Paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts

Creative task performanceis the degree to which employeesdevelop and implement ideas that are both novel and useful. The reality is that creative task performance is playing a larger role in all jobs. For example, Googleengineers can spend up to 20 percent of their time on a projectof their choice because creativity is valued and encouraged by the organization. By the same token, the employees of 3M are allowed to use 15 percent of their time to think creatively. Both companies credit these unique programs as the source of their most successful products. In some professions (e.g., marketing or advertising), creative task performance is considered more important than any other task performance. Furthermore, professors are also encouraged to be creative and publish in prestigious academic journals.As a matter of fact, the example above illuminated the importance of a professor being able to publish. The classic saying, publish or perish holds true in academia. Imagine one-third of a professors job (or more) being dependent upon his or her ability to be creative and publish novel concepts. With globalizationand competition, creative task performance will continue to play a major role in all jobs of the future.

Adaptive task performancerequires an employee to be able to adapt and overcome novel or unusual situations. A case in point is when Chesley B. Sullenberger, the pilot of US Airways Flight 1549 (January 15, 2009), discovered his plane had lost powerand he decided to land in the Hudson River. Captain Sullenbergers heroic actions saved the lives of 150 passengers and crew. A different example (occurred on January 9, 2011) is when U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot in Arizona and her aide (Daniel Hernandez Jr., who was only five days into his new job) came to her rescue and performed first-aid. Both examples elucidate adaptive task performances that are novel and unusual. All jobs have a component of adaptive task performance that can be extreme or insignificant.

Routine task performanceis associated with being responsible for the same task each day with very minimal variety or change. A classic example of would be an employee who works on an automobile assembly line. Each person who works on an automobile assembly line has a very specific job such as screwing on doors or bumpers. This division of labor concept is used in many organizationsto help enhance productivitylevels. For example, contemporary hospitals have been known to request radiologists to specialize and analyze specific digital images (e.g., CT scans, MRI scans, or mammograms) to help productivity, efficiency, accountability, and efficacylevels. In some situations, it makes more sense to divide work amongst a group of employeesas opposed to having a group of employees working on the same tasksand doing double-work.

Drawing on the material in the background readings and doing additional research, please prepare a 3-5 page paper (not including the cover and reference pages) in which you:

• Analyze your current occupation using the task performance criteria (CAR acronym).
• Discuss how your job aligns with the task performance criteria (CAR acronym). . What percent of your job focuses on creative, adaptive, and ? Discuss your findings.
• Based upon the task performance criteria (CAR acronym), how can your job be changed to make it more meaningful?
• Create a new job description for your current job that you could use to attract applicants.

Assignment Expectations

Your paper will be evaluated on the following points:

• Precision – Does the paper address the question(s) or task(s)?
• Clarity – Is the writing clear and the concepts articulated properly? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of response to the questions, or are excessive use of quotations how thoughts are conveyed? Are headings includedin all papers greater than 2 pages?
• Breadth – Is the full breadth of the subject addressed?
• Depth – Does the paper address the topic in sufficient depth?
• Grammar, spelling and vocabulary – Is the paper written well – is the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary suitable to graduate level work?
• Referencing (citations and references) – Does the paper use citations and quotation marks when appropriate?
• Critical thinking – Is the subject thought about critically, i.e., accurately, logically, relevantly, and precisely?