselors, therapists) 2. Assessment and Analysis (20%) Provide a structured analysis using appropriate frameworks: Career assessment tools (formal or informal) Functional vocational assessment Self-determination and independence level Analysis of labor market trends related to the individual’s interests Identification of career pathways, not just job placement 3. Career-Focused Transition Plan (35%) Develop a multi-phase action plan that transitions the individual into a career pathway. Your plan must include: a. Career Goal(s) Short-term, mid-term, and long-term career goals Clearly defined career trajectory (not a single job) b. Skill Development Plan Education, training, or certification pathways Soft skills (communication, time management, teamwork) Technical or industry-specific skills c. Support and Accommodations Workplace accommodations (based on ADA or equivalent frameworks) Assistive technology Coaching, mentoring, or supported employment d. Transition Phases Preparation phase (education/training) Entry phase (internships, apprenticeships, supported work) Advancement phase (career growth, promotions, sustainability) e. Interagency Collaboration Schools, vocational rehabilitation services, employers, community organizations Funding/resources where applicable f. Self-Advocacy and Empowerment Strategies for building independence Teaching disclosure decision-making 4. Evaluation and Outcome Measures (10%) Explain how success will be measured: Employment stability and retention Career growth and advancement Quality of life indicators Independence and self-determination 5. Reflection and Critical Analysis (5%) Include a brief reflection addressing: Challenges in designing the plan Ethical considerations How bias, systemic barriers, or policy limitations affect outcomes What you would improve with additional resources Formatting Guidelines Length: 10–12 pages (excluding references) APA 7th edition formatting Include at least 8–10 scholarly sources Use headings and subheadings for organization Grading Rubric (Summary) Category Criteria Case Study Quality Depth, realism, clarity Analysis Use of theory and assessment tools Career Plan Feasibility, specificity, career-focus Integration Use of research and frameworks Professional Writing Organization, grammar, APA format Additional Guidance Emphasize career development, not just job placement Use a strengths-based, person-centered approach Consider intersectionality (race, gender, socioeconomic status) Ground your work in evidence-based practices and policy

BUSN696 Capstone

Week 7/8 Assignment

Scholarly Reflection Paper

 Instructions

Housekeeping

Due: Sunday ending Week 8, 11:59 pm ET

Word Count: 1800-2000 words (excludes Title Page and References Page)

Format: APA 7th Edition Style (Student), MS Word

Voice: Professional & scholarly, first person acceptable

Required Research Sources: Minimum: five (5) credible sources, supporting points required throughout the paper; remember in-text citations

Course Objectives: CO-5/LO-5.2 Help Sources

•        Week 7 Lesson: Reflection, and related readings

•        How to Format Your APA 7 Paper in 2025. [YouTube Video]

•        How To Know if a Source is Credible [Web article, Purdue]

•        Please see Grading Rubric

Purpose of the Paper

The capstone Scholarly Reflection Paper is an opportunity to critically analyze your knowledge, career development, and professional growth acquired in the MBA program. Tell your story reflecting from past, present, and future perspectives.

Calling upon your coursework and other relevant experiences during your MBA program, in this paper you will integrate the insights, applications, and learning you have gained.

Overview

•        Your professional evolution (Past → Present → Future)

•        How your MBA learning and experience apply to real-world business challenges

•        Scholarly reflection on key business themes such as: leadership, organizational change, stakeholder engagement, global trends, cultural differences, decision-making in complex markets; and career development themes such as career planning, mentorship, networking, and civic engagement. •           Use of ePortfolio  

Required Structure & Content

Note: The following Instructions specify the required content to cover in your paper and will help you organize your approach. Each section of your paper requires support with reference citations.

1. Introduction

Introduce purpose of the reflection paper, importance of career reflection, and key themes that will be explored.

2. Past: Foundations of Professional Identity

Who were you are the starting gate of your MBA program? Your reflection should be a wellintegrated, thoughtful narrative that incorporates the following:

•        Describe your career aspirations and professional background before the MBA.

•        What motivated you to pursue an MBA?

•        Identify key challenges or limitations in your professional skills before entering the program, including at least one key strength and one key weakness you saw in yourself.

•        Discuss early learning moments that started shaping your approach to business.

•        Scholarly integration: Apply leadership and business theory principles to contextualize your pre-MBA mindset.

•        Other observations or insights you wish to include.

3. Present: Growth and Key Learning

Your past reflection should segue into now, the Present. Reflect on your growth and knowledge today, in a well-integrated narrative covering the following:

•        Analyze the most impactful learning experiences in the MBA program. Use real examples from projects, internships, case studies, leadership experiences, or mentorship. One example might relate to the artifact you selected for Week 5 Assignment.

•        To illustrate, briefly describe another artifact from your MBA program suitable for your ePortfolio and why it enhances the ePortfolio. (Note: in addition to the artifact, you selected for the Week 5 Assignment.)

•        Reflect on the present aspect of your key strength and weakness you identified in your discussion of the “Past” above. Have these changed? In what way?

•        Scholarly integration: With assistance of research, reflect on and describe insights and knowledge you have gained and can apply in at least three (3) of the following areas of study. This is not a question related to a specific artifact. This question is applicationfocused, that is, your unique and creative application of your MBA-acquired knowledge to these areas of business operation and management.

o   Leadership

o   Organizational change & adaptability o Stakeholder engagement & management o Global business trends

o   Cultural awareness’ impact on business o Strategic decision-making

 

•        Other observations or insights you wish to include.

4. Future: Application to Career & Industry Impact

Reflection is not only about the past and present. Looking ahead, reflect on the future.

Incorporate and blend the following into the “Future” section of your reflection paper. Segue your “Present” discussion to looking at the future. Include the following in your reflection on the future.

•        Career development: As part of this course, you prepared a Career Development Plan. Briefly summarize your plan as part of your reflection

•        Civic & social responsibility: What do you see as the role of civic and social responsibility in your career plan for the future?

•        Networking & mentorship: Reflect on how networking, mentorship, or other personal associations play a role in the pursuit of your goals.

•        ePortfolio: The jewel in the midst of all this planning is the ePortfolio. Explain how you can use your ePortfolio and its artifacts in your career advancement.

•        Scholarly integration: Long-term professional impact is central to future reflection. How will your MBA knowledge and skills (that you discussed in your “Present” refection above) influence your leadership, strategic decision-making, or industry contributions in the future? Apply and appropriately cite relevant credible research sources about career planning, leadership development, and substantive global business trends in support of your future reflection.

•        Other observations or insights you wish to include

5. Conclusion

Summarize your key takeaways from the reflection and plan for continued growth.

The Paper Word Count – Guidance

The Exemplary level word count per the Grading Rubric is 1800-2000 words (excluding title page and References list page). This means the minimum is 1800 and the maximum is 2000. Balance the length of the sections of the paper. The introduction and conclusion should be shorter than your three main discussion sections.

Hint: Write your first draft without paying attention to word count. Then you will have a document to revise, remove repetition, add something missing, tighten wording and style, and so forth, to balance the paper and regulate your word count. Your narrative should be succinct, organized and clear.

Submission Requirements

•        Paper must be in Microsoft Word

•        APA 7 Format

•        Submit to Assignment tool by end of Week 8

•        Review Turnitin (TII) report. A high % similarity score (i.e., over 15%) must be addressed and resolved as needed

As part of the financial planning  process, a common practice in the corporate finance world is  restructuring through the process of mergers and acquisitions (M&A)  or business combinations. It seems that on a regular basis, investment  bankers arrange M&A transactions, forming one company from separate  companies. What are the advantages and disadvantages of a merger? Why do  you think that these companies have decided to merge? Discuss the  financial performance of the newly combined entity. In your response,  provide an example of a merger that was successful and one that was  unsuccessful, and discuss the overall success or downfall of the merger.

Prepare this  Assignment according to the APA guidelines, including a title page, an  introduction, and a conclusion. An abstract is not required. Use in-text  citations and include a References section. A template is included in  the Resources and Supports.

In your  report, make certain that you include at least three (3) credible  outside references from search engines or scholarly sources from the  APUS Online Library.

Final Presentation Introduction The final presentation is an opportunity for you to bring  together the major ideas and skills developed throughout this course.  Over the semester, we have examined how computer technology can support  administrative work through data organization, visualization, and  spatial analysis. We have also considered a broader question that is  central to this course: how administrators choose appropriate tools to analyze information and communicate meaningful findings.

For this final project, you will create a powerpoint presentation  based on the provided dataset. In your presentation, you will be  expected to explain the dataset, identify key patterns or findings, and  discuss how course technologies such as Excel, Tableau, and QGIS  can be used to support administrative analysis and decision-making.  Your presentation should show not only that you can work with data, but  also that you can interpret findings and communicate them clearly to a  nontechnical audience.

This final presentation is designed to reflect a realistic  professional task. In many organizations, administrators are asked to  review data, identify important issues, and present findings to  supervisors, colleagues, or stakeholders. For that reason, your  presentation should be clear, organized, and professional. You should  think of this assignment as an opportunity to demonstrate your ability  to connect data, technology, and administrative reasoning in a practical  way.

The goal of the final presentation is not technical  perfection. Instead, the goal is to show that you can use course  concepts and tools to tell a meaningful story from data and explain why  that story matters in an administrative context.