Intercultural Virtual Team Project: Report-Planning Proposal

Now that you have organized your team and conducted some preliminary research, you are ready to organize your collaborative work and to propose an approach to the project.

Assignment Goals	This assignment is designed to help you learn the following: - Write a persuasive proposal, understanding key elements and variations of the genre. - Use the proposal as a key element in managing your team project. - Communicate clearly and precisely your understanding of the problem, your work plan, your methods, and the outcomes of the final report.
Deadlines and Deliverables	By October 26, submit an informal proposal in the form of a memo
Audience	The audience of your project-planning report consists of your instructor as well as your teammates.
Purpose	The proposal has multiple purposes: - To communicate to your instructor your understanding of the problem or need, the project, and your approach to the project. - To organize your team and the processes required to complete the project. - To request feedback from your instructor on your plan
Content	See Management Communication, p. 128. A research proposal is above all a document about method, so pay particular attention to your description of how you will conduct your research. Your methods should directly match your objectives. Justify how those methods will help you uncover the information you need. Will you - Interview staff? - Compare the Canadian and U.S. communication products of the businesses (e.g. Web site, sales and promotional materials, blogs?) - Observe business procedures or staff-customer interaction? - Scan specific types of business or industry news in particular venues? - Search Weblogs or other Internet resources to learn about public perception of the company in different contexts? If you are working in a setting, like a hospital or university that requires approval from an Institutional Review Board before you can interview clients or customers, note how you will meet that need. If you will be dealing with proprietary material from an organization, note how you will comply with appropriate use.
Evaluation	As with the policy memo, the effectiveness of your project-planning proposal will become apparent as you implement it to complete your project. To assess your team proposal for effective communication, use the evaluation criteria in your syllabus.
Resources	Management Communication, pp. 127-128.