2000 words

Introduction

      The Comprehensive Written Assignment is a compilation of four distinct expository essays and a reflective essay.  This term-long assignment should not be put off until the end of the term. Since it is a compilation of four expository essays and one reflective essay, you should consider working on the individual essays as they occur in the course schedule.  This will not only assist with time management, but will also improve retention of the material and positively impact the quality of the essay. 

 An expository essay is a type of essay requiring students to investigate an idea or concept, evaluate evidence, expound on the idea, and defend an argument concerning the idea or concept.  An expository essay is generally described by the following: 

· Clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the introductory or first paragraph of the essay.

· Clear and logical transitions between the introduction, body of the essay, and conclusion.

· Distinct paragraphs that include evidential support with both conciseness and clarity

· Concluding paragraph that restates the thesis as well as an effective and logical synthesis of the evidence

      Typically, expository essays are not written in first person.  It is in good form to use a third person voice in these essays.  For more information on Expository Essays, consult a writer’s guide or Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) at https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/.

 Reflective essays incorporate the writer’s experiences, thoughts, values, or goals toward expression of the writer’s perspective, growth, or understanding.  In reflective essays, it is acceptable to use a first person voice.  You may use pronouns such as “I” or “me” in the reflective essay portion of this written assignment.  For more information on Reflective Essays, consult a writer’s guide or DePaul University’s Center for Writing-based Learning at http://condor.depaul.edu/writing/writers/Types_of_Writing/reflectiveessay.html.

 Format

     The general format, as generally described in the syllabus, includes: 

· Written assignments must be typewritten and provided in a format as described below.

· No more than 1 inch margins. 

· No larger than 12 point font.

· Title pages should be included with name, title or assignment name, and date of submission.

· Material not your own thought and all direct quotes must be properly cited.  All references and citations must conform to APA format.  Papers containing plagiarized material will receive zero points – no exceptions.  Failure to properly use in-text citations for material not your own is considered plagiarism. 

· Works cited, including the text, are to be combined into one Reference List

      You may need to consult an APA Manual, writer’s guide or Perdue OWL for help with APA format.    

 In addition to the title page, a table of contents is to be included with page numbers.  Page numbering should follow APA format, but minimally, Page 1 should start with the first essay.  Each essay title should incorporate the title as indicated below in bold font.  You may do so by adding a subtitle, or by incorporating the assignment title into a general title.  You can be creative with this requirement, but it must be used to set apart each of the four essays.  You may also use sub-headings within your essay.  This is not required, but often is helpful in improving readability of the narrative.   In using subheadings, be aware that there are distinct differences between main heading and subheadings. 

 Once the written assignment is complete, you may upload as a docx or PDF file in the Comprehensive Written Assignment Drop box.  Submission must be prior to the deadline.   Submissions will not be accepted after the deadline. 

 Ethical Decision-Making  

· Review the Decision-Making Model for Business Ethics as described in Chapter 1 and Chapter 2.  

· Using popular business or news periodicals identify a contemporary ethical dilemma in a business or non-governmental agency (non-profit) environment.  Do not use social or governmental examples for this essay.  The dilemma may be something that is not widely known or something that is or has recently been “headline” news.  Once you have identified the ethical dilemma, you may want to find other sources that discuss the situation from other perspectives.  Some dilemmas are offered in the text as examples.    

· Compose an expository essay of at least 500 words but not to exceed 1000 words using the decision-making model as an outline to explain and analyze the dilemma:

· Determine the facts

· Identify the ethical issues involved.

· Identify stakeholders

· Consider the available alternatives (consider not just those that may have been offered by the sources you have chosen, but others of which you may have thought).

· Consider how a decision affects stakeholders.

· Guidance

· Assessment

· Online articles (those only available through Internet access) are acceptable if credible, but should not constitute all of your sources.  Other appropriate articles are those which may be obtained via the library online data bases which are available through print resources as well.  Examples include, but are not limed to professional journals, weekly or monthly commercial print magazines (such as Bloomsburg BusinessWeek, Time, or Newsweek) or professional periodicals. 

     This assignment is intended to enable the instructor to determine if the student can recognize a particular ethical dilemma and the subsequent decision-making process that may be used to analyze the dilemma.  In addition to composition, style compliance, and the quality of the article, students will be evaluated on the level of explanation and analysis of the material.

 Corporate Social Responsibility 

· Chapter 5 provides a description of four models of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).  Review these models.    

· Choose two companies with which you are most familiar and likely to have a CSR initiative.   You may choose companies you patronize frequently or use for purchases or companies which manufactures the goods which interest you most.  Try to choose different companies with varying missions such as manufacturing, service, etc., or different products such as high-tech, automotive, apparel, service, etc. 

· Using the companies’ web sites or published information, explore these firms’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. 

· Compose an expository essay of at least 500 words but not to exceed 1000 words covering the following information in a - g below. 

· Describe each of the two companies and why you chose them.

· Determine the model which most resembles the company’s CSR initiatives.  Provide an explanation of the evidence that lends itself to support your decision.

· Do you believe the company’s culture supports CSR because it truly believes it is the right thing to do or because it is expected for marketing or public relations?

· What type of CSR do you think Massey Energy Corporation followed?  Why? 

· Are your findings for each company what you may have expected?  If not, why?  Compare and contrast the two companies with Massey.  How do they differ?  How are they alike?

· Do your findings make a difference to you in terms of how you feel about these firms or Massey Energy Corporation?

· After your review and analysis, what are your overall thoughts about CSR and modern business pursuits?

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· Describe each of the two companies and why you chose them.

· Determine the model which most resembles the company’s CSR initiatives.  Provide an explanation of the evidence that lends itself to support your decision.

· Do you believe the company’s culture supports CSR because it truly believes it is the right thing to do or because it is expected for marketing or public relations?

· Are your findings for each company what you may have expected?  If not, why?  After your review and analysis, what are your overall thoughts about CSR and modern business pursuits?

 Business and Environmental Sustainability 

· Chapter 9 provides an introduction to the models and concepts of environmental sustainability and principles for a sustainable business.  

· Review the web sites of information of your choice for an understanding of the growing sustainability movement and the various foci of the movement. 

· Research and choose at least two companies, different from the two in the “CSR” essay that you consider to be the most environmentally conscious and which strives to meet the principles of sustainability.  Obtain concrete information on each company and evidence they are meeting, or striving to meet, the three primary principles for a sustainable business. 

· Compose an expository essay of at least 500 words but not to exceed 1000 words covering the following information:

· Describe each company and why you chose it.

· Determine the models or principles the company is striving to fulfill.  Provide an explanation of the evidence that lends itself to support your decision.

· After your review and analysis, describe your overall thoughts about environmental sustainability and the role business should continue to play. 

 In addition to composition, style compliance, and the quality of the article, students will be evaluated on the level of explanation and analysis of the material.

 Corporate Governance & Accountability 

Last year, many of you were required to read The Price of Justice by Lawrence Leamer (2013).  This treatise focused on Massey Energy and, its then CEO, Don Blankenship.   Massey Energy was one of the nation’s largest coal producers and the largest in Central Appalachia.  Mr. Blankenship has been indicted under a criminal complaint to his alleged role in the Upper Big Branch mine explosion that resulted in the deaths of 29 miners in April of 2010.  He currently awaits trial which is scheduled to begin soon.  Whether Mr. Blankenship is guilty of directly causing the deaths of these miners is for the federal court to decide, but based on all accounts of trial testimony of several Massey managers who were found guilty or have pled guilty to federal health and safety violations, and other trial transcripts involving liability for wrongful death, it is evident Mr. Blankenship fostered a culture, or allowed a culture to permeate, that placed profits and production above safety and welfare of its employees, particularly its coal miners.   

For your final expository essay;

· Research web or print sources on Massey Energy’s Board of Directors at the time of the Upper Big Branch event (2010) prior to its sale to Alpha Natural Resources, paying particular attention to their credentials and positions each held. 

· Using the three primary legal duties of board members – duty of care, duty of loyalty, and duty of good faith as described in Chapter 10, and the section on “Beyond the Law, There is Ethics,” also in Chapter 10, compose an expository essay of at least 500 words but no more than 1000 words making an argument on whether Massey Energy’s Board of Directors fulfilled each of their legal duties and what their actions should have been, particularly as it relates to their fiduciary duty toward stockholders.     

Personal Reflections 

· Your fifth and final essay will focus on the overall themes and content of this course.  Compose a reflective essay of at least 500 words but no more than 1000 words completing the following statement: “This course has helped me to better understand…”

· Be specific identifying the topics or concepts, revelations, or issues which resonated most with you.   This essay is not intended to be a regurgitation of the concepts, but a true reflection and description of the material that you found most enlightening, most interesting, and/or which may have most personally impacted you, directly or indirectly.  Be specific when referring to topics or concepts from the text. 

· In addition to composition, style compliance, and the quality of the article, students will be evaluated on the level of explanation, analysis and synthesis of the material.