COMM 6019 - Formal Group Research Report (25%)

Due Date: Thursday July 21, 8:00 pm (EST)

Length: Approximately 15 pages

Task:
Your Capstone Project group will write an analytical research report on a topic related to
operations management. This project must be based on the needs of a real company /
organization. Your research and analysis must lead to specific recommendations for the
company / organization in question.
Below, you will find some basic scenarios, as well as a list of topics that could be adapted to a
variety of issues in your field. You can choose one of the topics or can choose a different topic
(with instructor approval). Whatever you plan to do, once groups have been formalized each
group should email me as soon as possible to let me know your desired topic. This way, we
can make sure that the topic is neither too broad nor too narrow for a 15-page formal report.
If you do not make the topic specific enough and if you do not write the report from the
perspective of a professional in your field and for a specific audience (see the scenarios listed
below), your report will receive a very low grade.

Scenario Options (It is mandatory that you select 1 of the 2 options):

Scenario 1 - You are employees of a company or organization in your field (you must select a
real company). You are writing a report for your boss, suggesting ways in which your company /
organization can solve a problem or take advantage of an opportunity.
Scenario 2 - You are freelance professionals or employees of an organization in your field (you
are expected to make up this information). You are writing a report for a client (you must select a
real company), suggesting ways in which the client can solve a problem or take advantage of an
opportunity.

Potential Topics (You can propose a different topic if you wish):

-Going “Green”: Implementing Environmentally Sound Practices/ Using Environmentally Sound
Equipment and Technology
-Integrating Information Technology and Big Data for Organizational Success
-Organizational Communication is key for a company’s success. [Select a specific
organization/company, find out how it is organized into departments, and make specific
suggestions for the improvement of its operations by improving communication between other
departments and your department.]
-Learning from Others’ Failures [This would be an investigation of a serious failure that has
happened in an organization comparable to yours and/or with a product comparable to what is
being produced by your company. You would examine what went wrong, what could have been
done to limit the damage, how you should learn from your competitors mistakes, etc.]
-Learning from Others’ Success [Similar to the previous topic – but instead of investigating a
failure, you would be investigating a success.]

Expectations and Format:

-15 pages, Times New Roman 12, single-spaced, block format (single-spaced, one blank space
between paragraphs, as well as between headings and paragraphs)
-Required components:
Title Page (pg. 1)
Letter/Memo of Transmittal (pg. 2)
Table of Contents & List of Figures (pg. 3)
Executive Summary (Start of pg. 4)
Introduction
Body (Use sub-headings to ensure greater clarity)
Conclusion and Recommendations (Recommendations should be made in a list/ bullet-
point format)
Reference Page (Should start on new page)

-Each heading and subheading should include the name of the author of that section in brackets
to ensure that in cases of inconsistent project quality students can be evaluated individually
-Use the general guidelines for reports as presented in the lectures.
-Feel free to make up any information (names, titles, etc.) you need to complete the assignment.
You must select a real organization and base your suggestions on its organizational structure,
profile (what they make/sell/market etc.), and specific needs. Your group should operate as if
it is working for a branch of the organization if it is a large organization.
-Research requirements: use at least four credible research sources. A credible research
source for the purpose of this assignment must either (a) be a peer-reviewed source from
an academic journal or (b) a formal research report [published by a government, company,
or relevant professional/trade association]. Sources such as blogs, vendors’ websites, etc. can
be used in addition to the other sources required but do not count towards your quota.
-All the sources you used should be referenced appropriately within the text of your report. They
should also be listed on your References page(s). Use APA format consistently in your report,
for references and citations. Quote, paraphrase, or summarize material from each source at least
once within the body of the report. Use signal phrases and parenthetical references each time.
-Use graphic highlighting, as necessary. You are required to use at least two relevant visual
components (graphs, charts, tables etc.). Your use of graphics will be evaluated based both on
their integration into the report and contribution to the argument being made. Visual components
must be referenced correctly. Introduce and reference your visuals as instructed in the lecture
Business Reports, Formal Document Design.
-Edit your text to eliminate any punctuation, grammar, word choice, and spelling errors.
GRADING
As this is a communications course, all assignments will be graded on content, organization,
tone, style, and correctness. In addition, since this is a research assignment, your choice and use
of sources will account for a large portion of the grade.