1. Write a memo in which you discuss an issue or problem at work from the perspective of an employee. This issue or problem may be real or hypothetical. Include your recommendations or suggestions for handling the issue or problem.
Write a second memo in reply to the first memo from the perspective of the manager. Reject the employee's suggestion or proposed solution in a professional manner. Give several important reasons for your rejection, including at least one key item the employee overlooked. Ensure that your tone is neither confrontational nor demeaning.
Each of the two memos should be about two to three pages (about 600 to 900 words). Short memos will be given a proportionate deduction in score.
2. Write a short research report explaining a recent innovation in your area of interest or expertise. Your goal is develop a recommendation whether your company should become committed to this innovation, or to explain why not.
Consult at least five recent sources, providing appropriate citations for each source you use. Use quotations and paraphrases appropriately. Use either the APA or MLA method, as described in Appendix B. Do not use other citation styles.
If a quotation exceeds three printed lines, you must indent it. The number of words in indented quotations will be deducted from the word count for grading the assignment.
Organize your report into sections that have headings that give the reader a good sense of the dimensions of the topic and the outline. Information you might present includes:
• Problems in the development of the innovation and potential solutions.
• Issues debated in the topic area.
• Effects of the innovation on your field and on the industry in general.
• Methods of implementing the innovation.
Your paper should be about three or four pages (at least 900 words). There will be a proportionate deduction in score for short papers.
3. Use a flow chart and an accompanying memo to explain a problem with a process with which you are familiar. For example, the problem could be a bottleneck where work accumulates and is not processed timely, or a step where two events depend on each other with the effect that they impede each other's progress.
In your memo, suggest a solution to the problem you have identified. Create a new flow chart that illustrates how your solution solves the problem. Request permission from your manager to implement the solution, either as a pilot project or as a parallel system that will demonstrate the effectiveness of your solution. Be clear in stating your rationale and that you want to explore how to best resolve the issue.
The complete package of materials should not exceed five pages of narrative and two pages of flow charts (one page per flow chart). The narrative is expected to be at least 900 words. There will be a proportionate deduction for short papers.
4. Write a set of instructions for a common process or activity either at home or at work. Choose an appropriate format as shown in the text. Include a visual aid that illustrates the process.
The narrative portion of this papaer should be about three to four pages (900-1200 words). Use as many pages for visual aids as you deem necessary to ensure a naive reader could take your instructions and successfully complete the process without endangering him/herself or anyone else. There will be a proportionate deduction in score for short papers.
5. Create a visual aid that illustrates a problem.
Using this visual aid, write a brief report that includes the data, the significance, and the cause of the problem. Include a suggestion for eliminating the problem.
Make a Gantt chart that illustrates a series of actions that are necessary to implement your suggestion. Provide a description of each action.
This report should be about three to four pages of narrative (900 to 1200 words) plus the visual aids. There will be a proportionate deduction in score for short papers.