MBAF 501: Business and Academic Writing
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The Task:

Prepare a proposal for a work-related recommendation based on research.

Proposals can be fun to write, as long as you have a topic that truly engages your interest and you can locate materials for research.

Getting Started:

Your first step will be to locate 2 possible topics of interest that will serve for the proposal. The topic should be researchable, problem based, and directed toward workable solutions to issues and concerns in the workplace.  You will need a main idea/recommendation (like a thesis statement for an essay).

 Suggested topics might include:

a) Bullying, unprofessionalism in the workplace

b) motivating employees in challenging workplaces (ways to handle potential downsizing, closures, firings, unfair promotions, negative attitudes, and depression/discouragement in workers)

c) shrinkage in retail outlets (definitions, examples, systems to track it, ways to prevent it)

d) creating support groups at work (stress, exercise, etc.)

e) community violence as it impacts workplace (for example, employees being attacked en route to places of employment)

f) bad weather conditions and jobs that require driving or flying ( how to deal with situations of lost revenue or vehicle/aircraft mechanical failure)

g) customer service issues (is this a lost cause? Have businesses forgotten the need for courtesy?)

h) Find a topic that suits your interest and has available researched material

As with any research tasks, you will need to start with a few basic research questions relating to the topic and then search for information that will help you to answer these questions.

Describing situations and then analyzing problems will be your focus in this task.  Make best use of both academic and practical research skills. Your own experience is also relevant.