MGMT 6100 Pre-Class Assignment Two
Instructions:
1. Read and study Chapters 1 through 4 (pp. 1-151) in your text (Leadership Communication).
2. Read the Superior Foods Corporation case situation (Exercise 2.1, pp. 52-56).
3. Complete a communication strategy analysis and write a memo to the employees. Your purpose for the memo is to call the employees to a meeting in the company cafeteria and set the stage for communicating the company’s situation.
4. Use the provided template to produce your strategy analysis for the situation and your memo. Limit your strategy analysis to one page and your memo to one page. Your grade depends on proper use of complete sentences, spelling, and punctuation / grammar. Proofread your work carefully to ensure that your writing is correct.
5. The following are some assumptions you can make as you approach the assignment:
a. The layoffs will affect 25% of the workers, or about 100 people, and the company will lay off the most recently hired workers. You will have the names identified within 24 hours.
b. Employees will still have access to the company’s health care and will be eligible for unemployment assistance from the government.
c. The company is not unionized.
Note: Answer the questions in bullet point format, using complete sentences and proper punctuation / grammar for each bullet point. Do not exceed one page.
Purpose
What is your objective or what do you want to accomplish?
Audience
Who is your target audience? Is there a secondary audience? What are the audience characteristics and interests relevant to your message?
Context
What are the contextual factors that may influence your message?
Message
What is your overall message? What do you expect others to do because of your message? What information must you include? What’s the best method for organizing your message?
Medium / Forum
What is the most effective means or channel for reaching your audience(s)? Why?
Spokesperson
Who is the best (most credible) person to deliver the message? Why?
Timing
When should the message be delivered?
Feedback
How will I determine if my audience receives my message as intended?
Page Break Superior FOODS CORPORATION
MEMORANDUM
(Date)
To:
From:
Subject:
Page Break
Communication Strategy Analysis Template: Superior Foods Case
Note: Answer the questions in bullet point format, using complete sentences and proper punctuation / grammar for each bullet point. Do not exceed one page.
Purpose
What is your objective or what do you want to accomplish?
Audience
Who is your target audience? Is there a secondary audience? What are the audience characteristics and interests relevant to your message?
Context
What are the contextual factors that may influence your message?
Message
What is your overall message? What do you expect others to do because of your message? What information must you include? What’s the best method for organizing your message?
Medium / Forum
What is the most effective means or channel for reaching your audience(s)? Why?
Spokesperson
Who is the best (most credible) person to deliver the message? Why?
Timing
When should the message be delivered?
Feedback
How will I determine if my audience receives my message as intended?
SUPERIOR FOODS CORPORATION
MEMORANDUM
(Date)
To:
From:
Subject:
MGMT 6100: Pre-Class Writing Assignment Grading Rubric – Superior Foods Case
Communication Strategy Analysis (1 point per omission or error)
Purpose ___ Provides clear, accurate statement of purpose or purposes
Audience ___ Identifies primary audience (and secondary audience if appropriate)
___ Describes at least two relevant audience characteristics or interests
Context ___ Identifies at least two contextual variables
Message ___ Provides a clear, single sentence summary of the message
___ Describes what the audience should do as a result of the message
___ Identifies at least three pieces of information important to the audience
___ Identifies a specific organizing pattern for the message (e.g., deduction, induction, etc.)
Medium ___ Justifies the selection of one or more channels or means
Spokesperson ___ Identifies the best person to deliver the message and explains why
Timing ___ Provides rationale for when message should be delivered
Feedback ___ Identifies at least one method for obtaining feedback on the message
Memo (1 point per omission or error)
Knowledge ___ Uses relevant and factually correct information from the case situation
Awareness of the Reader ___ Uses evidence, examples, and benefits most relevant to the reader
___ Selects words appropriate to context and reader’s knowledge
___ Builds goodwill by reflecting positive emphasis and bias-free language (e.g., nonsexist)
Organization (Informative Memo) ___ Creates clear, concise, meaningful subject line that captures the “so what”
___ Opens with most important information – gets to the point up front
___ Provides necessary details using pyramid logic flow
___ Uses goodwill ending (“closes with grace”)
Format
___ Uses appropriate document layout and inviting visual design (e.g., spacing, font, headings, lists)
___ Exhibits no misspellings, typos, or errors related to numbers, symbols, caps, hyphens, or italics (APA style)
Punctuation ___ Uses basic punctuation correctly (comma, apostrophe, end punctuation)
___ Uses advanced punctuation correctly (semicolon, colon, dash, quotation marks, etc.)
Sentence Structure (Clarity) ___ Writes grammatically complete sentences (e.g., no fragments, run-ons, comma splices)
___ Exhibits correct grammar and usage (e.g., subject-verb agreement, verb/pronoun forms)
___ Uses parallelism and modifiers to show relationships among ideas
Style ___ Conveys a professional tone appropriate to audience
___ Avoids unnecessary words and words that contribute nothing to the meaning
___ Uses active voice and strong verbs throughout the document
Last Completed Projects
| topic title | academic level | Writer | delivered |
|---|