Week 2
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This week, you will focus on all the planning and organizing involved in writing business messages. You will also review the various ways to effectively revise your messages. Later, you will study the importance of e-mails and memos; and finally, study the advantages and disadvantages of e-mails.
Your Learning Objectives for the Week:
- Critically analyze parts of a business letter, interoffice memo, email and other forms of communication used in an organizational setting.
- Using professional communication skill, compose effective, appropriate, edited, and proofread documents for use in an organizational context, including a business letter, job application cover letter, resume, openings and closing to communications, as well as positive letters to address negative situations.
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List of Topics and Sub-Modules for Week 2
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Quiz
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Due December 9 at 10:59 PM
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Discussion Topic
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Due December 10 at 10:59 PM
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Before beginning work on this week’s discussion forum, please review the link “Doing Discussion Questions Right,” the expanded grading rubric for the forum, and any specific instructions for this week’s topic.
By the due date assigned respond to the assigned discussion questions and submit your responses to the appropriate topic in this Discussion Area.
Respond to the assigned questions using the lessons and vocabulary found in the reading.
Support your answers with examples and research and cite your research using the APA format.
Start reviewing and responding to the postings of your classmates as early in the week as possible.
Interoffice Memos and the Related Ethics
You have just been appointed to head up the committee to plan the upcoming holiday party for your company, which employs around three hundred people. Susan, Mark, John, and Kathy have also been appointed to this committee. You have worked with Susan before and know that she will be a great worker. You have met Mark and Kathy, but do not know much about them. Unfortunately, you have heard that John can be difficult to work with. At any rate, you are really excited about planning this party and know that leading this committee will be a great opportunity to show your leadership skills.
Based on this scenario and your understanding of how to write internal e-mails, respond to the following:
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- Create an e-mail draft you want to send to your committee members about an initial meeting to discuss the party. In the e-mail, include any information you think is appropriate to get everyone excited and on board to make this the best holiday party ever.
Then, respond to any two of the following:
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- As you developed this e-mail, what did you consider including in the message? Why did you feel that was important to include?
- Were there any topics that you decided would be best not to include in this message? What were they and why did you choose not to include them?
- Were you concerned about how formal or informal this e-mail needed to be? Why?
- Is it ethical to include blind carbon copies (Bcc) in business e-mails? Give reasons for your agreement or disagreement.
- The information you have heard about John being difficult to work with has you concerned. Do you plan to communicate with him before the initial meeting? If yes, what method will you use to communicate with him? If no, why not?.
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Assignment
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Due December 14 at 10:59 PM
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Interoffice Memo
This course has major project assignments due in Week 3 and Week 5. It will take more than a week’s effort to adequately complete them. Plan time to start the research and work on those assignments earlier than the week in which they are due.
Interoffice Memo
The following memo is from an exasperated manager to her staff. Obviously, this manager does not have the time to clean up her writing or another set of eyes to review her written material before mailing it.
| From: | Albertina Sindaha, Operations Manager |
| To: | All Employees |
| Subject: | Cleanup! |
| Message |
You were all supposed to clean up your work areas last Friday, but that didn’t happen. A few people cleaned their desks, but no one pitched in to clean the common areas.
So we’re going to try again. As you know, we don’t have a big enough custodial budget anymore. Everyone must clean up himself. This Friday I want to see action in the copy machine area, things like emptying waste baskets, and you should organize paper and toner supplies. The lunch room is a disaster area. You must do something about the counters, the refrigerator, the sinks, and the coffee machine. And any food left in the refrigerator on Friday afternoon should be thrown out because it stinks by Monday. Finally, the office supply shelves should be straightened.
If you can’t do a better job this Friday, I will have to make a cleaning schedule. Which I don’t want to do. But you may force me to.
-Albertina Sindaha
Using the South University Online Library, research on the basics of interoffice memos. Based on your readings and understanding, create a 2- to 4-page Microsoft Word document that includes:
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- An assessment of the effectiveness of the memo with respect to its tone.
- An analysis on the potential barriers to the successful communication of its intended message.
- A revised memo with improved structure using polite and firm tone consistently.
Submission Details:
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- Name your document SU_BUS2023_W2_LastName_FirstInitial.doc.
- Submit your document to the Submissions Area by the due date assigned.
- Cite any sources you use in APA format.
