To:      Professor Manolete Gonzalez

   From:      2225, 7600,

   Date:      April 24, 2007

 

 

 

Work Plan

 

THE MANUAL PORTION:

#1

- What country does the team want to work on? GERMANY

- State what makes the team confident they can do a reasonable job studying the country: One of the group-members is very familiar with the selected country, since the student lived there for several years. The member also has contacts in that country relevant to organizational business behavior. The group as a whole feels confident about being able to find relevant information on the country's background and primary cultural difference, in addition to the following organizational topics: communication styles, preferred leadership styles, relationship between managers and subordinates.

 

#2

- What does the team understand to be deliverable at the end of the term? The team believes that it will be able to show the differences of communication styles, preferred leadership styles, and the relationship between managers and subordinates between the United States and Germany.

- In your own words, what does the manual provide and whom is it intended for. The manual is a guide for how to behave in a business environment in Germany. It is intended for a US citizen, who is unfamiliar with general business practices in Germany, and who is planning on conducting business in Germany in the future.

 

 

 

#3

- What are the specific tasks that have to be performed if this Manual is to be done well? Who will be responsible for what tasks? Alexis will do a large portion of the research, including providing information gathered from contacts in the foreign country, researching country background, and explaining the primary cultural differences between Germany and the US. Alexis will also contribute relevant information from her International Business BA347 class, and contribute to the appendix by providing a portion of the interview questions, interviewee biographies and summaries, and constructing charts and graphs.  Finally, Alexis will help edit and finalize the manual. Nai will write the first draft of the three topics: communication styles, preferred leadership styles, and relationship between managers and subordinates. Nai will also be responsible for writing the table of contents, and the overall summary, and she will help in some aspects of the research. Lewis will write a second, and final draft. In addition, Lewis will write the title page, the bibliography/works cited page, and the executive summary.

 

#4

A timetable of when individual portions should be available, and when a draft of the report will be available: The individual portions of the report will be available by the week of May 14th.  The team will then come together and evaluate and integrate the individual portions of the report by the week of May 21st.  A draft of the report will be available the week of May 28th. The team will present our report the Week of June 4th.

#5

- How will each member be evaluated? Use sample peer evaluation form. The Team members will be evaluated on a scale of one to seven. A one would represent a failure to meet team standards and a seven exceeding those standards. The criteria being evaluated with be preparation, cooperation, influence, work quality and quantity. All criteria will be weighted equally.

 

 

#6

- What resources will be needed to accomplish the project? The library, the web, and possibly some OSU professors, as well as family members, former co-workers, and friends from the selected country will be used as resources. In addition, material learned in the International Business BA347 class and material found in the corresponding book "International Business" will be used as a resource. 

- Access to journals, magazines, and other sources of information? Journals and magazines with relevant information about business practices, ethics, values, and norms in Germany will also be used and will be accessed through the Valley Library. 

- Contact information on members? All three group members have exchanged telephone and email contact information. In addition, the group will be using a website where relevant resources and findings will be posted for all group members to see.

- Computers and printers? Mainly, personal computers and printers, as well as computers and printers accessible in OSU computer labs will be used.

- Meeting area? The group will likely meet at the Valley Library.

 

 

THE CASE REPORTS PORTION: 

a) When will the team discuss the cases?

- The team will most likely discuss the cases on 05/01, 05/08, and 05/15.

b) When will drafts of each of the reports be prepared?

- Drafts of each of the reports will most likely be prepared within a week of

discussing them, and at least by 05/26.

c) When will the reports be finalized?

- The reports will most likely be finalized 05/26.