M E M O R A N D U M

March 1, 2014

TO: Managerial Communication Students

FROM: Jie Wang

RE: Work Plan for the Final Project
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Please compose a memo to detail your team’s plan for the final project, which consists of a term paper and a class presentation on the company your team has been assigned. This memo will provide a general framework for the company research project so that each team member will be clear about his or her responsibilities.

The work plan should consist of the following sections:

Introductory paragraph: Identify the topic of the memo.
Statement of problem: Why is there a need to research the company and present its profile to the class? One reason could be since students will likely interview with companies based in the Chicago area for an internship or full-time position, it would be highly beneficial for them to become familiar with the company’s operations as well as its standing in the industry so that they would be able to make a good impression on the interviewer.
Statement of purpose: What are the main topics you wish to address in your report?
Research strategy: What sources do you plan to consult for the project? You should rely on more than simply documents from the company, such as annual reports, brochures, and newsletters (why would a company send out information about its weaknesses?). An excellent resource we have is the proprietary databases through the UIC library, such as ABI Inform Global, One Source, and Market Share Reporter.
Tentative outline: What specific questions do you plan to answer in this report? Be sure the questions you ask are relevant to your specific