| Course | CHS 340 Health Behavior Theory |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 5 |
| Paper type | Theory expert brief |
| Length | About 331 words, 4 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | BS in Health Sciences |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for CHS 340 Module 5
Theory Expert Brief: Stage Theory of Organizational Change and a School District's Wellness Decision
Student Name
BS in Health Sciences, Arizona State University
CHS 340: Health Behavior Theory
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Theory Expert Brief: Stage Theory of Organizational Change and a School District's Wellness Decision
Vignette (Illustrative)
Maria's school district runs a voluntary employee health screening and finds that a large share of food service and custodial staff have prediabetes. The wellness coordinator proposes offering the lifestyle program at two schools, with one hour a week of paid time. The finance office worries about cost, principals worry about coverage, and the board asks for a pilot.
1. The core claim of stage theory
Organizations adopt new practices through a sequence of stages, typically awareness of a problem, adoption of a solution, implementation and institutionalization, and each stage requires different strategies and different people to move the change forward (Glanz et al., 2015).
2. Which stages appear in the district's story
| Stage | Evidence in the vignette |
|---|---|
| Awareness or problem definition | Screening results reveal high prediabetes among staff |
| Adoption | The wellness coordinator proposes the program; the board asks for a pilot |
| Implementation | Not yet reached; paid time and coverage must be arranged |
| Institutionalization | Not yet reached; would require budget and policy changes |
3. Strengths and blind spots of stage theory here
The theory explains why the district is moving slowly and cautiously: it is between awareness and adoption, and different players, the finance office and principals, must be satisfied before implementation. It explains why a pilot is the natural next step. It does not explain the individual employees' choices, such as whether Maria will attend once the program is offered, which individual and interpersonal theories address (McLeroy et al., 1988).
4. What stage theory adds that other levels cannot
The theory shows that employer decisions can remove barriers individuals cannot, such as Maria's evening shift conflict, and that each stage needs its own strategy: data for awareness, a champion and a pilot for adoption, training and logistics for implementation and budget lines for institutionalization. With strong evidence that the program prevents diabetes (Knowler et al., 2002), the district's decision is about readiness, not effectiveness.
References
Glanz, K., Rimer, B. K., & Viswanath, K. (Eds.). (2015). Health behavior: Theory, research, and practice (5th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Knowler, W. C., Barrett-Connor, E., Fowler, S. E., Hamman, R. F., Lachin, J. M., Walker, E. A., & Nathan, D. M. (2002). Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. New England Journal of Medicine, 346(6), 393-403. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa012512
McLeroy, K. R., Bibeau, D., Steckler, A., & Glanz, K. (1988). An ecological perspective on health promotion programs. Health Education Quarterly, 15(4), 351-377. https://doi.org/10.1177/109019818801500401
What the CHS 340 Module 5 instructions ask for
In Module 5, the CHS 340 brief, again 36 points, applies an organizational change theory to the module vignette. As your group's expert on your assigned theory, cover the four required points on a single page: the theory's main claim, the constructs you can see, its explanatory strengths and gaps and the angle it alone provides. Organizational theories treat workplaces, schools, clinics and agencies as actors whose decisions shape the behavior of everyone inside them, so look for who decides, what stage the organization is in and what would move it forward. Upload to Canvas and share it with the group by the Sunday deadline, without generative AI. Notice who has authority to change policies inside the organization, since organizational theories focus on those decision points rather than on individual motivation.
How this CHS 340 Module 5 example is built
After a short summary of the workplace vignette, the brief takes the four questions in turn. A table maps each stage of organizational change to evidence, honestly marking two stages as not yet reached. The third answer explains the district's caution and points individual choices back to lower levels of the model, and the fourth explains how organizational decisions can remove barriers individuals cannot. A stage table marks which stages the district has reached and which remain, so the brief shows exactly where the organization stands. The third answer explains why the district moves cautiously, and the fourth turns the theory into practical next steps tied to each stage.
Reading the CHS 340 Module 5 grading rubric
The organizational brief earns its points when the theory's stages or constructs are described accurately, that they are applied to specific vignette events, that the student recognizes what the theory cannot explain and that the unique contribution is practical and clear. Marks drop for briefs that discuss individual motivation instead of organizational processes, that ignore stages not yet reached, that exceed one page or that arrive late. Graders also reward briefs that suggest the next step for the organization based on its current stage, such as a pilot or a budget request, since that shows the theory can guide action.
CHS 340 Module 5 help with common mistakes
Identify the organization's decision makers in the vignette before you write. Ask where the organization sits in the stages and what would move it to the next one. Mark stages that have not happened yet; that is useful analysis. Connect your answer to at least one other level of the model. Stay within the page limit and email the group before the deadline. If organizational theories are unfamiliar, the desk can help. Use the stage names consistently. Name the champion inside the organization, since adoption usually depends on one. Write the next concrete step the organization should take and explain which stage it belongs to.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
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CHS 340 Module 5 questions, answered
Where can I find a free CHS 340 Module 5 sample paper?
The full organizational-level Theory Expert Brief on a school district's wellness decision is on this page.
What are the stages of organizational change?
Commonly awareness or problem definition, adoption, implementation and institutionalization.
Why study organizations in health behavior?
Employers, schools and agencies make decisions that can remove barriers individuals cannot.
What does institutionalization mean?
A change becomes part of the organization's routine budget, policies and practice.
Can a theory brief say a stage has not happened?
Yes; identifying stages not yet reached shows careful analysis.