Write an individual or a team report. Pick one of the following topics.

1. Improving Customer Service. Many customers find that service is getting poorer and workers are getting ruder.

Evaluate the service in a local store, restaurant, or other organization. Are customers made to feel comfortable? Is workers’ communication helpful, friendly, and respectful?

Are workers knowledgeable about products and services?

Do they sell them effectively? Write a report analyzing the quality of service and recommending what the organization should do to improve.

2. Recommending Courses for the Local Community College.

Businesses want to be able to send workers to local community colleges to upgrade their skills; community colleges want to prepare students to enter the local workforce. What skills are in demand in your community? What courses at what levels should the local community college offer?

3. Improving Sales and Profits. Recommend ways a small business in your community can increase sales and profits.

Focus on one or more of the following: the products or services it offers, its advertising, its décor, its location, its accounting methods, its cash management, or any other aspect that may be keeping the company from achieving its potential. Address your report to the owner of the business.

4. Increasing Student Involvement. How could an organization on campus persuade more of the students who are eligible to join or to become active in its programs? Do students know that it exists? Is it offering programs that interest students? Is it retaining current members? What changes should the organization make? Address your report to the officers of the organization.

5. Evaluating a Potential Employer. What training is available to new employees? How soon is the average entry level person promoted? How much travel and weekend work are expected? Is there a “busy season,” or is the workload consistent year-round? What fringe benefits are offered? What is the corporate culture? Is the climate inclusive and antiracist? How strong is the company economically? How is it likely to be affected by current economic, demographic, and political trends? Address your report to the placement office on campus; recommend whether it should encourage students to work at this company.

6. With your instructor’s permission, choose your own topic.

As your instructor directs, Turn in the following documents:

1. The approved proposal.

2. The report, including

• Cover

• Title page.

• Letter or memo of transmittal.

• Table of contents.

• List of illustrations.

• Executive summary or abstract.

• Body (introduction, all information, recommendations).

Your instructor may specify a minimum length, a minimum number or kind of sources, and a minimum number of visuals.

• Appendices if useful or relevant.

3. Your notes and at least one preliminary draft.