BA 495 – Business Strategy

Instructions for Individual Writing Assignment

Each student will prepare and submit 4 one-page write-up assignments. The purpose of these write-ups is to allow students to practice applying strategy constructs in the readings to the client project & current events. You must pick one concept from the readings from that week (or the previous week) and write about its application to your client and a current business event.

Please follow the following instructions and format for each assignment:

· Pick one concept from our readings. You must choose a different topic for each assignment.

· In the first paragraph: define the concept(s) from the reading or class discussion IN YOUR OWN WORDS (do not quote the concept from the book or any source you use). Hint: by illustrating your definition with an example, it will demonstrate to me your understanding of the concept.

· Second paragraph: apply the concept(s) to your client, or class discussion(s). Make sure you focus on the strategic implications of how or why the concept(s) is/are relevant or not relevant to your application. Please include an example to illustrate your concept. It’s perfectly fine to determine that the concept doesn’t fit your client. If you do so, please explain why and provide examples. P11

· Third paragraph : apply the concept(s) to a current business issue in the news from the last 6 months. Make sure you focus on the strategic implications of how or why the concept(s) is/are relevant the current business event. In this paragraph, you must provide in-text citation of your news source.

· Fourth paragraph: For each assignment, you will use and apply one of the four UNST Business Goals to your client. For application of each of these UNST goals, I have provided some guiding questions (prompts) below to use in your write-up, these are suggestions so you can either follow them (or follow a few of them) or choose a different route. In either case, you must discuss the UNST goal effectively.

· Reference page: Cite the news source for the current business issue from 3rd paragraph

· Your writeup must be: 1 to 11/4 page, single spacing, 12 pt Times New Roman, 1-inch margins

· The UNST goals to be addressed in each write-up are as follows:

1. Assignment #1: Communication. What are the core features of communication that will ensure a good outcome in how you communicate with your client and your team members? What previous experiences could you draw on for this? Provide 1 example of how effective communication facilitated your work and 1 example of how poor communication hinder it. What are the most important aspects of communication that you have learned throughout your time as a business undergraduate student? What has not worked? Think about both oral and verbal communication.

2. Assignment #2: Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice. How can differences between group members help or hinder the project’s progress or outcomes? For any challenges, how can you overcome them? In recognizing the positive aspects of diversity, how can they be better harnessed in your project work to support your client better? How is your client or client’s organization different from the examples/contexts in which you have studied business so far? What can you learn from these differences? How might you apply that? How does your client address or face issues of diversity, equity, or social justice? How do you suggest that your client work on these issues?

3. Assignment #3: Ethics and Social Responsibility: What new insights regarding social or environmental challenges have you developed based upon your experience with this class and/or your client? Based on your experience in this class, what social or grassroots efforts have you learned about that can help to improve the lives of others? How do these impact the lives of communities or the natural environment? How has your perspective on specific environmental or social issues evolved since you began this class? Does your client address environmental or social issues in an appropriate way? Why or why not? Do you see a tension between your client’s goals and social/environmental well-being? How would you reconcile that tension?

4. Assignment #4: Critical Thinking: As this skill is used throughout the term on all your BA 495 assignments and tasks, you do not need to write a fourth paragraph regarding this UNST goal.

· Grading Scale and formatting:

· Format: 1 to 11/4 page, single spacing, 12 pt Times New Roman, 1-inch margins

· Grading: The assignments will be graded based on a 4 point grading scale. Points will be given based on the following point system:

· 1 point each for completion of the following tasks on the assignments:

· 1 point for defining a concept

· 1 point for applying to client

· 1 point for applying to business recent business issue & for proper citation (both in-text and reference/work cited page)

· 1 point for applying the relevant UNST goal

· Points will also be deducted for improper formatting, poor writing, etc