COM425 Ashford University Formal vs Informal Communication Discussions 1

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COM425 Ashford University Formal vs Informal Communication Discussions 1

These are two separate discussion posts not one paper. Both discussion posts need to be completed. Any references used should be in APA format and cited in the body of the posts as well as a reference section.

Formal vs. Informal communication

Organizational communication can flow in many different directions and can take on various ways of being communicated through formal or informal channels. To illustrate this further, Chapter One, section 1.5 discusses formal and informal channels of communication. Provide an example of formal communication and an example of informal communication. Which type of communication do your prefer in a work environment? Why?

Post should be at least 250 words in length. Support claims with examples from scholarly resources, and properly cite any references.

Putting theory into practice

In Chapter Two, section 2.2 the author discusses four different communication principles. Choose one principle and briefly explain it in your own words. Summarize what the principle is about and share an example from your own life that illustrates it. How do you believe this communication principle can help us understand organizational communication?

Post should be at least 250 words in length. Support claims with examples from scholarly resources, and properly cite any references.

Reference:

Kreps, G. L. (2011). Communication in organizations [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu

COM425 Ashford Essence of Communication Skills in Business Article Critique

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COM425 Ashford Essence of Communication Skills in Business Article Critique

Article Critique – Does Communication Matter in ALL Fields?

Read the article, A tool kit for the real world.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwi2uPjYz8zUAhXm8YMKHY3mC3UQFggmMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.newscientist.com%2Farticle%2Fdn19969-a-tool-kit-for-the-real-world%2F&usg=AFQjCNFNX-o47afED4nxPLLFUAyshJLs7g&sig2=mmN-gDp3DRiiC3YXSgbCzw

In this article, the author discusses the importance of communication skills within a field that many people may not believe strong communication skills are necessary. Write a paper about your thoughts on this article. In your paper, be sure to also address the following:

  • Argue for or against the necessity of strong communication skills in every type of organization.
  • Discuss the type of organization that you want to work for in the future and why.
  • Evaluate how having strong communication skills will help you within that field.

Please make sure to reference the article and at least one other article in your paper.

The paper must be two pages in length (excluding title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style. Cite your resources in text and on the reference page.

Reference:

Motluk, A. (2011). A tool kit for the real world. New Scientist, 209, 5. Retrieved from: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19969-a-tool-kit-for-the-real-world.html?full=true

COM295 Phoenix Request for The Launch of Proposed New Product Memo

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COM295 Phoenix Request for The Launch of Proposed New Product Memo

Scenario: In Week 3, you selected a product or service that you believe your organization should invest capital resources to develop the product or service for sale. To speed up the new product investment, you decide to write a memo proposing and advocating for the launch of a new product or service to the company president.

Create a memo proposal using the AIDA model in a Microsoft® Word in a minimum of 1,400 words. You will add an introduction and conclusion, and your paper will include the following components:

  • Convince your audience to invest capital resources to develop the product or service you intend to sell and explain your rationale. See Figure 9.5 – Persuasive Message Using AIDA model.
  • Gain credibility (for yourself and your request) and (2) to make your readers believe that helping your product/service will indeed benefit the company. Close with a request for some specific action, and make that course of action as easy to follow as possible to maximize the chances of a positive response.
  • Include secondary research to support your argument, related to your product and/or service.
    • Explain what you will do in case the selected product or service does not initially sell as much as expected.
    • Indicate potential digital channels for marketing your product or service.
    • Consider cross-cultural and multinational implications.

Note: Main points from this memo will be included in the Week 5 Persuasive Presentation.

The following guidelines will help you effectively format specific memo elements, Business Communication Essentials, 7/e (Pg. 410):

  • Addressees. When sending a memo to a long list of people, include the notation See distribution list or See below in the position at the top; then list the names at the end of the memo. Arrange this list alphabetically, except when high-ranking officials deserve more prominent placement. You can also address memos to groups of people–All Sales Representatives, Production Group, New Product Team.
  • Courtesy titles. You need not use courtesy titles anywhere in a memo; first initials and last names, first names, or even initials alone are often sufficient. However, use a courtesy title if you would use one in a face-to-face encounter with the person.
  • Subject line. The subject line of a memo helps busy colleagues quickly find out what your memo is about, so take care to make it concise and compelling.
  • Body. Start the body of the memo on the second or third line below the heading. Like the body of a letter, it’s usually single-spaced with blank lines between paragraphs. Indenting paragraphs is optional. Handle lists, important passages, and subheadings as you do in letters.
  • Writer’s initials. Unlike a letter, a memo doesn’t require a complimentary close or a signature, because your name is already prominent at the top. However, you may initial the memo–either beside the name appearing at the top of the memo or at the bottom of the memo.

Format consistent with APA guidelines.

GUIDELINE

Memos

Electronic media have replaced most internal printed memos in many companies, but you may have occasion to send printed memos from time to time. These can be simple announcements or messages, or they can be short reports using the memo format.

On your document, include a title such as MEMO or INTEROFFICE CORRESPONDENCE (all in capitals) centered at the top of the page or aligned with the left margin. Also at the top, include the words To, From, Date, and Subject—followed by the appropriate information—with a blank line between as shown here:

MEMO

TO:

FROM:

DATE:

SUBJECT:

Sometimes the heading is organized like this:

MEMO

TO: FROM:

DATE: SUBJECT:

The following guidelines will help you effectively format specific memo elements:

Addressees. When sending a memo to a long list of people, include the notation See distribution list or See below in the To position at the top; then list the names at the end of the memo. Arrange this list alphabetically, except when high-ranking officials deserve more prominent placement. You can also address memos to groups of people—All Sales Representatives, Production Group, New Product Team.

Courtesy titles. You need not use courtesy titles anywhere in a memo; first initials and last names, first names, or even initials alone are often sufficient. However, use a courtesy title if you would use one in a face-to-face encounter with the person.

Subject line. The subject line of a memo helps busy colleagues quickly find out what your memo is about, so take care to make it concise and compelling.

Body. Start the body of the memo on the second or third line below the heading. Like the body of a letter, it’s usually single-spaced with blank lines between paragraphs. Indenting paragraphs is optional. Handle lists, important passages, and subheadings as you do in letters.

Second page. If the memo carries over to a second page, head the second page just as you head the second page of a letter.

Writer’s initials. Unlike a letter, a memo doesn’t require a complimentary close or a signature, because your name is already prominent at the top. However, you may initial the memo—either beside the name appearing at the top of the memo or at the bottom of the memo.

Other elements. Treat elements such as reference initials and copy notations just as you would in a letter. One difference between letters and memos is that while letters use the term enclosure to refer to other pieces included with the letter, memos usually use the word attachment.

Memos may be delivered by hand, by the post office (when the recipient works at a different location), or through interoffice mail. Interoffice mail may require the use of special reusable envelopes that have spaces for the recipient’s name and department or room number; the name of the previous recipient is simply crossed out. If a regular envelope is used, the words Interoffice Mail appear where the stamp normally goes, so that it won’t accidentally be stamped and mailed with the rest of the office correspondence.

Informal, routine, or brief reports for distribution within a company are often presented in memo form. Don’t include report parts such as a table of contents and appendixes, but write the body of the memo report just as carefully as you’d write a formal report

MKT575 Phoenix iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus Customer Buying Behavior Memo

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MKT575 Phoenix iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus Customer Buying Behavior Memo

Purpose of Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to helpstudents learn how to create a professional corporate memo offeringrecommendations to the marketing department on how to most effectivelyanalyze customer buying behavior.

Assignment Steps

Create a 700-word memo/analysis of a selected targetmarket, and how you would suggest the organization should position anddifferentiate the product offering for that target market. You may useyour own organization or company, or another of your choosing.

Include in your memo/analysis:

  • The identification of key segmentation factors such as demographic,psychographic, geographic, and behavioral characteristics of theselected target market.
  • Determine the key buying behaviors and decision motivators for yourconsumers. Include an analysis of cultural, social, psychologicalfactors, and possible unexpected factors.
  • Decide how you will differentiate your product or service, personnel, marketing channels, and brand image from the competition.
  • Create a brief portrait of the ideal customer.
  • Generate a positioning statement for the organization with consideration for the brand and strategy.

Cite at least three references from the University Library.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

You Will Be Required To Write A Six-Page Report (Apa), Using The Following Format: Introduction:

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You Will Be Required To Write A Six-Page Report (Apa), Using The Following Format: Introduction:

  

You will be required to write a six-page report (APA), using the following format:

Introduction: Both qualitative and quantitative) reasons used in selecting each of the stocks in your portfolio. This must also include a brief background of the companies. 

Analysis: Ratio analysis of each of your four companies and the performance of portfolio during the duration of the project. This section must explain the key possible causes for the volatility (changes in the weekly prices of the stocks) in the performance of your portfolio.

Recommendations: must be based on either one of the following (a) Buy, (b) Sell, (c) Hold. They should be driven by the performance of the portfolio and relevant concepts. 

Conclusion: Must include lessons learnt from the project.

 

Your Task Is To Predict Whether The Customer Continues With The Bank Or Closes It.

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Your Task Is To Predict Whether The Customer Continues With The Bank Or Closes It.

Your task is to predict whether the customer continues with the bank or closes it. You are provided with below two datasets attached here (please do not use datasets directly from Kaggle link shared above).

You are expected to follow the below steps:

1. Handle missing values in the datasets

2. Divide the "BankChurnDataset" into the training and testing dataset. Train the model and Comment on the Model Accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity of the dataset.

3. Use the model to predict whether a particular customer would churn or not using the "NewCustomerDataset".

     

    This Portfolio Work Project, A Budget Analysis And Cost Estimating Artifact, Is Based On Your

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    This Portfolio Work Project, A Budget Analysis And Cost Estimating Artifact, Is Based On Your

     

    This portfolio work project, a budget analysis and cost estimating artifact, is based on your selected business or IT project. You may choose to base your assessment on the "Revive LLC" case study for the development of a new online employee orientation module, or you may select a company/scenario of your own choosing. Both human resources (HR) and information technology (IT) employees, as well as contractors, will be used in this project.

    PMI has provided a definition of the Cost management plan in the 7th edition of the PMBOK® Guide and is defined as "this plan is a component of a project or program management plan that describes how costs will be planned, structured, and controlled" (Project Management Institute, 2021, p. 218). Also, consideration needs to be taken with respect to project costs and stakeholder differences. Financial performance techniques provide both internal and external measurement capabilities that allow for decision-making, financial analysis, and mitigation strategies.

    Effective cost management involves establishing a cost baseline for measuring project performance. Establishing the project baseline is like establishing a point of reference. Whatever that point of reference, it will become the baseline against which project performance will be measured. This cost baseline becomes the basis for more advanced techniques, such as earned value management (EVM).

    Project cost management includes planning for the resources needed: the people, equipment, and materials. With the use of proven estimating techniques, an estimate is presented to the project sponsor and management for approval. Upon approval, the cost estimate becomes the official budget for the project. As the project goes through the normal project life cycle, cost control techniques track and monitor the budget, which allows you to make sure you will not incur a budget overrun.

    Reference

    Project Management Institute. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Seventh Edition and The Standard for Project Management. Newtown Square. PA. 2021.

    Authentic Experience Project Components

    You will do what is necessary to have the project succeed this time around. Using the Project Revive LLC scenario or a project of your choosing, you will:

    • Assess the failed project by examining the cost estimation process.
    • Analyze the existing project work-breakdown structure (WBS).
    • Create a new WBS.

    Using the original WBS:

    • Break down the activities and tasks further into smaller work packages that will not exceed 80 hours of work.
    • You may also add new activities and tasks that you think are needed to successfully complete the project.
    • You will use Microsoft Project as the project management software tool to create the new WBS in tabular form.

    YouTube has many excellent project management videos that may be helpful to review before completing this assessment.

    Scenario

    For this assignment, choose either Option A or Option B. You do not need to do both. Both options will be graded using the same rubric.

    Option A: Project Revive LLC is a consulting firm of highly charged and accomplished project managers whose main stream of revenue comes from managing the turnaround of failing projects. As a consultant with Project Revive LLC, you will study, analyze, and manage a failed project from NearlyFree.com. NearlyFree.com is a fictitious company and the project documents for NearlyFree.com project scenario are located in Resources area for this assignment. The NearlyFree.com project was originally scoped to develop and deploy an automated web-based training system for new employees to reduce the workload and cut down personnel resources required to complete the new employee orientation (NEO) training.

    Use the NearlyFree.com project work-breakdown structure to help identify deliverables and processes that need resources. It is important to know historical information regarding what types of resources were required for similar work. You can do research using the Internet to find similar projects. You will find the project justification and objectives in the project scope statement.

     

    Your Role

    For both Option A or B, you are the project manager.

    Requirements

    Microsoft Project is the required software tool for this course due to its wide industry acceptance and its use in many project management professional roles. To make this easier, you have the ability to download and install your own version of MS Project from the Capella Microsoft Imagine WebStore using the instructions provided in the MS Imagine section of the course overview. See the Software Preparation and Technology Access activity for more information.

    Practice using MS Project in this course helps prepare you for future professional PM roles and responsibilities; please use MS Project for those tasks supported by MS Project. If you have access to other tools such as MS Visio, MS PowerPoint, and MS Word that you believe may still meet the requirements of this course, please discuss your selected alternative with your instructor.

    Use the PMBOK® Guide as the model for developing the deliverables.

    Part 1: Budget Analysis Report

    Deliverable: Create a budget analysis report of the current failed project.

    Using the MS Project functionality to:

    • Display project summary information and report.
    • Create Project reports.
    • Export project plan cost data into Excel.
    • Develop an analysis report including the following:
      • Analyze current financial state using cost estimating techniques.
      • Estimate costs of individual schedule activities or work packages by reviewing WBS and associated project costs.
      • Identify failure points that occurred throughout the project

    Part 2: Cost Estimating Forecast Analysis

    Deliverable: Create a project estimation report for the turnaround project.

    At this point in the process you have been asked to report back to NearlyFree.com on your findings and recommendations with respect to project costs. Review the information you gathered and prepare a report for your client. This will be a what-if scenario or plan that you will propose to NearlyFree.com management for the project turnaround to succeed. In the report, do the following:

    • Copy the original NEO project schedule baseline and create a custom table to add your changes and modifications.
    • Display your proposed cost estimates and newly established cost baseline for the turnaround project, based on the Project Schedule [MPP] file located in the Resources.

    As part of this report, address the following topics or questions, and where necessary, define assumptions you made:

    • Total cost of ownership—what it means to the project and to the business, how it is calculated, its role in the failed project, and your estimates for the turnaround project.
    • Return on investment—what it means to the project and to the business, how it is calculated, and your estimates for the turnaround project.
    • Project budget—an analysis of the failed project budget, techniques used to prepare your proposed project budget, and the proposed project budget.
      • Develop a new project budget with a more detailed assessment of the resources.
        • Establish a total cost baseline for measuring project performance.
    • Explain and justify the cost estimating techniques used.
    • Estimate contingency reserves.

    Applicable Microsoft Project Functions

    • Create a custom table.
    • Updating a project plan.
    • Set a baseline.
    • Save an interim project plan.
    • Display project summary information and report.
    • Export project plan cost data into Excel.
    • Create Project "Current State" Analysis report.

    Preparation

    Use the software of your choice to develop the deliverables for this assignment.

    This assignment has two parts and two deliverables:

    1. Develop a comprehensive "current state" budget analysis report.
    2. Develop a comprehensive Cost Estimating Forecasting Analysis report.

    Deliverable Format

    • References: There is no set number of references required for this assignment. Use scholarly or academic sources where applicable.
    • Format:
      • Use the Microsoft Project to obtain project costs information.
      • Use your choice of MS Word, MS Visio, or MS PowerPoint to develop the comprehensive analyses.
      • These analyses are professional documents and should therefore follow the corresponding Academic and Professional Document Guidelines, including single-spaced paragraphs.
      • Use APA style and format for references and in-text citations.

    Evaluation

    By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies through corresponding rubric criteria.

    • Competency 1: Apply project cost tools and techniques to ensure project success.
      • Analyze cost estimating techniques.
      • Estimate costs of individual schedule activities or work packages.
      • Estimate the total cost of ownership and explain how it applies to the project.
      • Estimate return on investment and explain the calculation.
      • Develop a new project budget.
      • Estimate contingency reserves.
    • Competency 4: Communicate effectively in a professional manner consistent with the standards of project management.
      • Explain cost estimating techniques used.

    Your course instructor will use the rubric to review your deliverable as if they were your immediate supervisor. Review the rubric prior to developing and submitting your assignment.

    This Assessment Is Valuable To Me Because It Will Help Me Maximize My Strengths And

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    This Assessment Is Valuable To Me Because It Will Help Me Maximize My Strengths And

    This assessment is valuable to me because it will help me maximize my strengths and work on areas that need improving. My results were pretty even in all categories. I scored very high in empathy and self-awareness. I am an understanding person and that translates into my leadership at work, I always try to lead with care. I always ask for feedback from my peers and love to learn. I scored slightly less in self-regulation which surprised me as I always do my best to be tactful and mindful of others but this is the category I would like to work on.

    In your response to at least two peers, address the following:

    • Identify their strengths from their self-assessment and how these strengths will help them in the workplace.
    • Make a suggestion to help them improve their skills in one area of emotional intelligence that they would like to focus on.

       

      Project Revive Llc Is A Consulting Firm Of Highly Charged And Accomplished Project Managers Whose

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      Project Revive Llc Is A Consulting Firm Of Highly Charged And Accomplished Project Managers Whose

      Project Revive LLC is a consulting firm of highly charged and accomplished project managers whose main stream of revenue comes from managing the turnaround of failing projects. As a consultant with Project Revive LLC, you will study, analyze, and manage a failed project from NearlyFree.com. NearlyFree.com is a fictitious company and the project documents for NearlyFree.com project scenario are located in course resources for this assignment. The NearlyFree.com project was originally scoped to develop and deploy an automated Web-based training system for new employees to reduce the workload and cut down personnel resources required to complete the new employee orientation (NEO) training.

      As a veteran member of the Project Revive team, you already know the value of continually examining performance throughout a project to further define and update project data. Special attention to documenting and identifying problems is required in time to make appropriate adjustments. The earned value management (EVM) technique is often used in this type of analysis. Continue your analysis of the failed project by applying the EVM technique to examine performance based on what was accomplished.

       

      Your Role

      For both Option A or B, you are the project manager.

      Requirements

      Microsoft Project is the required software tool for this course due to its wide industry acceptance and its use in many project management professional roles. To make this easier, you have the ability to download and install your own version of MS Project from the Capella Microsoft Imagine WebStore using the instructions provided in the MS Imagine section of the course overview. See the Software Preparation and Technology Access activity for more information.

      Practice using MS Project in this course helps prepare you for future professional PM roles and responsibilities; please use MS Project for those tasks supported by MS Project. If you have access to other tools such as MS Visio, MS PowerPoint, and MS Word that you believe may still meet the requirements of this course, please discuss your selected alternative with your instructor.

      Use the PMBOK® Guide as the model for developing the deliverables.

      Earned Value Analysis

      Deliverable: Develop an Earned Value Analysis report of the current failed project.

      Complete the following:

      • Use Microsoft Project to show earned value in a list of tasks that measure of the cost of the work performed up to a certain date (the current date) based on the Project Schedule [MPP] Download Project Schedule [MPP].
      • Consider how you can apply this analysis of the failed project to a successful project turnaround.

      Address the following topics. Where necessary, define assumptions you made.

      • Apply an earned value technique.
      • Explain the value of the information provided through the EVM technique.
      • Analyze project success based on earned value calculations.
      • Explain project decisions based on earned value calculations.
      • Explain how you will apply earned value calculations to a successful project turnaround.

      Use the MS Project functionality to:

      • Display project summary information and report.
      • Create Project reports.
      • Export project plan cost data into Excel.

      Preparation

      Use the software of your choice to develop the deliverables for this assessment.

      This assignment has one deliverable:

      • Develop a comprehensive Earned Value Analysis report.

      Deliverable Format

      • References: There is no set number of references required for this assignment. Use scholarly or academic sources where applicable.
      • Format:
        • Use the Microsoft Project to obtain project costs information.
        • Use your choice of MS Word, MS Visio, or MS PowerPoint to develop the comprehensive analyses.
        • These analyses are professional documents and should therefore follow the corresponding Academic and Professional Document Guidelines PDF, including single-spaced paragraphs.
        • Use APA style and format for references and in-text citations.

       

      Prior To Beginning Work In This Discussion Thread, Read Pages 51 Through 80 Of Understanding

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      Prior To Beginning Work In This Discussion Thread, Read Pages 51 Through 80 Of Understanding

      Prior to beginning work in this discussion thread, read pages 51 through 80 of Understanding Corporate Annual Reports, Voluntary disclosures in corporate annual reports – More than meets the eye, and Integrated Performance Report. This is the time to share in discussion format your critical learnings and any details from your AOR. These thoughts should be qualitative, quantitative, generic, and specific. The learnings should be related to your AOR and what you can put to work in the short- and long-term in the real world. Please use 150 words or more.