Ten years ago, you started working as a clerk for DMD Medical Supplies Six months ago, Liz Jakowski, the human resources director, promoted you to office manager You manage two employees Jack Snyder and Ruth Disselkoen Your office provides secretarial support for the four members of the executive team Two years ago, Liz had assigned Jack to support Ralph Alane and Jessica Hilo Ruth was assigned to Samuel Daley and Frank Daley The work flow was equally balanced Youve noticed that in the last three months Ruth has cut her breaks short to complete her work, complains of being tired, and at least twice a month requires overtime hours costing the company an additional $200 a month In the last three weeks, Frank Daley has complained to you a few times about the poor quality of Ruths work On the other hand, over the last three months, Jack frequently seems to have little to do He has begun coming in late a couple times a week and taking more than the allotted break times What work he does have, however, is always professionally completed Clearly, you must investigate to determine what is causing this change and how to improve the situation Since nothing has changed in the personal lives of either Jack or Ruth, you conclude you must focus on the in office work situation You learn the following facts Samuel and Frank Daley share a part time administrative assistant who works only 15 hours a week Ralph Alane and Jessica Hilo share a full time administrative assistant Jessica Hilo has been on medical leave for the last four months, and Liz Jakowski isnt sure whether Jessica will be able to return to work Jessicas duties have been temporarily reassigned to Ralph and Frank Although you dont have the authority to change who Jack and Ruth are assigned to work for, you clearly need to change the work the two do so that both Jack and Ruth work regularly without requiring overtime Process Adhere to the following outlined process when writing your exam Planning The background explains the primary cause of the workflow problem and the negative effects resulting from it Your task is to make up a realistic plan which solves the uneven productivity between Jack and Ruth Use prewriting tools like brainstorming, cluster or webbing diagrams, and freewriting to outline the cause effect situation and to develop a specific solution that best solves the problem Also, ask yourself the following questions to expand your prewriting How long has this situation been going on Why did the problems begin when they did Am I able to solve the problem at its root cause or am I only able to manage the impact of the problem Is this a temporary or permanent problem How has the company been affected How have the employees been affected Whats in my power to change What must stay the same What are two or three ways to improve the efficiency of my office How much work, time, and money would be required to implement each solution Does each solution stop all the negative effects Are there any benefits to the change beyond stopping what is occurring How exactly would each change affect Jack, Ruth, and the executive team What would I have to do to make sure each change goes through as planned and to monitor the situation once the solution is in place From your prewriting, develop the single best solution to the situation described in the background Obviously, you wont be able to use everything youve prewritten, so your first step is to choose whats most important for the purpose and audience As you out line a solution, you may need to make up more specific details that define the steps of the plan and describe particular benefits of the plan Drafting Next, sort your details and information about the problem and the plan into one of the two sections given below Dont worry about complete sentences for this sorting stage merely list the information under the appropriate section Use information from both the background and your prewriting Facts and figures that define the problem (the cause) Details that show the impact of the problem (effects) on Jack, Ruth, and the company The steps needed to change the situation Reason to implement each step, including the benefits to your employees, your supervisor, and the company Information about your role in the change After sorting the information, draft a first try, rough paragraph for Section 1 and another paragraph for Section 2 Your goal is to place the listed information in the most logical order using sentence and paragraph format Leave all spelling, grammar, punctuation, and other mistakes exactly as they are Dont do any editing as you write this first draft The worse it looks at this stage, the better your final product will appear in contrast Set your rough draft aside and dont work any further on this assignment for at least 24 hours After your break, reread the background information and the questions guiding your prewriting in Step 1 Then reread the rough paragraphs you drafted for Section 1 and 2 to refresh your memory If you came up with new ideas since you wrote the draft, add your thoughts before you go further

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Ten years ago, you started working as a clerk for DMD Medical Supplies. Six months ago, Liz Jakowski, the human resources director, promoted you to

Ten years ago, you started working as a clerk for DMD Medical Supplies. Six months ago, Liz Jakowski, the human resources director, promoted you to office manager. You manage two employees: Jack Snyder and Ruth Disselkoen. Your office provides secretarial support for the four members of the executive team. Two years ago, Liz had assigned Jack to support Ralph Alane and Jessica Hilo. Ruth was assigned to Samuel Daley and Frank Daley. The work flow was equally balanced.

Youve noticed that in the last three months Ruth has cut her breaks short to complete her work, complains of being tired, and at least twice a month requires overtime hours costing the company an additional $200 a month. In the last three weeks, Frank Daley has complained to you a few times about the poor quality of Ruths work.

On the other hand, over the last three months, Jack frequently seems to have little to do. He has begun coming in late a couple times a week and taking more than the allotted break times. What work he does have, however, is always professionally completed.

Clearly, you must investigate to determine what is causing this change and how to improve the situation. Since nothing has changed in the personal lives of either Jack or Ruth, you conclude you must focus on the in-office work situation. You learn the following facts:

Samuel and Frank Daley share a part-time administrative assistant who works only 15 hours a week.
Ralph Alane and Jessica Hilo share a full-time administrative assistant.
Jessica Hilo has been on medical leave for the last four months, and Liz Jakowski isnt sure whether Jessica will be able to return to work.
Jessicas duties have been temporarily reassigned to Ralph and Frank.

Although you dont have the authority to change who Jack and Ruth are assigned to work for, you clearly need to change the work the two do so that both Jack and Ruth work regularly without requiring overtime.

Process

Adhere to the following outlined process when writing your exam.

Planning

The background explains the primary cause of the workflow problem and the negative effects resulting from it. Your task is to make up a realistic plan which solves the uneven productivity between Jack and Ruth. Use prewriting tools like brainstorming, cluster or webbing diagrams, and freewriting to outline the cause-effect situation and to develop a specific solution that best solves the problem. Also, ask yourself the following questions to expand your prewriting.
- How long has this situation been going on?
- Why did the problems begin when they did?
- Am I able to solve the problem at its root cause or am I only able to manage the impact of the problem?
- Is this a temporary or permanent problem?
- How has the company been affected?
- How have the employees been affected?
- Whats in my power to change? What must stay the same?
- What are two or three ways to improve the efficiency of my office?
- How much work, time, and money would be required to implement each solution?
- Does each solution stop all the negative effects?
- Are there any benefits to the change beyond stopping what is occurring?
- How exactly would each change affect Jack, Ruth, and the executive team?
- What would I have to do to make sure each change goes through as planned and to monitor the situation once the solution is in place?
From your prewriting, develop the single best solution to the situation described in the background. Obviously, you wont be able to use everything youve prewritten, so your first step is to choose whats most important for the purpose and audience. As you out- line a solution, you may need to make up more specific details that define the steps of the plan and describe particular benefits of the plan.

Drafting

Next, sort your details and information about the problem and the plan into one of the two sections given below. Dont worry about complete sentences for this sorting stage; merely list the information under the appropriate section. Use information from both the background and your prewriting.

Facts and figures that define the problem (the cause)
Details that show the impact of the problem (effects) on Jack, Ruth, and the company
The steps needed to change the situation
Reason to implement each step, including the benefits to your employees, your supervisor, and the company
Information about your role in the change

After sorting the information, draft a first-try, rough paragraph for Section 1 and another paragraph for Section 2. Your goal is to place the listed information in the most logical order using sentence and paragraph format. Leave all spelling, grammar, punctuation, and other mistakes exactly as they are. Dont do any editing as you write this first draft. The worse it looks at this stage, the better your final product will appear in contrast.
Set your rough draft aside and dont work any further on this assignment for at least 24 hours.
After your break, reread the background information and the questions guiding your prewriting in Step 1. Then reread the rough paragraphs you drafted for Section 1 and 2 to refresh your memory. If you came up with new ideas since you wrote the draft, add your thoughts before you go further.