Chapter 7 focused on the bad-news messages that typically require an inductive strategy. Situations covered include sharing bad news, refusing a request, denying a claim, refusing an order, denying credit, delivering constructive criticism, and communicating negative organizational news. Because the construction of bad-news messages involves more delicate human relations issues than those encountered with good news and neutral messages, the inductive method is required to soften the blow and let down. (Please reveiw sample model letters in Chapter 7).
Bad-news messages: (please pick on to write on from this group for writing Assignment No 2 )
1) Discussing upcoming lay-offs at the Swingline Manufacturing Co in Kansas City, KS due to a decrease in sales of twin bikes sold. Realtime Wheelers, Swingline ‘s competition along with other manufacturers of relational and dirt bikes have opened up bike shops in Japan, China, and Korea where they are able to employ labor at 40 percent less than what Swingline pays American labor. A drastic reduction in sales and profit has senior leaders examining what steps are needed to stay afloat and to keep the doors open. After months of consideration and a constant review of the company’s financial records, Swingline executive office had determined that only way to survive at this point is to immediately reduce the company’s workforce (currently there are 10 thousand employees on payroll) by 25 percent in all departments through layoffs. As you compose your message, be sure to keep in mind what you can and can’t say about layoffs concerning revealing personnel information, the company’s policies regarding layoffs, and the ethics of revealing the layoffs to a single employee or to all employees on the list.
2) Pretend you are the bank manager of a bank in Huston, TX when Ms. Jones, a customer for over 25 years send you a letter asking you to waive the $350.00 fees she incurred from 10 bounced checks. Ms. Jones argues even though her electronic bank records showed those funds were not available due to prior electronic purchases, the fees should be waived because her account balance showed funds were on hand when the bank processed her checks. Ms. Jones also contends that since the checks cleared the bank before the electronic purchases with her debit /ATM Card, the checks and not the electronic purchases, should have cleared her account first without bouncing and any fees accessed.
3) Pretend you are a bank loan officer at Mutual Saving International you must inform Mr. Townsend that his loan request for $350 thousand to start a new small business in his neighbor is denied.
4) Pretend you are the president / chief executive office for Roadwheels Automotive Company and you must do a company recall because the company’s version of the XYZ Sport Coup has ignition problems that result in the car catching fire while consumers are driving it. The Roadwheel, XYZ Sport Coup’s ignition problem has resulted in numerous stalled cars on the road and freeway, as well as five consumer deaths. As this moment, the company has not been able to identify the exact cause of the problem and is issuing a recall to prevent further injuries and damage to the company’s reputation.
5) Pretend you are the chief financial officer for Brown Bag Credit Company where the company’s financial data has been comprised by computer hackers as a result of flaws in the company’s computer firewall protection system. The ability of computer hackers to gain access to the company’s financial record puts millions of Brown Bag’s customers at risk for identity scam / fraud. To put customer on alert and notice of that their identity and other credit factors are in jeopardy, you are issuing a memo to inform them of situation.
6) Pretend you are a prominent figure in society / government and busted for a crime that you swore you were not guilty of. Write a bad-news memo to your constituents admitting your guilt and your game plan for moving forward.
Grading Rubric for each writing assignments:
Proper Message Heading and Format: 20 points
Date
From
To
Subject
Paragraph Alignment (Left, Center, Right or justfied)
Body Line Spacing, text size and text face
Greetings 5 points
Body Development to tell/ deliver the message you are conveying to the readers: 50 points
Proper grammar, correct spelling, and sentence structure——-15 points
Message closing: 5 points
Message signature and contact 5 points
