Assignment 1: Training and Development in Small Businesses Worth 240 points Select a small business with which you are familiar. Imagine that you have been called into that business to provide a consultation on training. Create a comprehensive training proposal for the business. Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you: Analyze key elements of training and development geared toward improving the performance of the specific small business for which you are consulting. Predict three to five (3-5) potential challenges that the managers or owners of the business could face in addressing organizational performance. Justify the effects of detecting organizational gaps in small business, providing examples to explain the rationale. Propose a competitive training strategy that will improve the position of the business in the market. The strategy should include, at a minimum, an agenda of training activities, rationale for instructional strategies used, and the return on investment (ROI) that will be gained from the strategy you have developed. Use at least three (3) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as academic resources Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements: Typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length. Include a reference page. Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are: Analyze concepts, meanings, and trends in training. Justify the importance of aligning training with organizational strategy. Evaluate theories associated with learning, motivation, and employee performance. Use technology and information resources to research issues in training and development. Write clearly and concisely about training and development using proper writing mechanics. Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric. Points: 240 Assignment 1: Training and Development in Small Businesses Criteria Unacceptable Below 60% F Meets Minimum Expectations 60-69% D Fair 70-79% C Proficient 80-89% B Exemplary 90-100% A 1. Analyze key elements of training and development geared toward improving the performance of the specific small business for which you are consulting. Weight: 25% Did not submit or incompletely analyzed key elements of training and development geared toward improving the performance of the specific small business for which you are consulting. Insufficiently analyzed key elements of training and development geared toward improving the performance of the specific small business for which you are consulting. Partially analyzed key elements of training and development geared toward improving the performance of the specific small business for which you are consulting. Satisfactorily analyzed key elements of training and development geared toward improving the performance of the specific small business for which you are consulting. Thoroughly analyzed key elements of training and development geared toward improving the performance of the specific small business for which you are consulting. 2. Predict three to five (3-5) potential challenges that the managers or owners of the business could face in addressing organizational performance. Weight: 20% Did not submit or incompletely predicted three to five (3-5) potential challenges that the managers or owners of the business could face in addressing organizational performance. Insufficiently predicted three to five (3-5) potential challenges that the managers or owners of the business could face in addressing organizational performance. Partially predicted three to five (3-5) potential challenges that the managers or owners of the business could face in addressing organizational performance. Satisfactorily predicted three to five (3-5) potential challenges that the managers or owners of the business could face in addressing organizational performance. Thoroughly predicted three to five (3-5) potential challenges that the managers or owners of the business could face in addressing organizational performance. 3. Justify the effects of detecting organizational gaps in small business, providing examples to explain the rationale. Weight: 20% Did not submit or incompletely justified the effects of detecting organizational gaps in small business, providing examples to explain the rationale. Insufficiently justified the effects of detecting organizational gaps in small business, providing examples to explain the rationale. Partially justified the effects of detecting organizational gaps in small business, providing examples to explain the rationale. Satisfactorily justified the effects of detecting organizational gaps in small business, providing examples to explain the rationale. Thoroughly justified the effects of detecting organizational gaps in small business, providing examples to explain the rationale. 4. Propose a competitive training strategy that will improve the position of the business in the market. The strategy should include, at a minimum, an agenda of training activities, rationale for instructional strategies used, and the return on investment (ROI) that will be gained from the strategy you have developed Weight: 20% Did not submit or incompletely proposed a competitive training strategy that will improve the position of the business in the market, including an agenda of training activities, rationale for instructional strategies used, and the return on investment (ROI) that will be gained from the strategy you have developed. Insufficiently proposed a competitive training strategy that will improve the position of the business in the market, including an agenda of training activities, rationale for instructional strategies used, and the return on investment (ROI) that will be gained from the strategy you have developed. Partially proposed a competitive training strategy that will improve the position of the business in the market, including an agenda of training activities, rationale for instructional strategies used, and the return on investment (ROI) that will be gained from the strategy you have developed. Satisfactorily proposed a competitive training strategy that will improve the position of the business in the market, including an agenda of training activities, rationale for instructional strategies used, and the return on investment (ROI) that will be gained from the strategy you have developed. Thoroughly proposed a competitive training strategy that will improve the position of the business in the market, including an agenda of training activities, rationale for instructional strategies used, and the return on investment (ROI) that will be gained from the strategy you have developed. 5. Use at least three (3) quality academic resources in this assignment. Weight: 5% No references provided Does not meet the required number of references; all references poor quality choices. Does not meet the required number of references; some references poor quality choices. Meets number of required references; all references high quality choices. Exceeds number of required references; all references high quality choices. 6. Clarity, writing mechanics, and formatting requirements Weight: 10% More than 8 errors present 7-8 errors present 5-6 errors present 3-4 errors present 0-2 errors present