DSL Program Orientation – BMAL 700

Course Description

Introduction to doctoral studies, which provides information regarding the Doctor of Strategic Leadership program, the Graduate School of Business, and University resources.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

Students pursuing the Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) will gain knowledge and practical experience in the discipline of strategic leadership that can be applied in their current and/or future leadership role.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and presentations

Please see weekly schedule below.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (8)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will create a thread in response to the provided prompt for each forum. Each thread must be approximately 600 words (due by Thursday of each week) and demonstrate course-related knowledge.  Please see the grading rubric for assignment requirements, which includes additional guidance on word counts.

In addition to the original post, the student will reply to the posts of at least 2 classmates. Each reply must be approximately 250 words (due by the end of the respective module).  Each reply must also be unique, not recycling the student’s original post or the student’s other response.  Please see the grading rubric for response requirements, which includes additional guidance on word counts.

This course utilizes the Post-First feature in all Discussions. This means you will only be able to read and interact with your classmates’ threads after you have submitted your thread in response to the provided prompt.

APA Writing Exercise Assignment

The Liberty University School of Business wants to ensure that students entering and progressing through the DSL program have a proper understanding of the process and expectations of APA writing, formatting, and style.  The School of Business adheres to APA formatting in all its courses.  The purpose of this assignment is to assess and enhance your understanding of APA formatting. 

Strategic leadership is not a term that everyone understands.  In this exercise, you are required to discover, document, and compare and contrast three (3) definitions of strategic leadership from three (3) unique scholarly sources.  Using the online Jerry Falwell Library (JFL), draw one definition each from a source found in the following databases:  Business Source Complete, ERIC, and a database of your choosing (not connected to the other two).  Limit your search to the last five (5) years and select only from sources that are full-text – PDF.

Write a 900 word double-spaced paper in APA format that evaluates the definitions found in these articles.  Where are they similar?  Where do they differ?  Would you select one as more correct than the others or would you draw pieces from two or more of them to write your own definition?  How would you explain your chosen definition to others?  How would you apply this definition in a work setting?

As part of this project, prepare an annotated bibliography.  The bibliography will be structured as follows: APA formatted reference (minimum 250 words per reference) followed by summary of key points, evaluation of the quality of the publication, evaluation of the quality of the author(s), where this fits into the assignment, and the library database in which you found the article.  A traditional APA reference page and the annotated bibliography will be turned in with the associated paper.

Writing at the Doctoral Level (Scholarly Writing) Exercise Assignment

Scholarly writing demands the author be purposeful, clear, concise, formal, and objective (without bias).  This type of work also requires the author to consider the cognitive level of the article under evaluation.  Bloom’s Taxonomy is a well-known and respected structure that is useful for this purpose.

For this exercise, you will write a 900 word paper, using proper APA format, that clearly discusses three (3) of the six (6) levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy as it relates to Servant Leadership (SL).  As an example, does the article demonstrate drawing connections among ideas?  This would correspond to the analyze level.  Using the JFL, locate and document at least three (3) scholarly articles, one for each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy used.  Prepare a standard APA reference page.

As part of this project, prepare an annotated bibliography.  The bibliography will be structured as follows: APA formatted reference (minimum 250 words per reference) followed by summary of key points, evaluation of the quality of the publication, evaluation of the quality of the author(s), where this fits into the assignment, and the library database in which you found the article.  A traditional APA reference page and the annotated bibliography will be turned in with the associated paper.

Leadership Project: Leadership Trait Assignment

There is endless debate about which leadership technique works better/best.  Clearly, the answer is the one that works best given the people, environment, constraints, etc.  However, there is a multitude of bad leadership examples, some of which you have read about in Merida this session. 

In this 900 word assignment, you need to document one (1) negative leadership trait for each of three (3) kings from Merida (through page 131).  Each trait and related king should be unique.  Since scholarly writing is without bias, you need to document your choices through two (2) scholarly sources for each trait/king (six (6) total sources) to explain why a given trait is negative.  Limit your literature search to the last five (5) years and select only sources that are full text – PDF.

As part of this project, prepare an annotated bibliography.  The bibliography will be structured as follows: APA formatted reference (minimum 250 words per reference) followed by summary of key points, evaluation of the quality of the publication, evaluation of the quality of the author(s), where this fits into the assignment, and the library database in which you found the article.  A traditional APA reference page and the annotated bibliography will be turned in with the associated paper.

Biblical Integration Exercise Assignment

Biblical integration is more than just putting a Bible verse or other religious connection into a project.  True integration of this type requires the author to address a topic with God’s character in mind.  Looking at life situations, and the people involved in this manner should help direct leaders to a better solution than he or she might select on his or her own.

Read and respond to the Biblical Integration Case Study provided in the online classroom.  You are required to answer the questions in a 900 word paper written in APA format.  This assignment requires the use of six (6) scholarly sources.  Limit your literature search to the last five (5) years and select only sources that are full text – PDF.

As part of this project, prepare an annotated bibliography.  The bibliography will be structured as follows: APA formatted reference (minimum 250 words per reference) followed by summary of key points, evaluation of the quality of the publication, evaluation of the quality of the author(s), where this fits into the assignment, and the library database in which you found the article.  A traditional APA reference page and the annotated bibliography will be turned in with the associated paper.

Recall that doctoral-level writing expects you to not form an opinion and then find evidence to support your position, but rather that you weigh the evidence and respond accordingly.  This requires considering at least two views of a situation.

Leadership Exercise: Formal Leadership Assignment

Over the last two (2) weeks, you have read four (4) new chapters in the course text (pages 132 – 221).  Each chapter reveals to the reader both history and God’s hand in it.  The chapters tell of both formal leadership (those in a position of power based on organizational structure) and informal leadership (those who have power based on their ability to demonstrate influence without being in a formal organizational structure).

In this assignment, the student is required to write an APA formatted 900 word paper that expands on a theme from one of the chapters.  Why was this information so important that Merida included it in the text?  How is this theme relevant today?  Why is this theme important to you in your current or future leadership endeavors?  Support your research with five (5) scholarly sources.  Limit your literature search to the last five (5) years and select only sources that are full text – PDF.

As part of this project, prepare an annotated bibliography.  The bibliography will be structured as follows: APA formatted reference (minimum 250 words per reference) followed by summary of key points, evaluation of the quality of the publication, evaluation of the quality of the author(s), where this fits into the assignment, and the library database in which you found the article.  A traditional APA reference page and the annotated bibliography will be turned in with the associated paper.

Plagiarism Exercise Assignment

You are assuming the role of teacher in this exercise.  A student submitted a paper in response to an assignment in your class.  A second student has come to you indicating he is aware the first student plagiarized on this assignment.  You ask a few questions to get a better understanding of the accusations and you commit to investigating this charge.  You will find the “submitted” paper in this week’s module of your course.  Your research shows the first highlighted area was copied from Masciarelli and the second from Frisch & Green.

Your assignment (two separate elements):

Mark up the paper using proper APA methodology including needed plagiarism corrections.  How should the highlighted sections have been documented?  Submit a corrected copy (using Track Changes, All Markup, Show Markup, Balloons, Show All Revisions Inline).  Also use MSWord comments to add supporting documentation where needed.

Additionally, write a 900 word, APA structured (no abstract required) double-spaced summary of your investigation.  Did the student plagiarize?  Presume you did not know the outcome going into your investigation.  What evidence would have helped you make the determination?  Provide examples of evidence in your response.  How would you confront this student about the plagiarism?  Presume this is an online course.  What would you say to the student?  As part of your response to the student, please list at least two (2) resources you would recommend to help guide him/her to an improved product.

Time Management Exercise Assignment

At this point in the course, you probably have developed some living patterns that include your school workload.  Perhaps you have cut out social time or a second job.  Maybe a spouse or someone else close has taken on some additional responsibility to help you better prioritize your time.  Regardless of the changes made to date, and others that will follow, success in this program depends in part on how you manage your time.

Each student will prepare a time audit.  This assignment will be challenging, but helpful, as it will require you to keep track of your time in 30-minute increments. All it takes is a little discipline. You need not stop in the middle of something to record your time - simply wait until you finish the activity to record the event and time spent. However, do not wait until the end of the day to fill out your log sheets. That would somewhat diminish the point of the assignment, as the whole point is to record activities and times as close to the time period as possible.  You will also need to assess each time/activity as to your effectiveness in completing the task and/or staying focused.

Do not obsess with this assignment. Perfection is not required, only completion of this audit and related narrative, recording the approximate time periods of daily activities, both typical and atypical.

Again, only you and the professor will see your results (unless you wish to share with your classmates).

To complete the audit, do the following:

- Audit how you use time for five (5) consecutive days (Monday-Friday or Tuesday-Saturday), in 30-minute increments.

- Use the Microsoft Excel Log (tab for each day) to keep track of your activities.

- While recording approximate time periods is allowed, try to record the times as close to the time period each occurred.

- Complete the log to include an assessment of your time spent and/or effectiveness in completing the noted task(s) noting any comments or observations (see next instruction).

- At the end of each day, complete an approximately 150-word summary of all the day's activities with a focus on special events.

- Do this each day, for five (5) days in one (1) submission.  The sheet has a tab for each of the five (5) days.  The narrative should be written in an MSWord document.  All five (5) days should be combined into one document, just be certain each day is properly identified.

- Craft a narrative (600 words) to submit with your time log that addresses how you believe the DSL program will affect/is affecting your current work/life balance.  You should address how you plan to integrate the workload of the DSL into your current work/life balance noting any identified challenges or opportunities.

Leadership Final Project Assignment

Merida has provided deep insight into 1 and 2 Kings.  This insight is more than just stories about historical events.  The depth comes from the people involved.  The text covered a full range of personalities from murderous villains to others who were completely sold out for God.  People in leadership today have to deal with a full range of personalities as well (hoping the true villains are a distinct minority!).

You are to write a 1,700 word document, double-spaced, APA-formatted paper. In your paper, you will evaluate three (3) current leadership styles in light of what you have read in Merida.  Where did you find examples of each of those styles in the text?  Where were they effective in the biblical setting?  What different leadership style might have been more effective (biblical character attempted style A – what you are writing about – but would have made more progress with style B)?  In what settings or situations might the style you are evaluating work well today?  Support your research with eight (8) scholarly sources.  Limit your literature search to the last five (5) years and select only sources that are full text – PDF.

As part of this project, prepare an annotated bibliography.  The bibliography will be structured as follows: APA formatted reference (minimum 250 words per reference) followed by summary of key points, evaluation of the quality of the publication, evaluation of the quality of the author(s), where this fits into the assignment, and the library database in which you found the article.  A traditional APA reference page and the annotated bibliography will be turned in with the associated paper.

Quizzes (8)

The student will complete 8 quizzes. Each quiz will contain 10 multiple choice questions and 1 essay question. The student will have 30 minutes to complete each quiz.