Conduction of International Ties Memorandum

Please Note: The first draft is due in class for review and revision. Revised draft (post-classwork) due online.

Using the guidelines on How to Write Better Memos*, prepare a memo for the following scenario:

You work at Miami-based Wi-Fi Wonder Windshields, a company that produces windshield glass that projects 3D navigation maps directly on the windshields of cars. Business is going well and expansion internationally is occurring.

In a meeting, your boss worries that the company is not prepared culturally to engage international clients outside of the close, regional area to South Florida.

You inform her that you have just read an interesting article about international communication (the Olofsson article)

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and would be happy to write a memo to all employees about conducting international relations with these specific countries: Germany, Italy, and Spain, 3 countries close in proximity but distanced in professional styles.

She agrees and tasks you with informing the company about the content and main ideas of Olofsson’s article and how these ideas can be useful for the mission of the company. Your goal is to give the three teams usable specifics, not to telling them to read the article for themselves (Who would do that in a business setting?) You could invite them to go read it afterward, but again, YOU are giving the specifics from Olofsson.

Your primary audience is the sales staff who will be traveling to sales meetings in Germany, Italy and Spain; however, your customer service department, shop managers, and of course your boss, will have some interaction with these clients moving forward, so keep secondary audiences in mind.

Write the memo for the internal audience of your company.

Before you write, reflect on the purpose and audience(s) of your document, and think about tone (see Chapter 2). When discussing Olofsson’s ideas, you must cite her work in MLA format (giving page numbers.)

This project is a daily work assignment to read with diligence, practice memo format, and consider contextual situations within professional dynamics.

The first draft is due in class for review and revision. Revised draft (post-classwork) due online.