Addressing a complex challenge
Scenario
Training opportunities in the workplace (professional development) have become a sound
investment for employers. In addition to reducing recruiting and retention costs, they have
been demonstrated to boost productivity and job satisfaction. For employees, they also
provide the benefit of enhancing skills and offer additional prospects for positioning
employees for new opportunities within the organization outside of regular promotions. For
the past seven years, your company has sponsored a professional enrichment program (PEP).
Each year, a small group or cohort of six to eight employees is chosen to participate in special
professional enrichment activities in both group and individual formats. They are paired with
mentors from leaders across the company. Employees each submit a letier and career plan
that serve as their “application” to the program.
You and your mentor previously prepared and refined a list of opportuni�es that interested
you in the Selec�ng Your Complex Challenge document. For this challenge, select the research
ques�on that most interests you, ensuring you address all elements in the rubric.
I. Challenge: Describe your complex challenge and factors that contribute to the
complexity of this issue:
Demographics of the individuals/group affected by challenge
Magnitude of the issue in community affected by challenge
Commonly held assump�ons or obstacles around this issue
Social condi�ons that exist specific to this challenge
Cultural or societal issues specific to this challenge
Discipline-specific subject or branch of knowledge