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    Group Project For Bus251

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    Ayesha
    The document outlines a group project for a business class where student teams act as consultants researching the feasibility of a company expanding internationally. The teams must research a non-European, non-English speaking country and present on its suitability. The project involves writing a research proposal, formal report, and presentation. Teams must decide roles, policies, and meeting times in a procedural memo. The report requires analyzing the target country's history, geography, people, economy, and business environment to make an informed recommendation.

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    Group Project For Bus251

    Uploaded by

    Ayesha
    69 views5 pages
    The document outlines a group project for a business class where student teams act as consultants researching the feasibility of a company expanding internationally. The teams must research a non-European, non-English speaking country and present on its suitability. The project involves writing a research proposal, formal report, and presentation. Teams must decide roles, policies, and meeting times in a procedural memo. The report requires analyzing the target country's history, geography, people, economy, and business environment to make an informed recommendation.

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    GrpPrjBus251-final

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    The document outlines a group project for a business class where student teams act as consultants researching the feasibility of a company expanding internationally. The teams must research a non-European, non-English speaking country and present on its suitability. The project involves writing a research proposal, formal report, and presentation. Teams must decide roles, policies, and meeting times in a procedural memo. The report requires analyzing the target country's history, geography, people, economy, and business environment to make an informed recommendation.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    69 views5 pages

    Group Project For Bus251

    Uploaded by

    Ayesha
    The document outlines a group project for a business class where student teams act as consultants researching the feasibility of a company expanding internationally. The teams must research a non-European, non-English speaking country and present on its suitability. The project involves writing a research proposal, formal report, and presentation. Teams must decide roles, policies, and meeting times in a procedural memo. The report requires analyzing the target country's history, geography, people, economy, and business environment to make an informed recommendation.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 5

    Group Project For Bus251

    Teams play a crucial role in the modern corporate workplace. The prevalence of collaborative
    work brings to the forefront issues of identifying leadership; dealing with conflict; delegating
    work in a team; and employing different perspectives, experiences, and strengths that each
    individual contributes. This assignment is about exploring issues of international/intercultural
    awareness in the context of our fast-paced progression toward being a global village.

    THE PROJECT
    As consultants, your team has recently been contacted by the CEO of MDO Inc., Mr. Mark Orr.
    His corporation is widely known throughout the United States and is financially stable. The
    headquarters are located in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

    Mr. Orr is worried that many corporations similar to his are expanding globally. He doesn’t want
    to get left behind. So, he has asked your team to explore the feasibility of expanding MDO Inc.
    and setting up operations in an international country. He would like you to research a specific
    non-European and predominantly non-English speaking country. Mr. Orr is not necessarily
    looking for a positive recommendation but a well-researched one. To reach a conclusion, your
    team might research the following:

    **Findings and Analyses of Country (brief information for each section).


    o History
    o Geography
    o People
    o Currency
    o Population
    o Customs
    o Climate
    o Economy
    Overview of Business
    o Competition
    o Advertising
    o Staffing

    You might also like to look at natural resources, available labor, existing industries, legal
    structures, cultural differences, cultural trends, etc. of the chosen international country. The
    research should also determine cultural business communication practices of your chosen
    country and how they would impact Mr. Orr’s corporation if MDO Inc. decides to expand
    internationally.

    For this project, your team will complete the following tasks:

     Research Proposal
     Formal Report
     Formal Presentation
    THE FIRST STEPS
    The first few steps your team needs to complete are as follows:

    1) Write the procedural memo


    See the instructions below.

    2) Conduct some initial research on which country you would like to select
    Once your team has agreed on a country, you must propose your topic for approval to me as
    your supervisor. Talk to me or e-mail your team’s preliminary topic ideas so I can make sure
    you are on the right track and suggest resources or other considerations.

    3) Identify the type of product(s)/service(s) MDO Inc. is nationally known for


    The product/service you choose will shape the kinds of research that you conduct on your
    country. For example, if you determine that MDO is responsible for some facet of the tourism
    sector, you will investigate different kinds of information than you would if you determine MDO
    is a water purification plant or a roller coaster manufacturing company. Perhaps MDO provides
    computer support services, or perhaps MDO provides consulting for small-medium size cities to
    establish public museums.

    PROCEDURAL MEMO:

    After meeting your team, decide upon answers for the following questions:

     Develop a mission statement for this project.


     What will be the roles of team’s members? (Researcher, motivator, writer, compiler,
    editor, leader, designer, etc.)
     What are the tasks your team needs to accomplish? Be specific and set preliminary dates,
    if necessary.
     When will outside of class meetings take place? Determine available times now when
    your team members all can meet so that you have a plan in place if the need arises. Can
    you hold meeting if all team members are not present? How will you inform members of
    what occurred at meetings if they are not present?
     How will you resolve disagreements? Be specific.
     Create a policy dealing with people who don’t attend class during your preparation days
    or the presentation day, don’t meet outside of class, miss deadlines, or don’t do their
    assigned work at all or in a timely manner. How does your team define absence? Are all
    types equal? You MUST have a specific policy. You cannot say that your choice is not to
    have a policy or to deal with the problems as they arise. There are many options (Loss of
    points? Grade reductions? Failure? Out of the team? Team intervention?), but what that
    policy is remains up to your team.

    Once you have decided on procedures, your team is expected to follow them throughout the
    entire project.

    RESEARCH PROPOSAL
    Once your topic is finalized, write a research proposal, proving that you have a good grasp of the
    topic and have begun to research. As Locker & Kienzler note, proposals suggest a method for
    finding information and have as their main goal the task of getting your project accepted. Your
    proposal should be approximately 3 pages in length.

    Make sure the proposal includes the following:

     An overview of the problem that exists for MDO Inc.


     Some basic information on the country/culture and why it is an interesting research site
    that will help solve the problem
     Layers of audience for whom you will present formal report and presentation
     Topics you plan to investigate
     Methods/Resources (at least 5 prospective sources; 2 must be print-based; APA style)
     Work Schedule
     Call to Action

    Consider the following areas to propose for your research:

     General summary of the problem/reason organization should expand


     Research on the industry and expansion of other related organizations
     Research on the country and culture which might include natural resources, available
    labor, existing industries, economy, legal structures, cultural differences, etc (refer to **)
     Country/culture communication information that would be relevant and useful for MDO
    Inc. to know to make a sound business decision about expanding, such as:
    o Verbal and nonverbal communication, including body language
    o Tone of communication
    o Roles and mannerisms
    o Attitude toward materialism
    o Time awareness differences
    o Concepts of personal space
    o Decision making, problem solving, and negotiation
    o Political afflictions with the United States
    o Anything else you think would be useful to know about communication

    NOTE: This is a research proposal to prove you have a good idea of how to complete the project.
    You should not discuss the project as if you have already decided what your business analysis
    will be because you won’t know until you have completed the research.

    FORMAL REPORT:
    Once your proposal is approved, your team will write a comprehensive recommendation report.
    Your report should give a thorough explanation of your recommendation, describing it in terms
    of the criteria you listed in your report and using specific details from your research. The goal for
    this part of the project is to demonstrate your ability to research solutions to a problem and to
    persuasively pitch your recommendations.
    Your formal report must include the components and format outlined below. See an example of
    this assignment that has been attached.

     Cover
     Title Page
     Transmittal
     Table of Contents/List of Illustrations
     Executive Summary
     Report Body
    o Introduction
    o Body
    o Conclusions/Recommendations
     References (APA Style)

    Your report will contain a minimum of 7 sources. Cite all ideas and images throughout the report
    with in-text citations, as well as a reference page at the end using APA style. If you have
    questions about paraphrasing, summarizing, and documenting sources, please see me.

    Keep in mind that you may find competing viewpoints of what constitutes sound business
    communication practices in your selected country. You are encouraged to report these
    ambiguities. Remember that you will receive subjective viewpoints from all of your sources
    (interviews, internet, books, and journals). Ensure that your team does not stereotype or make
    quick generalizations. (i.e., “All people in China….”; “Every Cuban prefers…”)

    The report should have a professional look (consistent graphical design, headings, footers, etc.)
    and also include at least two to three supportive and functional visuals (graphs or charts). If need
    be, you can create data for MDO Inc.

    Your report will be graded on:

     Inclusion of all necessary elements, especially country research


     Proof of a well thought-out, well researched, logical argument using stated criteria the
    country must meet to get a positive recommendation
     Appropriate citations and list of sources
     Logical conclusions and recommendations
     Appropriate grammar, style, tone, organization
     Visual appropriateness (format, use of visuals, use of headings/subheadings)

    NOTE: Please be aware that this is a collaborative team project. That being said, all members of
    the team will receive the same grade (expect in extraordinary circumstances) for the formal
    report. However, the presentation will be graded for both group and individual performance.

    FORMAL PRESENTATION: last two class periods


    Based on your team's research efforts, deliver your findings with a formal presentation to the
    class and, theoretically, Mr. Orr, CEO of MDO Inc. The presentation should last approximately
    15 minutes. There will be a question and answer session after each presentation for which you
    will need to provide logical and coherent answers. (Formal presentation = professional attire)

    Consider the following areas to cover during your presentation:

     General summary of the problem/reason organization should expand


     Related organizations like MDO Inc. and their respective expansions
     Research on the country and culture which might include natural resources, available
    labor, existing industries, economy, legal structures, cultural differences, etc
     Country/culture communication information that would be relevant and useful for MDO
    Inc. to know to make a sound business decision about expanding:
     Explain how MDO Inc. would need to adapt American communication practices to
    effectively communicate in your selected country
     Conclude with a recommendation for MDO Inc.

    Be sure that during the presentation your team does not make stereotypes or quick
    generalizations. (i.e., “All people in China….”; “Every Cuban prefers…”). It’s highly unlikely
    that people in your country all think the same way. You would never make a statement like, “All
    Americans prefer to eat pizza over ice cream.”

    Try to find visual artifacts that can showcase your selected culture’s business communication
    practices. The presentation should include more visuals than text. Your presentation must also
    contain citations of all images and ideas throughout the presentation with in-text citations, as
    well as a works cited slide at the end using APA or MLA style. If you have questions about
    paraphrasing, summarizing, and documenting sources, please see me.

    Your presentations will be evaluated on the following:

     Well-rehearsed, well-timed presentation (no more than 3 minutes over or under)


     Proof of well thought-out, well researched, logical argument
     Equal participation of team members
     Audience attention (classmates will also be evaluating the presentation)
     Use of coherent, descriptive, and appropriate visual elements
     Appropriate citations in body and list of sources in APA or MLA style at the end
     Logical introduction, conclusions, and recommendations

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