answer questions below 32

Answer the 3 questions below and reply to each student.

Student Reply must be over 200 words.

Make sure all student replies you start it with Hello (Student Name),

Question 1:

Visit a search engine homepage (i.e. Google.com, Yahoo.com, Ask.com, etc) and type in the name of a company or organization. Critique the first five hits using the criteria discussed near the beginning of Chapter 13 under the heading “Finding, Evaluating, and Processing Information.” Be sure to include the company/organization name that you searched and an APA citation for each of the five hits. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings.

Student Reply 1 :Heather Beck

I chose a company I hope to work for to do the search on Masterfoods Wigley confectionary.I did utilize Google to process the search.

The first five items listed when I searched were the following.

1.Mars, Incorporated – Global Petcare, chocolate, food, candy and drink brand

2.Worldwide Products – Mars Brands – Mars, Incorporated

3.Locations – About US Mars, Incorporated

4.Mars, Incorporated- Wikipedia

5.Wrigley EA:: New Releases Detail- Mars Incorporated

According to Bovee & Trill , 2016 the research process includes, “Familiarize yourself with the subject, locate data and information evaluate sources, collect secondary sources. Process data and information this is done by quoting paraphrase, and summarizing. Apply your findings, draw conclusions and make recommendations. Then finally manage your information”

On the first web page yielded on the search was Mars, Incorporated Global Petcare, chocolate, food, candy, drink brand. This website is the company’s main webpage. There are a lot of links on this webpage that will give you great insight to the company. It shows you all the products that fall under the Mars umbrella. This web page does show correct and accurate information. However, it could be looked at as bias. No company would publish bad thing about themselves on their website. Other reasons it can been seen as bias is the fact that it shows a lot of pictures of happy employees. This may not be an accurate picture of every employee. I would consider this source a good one with accurate information about the company.

The second result under the search, Worldwide Products- Mars Brands – Mars, Incorporated. Is very similar to the first result. This website does not move or draw you in like the first one. It is more plain and gives you links similar to the first website. This one brings you right to the brand page. It allows you to see the value behind the company. It tells that they have been around for over 100 years. This website also shows gives you a direct link to job openings. I think this is a good source. In business you can learn a lot by seeing the jobs that are open with in an organization. Job descriptions give you a view of what the company looks for in their employees. I think that again this website can be bias because a company would not put negative things on their website.

Locations- About us – Mars, Incorporated is the third result. This website shows you all the locations worldwide that there is a Mars Location. There are quite a few and they are in many different companies.This website would be the most reliable source as it is just giving information to where the Mars locations are. There wouldn’t be any biases associated with this website. The company here is just listing facts of their locations and their presence around the world.

The fourth search result would have to be the most unreliable. It is the website Wikeipedia. Wikipedia is a free online encyclopedia. There is not way to ensure that the information given in this website is factual. There is no where real references in this website just external links that you can investigate if necessary. It does have some fun information for the casual read who is just wanting to learn. It is nothing that I would advise using in a business plan or formal paper.

The fifth search brings you right back to the same place as the first search. There are different slides here that show different parts of Mars. I would have to say that the results are the same as the first one. There will be some bias however it is a pretty good source. It will include factual information that might be a bit one sided. What is funny is that a completely different web search will bring you to the same place with a different link.

When doing research is important to ensure that you are using good reliable sources. When you want to make a point or suggestion you must have good backup. With the proper research you can allow become an expert on any subject. Ensuring that you are well educated allows you to speak well on any subject. Doing research requires you to know the difference between non basis and bias sources.

References:

Bovee, C. L., & Thill, J. V. (2016). Business communication today (13th ed.). Retrieved fromhttps://content.ashford.edu/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Locations – About us- Mars, Incorporated. (2018). Retrieved from:https://www.mars.com/global/about-us/locations (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Mars Incorporated- Global petcare, chocolate, food, candy, and drink brand. (2018) Retrieved from: https://www.mars.com/global (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Mars, Incorporated- Wikipedia. (2018) Retrieved from:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars,_Incorporated (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Wrigley EA:: News Releases Detail- Mars, Incorporated. (2018) Retrieved from:https://www.mars.com/global/?CorpNewsId=7344 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Worldwide Products- Mars Brands Mars, Incorporated. (2018) Retrieved from: https://www.mars.com/global/brands (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Student Reply 2: Beth Reeves

The organization that I chose to search for was the Red Cross through google.com The first five searches that came up were:

1. American Red Cross | Help those affected by disaster

2. American Red Cross (@RedCross) Twitter

3. International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement -Wikipedia

4. Red Cross Germany- DRK e.V.

5. International Committee of the Red Cross

The first web page shows what the Red Cross does, their mission, volunteer opportunities, information, Red Cross store, and disaster relief. I have no critiques on the first web search. It is simply and easy to navigate. Many people are aware of the Red Cross and what they provide because the are a global organization.

The second web page is their twitter account. Twitter provides information on their current events and how to volunteer. They also provide their official website on the left side of their twitter. Red Cross consistently provides the world with up to date information.

Thirdly, Wikipedia is the third web search that was presented. This website is known to give people inaacurate or unsure information given to the readers. It gives information about WW1, WW2 and other wars which is interesting but there is a reason why when doing research about an organization, that Wiki should never be used as a credible source.

The next web search was Red Cross Germany- DRK e.V. I live in Germany so I am assuming this is why this was in my top 5 searches. It is in German, so I can not read it. It does give information about current disasters around the world. One thing that I would like to see, is websites giving the option to change the language. I do not see anything that I can do to change it.

Lastly, last web search was the International Committee of the Red Cross. This website provides information that can teach people what they do, allow others to volunteer around the world and how to support them.

It is important that when doing research, to find credible sources. 3 out of 5 websites are credible sources because they are the Red Cross websites and social media. I would not use social media as a credible source in an academic setting. There can be bias in social media so it is best to stick to Red Cross actual websites when conducting research.

References:

American Red Cross. (2018). Retrieved November 01, 2018, from https://www.redcross.org/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Account, A. R. (2018, October 31). American Red Cross (@RedCross). Retrieved from https://twitter.com/RedCross?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^author (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Question 2 :

Your boss wants to send a brief email message welcoming employees recently transferred to your department from the company’s Hong Kong branch. These employees, all of whom are Hong Kong natives, speak English, but your boss asks you to review his message for clarity. What would you suggest your boss change in the following email message, and why? Would you consider this message to be audience centered? Why or why not? How would you redraft this message for clarity?

“I wanted to welcome you ASAP to our little family here in the States. It’s high time we shook hands in person and not just across the sea. I’m pleased as punch about getting to know you all, and I for one will do my level best to sell you on America.”

Student Reply 1: Matthew Carpenter

“Written communications and most forms of digital communication generally require more tact than oral communication does.” (Bovee & Trill, 2016). In this case the new employees may not understand the intentions of the boss. He means well, but due to culture differences the message may not come across the way he intends. I would rewrite it in this manner:

I wanted to welcome you to our branch and let you know that we are a family here and you are now apart of that family. I am looking forward to finally meet you in person and hope to shake hands with each of you very soon. I hope we can make this transition as smooth and painless as possible. Please let me know if you need anything.

I believe this revision is clear and friendly and will promote the welcome the boss is intending to send to the new employees.

References:

Bovee, C. L., & Thill, J. V. (2016). Business communication today (13th ed.). Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Student Reply 2: Jamieson Mason

Wednesday Oct 31 at 5:04pm

I would not allow my boss to send such an e-mail unless of course I was looking to take his position as the boss. The glaring reasons I would not allow such an e-mail are his usage of the acronym ASAP, there could be a much more profound way to say welcome to the states. Another issue is his usage of slang terms such as “pleased as punch” which those who know limited English may not take the way it was intended, but aside from that the “I for one will do my level best to sell you on America” line should be reworded as they are transferring from the Hong Kong Branch and as such they are going to be in America for some time, they do not need sold on the idea they need assistance getting acquainted to the area especially if it is their first time.

I do not find this message to be audience centered as it does little to reassure the transfers that they are going to be taken care of and helped along until they get accustomed to the new life in America.

Redraft:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my pleasure to welcome you and your families to America as partners in our great organization. I look forward to meeting each one of you in person just as soon as you get settled into your new homes. If there is anything the company can do to help your transition from Hong Kong to America go more smoothly please let me know and we will get you the assistance you request as quickly as possible. We look forward to the ideas and inspiration you can bring the team from your time in our Hong Kong branch. Again, Welcome to team!

Question 3:

Go to AnnualReports.com (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. and review the annual reports recently released by two corporations in the same industry. Review each report and discuss the following questions:

1. What organizational differences, if any, do you see in the way each corporation discusses its annual performance? Is the data presented clearly so that shareholders can draw conclusions about how well the company performed?
2. What goals, challenges, and plans do top managers emphasize in their discussion of results?
3. How does the format and organization of each report enhance or detract from the information being presented?

Write a two- to three-page report (excluding the title and reference pages), formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center, that discusses your findings from the annual reports. Make sure you appropriately cite your sources from AnnualReports.com.

I HAVE ATTACHED THE GRADING RUBRIC FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT.