This week, complete the Riverdale State Hospital Case Study in Chapter 3 on page 97. Keep in mind that you need to illustrate your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities in your analysis of the case study. You can fulfill this requirement by arguing your perspective well, supporting your points with the text material, and providing experience from an organization of which you have been involved.

Be sure to include all the elements in the directions and use proper APA formatting. Use the heading for each section in your project including: Introduction, Summary, Communication Problems, Analysis, Solutions/Recommendations, Conclusion.

Case Studies Guidelines:

The nature of case studies is to demonstrate your ability to determine the problems, to use your knowledge to analyze those issues, and to devise strategies to solve the problems.

1. Introduction: Provide an introduction into the role of communication in organizations and critical thinking. Include why this analysis is important to the study of organizational communication
2. Summary: Summarize the background of the case. Include the relevant information to analyze.
3. Communication Problems: Clearly state at least three of the communication problems in the case study scenario. Use the material in the text to support.
4. Analysis: Analyze the problems in the scenario and include the following elements:
   • What or who has caused the breakdown of communication and what are the effects? (Target the problem)
   • What is the organization’s communication style and how has it contributed to the problem?
   • Which management approach is most evident in the scenario?
   • How does the management approach influence communication at the hospital?
   • In what ways does the organizational structure contribute to Wilcox’s accidental death?
   • What system or systems need improvement?
   • Why does the communication problem exist? (A cause and effect argument)
   • Use the class textbook to support your analysis.
   • Use a personal experience from your organization that applies to the problems of this case to demonstrate your understanding and application of course information.
5. Solutions/Recommendations: Present solutions to the communication problems. Include the following elements:
   • What steps need to be taken to improve communication in this organization?
   • How can these steps fit into the present organizational structure, or what incremental steps need to be initiated? Do rules and regulations need to be changed, enforced, or modified?
   • How should the organization begin the implementation of the recommendations?
   • What training of managers/employees is needed?
   • What processes need to be in place to change current attitudes and practices?
   • Detail how your suggestions would have clarified/eliminated the current situation if they had been in place.
   • Use the class text to support your analysis.
6. Conclusion: Add an overall conclusion and wrap up/ final thoughts.

Your case study of 700–800 words should use proper grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, APA citations and Reference page and be edited well. You demonstrate understanding of the course material when you use the course language and concepts to explain the communication problems, and when you support your points with the text material. Your solutions should include suggestions for improvement of the communication problems you have noted, as well as steps for implementing your ideas. Details and specifics are important.

Be sure to edit well before submitting by reading out loud.

Format for your case study (use as headings):

• Case study title
• Introduction
• Case summary
• Communication problems
• Analysis
• Solutions/ Recommendations
• Conclusion
• Reference page (Document sources in APA format with both in text citations and a Reference page)

Submitting Your Assignment:

Compose your project in a Word document. Save it in a location and with a name that you will remember. When you are ready to submit, select the Unit 3 Assignment Dropbox and upload your file. To view your graded work after your instructor has evaluated it, please use the Dropbox or the Gradebook.