For this assignment, you will:
Revisit the company website you chose for the Week 4 assignment.
Select three functional areas, two you would like to intern in and one area that does not align with your current skillset and would require you to grow your skills. You will end up selecting which area would be the best fit for an internship.
Use the Week 6 Assignment Template [DOCX] Download Week 6 Assignment Template [DOCX]to write a 3–4 page paper in which you explain the responsibilities and purposes of each of the two selected functional areas for internship as well as the area for skill growth.
By increasing your understanding of a corporation’s basic functional areas and what they do to support their organization, you will establish a base knowledge on which to build future skills. This assignment also allows you to consider where your current strengths potentially fit into the needs of an organization. In a later assignment, you’ll consider how those functional areas might interact to solve problems.
In preparation for your paper:
Review your chosen company website to learn how these five traditional functional areas operate in that business. The Organizational Structures and Goals media can take you through the first few steps of exploring these areas and completing your assignment.
HR.
Sales and marketing.
Information technology.
Production and operations.
Finance and accounting.
Review the QuickStart: Functional Areas of Business media to learn the responsibilities of the different functions and trends in business. Gather any additional background you need on the topic.
Note that you may have to make some assumptions on the functional areas of your chosen organization based on posted job openings and the type of organization it is, as not all websites clearly list out their functions.
Instructions
Choose three of the five functional areas above, two to intern in during your first year as a new employee, and one that does not align with your current skillset. Research the two functional areas you’d like to intern in to find out about the purpose of each and how it helps the company accomplish its strategic goals. Cite 3–5 resources in your paper and list them on the reference page. Using Week 6 Assignment Template [DOCX] Download Week 6 Assignment Template [DOCX], write a 3–4 page double-spaced paper that includes the following:
Title.
Introduction (1 paragraph).
Describe your chosen company—use your imagination and explain your assumptions about this company.
Describe at least two of this company’s organizational goals. For example: all products sold meet Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval; or utilization of innovative technology and new patents is a priority.
Identify two functional areas where you would like to complete your internship sessions during your first year.
Identify one additional functional area where you feel you would need to gain additional skills to have a successful internship.
Body.
Describe the purpose of functional area 1 and how it supports the organizational goals. (1–2 paragraphs.)
Describe the major responsibilities of the function and give examples of how it supports organizational goals.
Utilize examples found from your selected company.
Describe the purpose of functional area 2 and how it supports the organizational goals. (1–2 paragraphs.)
Describe the major responsibilities of the function and give examples of how it supports organizational goals.
Utilize examples found from your selected company.
Select one of the areas as your first choice for your internship. Explain why it is your first choice (1 paragraph).
Describe how the work in the functional area you selected aligns with your strengths as an employee and how you would be able to contribute to the success of the function and the company.
Give examples of how your work in this functional area could contribute to the organization’s overall business goals.
Identify and describe a functional area you feel does not align with your current skillset and explain why (1 paragraph).
Describe the skills required for the functional area and why you feel you are not a good fit.
Give examples of what skills you would need to gain to be better qualified.
Conclusion.
Explain how the two functional areas you described will support the continued success of your chosen company.
Describe how you would be able to contribute to the success of the function that you selected to start your work.
Describe the functional area you selected that does not align with your skillset and why.
The Capella University LibraryLinks to an external site. is a great tool for your research to find sources. See the Business Research for Business Communication [Video]Links to an external site. for a targeted introduction. The Evidence and APALinks to an external site. section of the Writing Center guides you in properly citing your sources.
Review your paper using Academic WriterLinks to an external site. and GrammarlyLinks to an external site..
Example assignment: You may use the Week 6 Assignment Example [PDF] Download Week 6 Assignment Example [PDF]to give you an idea of what a Proficient or higher rating on the scoring guide would look like.
Additional Requirements
Your assignment should also meet the following requirements:
Font and font size: Times New Roman, not larger than 12-point font.
Organization: Your paper should be well-organized and written in clear, succinct language.
Template: Use the Week 6 Assignment Template [DOCX] Download Week 6 Assignment Template [DOCX] provided to help you organize your paper.
Grammar: Your paper should be free of grammar and punctuation errors that would distract the reader’s understanding of the content.
Length: 3–4 pages, in addition to a reference page.
Resources: Cite at least three resources in your paper and list them on your reference page.
APA: Follow APA rules for citing sources. See the Evidence and APALinks to an external site. section of the Writing Center for guidance.
Competencies Measured
By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:
Competency 1: Explain the underlying principles of successful businesses.
Describe a company and its organizational goals.
Describe the purpose of functional areas and how they support the organizational goals.
Describe how the work in the selected functional area aligns with one’s strengths as an employee.
Competency 5: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for the field of business.
Convey purpose, in an appropriate tone and style, incorporating supporting evidence and adhering to organizational, professional, and scholarly writing standards.
Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
Apply APA formatting to in-text citations and references.
View Rubric
