Business_Writing_Portfolio

Business Writing Portfolio Sarah Martin COM/285 March 10, 2010 Fred Steingraf Business Writing Portfolio Scenario: * You are a public relations manager who must present information regarding changes in retail store operations to three sets of stakeholders of a retail clothing chain. The stakeholders are store managers, employees, retail customers, and the public. You must explain adjustments that allow employees to come to work on fewer days a week in an effort to combat rising gas prices and save money on store operations. * Stores close on Sundays. On Monday through Saturday, stores open an hour later and close an hour earlier. Full-time employees, including managers, work four 10-hour days a week. Part-time employees consolidate their hours in 1-, 2-, or 3-day workweeks, depending on how many hours they are scheduled to work. No stores are closing, and no new stores are opening. * While constructing your messages, determine the characteristics of your audience, and consider the appropriate communication type and style for each audience. (Fred Steingraf, University of Phoenix, 2010, p. 11). * * * * * * * * * * Part 1: Business Writing Steps * Outline the steps you must take in drafting the three business communications. The outline may take the form of a list, a flowchart, or a web diagram. (Fred Steingraf, University of Phoenix, 2010, p. 11). * 1. Store Managers – Business Letter A. To B. Body 1. Changes in retail store operations a. Employees work fewer days b. New store hours c. New shifts d. Closing or opening stores C. Signature 2. Store Employees – Business Memo D. To E. From F. Subject G. Body 2. Changes in retail store operations e. Employees work fewer days new shifts f. New store hours g. Closing or opening stores 3. Retail Customers and the Public – E-mail Message H. To I. From J. Subject K. Body 3. Changes in retail store operations h. New store hours i. Closing or opening stores * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Part 2: Portfolio * Write three messages by selecting one message format for each audience. Explain the changes in the retail store operations. The three messages contain potentially negative information; address the information presented in the scenario so your audience might perceive it in a positive way. (Fred Steingraf, University of Phoenix, 2010, p. 11). * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 1501 Alamo Dr. Suite 90 Vacaville, CA 95687 March 10, 2010 Retail Clothing Chain Managers (business letter) 159 Aegean Way. Suite 160 Vacaville, CA 95687 Dear Management * We will be making changes in store operations. These changes are to help with saving money with the rising prices of gas as well as store operations. To achieve this, we will have employees work fewer days. Fulltime employees will work four ten hour days. This way they still get their full time hours. This will include management as well. Part time employees will work anywhere from one to three days. This will depend on how many hours they are scheduled to work. The will also have new hours for the store. The store will be closed all day on Sundays. Monday through Saturday, we will be open an hour later and close an hour earlier. We will not be expanding at this time. Our goal is to make things easier for our employees in these troubled times with the economy. Sincerely, Sarah Martin Public Relations Manager Retail Clothing Chain | To: | Employees (Memo) | From: | Public Relations Manager | CC: | Store Management | Date: | 3/10/2010 | Re: | Store changes | Comments: | * We will be making changes in store operations. These changes are to help with saving money with the rising prices of gas as well as store operations.To achieve this, we will have employees work fewer days. Fulltime employees will work four ten hour days. This way they still get their full time hours. This will include management as well. Part time employees will work anywhere from one to three days. This will depend on how many hours they are scheduled to work.The will also have new hours for the store. The store will be closed all day on Sundays. Monday through Saturday, we will be open an hour later and close an hour earlier. We will not be expanding at this time. Our goal is to make things easier for our employees in these troubled times with the economy. | To: Retail Customers and the Public (e-mail) Cc: Store Employees Subject: Store Changes March 10, 2010 Dear Customers: We are going to implement new store hours of operations. We will close on Sundays as well as two additional hours on Monday thru Saturday. Old Hours Sunday 10 am – 5 pm Monday 8 am – 10 pm Tuesday 8 am – 10 pm Wednesday 8 am – 10 pm Thursday 8 am – 10 pm Friday 8 am – 10 pm Saturday 7 am – 11 pm New Hours Sunday Closed Monday 9 am – 9 pm Tuesday 9 am – 9 pm Wednesday 9 am – 9 pm Thursday 9 am – 9 pm Friday 9 am – 9 pm Saturday 8 am – 10 pm We would like to apologize for any inconvenience and hope to see you soon. Sincerely, Sarah Martin Retail Clothing Chain Public Relations Manager Part 3: Reflection * Write a 200- to 300-word reflection on your writing, and compare and contrast the business writings in this assignment with academic papers you have completed. (Fred Steingraf, University of Phoenix, 2010, p. 11). * * * The writings that required for this assignment have been very different. Everything was short and to the point. This assignment allows one to put more of oneself into what they write. When one has the freedom to write in any form, they can show of their own personality. This assignment helps individuals learn the correct way to write different forms of notification. It also shows one how to choose the correct form of notification for each different type of group. * The writings required in this assignment inform a small particular group of people. One can be short and to the point. This assignment does not require us to use a certain word count. This makes it a little easier to compile without losing the audience. The academic papers one usually has to write is more like an essay. They require third person form. Academic papers require a certain amount of word range. The word count is usually around two thousand and three thousand. Developing a large word count can often cause some repeated information. The paper can also become boring and lose the reader’s attention. When this happens, one may get a lower grade or not get their point across with good understanding. * One would think that a person would rather do small communications, like those required in this assignment, rather than an academic paper. Short communications appear to be much easier to compile than a long paper. References Fred Steingraf, University of Phoenix. (2010). Course Syllabus. Retrieved from Fred Steingraf, University of Phoenix, COM 285 website. Fred Steingraf. (2010, March). Introduction to Business Communications week 3 [PowerPoint slides 9-10]. Retrieved from http://classroom.phoenix.edu/afm214/secure/view-thread.jspa'threadID=19310465.