Second MSR Attempt

The context is business.

The Supra-system is a business that prepares business people to do work in the People’s Republic of China (to be referred to a China) and not Taiwan.

The goal is increase the effectiveness of business people who want to do business in China, with a basic set of skills and knowledge about Chinese history, language, culture, politics and culture. In addition, the participant will receive insight to a participant-select area of interest (e.g., law, finance, advertising).

Assumptions include: The participant wants to work in China, has a limited experience with doing business in China, has limited knowledge of Chinese language, culture, politics, or history, and that he/she understands the advantage of addressing these knowledge gaps as part of their preparation process.

The Need: The allure of the world’s largest market entices companies to sell their products and services in the People’s Republic of China. However, it takes more than simply arriving in Shanghai or Beijing with an excellent idea (one for which the Chinese may even be willing to spend money) and announcing that one is open for business. To increase the probability of successful market entry, one needs to have a basic understanding of Chinese culture, history, and politics. And while most foreign business people will use a Chinese language interpreter, the ability to understand and speak even a few words of Mandarin Chinese can prove useful. This basic foundation is necessary for the new entrant in the Chinese market place to begin to understand how to create and revise his or her business plan and market strategy. And just like developing a sound business plan and marketing strategy PRIOR to commencing in-country business activities saves time, money and reduces frustration, acquiring a basic knowledge of Chinese language, culture, politics, or history prior to country business activities provides equally valuable benefits.

The System provides training that prepares business people to do business in China. It is composed of at least five subsystems (Survival Business Chinese Language, Cultural Considerations, History, Politics, and one learner selected focus area), with the option of adding additional sub-systems as required (additional learner selected focus areas).

Objectives:

LANGUAGE
The participant would be able to engage upon demand in ___ basic dialog situations [I am not going to define these here] with an accuracy rate of 20%.
The participant will be to pronounce and translate into English 100 Chinese characters with fewer than 20 errors.

HISTORY
The participant will be able to answer correctly 80% of the questions on ___ multiple choice tests.

CULTURE
The participant will be able to answer correctly 80% of the questions on ___ multiple choice tests.

POLITICS
The participant will be able to answer correctly 80% of the questions on ___ multiple choice tests.
The participant will be able to describe the current political situation in China with 80% accuracy.

The Role of the Developer is to design the model, development the learning materials, and to supervise and implement the training.

The Purpose of the Model:

• • Determine the participant’s learning needs
• • Determine the participant’s learning plan
• • Implement the participant’s progress in learning
• • Adjust the learning plan as evaluation indicates

My Model Status Report

Here is the MSR I submitted:


Context or setting identified
Professional Context: Business
This is oriented toward people who want to do business in China.
Assumptions:
Program participants want to work in China
Program participants want advanced preparation.
Assumes limited experience or knowledge of China.
Participants have limited time to spend in the program.
The System: Training that prepares businessmen to work in the People’s Republic of China.
The Supra-system: A business that provides the training.
Subsystems: Survival Business Chinese Language; Cultural Considerations; History; Politics; one or two learner selected focus areas, e.g., marketing, law, engineering, manufacturing.
There would need to be major needs assessment component to this model to determine how to tailor the program fit the needs of the learner. Formative feedback from the learner would also play a significant role to continue to adjust the instruction to meet the learner’s needs.

Role and/or status of developer
The developer also implements the program.

Intended Audience of the Report
I will be the user of the model. I will use the model to do the needs analysis and design the curriculum for each student.

Purpose of the model
Determine student needs.
Determine student learning plan
Implement student learning
Evaluate progress of learning
Adjust learning plan as evaluation indicates

Any pressing questions
I am having a hard time writing this Module Status Report, mainly because I do not understand what is being asked.
I understand the Module Exercises, yet I don’t know how they translate into the development of a model.
How do I figure out how to draw the model?

Module 3 Exercise

1. Identify the communication channels you need to consider to manage the change.

I think change management will occur during the selling process. Before the company or business person contracts my services. The status quo tends to be that the company expects the employee to figure out what he needs on his own time, before and after landing in China. So the change that would place is the change in the thinking of the company or business person that they can successfully and quickly figure out what they need on the fly. Or that total initial reliance on their Chinese business partner will be sufficient until the business person figures out what is going on. Not a smart move.

My target audiences would be:
The business person going to China.
The HR person in charge of this initiative.
The business person's supervising manager.
The head of the division or company.
Finance.

So, my communication channels would include:
Presentations, testimonials from past students, advertisements, articles in the press,
blogs of past clients, email, letters, interviews with other business who have been doing business in China about what they would have done differently to prepare before going over.

2. How will I address the Innovation-Decision Process?

a) Knowledge Step: This would include communications that explain the need for such preparation and explain the proposed solution.

b)Persuasion Step: I would explain that with the proposed preparation, the business person would be able to achieve more, more quickly (or be confused for a shorter period of time). As a result of the program the person would have access to a support network of past students and the instructors. The person and the company would be prepared before the person leaves the country.

c) Decision: If other than "yes", then I would see what additional information I could provide to change the decision to a "yes".

d) Implementation: Work the progam.

e) Confirmation: I would include status reports to the company and projects that provide evidence that the business person is becoming more prepared. I would also incorporate feedback to the business person to demonstrate just how far they have progressed.

3) What other factors would I need to consider?

a) The impact of the student's work and outside life on the time they can commit to the program.
b) Company policies
c) Lack of student knowledge and skills regarding some of the subjects to which they would be introduced.