Team Meetings Will Occur Tuesday 1 May

Tuesday May 1 . . . Instead of a group class session, I will meet with each team individually in my office to review the team’s action plan and other details related to the final assessment. Bring to the meeting all documents (i.e. surveys, action plan, letters, special requests, questions, etc.) related to the project. This is an opportunity to demonstrate that you and your team are on track to meet the requirements of this very important assignment . . . “on track” does not mean that you already have satisfied the criteria of the final assessment, or even necessarily that you will satisfy the criteria, but that you are doing (or at least planning to do) what needs to be done in the prep stage to complete the assignment as required, and deliver it professionally on 22 May. While the team meetings present an opportunity to assess your team and individual progress (which counts toward your grade), the bulk of your grade is dependent upon you and your teammates delivering the project as required on 22 May.

The meetings on 1 May will take approximately 20 minutes, but the timing depends on the quality of your work to date, your questions, and my directions.  All team members are required to be present for the meeting. I am purposely giving you the balance of the class time on 1 May to meet with your team so that you can continue to fulfill the requirements of this assignment. . . . If a team member is absent, I will meet with the attending team members. 

If your team can meet earlier than our class time, I will be available in my office starting at 4 p.m. to review your plans. However, all team members must be present if you wish to meet with me at 4 p.m., or before the class time (so that no student can claim that he or she was excluded due to work or other responsibilities). If you plan to meet with me before class time, send me an email so that I’ll know who’s coming – and if there are several teams coming early, I will set a schedule. Do not send me an email if you're planning to meet with me at 5 p.m. or later.

Starting at 5 p.m. I will meet with teams on a first-come, first-served basis and continue until I’ve met with all teams (hopefully no later than 8 p.m.). Once your team is together, come to my office. However, there may be a delay at my door depending on how many teams are waiting. Use the waiting time, as well as time after our meeting (if it ends before 8 p.m.) to meet with your team to continue making progress on the project. Please do not interrupt meetings in progress. The classroom will be available to you for meeting space, or you may meet at any location of your choice. It's your responsibility to know when I am free for the next meeting; I will not come to the classroom looking for you. 

I will continue to emphasize that this project requires teams to meet outside of class time -- I don't think it's possible to complete the project satisfactorily without working closely with the team for several weeks prior to the presentation. Please note that the remaining class sessions will not be devoted to the project, but will address other issues relative to the completion of Managerial Communications, and will include assignments. 

If the details above are not clear, please let me know via email.

Looking forward to reviewing some potentially outstanding projects!

Promoting The Best of Kuwait

My Management of Promotion (undergraduate) students were assigned the task of creating a promotional campaign for the Best of Kuwait. Their campaigns included Facebook pages, Twitter updates, Linkedin promotions, flyers, balloons, T-shirts, promotional calendar, etc. One team of students secured a donation from a New Jersey franchisee (family friend) to underwrite their promotion, which they will actually implement at GUST in the coming weeks!

Here are some of the products the students produced.

Midterm Assessment Grades Posted

Grades have been posted for the Midterm Assessment: Op Ed Article & Presentation.

In addition to English and presentation skills, this assignment required students to follow a specific template. The template required students to begin with a bold statement (take a position), and then build a case, using sources, data, and at least one quote. In addition, students were required to provide solutions and a specific call to action. Much of this assignment depended on following directions. The assignment modeled a real-life assignment that an MBA might be asked to perform in the workforce. Instead of an Op Ed, an employee might be asked to develop a case study or a business report, complete with sources, data, recommendations and specific next-step actions.

Students received two grades: one for the article, and a second for the oral presentation. Each grade was computed via a different rubric. Students whose combined grade totaled at least 100 earned an A; those whose combined grade totaled 85-99 earned a B; students whose combined score totaled 70-89 earned a C.  

Of 18 assessments, 3 students earned an A; 5 students earned an A-; 2 students earned a B+; 3 students earned a B; 1 student earned a B-; and 4 students earned a C+.

For the most part, English skills, and following directions (providing the required criteria in the format requested) caused low grades. All students exhibited at least the potential to become effective communicators.  

As always, students have 72 hours to discuss grades after they are posted. Please see me during office hours no later than Tuesday 17 April.

Why An Op Ed Article?

You may never again write an Op Ed article and so you may be wondering, “What does this (midterm assessment) have to do with my career, or with earning an MBA?”

Good question! I’ll answer it with some questions.

Do you think you might be asked to express an opinion about an important topic at some point in the future?

Do you think you might be required to gather facts that support a position or point of view (either your own, or your company’s) at some point in the future?

Do you think you might be asked to write a position paper, or a report, expressing ideas and opinions about an important topic?

Do you think you might be asked to “make a case” to support an opinion or position shared by your employer or your company?

Do you think you might be called upon to lead?

Do you think you might be asked to defend a position or point of view?

Do you think you might be required to tell people what they must do to produce change or correct a problem?

Do you think you might be asked to stand in front of your colleagues and present information that may lead them to take specific actions?

I can’t imagine an MBA answering “no” to any of the above questions. Some MBAs, depending on their position with a company, may never be asked to do all of the tasks above, but surely they’ll be asked to do some of the tasks above.

The Op Ed article prepares you for all of the tasks. And it also gives you the opportunity to publish your article in a local newspaper, which enhances your resume.

Instead of an Op Ed article I could assign a term paper, research paper or business report and the  requirements would not change. You would be required to demonstrate the same skills, and ultimately present your report orally to prove your skills as a communicator. I choose to use the Op Ed article because I think it serves a better purpose overall -- it's surely friendlier than a term paper. Of course, your comments are welcomed.

Best of Kuwait Social Media Sites

Start following @BestofKuwait on Twitter.

And please LIKE the Best Of Kuwait Facebook page!

Op Ed Presentations: Tuesday, April 10

Presenting your Op Ed article to your colleagues is the last step in the midterm assessment. Presentations will occur Tuesday 10 April in the classroom. Please bring copies of your article for your classmates (you may print your article on a single page, back to back) . Be certain to review the requirements posted on 14 February. Each student will complete an evaluation rubric during each presentation, so you will evaluate your colleagues' presentations. If you have any questions, please contact me via email or visit during office hours.