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Week 12 – Assignment: Signature Assignment: Develop a Proposal for an Organization Overhaul

Read the brief article, How Can You Create a Positive Organization?, found in the Books and Resources for this Week.

Assignment

In this signature assignment you are going to be writing a proposal to the leader of an organization. This leader has asked for proposals to suggest how to move their organization forward in a productive manner. You believe that this organization would flourish by overhauling their current mindset and adapting a positive psychology framework.

You may select an educational institution, a business, a volunteer organization, etc.

Make sure that the proposal contains the following sections:

-Introduction

-Positive psychology overview (e.g. history, key concepts, etc.).

-Application (show how positive psychology has been applied in other institutions, share

research on the impact of positive education, positive psychology in the workplace, etc ).

-Outline your plan for the organization (discuss what changes need to be made, be specific in

regards to what needs to be implemented to bring the organization in line with a positive

psychology framework).

-Challenges – Both to the overall field and to the specific organization (acknowledge the

challenges that have been faced by the field of positive psychology, discuss research that

refutes these challenges, and consider any unique challenges that might be faced by the

organization as they transition over to this new framework.)

-Future Directions (discuss both where the positive psychology field is heading and also make

predictions about changes that would occur specifically in that organization were they to

implement your proposal).

Conclusion.

The proposal should be 10-12 pages and incorporate at least 10 scholarly sources.

Your proposal should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts that are presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic.

Signature Assignment: Future Directions

In the positive psychology movement we have seen a shift away from the disease model to a model that focuses on strengths and human flourishing. Positive psychologists have contributed to our knowledge on a whole range of important issues such as the relationship between positive emotions and physical health, the importance of social support, and our capacity to be resilient. However, the field has also faced challenges and questions remain as to the future direction of the field. This week you will read a diverse range of scholarly opinions on this topic that consider both the merits of positive psychology and the limitations that may prove challenging as we transition into the next era of modern psychology. Some psychologists believed that positive psychology would always have a short shelf life because the purpose was to redress the balance in traditional psychology and not to provide a new and competing field. These psychologists believed that once this had been achieved positive psychology would fade away. However, at this time positive psychology remains a considerable force.

In the signature assignment you will develop a business proposal for an organization to encourage them to adopt a positive framework. You will draw from your knowledge of the historical underpinnings of the field, key concepts of positive psychology, and potential future directions as you create this proposal. Research from the three pillars (positive emotions, positive traits, and positive institutions) will guide you as you formulate a plan to overhaul the current organizational model.