Essay Instructions: Please read all directions carefully!
Scenario: The Big City Chocolate Company’s line of licensed gourmet chocolates has become a huge success ??" thanks in no small part to your social media campaign!
Along with the success of your line have come perks: owners Jeff and Sandy Hokum have given you a substantial raise and a department to call your own: the College Collection. The Hokums have given you relative autonomy to oversee the department as you see fit, as long as you operate within the scope of the College Collection’s mission statement: “The College Collection offers unique signature gourmet confections designed specifically for area schools, with an emphasis on distinction in flavor and in presentation.”
You recently received a voice mail message from Bryan Thompson, the athletic director at Big City Tech. In the message, he was quick to praise your work, but it didn’t take him long to get to his reason for calling. In five weeks, he explained, Big City Tech will be hosting the regional postseason baseball tournament, with eight teams scheduled to play several games each over a long weekend. And what better way, he continued, to show our hospitality than to supply each team with a gift basket of its own personalized chocolates from your fine company? Thompson then asked you to contact him with the details of how he could go about placing an order for such a request.
You immediately realize there are several problems with this request. Time is the biggest issue ??" it takes 4-6 weeks to design and produce one new chocolate. From the message, it sounds like Thompson wants you to design and produce a new chocolate for each of the eight teams in the tournament ??" including Big City Tech, which does not yet have an entry in the College Collection. Given the five-week timeframe, it will not be possible for your team to fulfill that request while operating within the scope of your mission statement.
You and your team meet to brainstorm possible alternatives you may be able to offer in place of Thompson’s implausible request. Keeping Big City Tech’s business is important to you ??" as a matter of fact, Tech is on the short list of local schools you had in mind to pursue licensing agreements with in the near future. If the relationship between Big City Chocolate Company and Big City Tech goes sour because of this deal, that may mean a lot of business lost for your company.
You call the number Thompson left. He becomes very enthusiastic when he realizes who you are, and he confirms that he would like eight different types of chocolate, each packaged with the logo of the team whose locker room it will be in when the tournament begins. Before you have a chance to respond, he abruptly ends the conversation. You are able to catch something about an “urgent meeting” and “just send us the bill” before the line goes dead. You immediately call back, but Thompson doesn’t answer. You leave him a voice mail asking him to return your call ASAP.
Two days pass, and Thompson neither answers your repeated calls nor returns your messages.
Assignment: You decide to write a letter to Thompson in which you explain that you will not be able to fulfill his request. However, you and your team have come up with an alternative that he may find acceptable. Be sure your letter uses a subject line. Thompson’s address is 1804 Technology Way, Big City, FL 33999. Big City Chocolate Company’s address is 31 Confectioners Row, Big City, FL 33999.
Your letter will be graded on correct use of language and overall professionalism as well as the Red and Orange Level Strategies listed below (a more detailed rubric for Writing Assignment 2 can be viewed below):
Red Level Strategies
Establish purpose and audience
Use simple, concrete, direct language -- align language and purpose
Use the direct organization
Ensure completeness and accuracy
Write informative and purposeful subject lines
Orange Level Strategies
Use goodwill-building techniques
Emphasize reader benefits
Write with a positive emphasis
Write with a reader-based emphasis
Communicate alternatives
ome Rubric
Some Rubric
Criteria Ratings Pts
Description of criterion
Clearly establishes purpose and audience. Uses very simple, concrete, direct language ??" aligns language and purpose. Uses the direct organization effectively. Is absolutely complete and accurate. Subject line is highly informative and purposeful
40 pts
Clearly establishes purpose and audience. Uses simple, concrete, direct language ??" aligns language and purpose. Uses the direct organization effectively. Is complete and accurate. Subject line is highly informative and purposeful
34 pts
Establishes purpose and audience. Uses mostly simple, concrete, direct language ??" aligns language and purpose. Mostly uses the direct organization effectively. Is mostly complete and accurate. Subject line is mostly informative and purposeful
30 pts
May not clearly establish purpose and audience. May not use simple, concrete, direct language ??" may not align language and purpose. May not use the direct organization. May not be complete and accurate. Subject line may not be informative and/or purposeful
26 pts
Does not establish purpose and audience. Does not use simple, concrete, direct language ??" does not align language and purpose. Does not use the direct organization. Is not complete and/or accurate. Subject line is not informative and/or purposeful
0 pts
40 pts
Orange Level Strategies
Uses goodwill-building techniques very effectively. Emphasizes reader benefits effectively. Written with a reader-based emphasis. Communicates appropriate alternatives.
40 pts
Uses goodwill-building techniques mostly effectively. Emphasizes reader benefits effectively. Written with a reader-based emphasis. Communicates appropriate alternatives.
34 pts
Uses goodwill-building techniques somewhat effectively. Emphasizes reader benefits somewhat effectively. Mostly written with a reader-based emphasis. Communicates somewhat appropriate alternatives.
30 pts
May not use goodwill-building techniques. May not emphasize reader benefits. May not be written with a reader-based emphasis. May not communicate appropriate alternatives.
26 pts
Does not use goodwill-building techniques. Does not emphasize reader benefits. Is not written with a reader-based emphasis. Does not communicate appropriate alternatives.
0 pts
40 pts
Professionalism
All assignment directions followed meticulously. Proficient in grammar, mechanics, and spelling.
20 pts
All assignment directions followed meticulously. Mostly proficient in grammar, mechanics, and spelling.
17 pts
Most assignment directions followed. Somewhat proficient in grammar, mechanics, and spelling.
15 pts
Most assignment directions followed meticulously. Needs work in grammar, mechanics, and spelling.
13 pts
Some assignment directions not followed. Unprofessional grammar, mechanics, and/or spelling.
0 pts
20 pts
