Group_Report,_Presentation,_and_Folder_.docxIS 301 – Business Communications Analytic Research Report and Presentation GROUP PROJECT See Syllabus for Due Dates I. Background This is a group assignment. Each group may be comprised of three (3) or four (4) people. Groups of two are not allowed; groups greater than four are not allowed. During class time groups will be formed. On the day the groups are formed, each group member will present a potential research project idea to the group. Each group will vote to decide what topic to use for the group research report and presentation. Please see the list of suggested topics included in this document. Make sure you select a business-related topic. The group will complete a research paper and a presentation. Detailed information about these assignments is included in this document. Carefully review all of the information contained under the Deliverables section in order to complete all the requirements for these assignments. The group will also complete three small assignments related to this topic, team logistics, the work plan, and the proposal. In addition, you will turn in a group folder which contains various documents. Instructions for the small assignments will be given in class and on the Group Assignments folder on Beach Board. Everyone in the group will receive the same grade for these assignments. In addition, the group participation points will be “earned” points. Attendance during class time allocated to group work is required in order to gain the maximum group participation points. If you have questions about the report, presentation, or group folder, please ask the instructor early so as to maximize your time. II. Purpose There goals of this project serve four of the six course objectives for IS 301: a. Contribute to the solutions of business problems through collecting, evaluating, organizing, analyzing, and presenting information using proper style and form. b. Conduct research using a broad range of sources, synthesizing and judging the quality of collected information. c. Plan, prepare, and present a variety of oral and written messages required in a typical business organization. d. Collaborate effectively in a team environment to produce written documents and deliver oral presentations. Specifically, this project is designed to give students experience with creating a formal analytical report, which uses proper headings/subheadings, consistent formatting, clear organization and correct APA source documentation style in order to contribute to the solutions of a business problem. Furthermore, students will work together to develop and deliver cohesive group presentations. Each student must participate in both producing sections of the report and delivering parts of the presentation. In addition, students will receive documents and instruction on group management and organization. Group meetings will be held us ...

1. Group_Report,_Presentation,_and_Folder_.docxIS 301 –
Business Communications
Analytic Research Report and Presentation
GROUP PROJECT
See Syllabus for Due Dates
I. Background
This is a group assignment. Each group may be comprised of
three (3) or four (4) people. Groups of two are not allowed;
groups greater than four are not allowed.
During class time groups will be formed. On the day the groups
are formed, each group member will present a potential research
project idea to the group. Each group will vote to decide what
topic to use for the group research report and presentation.
Please see the list of suggested topics included in this
document. Make sure you select a business-related topic.
The group will complete a research paper and a presentation.
Detailed information about these assignments is included in this
document. Carefully review all of the information contained
under the Deliverables section in order to complete all the
requirements for these assignments.
The group will also complete three small assignments related to
this topic, team logistics, the work plan, and the proposal. In
addition, you will turn in a group folder which contains various
documents. Instructions for the small assignments will be given
in class and on the Group Assignments folder on Beach Board.
Everyone in the group will receive the same grade for these
assignments. In addition, the group participation points will be
“earned” points. Attendance during class time allocated to

2. group work is required in order to gain the maximum group
participation points.
If you have questions about the report, presentation, or group
folder, please ask the instructor early so as to maximize your
time.
II. Purpose
There goals of this project serve four of the six course
objectives for IS 301:
a. Contribute to the solutions of business problems
through collecting, evaluating, organizing,
analyzing, and presenting information using proper style and
form.
b. Conduct research using a broad range of sources,
synthesizing and judging the quality of collected
information.
c. Plan, prepare, and present a variety of oral and written
messages required in a typical business organization.
d. Collaborate effectively in a team environment to
produce written documents and deliver oral
presentations.
Specifically, this project is designed to give students experience
with creating a formal analytical report, which uses proper
headings/subheadings, consistent formatting, clear organization
and correct APA source documentation style in order to
contribute to the solutions of a business problem. Furthermore,
students will work together to develop and deliver cohesive
group presentations. Each student must participate in both
producing sections of the report and delivering parts of the
presentation.
In addition, students will receive documents and instruction on

3. group management and organization. Group meetings will be
held using face-to-face communication and interactive
technology.
III. Research Topic Suggestions
Give your research topic serious thought. Do not select a topic
that is highly controversial; doing so will increase greatly the
potential for bias in your report and will send you reading
through reams of material. Avoid topics that would be of
interest only to individuals. Your report must maintain a
business focus.
Our nation and state are faced with an economic crisis that
translates to adverse times and conditions in many companies.
In selecting your topic, keep in mind the theme of “Finding
Answers in Adverse Times.” Topics addressing business
problems and solutions in creative and practical ways should be
given top consideration.
Your team will select a topic area. This broad topic area will
serve as the springboard for solving a specific business problem
or answering a specific business question based in the topic
area. Ex. If the topic “Employee turnover” were selected, the
eventual narrowed topic/business problem might be “Target
Corp. is experiencing an increase in employee turnover among
entry level employees within six months of hiring. The costs of
this trend are excessive. What does Target need to know and
what steps can Target take toward resolving this business
problem?”
Some topics to consider (but you are not restricted to this list)
include:
· Downsizing
· Employee Healthcare

4. · Companies going “green”
· Burnout and employee wellness
· Business etiquette in adverse times
· Employer/employee trust and ethics
· Misuse of Technology in the workplace
· Employer/employee communication (ex. Performance
appraisals, leadership, support)
· Gossip in the workplace
· Harassment/bullying in the workplace
· Office politics
· Office Relationships
· Interpersonal conflict in the workplace
· Civility in the workplace
· Conflict in the workplace
· Misuse of Power/powerplays/intimidation
· Electronic communication in the workplace (ex. Social media,
Email, texting)
· Hiring practices
· Stereotypes
· Telecommuting
· Corporate image/identity
· Biotech
· Nanotechnology
· Employee privacy rights / restrictions
· Investment strategies – how these change based on market
conditions
· Status of the U.S. housing market (first-time buyer patterns)
· Saving / investment trends
· New technologies used in Business Communication
· Customer service trends on the Internet
· Employment prospects for new graduates
Additional, more specific topics are found at the end of this
document.

5. IV. Deliverables
Research Report:
Your report should be seven to ten single-spaced typed pages
including the introduction, body, and conclusion. For groups of
three, seven to eight pages are required. For groups of four,
nine to ten pages are required. The required title page,
biography page, transmittal letter or memo, table of contents,
bibliography, and optional exhibits and appendices are in
addition to the minimum report pages. Follow the list of
components provided in Chapter 11 of the text for an outline of
the sections to include in your report. All sections except the
executive summary are required.
You will be required to find a minimum of three published,
reliable sources per group member related to your topic. Use
APA-style documentation for your in-text report documentation
and works cited format. You are not obliged to obtain any
online sources that you have to pay for. The CSULB library
offers free access to many online sources and databases, as well
as printed sources. Your sources must be from reputable
sources (i.e. found from the CSULB library databases or other
published sources). Avoid use of “direct web references.”
These are not considered to be reputable sources. Please have
all direct web references approved by the instructor prior to
turning in your report. Direct web sources are in addition to the
published sources that are required.
Each group member must author one “main body” section of the
report. A typed page listing the major headings within the
report and the author of each must be included as the very last
page of the report. This is the “Author Page”.
Turn in two hard copies of your research report. Be sure the
pages are numbered. Spiral bind each copy of the report with a

6. clear plastic cover and black plastic back page. Your instructor
will grade and return one copy and keep the other on file.
The introduction must contain your research question,
narrowed, focused, and clearly stated; a scope statement
(specifying exactly what you are including and excluding), and
the purpose of the study – i.e., why it is important. In the
introduction also briefly describe your research strategy along
with what indexes and databases you searched. Do this in such
a way that the reader will feel confident that you are
systematically and thoroughly covering all the necessary ground
and that your information will be complete and credible. Make
sure you list those sources which supplied the most meaningful
support for your report conclusions.
Use information in Chapter 11 to develop your introduction.
Include all headings in the introduction as shown in Chapter 13.
Definitions are needed if you are using any important terms in a
way the reader won’t immediately understand. As a transition
to the report body, give the reader a brief preview of the way
your report body will be organized. (Assume some knowledge
on the part of the reader; otherwise your report may be too long
and too elementary). Review Chapter 11 in the text book for
formatting of your report.
The report body contains the information you found. Use a
system of headings and sub-headings and at least one exhibit
(visual / graphic) per person in your group. Use in-text
references, done according to APA style. An example is
(Denton, 2002, p. 46); this in-text note would refer a reader to
your bibliography, which must also be done in APA style. See
Appendix C on proper APA style documentation and use
www.apastyle.org for online references. A good online source
for APA style documentation is at:
http://www.nwmissouri.edu/library/citing/apa.htm#TOP . You
can also use the APA web sources referenced on the university

7. library web site.
The conclusion contains a summary of each main section and
any inferences you can draw on the basis of the summary. You
should have multiple paragraphs in your conclusion. If your
report is so focused, make sure that you include your
recommendations in the conclusion section. Make sure you
answer your research question within your conclusion through
use of an overall report concluding paragraph
Allow yourself generous amounts of time as the due date nears.
Writing and revising take time. Avoid a catastrophe and allow
yourself extra time to complete this paper.
Use your most competent business writing style. That means
clear, correct, plain, concise businesslike English; nothing
fancy, pompous, or wordy. Be careful to proofread your report.
Watch sentence structure, appearance, formation of the
possessive, spelling, and all the other errors that mar the good
impression your work can make.
Oral Presentation of Research Report :
Your presentation should last an average of four to five minutes
per group member. Groups of three should speak for 12 – 15
minutes; groups of four should speak for 16 – 20 minutes.
The purposes of your presentation are:
1. To share the information you have learned with your
colleagues
2. To give you practice in selecting from your written report
those highlights that are important for a complete understanding
and appreciation of your research

8. 3. To present this information convincingly and skillfully.
Follow the group speaker evaluation form to be sure to cover all
sections / information required in a well-prepared oral
presentation. Grading will be according to the speaker
evaluation form discussed in class. Your oral presentation
should reflect those important objectives. You will have both a
“group component” to the presentation grade and an “individual
component.”
Attendance at all of the oral presentations is required. You may
be asked to participate during the presentation of other groups
by assisting with the evaluations.
The group must prepare appropriate visuals for your
presentation. PowerPoint is frequently used. If you choose to
use PowerPoint, you are responsible for supplying your own
computer. If you use someone else’s laptop, make sure you
“test” the process before getting in front of the class to present.
Every laptop has different versions of software. Avoid a
disaster and practice your presentation on the computer you will
be using.
V. Grading Criteria
Written Report Grading Criteria:
Your written report will be graded in two parts; mechanics and
content. Each is worth approximately 50 percent of the total
grade. Under the “mechanics” section, you will be evaluated on
completion of all required elements of the report. (See Chapter
11 for a sample of a written research report.)
The content will be evaluated using the information you learn
during the semester. Spelling, grammar, word choice, topic

9. sentences, summarizations, introduction, conclusion, and the
appropriate supporting information are areas that will be
evaluated.
Presentation Grading Criteria:
The oral presentation will be graded according to the “Group
Presentation Evaluation” form that will be reviewed in class
(and is available on Beach Board). Each group member will
receive the same group grade and an individual presentation
grade. Each person within the group must present for a close to
equal portion of the total presentation time. You must not read
your presentation. Bring note cards with phrases to cue your
memory. You will be required to have substantial eye contact
with everyone in the room. If you read and do not have eye
contact, this will impact your grade significantly.
Group Participation Grade (Group Folder):
Group participation points will be based on three things: class
attendance during required class meetings, the group folder
contents, and evaluations by your team members.
Each group will be required to turn in a group folder. The
folder will include: *diversity checklist; meeting attendance
log; meeting minutes; graded group work plan; graded group
proposal; and your group performance contract.
More information will be given in class regarding the group
participation grade.
*This list may change. Be sure to check with instructor for
final list prior to turning in your folder.
Analytical Group Research Report Topics

10. Human Resource Management Topics
1. As a newly hired research assistant in the HR department of a
large company, you have been asked to determine the best
means of hiring and testing new employees. Consider what other
companies similar to yours are doing, research the major hiring
practices, assess the positives and negatives of each, and offer
recommendations to your department.
2. Because you have chosen to spend your time doing other
things, you have decided to sell your company to your
employees. You want the employees to stay because of their
uncommon, specialized knowledge, and their loyalty to the
company. Research has shown that respect and cooperation from
co-workers and managers, compensation, and other rewards,
help to retain good employees. What it boils down to is
promoting your company from within. Research various ways
this can be achieved. What are other companies doing to self-
promote? Based on an analysis of your research and what other
companies are doing, offer recommendations to managers of
your company
3. While it’s not a topic many employees feel comfortable
discussing, the issue of drug and alcohol abuse needs to be
addressed, according to the manager of your human resources
department. She has chosen you to research various approaches
and to assess what other companies are doing about employees
suffering from drug or alcohol abuse. She wants to know what
approaches these companies are taking and what programs they
offer. She also wants you to recommend a reasonable policy.
4. Because statistics show that the U.S. population is aging (i.e.,
baby boomers are nearing retirement), you have been asked to
review retirement packages in companies similar to yours.
Should your company be aware of any trends? Are future
retirees going to demand more? Your goal is to determine what

11. general retirement policies your company should adopt.
5. Your business is considering offering child-care and/or
elder-care benefits to its employees. Assess the financial
pros and cons of either type of benefit, and offer
recommendations.
Management Topics
1. Many companies are touting the benefits of various forms of
employee participation in management decisions. An example of
this is self-managed project teams. You've been asked to
investigate the most popular methods. What criteria should be
established to evaluate these methods? After you've evaluated
each method, provide your recommendation for the best one.
2. Numerous articles suggest that company wellness plans cut
firms’ healthcare costs. You're intrigued, but not totally sold.
Surely these plans must have disadvantages as well. You decide
to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of wellness
plans. It might help to get a sense of how rank-and-file
employees feel about these plans and reviewing the published
materials. Do the advantages really outweigh the disadvantages?
3. As a manager in a company with many employees using
computers, you’re dissatisfied with the Microsoft Windows
operating systems. You are no technie, but you do know that
Linux, an inexpensive operating system, is being talked up as
competition for the notoriously buggy Windows. Your friend,
the CEO, said that if you could justify a switch from Windows
to Linux, he might consider it. Prepare a report that compares
Windows and Linux operating systems. What are the pros and
cons of switching a business operation to a Linux system?
Gather data, draw conclusions, and make recommendations to
the CEO.

12. Accounting Topics
1. Assume you are working for a company that is considering
opening a business in another country. Analyze possible
accounting problems the company might encounter and offer
possible solutions for overcoming these problems.
2. After the corporate scandals of the early 2000s, Congress
passed legislation that it hoped would renew faith in the
accounting profession. Study the laws that were passed and
examine the effects of those laws. Why were they passed? How
has the accounting profession changed because of the laws?
What conclusions can you draw from your findings? What
recommendations can you make to accounting educators
regarding programs that train accountants?
General Business
1. Disagreement exists among students, business journalists and
others connected with academia about the value of a liberal arts
education in preparing students for a career in business.
Supporters of liberal arts say that a broad-based education turns
out graduates that have a broader range of skills and knowledge
and thus broadens their employment opportunities. Critics say
that the workplace is not always enthusiastic about welcoming
students with liberal arts degrees. Critics also say that the price
of a college degree drives students to attend college for
vocational purposes and graduate with specialized educations to
earn higher-paying jobs more quickly. What skills are important
in businesses today? Does a liberal arts education have value to
businesses in the industry in which you hope to work after
college? Make recommendations to a friend or family member
who will enter college soon and one day will want to work in a

13. business discipline.
Marketing Topics
1. Gap is one of the largest specialty retailers in the United
States. Fighting a “sweatshop” image, Gap studied the working
conditions in the hundreds of factories seeking to win Gap
contracts. Instead of being on the defensive, Gap reported that
90 percent of its suppliers failed to meet its initial evaluation.
As an intern at Wal-Mart, you have received an assignment to
study Gap’s report and its strategy in deflecting criticism of
working conditions. Wal-Mart suffered in the 1990s when its
celebrity endorser, Kathie Lee Gifford, received criticism over
working conditions in the foreign plants making her clothing
line. Study Gap’s strategy, its reporting, and its policies
regarding social responsibility. What are the advantages and
disadvantages in terms of marketing? Would you recommend
such a strategy for Wal-Mart?
2. Knowing you've just graduated from college with a degree in
marketing, a family from your hometown asks you to investigate
the pros and cons of their investing in a franchised business.
The family wants you to recommend a franchise in which they
can invest, to explain to them the financial and legal
implications, and to choose a location for the business. Of three
locations of your choice, which is the best for a new
McDonald's,Dairy Queen, Subway, Blimpie, or franchise of
your choice?
3. An ABC News report states that doctors and other critics are
skeptical of the food and beverage industry’s voluntary rules to
eliminate junk food advertising on television and company Web

14. sites to kids under 12. They claim that many companies have
found other, creative ways to use technology to push their
products to kids, such as social networking sites. As an intern at
the Center for Science in the Public Interest, you have been
asked to complete your own independent study of junk food
advertising to children under 12. Your job is to confirm or
refute that (a) most of the products that companies advertise to
children on TV and company Web sites are now healthy and (b)
that companies are not using ways other than television and
company Web sites to push their products to kids under 12.
Based on your findings, what conclusions can you draw? Do
you want to relate your study to the huge increase in childhood
obesity in this country and abroad? Make recommendations that
are appropriate for a center devoted to public interest issues.
4. What recent advertising campaign on a national level has
been a failure? What campaigns have been tremendously
successful? Select one or the other, analyze why the campaign
failed or succeeded, and offer recommendations to other
marketers.
5. Are rebates successful? Your job, as the marketing director
for a newly formed company, is to evaluate how successful
rebates are. What are their advantages and disadvantages to the
company and the customer? Prepare a report to the CEO.
6. Your company has a relatively large number of salespeople.
However, management isn't satisfied with the way the company
is evaluating individual salespeople. One controversial method
that has been used is to tape sales transactions. Management
finds this intriguing, but you're not sure. What other methods
are used? Select companies similar to yours to determine what
they are doing. What are the pros and cons of each? Which one,
in your view, is the best for your company?
7. You have been asked to conduct a market study of your city

15. (or another, if you choose) to determine the best location for a
given business (your choice). The company requesting this
study wants basic demographic information (e.g., population,
income, age, traffic flow, etc.) to be used as the basis for your
recommendation.
8. E-mail marketing is cheap and fast. However, most
consumers hate receiving “spam.” Your boss can't decide
whether to use direct-mail advertising or e-mail messages to
boost your company's sales. He asks you to assess the pros and
cons of each from the standpoint of the customer and the
company. He's particularly interested in the legal liabilities
associated with each one. Ultimately, he wants you to decide
which one is better.
Finance Report Topics
1. Does a relationship exist between success in major sports and
the amount of alumni donations to a college? Does success in
major sports positively affect the quality of applicants to a
college? Assume that the athletic department of College X
claims that if it receives significant financial support, it will
produce successful teams. In turn, those successful athletic
teams will pull in larger alumni contributions, which will attract
higher-quality students. As a research consultant, you have been
asked to study the issue. Do any studies exist that show the
effects of successful teams? Based on your findings, make a
recommendation to the administration of College X regarding
the funding request from its athletic department.
2. Your business is considering offering child-care and/or elder-
care benefits to its employees. Assess the financial pros and
cons of either type of benefit, and offer recommendations.
3. At your last school-sponsored investment club meeting,

16. many students were enthusiastic about online trading. You
aren't so sure. As a result, you decide to evaluate the benefits
and possible costs of online trading in order to present to your
investment club an objective assessment of the idea.
Information Systems Topics
1. A trade group of midsized businesses has hired you to
prepare a report and an oral presentation regarding issues
related to installing Wi-Fi networking. The trade group wants to
know where is the most appropriate use for the technology, the
technology’s advantages and disadvantages, and what your
recommendations are to businesses considering installing it.
2. Although many of the salespeople who work in your company
use laptops, they've asked you to investigate the benefits of
Web-accessible cell phones. Salespeople contend that the
portability of these phones, in addition to their ability to access
the Web, makes them an ideal sales tool. After you investigate
the benefits of these phones, you decide to compare the top
three or four phones offered using the following criteria: price,
network, band/mode, weight/size, screen size, battery life,
ringer options, and extras included. Which phone would be best
for your salespeople?
3. Should Company X (your choice) consider offshoring one of
its operations, such as call center or tech support? As a
consultant, you have been asked to research the pros and cons
of outsourcing and offshoring and make recommendations to the
company based upon your findings.
4. A popular trend in today's workplace is “telecommuting.”
Your boss has had several employees ask her about the
possibility of performing work — at least part time — at home.
Your boss isn't convinced that telecommuting is in her best
interest, so she asks you to write a report that analyzes the pros

17. and cons of this form of employment. Consider what jobs are
ideal for telecommuting, what the employment statistics reveal,
and how telecommuting affects both businesses and employees.
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Logistics+worksheet.docx
Section ______

19. What is your team name?
AMSN
What is the origin and/or meaning of the name?
The First letter of each member’s name.
What is your team (consulting firm) logo?
What is the origin/significance of the logo? In what way(s)
does the logo represent your firm?
The origin of the logo is the combination of our personalities
color codes. Our personalities’ colors are Red, White, and Blue.
It’s what diversifies us and it’s what brings us together.
Mission Statement
A mission statement answers the questions “Why do we exist?
What is our organization’s core purpose?”
Characteristics of a mission statement
· Short
· Memorable
· Inspiring

20. · Market focused
· What you want to be remembered for
· Not fluffy
Example: To organize the world’s information and make it
universally accessible and useful – Google.
After looking up some mission statements from various
organizations (you can find these on organization websites),
create a mission statement for your firm. Type it below.
To help every corporation brighten its Image and prospective.
Vision Statement
Answers the question “Where are we headed?”
Characteristics of a vision statement
· Future casting 5+ years
· Clear and visible
· Audacious (a bit)
· Descriptive
“Know what mountain you are climbing, because when you get
to the top of it, you want to make sure you are on the right
mountain.”
Example: To cure the world of breast cancer – Susan B. Komen
Foundation
After researching the vision statement of a few organizations
similar to yours, create a vision statement for your firm. Type it
below.
To enhance all corporations identity, communication, and
image.
Key Roles

21. What are the key roles to be filled in your firm?
Chief executive officer
Chief Financial officer
Marketing manger
Chief operation officer
Which team members will fill each of these roles?
CEO - Ali Aljuraifani
CFO - Naif Alsuwailem
COO - Mel Ramirez
Marketing manager - Salah Alharbi
Topic to Problem Statement
What is the general topic your team has selected?
Corporate Image
What sorts of business/workplace problems might a company
have regarding/due to this topic?
1- Bad publicity
2- Inaccurate advertisement
3- Employees
4- Product quality
5- Bad workplace
Name a couple of organization(s) that might have this problem?
(You may or may not have evidence of this)
1- Chipotle
2- Apple
3- Walmart
4- H&M

22. Select one organization (could be for profit, non profit,
government agency, municipality) that is going to be (for
purpose of this project) seeking a consulting firm to help them
solve a specific business problem regarding your topic area.
Type the organization below.
Chipotle
Write a clear and concise descriptive problem statement that
includes the specific business problem needing to be solved
(related to your topic) and the specific organization that is
seeking help with the problem.
Note: the organization may or may not actually have this
problem in reality. It just needs to be plausible that this
organization would be experiencing this business problem and
seeking consultants.
Example 1: Target Corporation is experiencing a high rate of
turnover amongst new employees six to twelve months after
hire. The company is rethinking its hiring policies and training
of new employees. How might Target Corp. improve its
hiring/training practices to lower its turnover rates?
Example 2: H & M is experiencing an increase in employee to
employee conflicts. Many of the employee complaints that have
been submitted are related to social chatter and gossip of fellow
employees. The conflicts are causing some employees to call in
sick to avoid face to face interactions with colleagues, practice
avoidance behaviors, and engage in verbal conflicts both in the
stores and in social media. This is causing losses in sales,
morale, and professional image for the company – all very
costly. What can H&M do to turn this trend around, minimize
gossip and social conflict and increase camaraderie amongst
employees?
Chipotle corporation is experiencing high rate of customer food
poisoning. This high rate is hurting Chipotle’s image. Now

23. Chipotle is planning to hire consultants to help with its Image.
Work Schedule
As a team, go over F7 Work Schedule. Work through a
schedule and assignment of responsibilities for your team to fill
in the work schedule. Note class deadlines for some of the
items and set your team’s internal deadlines a responsible
amount of time prior to allow for last minute corrections, etc.
Brown - Team Logistics
Oral Presentation Evaluation Form.docx
IS301 Business Communication
Group Presentation Evaluation Form - GROUP
Team Name ________________________________________
Presentation Date _________________
Section
Possible Points
Beginner
Developing

24. Adequate
Proficient
Outstanding
Points Earned
INTRODUCTION
10
Gain audience attention
Relate topic to the audience
Establish credibility

25. Introduce topic and team members
Preview the main points
BODY ORGANIZATION
10
Manageable number of main points
Main points are relevant to the topic

26. CONCLUSION
10
Prepared the audience for the ending (summarizations)
Vivid and interesting ending related to the topic
PRESENTATION VISUALS
10

27. Supported the content (were not just read)
Grammar, spelling, and punctuation was correct
Correct format (7 x 7 rule)
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
10
Speech included persuasive information (intro, body,
conclusion)

28. Speech adapted to audience members
Speech preparation, planning, and practice was obvious
Speech completed within time limit
IS301 Business Communication

29. Group Presentation Evaluation Form - INDIVIDUAL
Team Name ________________________________________
Presentation Date _________________
Presenter’s Name ___________________________________
Order of Main Point ______________________
Section
Possible Points
Beginner
Developing
Adequate
Proficient
Outstanding
Points Earned
ORGANIZATION and CONTENT
15
Manageable number of sub-points that were clearly introduced
to the audience

30. Sub points are organized and relevant to the topic
Points established and supported with evidence (examples,
testimony, statistics) and sources given
Effective, clear use of transitions and signposts
Summary and transition evident

31. DELIVERY AND EXPRESSION
20
Strong eye contact with ENTIRE audience (not just the
instructor)
Reading
Distractive fillers and pauses
Voice: rate and projection (volume)

32. Strong body stance, appropriate gestures, no distracting
mannerisms
Tone, inflection, and enthusiasm
Appropriate dress / appearance
OVERALL EVALUTION
15

33. Speech adapted to audience members
Speech preparation , planning, and practice was obvious
Speech section proportionate in timing to others in the group
IS301 Business Communication
Group Presentation
Evaluation Form
-

34. GROUP
Team Name ________________________________________
Presentation Date _________________
Section
Possible
Points
Beginner
Developing
Adequate
Proficient
Outstanding
Points
Earne
d

35. INTRODUCTION
10
Gain audience attention
Relate topic to the audience
Establish credibility

36. Introduce topic and team members
Preview the main points
BODY ORGANIZATION
10
Manageable number of main poi
nts

37. Main points are relevant to the topic
CONCLUSION
10
Prepared the audience for the ending
(summarizations)
Vivid and interesting ending related to
the topic

38. PRESENTATION VISUALS
10
Supported the content (wer
e not just
read)
Grammar, spelling, and punctuation
was correct

39. Correct format (7 x 7 rule)
OVERALL ASSESSMENT
10
Speech included persuasive
information (intro, body, conclusion)
Speech adapted to audience members

40. Speech preparation, planning, and
practice was obvious
Speech completed within time limit
Potential Analytical Group Research Report Topics.docx
Potential Analytical Group Research Report Topics
Your team will select a topic area. This broad topic area will
serve as the springboard for solving a specific business problem
or answering a specific business question based in the topic
area. Ex. If the topic “Employee turnover” were selected, the
eventual narrowed topic/business problem might be “Target
Corp. is experiencing an increase in employee turnover within

41. six months of hiring entry level employees. The costs of this
trend are excessive. What does Target need to know and what
steps can Target take toward resolving this business problem?”
Some topics to consider (but you are not restricted to this list)
include:
· Downsizing
· Employee Healthcare
· Companies going “green”
· Burnout and employee wellness
· Business etiquette in adverse times
· Employer/employee trust and ethics
· Misuse of Technology in the workplace
· Employer/employee communication (ex. Performance
appraisals, leadership, support)
· Gossip in the workplace
· Harassment/bullying in the workplace
· Office politics
· Office Relationships
· Interpersonal conflict in the workplace
· Civility in the workplace
· Conflict in the workplace
· Misuse of Power/powerplays/intimidation
· Electronic communication in the workplace (ex. Social media,
Email, texting)
· Hiring practices
· Stereotypes
· Telecommuting
· Corporate image/identity
· Biotech
· Nanotechnology
· Employee privacy rights / restrictions
· Investment strategies – how these change based on market
conditions
· Status of the U.S. housing market (first-time buyer patterns)

42. · Saving / investment trends
· New technologies used in Business Communication
· Customer service trends on the Internet
· Employment prospects for new graduates
· Outsourcing
· Retirement plans
More Potential Analytical Group Research Report Topics
Human Resource Management Topics
1. As a newly hired research assistant in the HR department of a
large company, you have been asked to determine the best
means of hiring and testing new employees. Consider what other
companies similar to yours are doing, research the major hiring
practices, assess the positives and negatives of each, and offer
recommendations to your department.
2. Because you have chosen to spend your time doing other
things, you have decided to sell your company to your
employees. You want the employees to stay because of their
uncommon, specialized knowledge, and their loyalty to the
company. Research has shown that respect and cooperation from
co-workers and managers, compensation, and other rewards,
help to retain good employees. What it boils down to is
promoting your company from within. Research various ways
this can be achieved. What are other companies doing to self-
promote? Based on an analysis of your research and what other
companies are doing, offer recommendations to managers of
your company
3. While it’s not a topic many employees feel comfortable
discussing, the issue of drug and alcohol abuse needs to be
addressed, according to the manager of your human resources
department. She has chosen you to research various approaches

43. and to assess what other companies are doing about employees
suffering from drug or alcohol abuse. She wants to know what
approaches these companies are taking and what programs they
offer. She also wants you to recommend a reasonable policy.
4. Because statistics show that the U.S. population is aging (i.e.,
baby boomers are nearing retirement), you have been asked to
review retirement packages in companies similar to yours.
Should your company be aware of any trends? Are future
retirees going to demand more? Your goal is to determine what
general retirement policies your company should adopt.
5. Your business is considering offering child-care and/or
elder-care benefits to its employees. Assess the financial
pros and cons of either type of benefit, and offer
recommendations.
Management Topics
1. Many companies are touting the benefits of various forms of
employee participation in management decisions. An example of
this is self-managed project teams. You've been asked to
investigate the most popular methods. What criteria should be
established to evaluate these methods? After you've evaluated
each method, provide your recommendation for the best one.
2. Numerous articles suggest that company wellness plans cut
firms’ healthcare costs. You're intrigued, but not totally sold.
Surely these plans must have disadvantages as well. You decide
to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of wellness
plans. It might help to get a sense of how rank-and-file
employees feel about these plans and reviewing the published
materials. Do the advantages really outweigh the disadvantages?
3. As a manager in a company with many employees using

44. computers, you’re dissatisfied with the Microsoft Windows
operating systems. You are no technie, but you do know that
Linux, an inexpensive operating system, is being talked up as
competition for the notoriously buggy Windows. Your friend,
the CEO, said that if you could justify a switch from Windows
to Linux, he might consider it. Prepare a report that compares
Windows and Linux operating systems. What are the pros and
cons of switching a business operation to a Linux system?
Gather data, draw conclusions, and make recommendations to
the CEO.
Accounting Topics
1. Assume you are working for a company that is considering
opening a business in another country. Analyze possible
accounting problems the company might encounter and offer
possible solutions for overcoming these problems.
2. After the corporate scandals of the early 2000s, Congress
passed legislation that it hoped would renew faith in the
accounting profession. Study the laws that were passed and
examine the effects of those laws. Why were they passed? How
has the accounting profession changed because of the laws?
What conclusions can you draw from your findings? What
recommendations can you make to accounting educators
regarding programs that train accountants?
General Business
1. Disagreement exists among students, business journalists and
others connected with academia about the value of a liberal arts
education in preparing students for a career in business.
Supporters of liberal arts say that a broad-based education turns
out graduates that have a broader range of skills and knowledge

45. and thus broadens their employment opportunities. Critics say
that the workplace is not always enthusiastic about welcoming
students with liberal arts degrees. Critics also say that the price
of a college degree drives students to attend college for
vocational purposes and graduate with specialized educations to
earn higher-paying jobs more quickly. What skills are important
in businesses today? Does a liberal arts education have value to
businesses in the industry in which you hope to work after
college? Make recommendations to a friend or family member
who will enter college soon and one day will want to work in a
business discipline.
Marketing Topics
1. Gap is one of the largest specialty retailers in the United
States. Fighting a “sweatshop” image, Gap studied the working
conditions in the hundreds of factories seeking to win Gap
contracts. Instead of being on the defensive, Gap reported that
90 percent of its suppliers failed to meet its initial evaluation.
As an intern at Wal-Mart, you have received an assignment to
study Gap’s report and its strategy in deflecting criticism of
working conditions. Wal-Mart suffered in the 1990s when its
celebrity endorser, Kathie Lee Gifford, received criticism over
working conditions in the foreign plants making her clothing
line. Study Gap’s strategy, its reporting, and its policies
regarding social responsibility. What are the advantages and
disadvantages in terms of marketing? Would you recommend
such a strategy for Wal-Mart?
2. Knowing you've just graduated from college with a degree in
marketing, a family from your hometown asks you to investigate
the pros and cons of their investing in a franchised business.

46. The family wants you to recommend a franchise in which they
can invest, to explain to them the financial and legal
implications, and to choose a location for the business. Of three
locations of your choice, which is the best for a new
McDonald's,Dairy Queen, Subway, Blimpie, or franchise of
your choice?
3. An ABC News report states that doctors and other critics are
skeptical of the food and beverage industry’s voluntary rules to
eliminate junk food advertising on television and company Web
sites to kids under 12. They claim that many companies have
found other, creative ways to use technology to push their
products to kids, such as social networking sites. As an intern at
the Center for Science in the Public Interest, you have been
asked to complete your own independent study of junk food
advertising to children under 12. Your job is to confirm or
refute that (a) most of the products that companies advertise to
children on TV and company Web sites are now healthy and (b)
that companies are not using ways other than television and
company Web sites to push their products to kids under 12.
Based on your findings, what conclusions can you draw? Do
you want to relate your study to the huge increase in childhood
obesity in this country and abroad? Make recommendations that
are appropriate for a center devoted to public interest issues.
4. What recent advertising campaign on a national level has
been a failure? What campaigns have been tremendously
successful? Select one or the other, analyze why the campaign
failed or succeeded, and offer recommendations to other
marketers.
5. Are rebates successful? Your job, as the marketing director
for a newly formed company, is to evaluate how successful
rebates are. What are their advantages and disadvantages to the
company and the customer? Prepare a report to the CEO.

47. 6. Your company has a relatively large number of salespeople.
However, management isn't satisfied with the way the company
is evaluating individual salespeople. One controversial method
that has been used is to tape sales transactions. Management
finds this intriguing, but you're not sure. What other methods
are used? Select companies similar to yours to determine what
they are doing. What are the pros and cons of each? Which one,
in your view, is the best for your company?
7. You have been asked to conduct a market study of your city
(or another, if you choose) to determine the best location for a
given business (your choice). The company requesting this
study wants basic demographic information (e.g., population,
income, age, traffic flow, etc.) to be used as the basis for your
recommendation.
8. E-mail marketing is cheap and fast. However, most
consumers hate receiving “spam.” Your boss can't decide
whether to use direct-mail advertising or e-mail messages to
boost your company's sales. He asks you to assess the pros and
cons of each from the standpoint of the customer and the
company. He's particularly interested in the legal liabilities
associated with each one. Ultimately, he wants you to decide
which one is better.
Finance Report Topics
1. Does a relationship exist between success in major sports and
the amount of alumni donations to a college? Does success in
major sports positively affect the quality of applicants to a
college? Assume that the athletic department of College X
claims that if it receives significant financial support, it will
produce successful teams. In turn, those successful athletic
teams will pull in larger alumni contributions, which will attract
higher-quality students. As a research consultant, you have been

48. asked to study the issue. Do any studies exist that show the
effects of successful teams? Based on your findings, make a
recommendation to the administration of College X regarding
the funding request from its athletic department.
2. Your business is considering offering child-care and/or elder-
care benefits to its employees. Assess the financial pros and
cons of either type of benefit, and offer recommendations.
3. At your last school-sponsored investment club meeting,
many students were enthusiastic about online trading. You
aren't so sure. As a result, you decide to evaluate the benefits
and possible costs of online trading in order to present to your
investment club an objective assessment of the idea.
Information Systems Topics
1. A trade group of midsized businesses has hired you to
prepare a report and an oral presentation regarding issues
related to installing Wi-Fi networking. The trade group wants to
know where is the most appropriate use for the technology, the
technology’s advantages and disadvantages, and what your
recommendations are to businesses considering installing it.
2. Although many of the salespeople who work in your company
use laptops, they've asked you to investigate the benefits of
Web-accessible cell phones. Salespeople contend that the
portability of these phones, in addition to their ability to access
the Web, makes them an ideal sales tool. After you investigate
the benefits of these phones, you decide to compare the top
three or four phones offered using the following criteria: price,
network, band/mode, weight/size, screen size, battery life,
ringer options, and extras included. Which phone would be best
for your salespeople?
3. Should Company X (your choice) consider offshoring one of

49. its operations, such as call center or tech support? As a
consultant, you have been asked to research the pros and cons
of outsourcing and offshoring and make recommendations to the
company based upon your findings.
4. A popular trend in today's workplace is “telecommuting.”
Your boss has had several employees ask her about the
possibility of performing work — at least part time — at home.
Your boss isn't convinced that telecommuting is in her best
interest, so she asks you to write a report that analyzes the pros
and cons of this form of employment. Consider what jobs are
ideal for telecommuting, what the employment statistics reveal,
and how telecommuting affects both businesses and employees.
Potential Analyti
cal Group Research Report Topics
Your
team will select a topic area. This broad topic area will serve as
the springboard for
solving a specific business problem or answering a specific
business question based in the
topic area. Ex. If the topic
“
Employee turnover
”
were selected, the even
tual narrowed

50. topic/business problem might be
“
Target Corp. is experiencing an incre
ase in employee
turnover within
six months of hiring
entry level employees
.
The co
sts of this trend are
excessive
.
What
does Target need to know
and what steps can Target take toward resolving
this b
usiness problem?
”
Some topics to consider (but you are not restrict
ed to this list) include:
·
Downsizing
·
Employee Healthcare

51. ·
Companies going “green”
·
Burnout and employee wellness
·
Business etiquette in adverse times
·
Employer/employee trust and ethics
·
Misuse of Technology in the workplace
·
Employer/employee communication (ex. Performance
appraisals, leadership, s
upport)
·
Gossip in the workplace
·
Harassment/bullying in the workplace
·

52. Office politics
·
Office Relationships
·
Interpersonal conflict in the workplace
·
Civility in the workplace
·
Conflict in the workplace
·
Misuse of Power/powerplays/intimidation
·
Electronic communication in the workplace (ex. Social media,
Email, texting)
·
Hiring practices
·
Stereotypes

53. ·
Telecommuting
·
Corporate i
mage/identity
·
Biotech
·
Nanotechnology
·
Employee privacy rights / restrictions
·
Investment strategies
–
how these change based on market conditions
·
Status of the U.S. housing mark
et (first
-
time buyer patterns)
·

54. Saving / inve
stment trends
·
New technologies used in Business Communication
·
Custome
r service trends on the Internet
·
Employment prospects for
new graduates
Work Plan .docx
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Chipotle corporation is experiencing high rate of customer food
poisoning. This high rate is hurting Chipotle’s image. Now
Chipotle is planning to hire consultants to help recovering its
Image.
PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF WORK
The purpose of this study is examine how corporations develop
and maintain their image. Nevertheless, this study will
determine whether Chipotle’s public image is hurt by the
increasing number of customer’s food poisoning. And if
implementing new strategic plans will help recovering its
Image.
SOURCES AND METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION
Our data sources will include a search for scholarly articles and

55. studies pertaining to our subject of corporate image from both
ABI/INFORM Complete and Business Source Premier. Primary
research will focus how corporations work on developing and
improving their image. Secondary research we’ll gather
information based upon Chipotle portrays its corporate image
from their company website.
PRELIMINARY OUTLINE
The preliminary outline for this study is as follows:
I. Chipotle's advantages when having a good corporate image.
A. Good corporate image is a good tool for marketing and
promotions.
B. Good company image increases its opportunities
C. Good company image might result in good publicity.
II. Chipotle’s disadvantages when having a good corporate
image.
A. You have to continuously monitor and work on maintaining a
good corporate image.
B. A company must handle its corporate image seriously
because any mistake might result in a decrease in sales.
C. Maintaining originality amongst other corporations.
III. How Chipotle can benefit from its Corporate image in
marketing
A. Good corporate image can persuade consumers to purchase
your goods based upon perceived notions about your company's
goals and objectives.
B. A good corporate image can help a company portray a certain
prestige or unique attribute that only the company posses.
IV. How can we evaluate a company’s image
A. What makes Chipotle different and better than its
competitors.
B. What is Chipotle’s strengths
C. What is Chipotle’s weaknesses
V. How can we make the company successful by enhancing its
corporate image?

56. A. Encouraging the employees in the workplace through good
leadership.
B. Active social media presence.
C. Corporate culture.
D. Empowering the employees.
E. Communicate the brand value throughout the company.
TASK ASSINGMENTS AND SCHEDULE
Each phase of the study will be completed by the following
dates:
I. Chipotle's advantages June 10, 2016
II. Chipotle’s disadvantages June 12, 2016
III. How Chipotle can benefit from its Corporate image in
marketing June16,2016
IV. How can we evaluate a company’s image? June 18, 2016
V. How can we make the company successful by enhancing its
corporate image? June 20, 2016