study help
This assignment is designed to help you understand what a needs assessment is, the
type of information/data to gather when conducting the assessment, how to interpret
and report the information/data, and how to develop recommendations based on the
information/data. This assignment is not meant to follow a typical essay format. Rather,
you should format your submission as a report. An example of a needs assessment
report can be found in this week’s module.
What To Do:
Read the case, “A.P. Moller – Maersk Group: Evaluating Strategic Talent Management
Initiatives.” Before you develop the Needs Assessment Report, make notes of the
following:
1. Company background (i.e. historical progression)
2. The purpose of the needs assessment (i.e., Why did Maria Pejter and Bill
Allen conduct one?). In the report, the statement of purpose should be 1
sentence in length, maximum.
3. Study participants (i.e., From where and whom was information in the case
gathered – employees, CEOs, databases, etc.?).
4. Data collection methods Maria and Bill used in the case.
1. It may be difficult to understand how Maria and Bill collected the
information in their assessment, so make sure you and your group
members talk this through and work on this part together (after
making your initial discussion post in the Needs Assessment
discussion forum)! For instance, much of the data that they
collected is ‘secondary data’. Click on the following web link to gain
understanding on this type of data:
arch
2. Links to an external site.
3.
5. Strengths and weaknesses/limitations of the data collection methods AND the
needs assessment process as a whole.
6. Summary of Maria and Bill’s findings from their assessment.
1. Maria and Bill give you a summary of their findings in the case.
2. Based on the findings in the case, you will need to highlight area(s)
in which the company and/or its employees are most deficient and
explain why.
3. In the report, you must explain what the implications are of the
needs assessment results.
4. Based on the findings, you must develop at least 3
recommendations for the organization’s “next steps” going forward.
Be sure to match your recommendations to the needs assessment
results/findings.
Use the information you gathered for the ‘What To Do’ list (above) for your Needs
Assessment Report. Follow the Needs Assessment template provided in this
week’s module for your report.
Important Notes:
● Do NOT refer to Maria and Bill in your report. Assume you are creating a
document that will be given to Maersk executives, and Maria and Bill are part
of the team who contributed to the report.
Assessment Template
Report Proposed By: [Your Name Here]
Background
[Provide a brief description of the organization and why the assessment was performed.]
Purpose
[In 1-2 sentences, explain the purpose of the assessment.]
Study Methods
Participants
[Provide a brief description of the participants in the study (i.e., managers, front-line staff, CEOs, etc.)]
Data Collection
The following were used as information gathering tools for this assessment:
[Assessment Type #1]
[Assessment Type #2]
[Assessment Type #3]
Strengths & Limitations
[Describe the main strengths of the process and any considerations that readers of the report should be aware of as
they interpret the key findings.]
Key Findings
[Summarize the analyses and findings from the process. Use bullet points rather than a lengthy narrative.]
Recommendations
[Describe the implications from the data and suggest next steps for the organization.]
Appendices
[Include data collection instruments (e.g., list of survey questions), graphs, and/or tables that present findings from
the survey data.]
