Blake Sports Apparel Leadership Project

Instructions
1. Read the case, Blake Sports Apparel and Switch Active wear: Bringing the Executive Team Together
2. Write a 4 – 6 page paper to address the following:
a. Risk to the Business: Despite the success of the business and the talent of individual team members, the Executive Team at Blake Sports Apparel suffers from a number of dysfunctions that are impacting the business. What are the biggest risks this business is currently facing? Explain your position and cite specific examples from the case to illustrate the potential impact of these risks. b. Successes: It’s a natural tendency when exploring team dysfunction to focus only on the negative; however, Blake Sports Apparel and this Executive Team have a long track record of wins and high performance. Summarize the key successes and positive characteristics of this organization. What are the strengths of the Executive Team?
c. Analysis: Explore the possible causes for the team’s dysfunction, using the questions below to guide you. Include specific examples from the case to support your analysis.
i. How might the company’s early entrepreneurial success have sown the seeds for dysfunction as the business grew?
ii. How would you characterize the level of trust, communication and information sharing among this group?
iii. In what ways do alignment (or lack of alignment) around goals and incentives impact team performance and cohesion?
iv. In what ways are the current team structures and decision making processes impacting the business?
v. In what ways do CEO Cameron Barker’s leadership style and history with the company contribute to the team’s dysfunction?
Professional Formatting Requirements:
• Typed, double spaced professional font (size 10-12), includes headings and subheadings, with one-inch margins on all sides. See the Sample Professional Paper under Course Documents for an example.
• References must be included and provide accurate information that enables the reader to locate the original source. Application and analysis of course materials and resources is expected, and additional research is welcome.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date.
• The paper’s length is 4 to 6 pages, excluding your Cover page and Reference list

Weight: 25% Assignment 2 – Part 2: Executive Summary, Revisions, and Recommendations
Criteria Unsatisfactory Low Pass Pass High Pass Honors
1. Executive Summary: Summarize key points of the paper.
Weight: 30% Does not or unsatisfactorily summarizes key points of the paper.
It lacks logic, clarity, and conciseness. Partially summarizes key points of the paper.
It may lack some logic, clarity and conciseness. Satisfactorily summarizes key points of the paper.
It is somewhat logical, clear, and concise. Fully summarizes key points of the paper.
It is mostly logical, clear, and concise. Exemplarily summarizes key points of the paper.
It is highly logical, clear, and concise.
2. Problem and Analysis Revisions: Implement feedback from the instructor (from Part 1 of this assignment).
Weight: 20% Does not or unsatisfactorily implements feedback from the instructor or did not include the Problem and Analysis. Partially implements feedback from the instructor.
A few of the changes may lack some clarity, logic, and conciseness. Satisfactorily implements feedback from the instructor.
The changes are somewhat logical, clear, and concise. Completely implements feedback from the instructor.
The changes are mostly logical, clear, and concise. Exemplarily implements feedback from instructor.
The changes are highly logical, clear, and concise.
3. Recommend ways to improve teamwork and resolve conflicts more effectively.
Weight: 40% Does not or unsatisfactorily makes recommendations to improve teamwork and resolve conflicts more effectively.
Rationale is not supported with references to course reading materials and external sources as appropriate. Partially makes recommendations to improve teamwork and resolve conflicts more effectively.
Rationale is partially supported with references to course reading materials and external sources as appropriate. Satisfactorily makes recommendations to improve teamwork and resolve conflicts more effectively.
Rationale is mostly supported with references to course reading materials and external sources as appropriate. Completely makes recommendations to improve teamwork and resolve conflicts more effectively.
Rationale is well supported with course reading materials and external sources as appropriate. Exemplarily makes recommendations to improve teamwork and resolve conflicts more effectively.
The student demonstrates thought leadership and rationale is effectively supported with course reading materials and external sources as appropriate

4. The paper is professionally formatted and includes in-text citations, references, and is free from grammar and spelling errors.
Weight: 10% The paper is unsatisfactorily formatted.
It may not include a cover page and headings or lacks professional choices in formatting, font, and spacing.
Sources are not consistently cited in text, and accurate references are not included.
There are mechanics and/or usage errors. The paper is partially satisfactorily formatted.
It may not include a cover page and headings or lacks professional choices in formatting, font, and spacing.
Sources are not consistently cited in text, and accurate references may not be included.
There are some mechanics or usage errors. The paper is satisfactorily formatted.
It includes a cover page and headings, but may lack professional choices in formatting, font, and spacing.
Sources may not be consistently cited in text, and accurate references may not be included.
There may be some minor mechanics or usage errors. The paper is professionally formatted.
It includes a cover page, headings, professional formatting, font, and spacing.
All sources are consistently cited in text, and accurate references are included.
There are no mechanics or usage errors. The paper is exceptionally formatted. It is highly professional in look and easy to quickly locate information.
It includes a cover page, headings, professional formatting, font, and spacing.
All sources are consistently cited in text, and accurate references are included.
There are no mechanics or usage errors.