Management essay
Executive Summary Guidelines
Problem Statement
State the problem first, in clear terms. Use terminology related to chapter/course content. Identify the most critical problem represented in the case. There may be several problems that are contenders for most critical. Therefore, make sure you give a brief explanation as to why you feel the one you have chosen is most critical. The explanation needs to follow your problem statement.
If it helps, use some root cause analysis (e.g. the 5 “whys”) to get to the problem that is the root cause in the situation and to help you develop an argument for why the problem you chose is the most critical. Another check to see if you have explained why the problem you chose is critical is to examine if you have explained the consequences of not solving the problem. Do not list all of the problems in the case.
While your problem must be tied to course content, there is no one right answer. You will likely identify more than one problem. The key is to use a brief explanation to explain why you feel the problem you chose is the most important. You are essentially creating an argument for why this particular problem is the one that needs to be addressed.
How to succeed in this section: Clearly state the problem up front, in concise yet thorough terms that tie to chapter content. Explain why you believe this is the most critical problem to address using concepts from the course to analyze the case. Explain the consequences of not addressing the problem. Be specific. Avoid general reasons (i.e. low employee morale). Do not simply describe the case.
Recommendations
Review material in the chapter that pertains to the problem you identified and look for practical recommendations to solve that problem. Create two recommendations. Include a brief statement explaining how each recommendation will help solve the problem.
This section has two parts. You need to 1) state each recommendation and 2) explain how that recommendation will solve the problem. Recommendations must be specific and actionable, which means that anyone should be able to read the recommendation and know exactly what actions to take to fix the problem.
Again, there is no one right answer, the key to success is addressing the problem and explaining how your recommendations will help. Your answers must DIRECTLY tie to the problem you identified. Your explanations of how the recommendation will help must be direct and straightforward.
How to succeed in this section: Clearly state two actionable recommendations, each followed by a statement explaining how this particular recommendation will solve the problem. Use concepts from the chapter and your critical thinking skills to identify high-impact recommendations and explain exactly how they will solve the problem you identified.
General notes
Do not read into the case or make assumptions that are not supported by information in the case; stick with the information provided.
The more you are able to link your paper to the case and chapter content, and explain the rationale in both sections, the better grade you will get. The difficulty is in doing that in the small space. The reason I give you so little space is because someone reading this information in the workplace will not spend a lot of time, so you will need to practice being brief yet thorough.
Most executives will spend a few minutes reading any document you put in front of them. If I cannot understand the problem, why it is important, your recommendations and how they will solve the problem quickly, you will not be able to convince an executive to listen to your ideas. This assignment is about developing your critical thinking skills, but also developing your professional communications skills and credibility on the job.
The sections should connect to each other. You should be able to read the assignment from the top down and also from the bottom up and it should make logical sense when reading both ways. In other words, you should be able to read the recommendations and know what problem they are targeting.
Grammar, spelling, and tone
In many cases, a document is the first interaction that you will have with a senior person. If your executive summary is full of errors or the tone is inappropriate, your reader will not take you or your idea seriously. As a result, I will push you to turn in papers that are error free. As an example of tone, you must avoid using contractions (can’t, won’t, etc).
Formatting
Readable (easy to understand)
Comprehensive / Thorough
Succinct (limited to one page)
Professional
Where appropriate and professional, feel free to use tables, bulleted lists, and formatting techniques to guide the reader through your content.