Capstone Case Study Project Report for a Capstone Project: Cultural Transition Guide: Top 10 Things for Vietnamese Immigrants in Pinellas County

Capstone Case Study Project Report

Plan, Prepare, Present

Consult the Capstone Case Study Project Grading Criteria for guidance.

Topic

For this class, you will select a Capstone Case Study Project Topic, and present it to your professor for approval. It is recommended that your topic is chosen and approved by your professor before class begins – you should have received an email message from your professor with information about this requirement. At the latest, your topic is due on the first day of class. To gain your topic approval, email, call, or meet with your professor.

Report

Throughout this class you will complete a number of assignments that you will compile into your Capstone Case Study Project Report. In Module 9, you will submit your Capstone Case Study Project Report Draft. After you receive feedback from your professor, and have made any necessary revisions/edits, you will submit your Final Capstone Case Study Project Report in Module 10 so that the Capstone Review Panel can review your Final Capstone Case Study Project Report prior to your presentation in Module 12.

The focus of your Capstone Case Study Project Report should be to describe the issue/case study in such detail that another person would understand what you went through under those circumstances. You are describing the issue/case study so that you might analyze it, in depth, using the theories and approaches related to the Public Policy and Administration curriculum. Provide details about the who, what, when, where, why, and how. Recommendations, based on your analysis, should focus on presenting the most feasible resolution to the issue under study. Refer to the Case Study Analysis Guidelines.

Outside Entity/Governing Body

At some point before your Capstone Review Panel Presentation, you will present your Capstone Project to an outside entity or governing body. As you have done throughout the Public Policy and Administration program, this entity will fit your Capstone Topic. It may be a government body, a private organization, not-for-profit, etc.

If there is an authorized recording made of your presentation to an outside entity/governing body, you should provide that link in your Capstone Case Study Project Report, and consider sharing that during your Capstone Review Panel Presentation. If the outside entity/governing body has given permission, you can make a recording of your presentation. Review the following tutorials to learn how to post videos and PowerPoint presentations:

• How to make a YouTube Account
• How to make a YouTube Video

Note: Students are required to have “Business Cards” to present/use as an introductory communications/relationship building tool during various types of personal and professional meetings and to the Capstone Review Panel. Professor/instructor approval of business cards is required. To gain your “Business Card” approval, email, call, or meet with your professor.

Project Organization

Create a compelling story that inspires. Define your action plan. From the book Seven Steps to a Successful Business Plan, the following information may help you in your project organization:

• Strategic plan – forming the heart of your story
  • Mission statement
  • Set critical objectives
  • Time factors to complete your project
• Operational plan – bringing your plan to life
  
  • Define tactics
  • Coordinate operational plan
  • Summarize with a “concept of operation”
• Organizational plan – defining structure
  
  • Organize work
  • Provide a means to implement strategies
  • Match headcount/stakeholders to responsibility
  • Create an environment where all feel they belong
  • Control costs
• Resources plan – analyzing the support you need
  
  • Staffing levels
  • Information requirements
  • Facilities needed if any
  • Technology
  • Budget related costs – forensic audit
• Contingency plan – taking evasive action in a crisis situation (Plan B)
  • What if you miss the mark?
  • What if politics causes a change in direction?
  • What if budget adjustments impact your plan?
  • Circumstances beyond your control – unintended consequences
• Four unique phases in the action plan cycle:
  
  • Phase 1 – Preparing
  • Phase 2 – Planning
  • Phase 3 – Implementing
  • Phase 4 – Sustaining

Format

Your Capstone Case Study Project Report should be 20 – 35 pages. The following tips will guide you with structuring and formatting. Be sure to use APA formatting for your paper (double-spaced). Include citations throughout and References at the end. Remember to cite your interviews as well. Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) is an excellent resource for setting up and citing an APA paper.

Make sure you have had multiple people proof read your project before submitting. Ask yourself, “Does everything ‘flow’ in a reasonable format with proper grammar, punctuation, citations, etc.?”

Review the order of your Capstone Case Study Project Report:

Beginning

Each of the following should be contained within your paper:

• Title Page (Review Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) for an example of what to include.)

• Table of Contents (Include page numbers throughout your paper, and list the pages for each section in your table of contents. Note: If you use Microsoft Word, and properly format your paper with headings and page numbers, your Table of Contents can be auto-generated. Review the Insert a Table of Contents tutorial.)

• Executive Summary (Or Abstract)

Main Body

The Main Body of your paper should contain a logical flow or sequence of ideas. Remember, you are telling a story, so the reader must be able to follow and understand the information you are trying to convey. Be sure to consider regulatory standards – both civil and/or criminal (international, national, state, and/or local) – to include policies, procedures, processes, and laws. If your paper does not seem to have a logical flow or if you need additional guidance, please visit the SPC Learning Support Commons for assistance.

• Introduction (Include the who, what, when, where, why, and how.)

• History (Of your topic)

• Laws (Federal, state, local – relating to your topic)

Four-Step Policy Analysis

• Issue

• Stakeholders

• Stakeholders’ Perspectives

• Recommendations (Should be in compliance with applicable regulatory standards and include case study history)
  

• Governmental Entity Observation Participation Form (Capstone Case Study Project Module)

  • Meeting agenda

  • Expert Interviews (At least three face-to-face interviews from outside experts. Give background information on your interviewees such as what they do for a living and what committees and/or other professional memberships they may have. Elaborate on what was discussed during the interviews and what recommendations, if any, the experts had.) (Module 3)

  • Expert information

• Best Practices

• Cost Benefit Analysis (Module 5)
  

• Public/Private Comparison (Module 4)

• Public Relations Plan

• Research
  

  • Stakeholder Survey (Include survey questions.) (Module 2)
    

  • Stakeholder Survey Findings (Include survey results.) (Module 4)

  • Research Sites (Module 8)

  • Site Visits

• Key Statistics

Appendices (This can include any “working papers” and all other required class assignments due each week. Below is an example.)

• Appendix A (Working papers)

  • Final Resume (Module 10)

  • Personal Action Plan (Module 10)

  • Strategic Action Plan (Module 3)
    

  • Organizational Overview (Module 7)

  • Marketing Plan (Module 4)

  • Diplomacy Public Relations Plan (Module 7)
    

  • Outside Experts (Module 3)
    

  • Collaborative Partnership Plan (Module 5)

  • Anticipated Team Dynamics Overview (Module 8)

• Appendix B

  • Florida Statutes

  • Related Florida Laws

  • If Federal Law – Add Appendix

• Appendix C

  • Local Laws/Ordinances

• Appendix D

  • Contracts, Miscellaneous Documents

• Appendix E

  • Reports

• Appendix F

  • Newspaper/Internet Articles (Relating to Capstone Project)

• Appendix G

  • Pertinent Email Communications (Regarding Capstone Project)

• Appendix H

  • Any other related research not listed above.

• Appendix I

  • References (At least five academic or professional resources/websites)