research/investagation

Prepare yourself for your visit by creating personnel information for the employees at the Roanoke branch. Brainstorm and freewrite about the number of people working in each department and the names and experience of each key executive (including the two who left). Also review the information provided by the staff person and the executive team members regarding agency and branch policies. Use the following questions to jumpstart your prewriting, but expand on them with your own questions and ideas.
Why wouldn’t employees be paid or compensated for extensive overtime? Is the branch following employee contractual agreements and agency/branch policies? Is the Roanoke branch operating under different salary scales/schedules than others Phoenix offices?
Is the business experiencing financial problems?
Who at Roanoke oversees the account review process? What are the procedures for accepting a new client account and for closing completed accounts? Are these procedures being followed?
Why are some, but not all, of the graphic designers and writers complaining? Are their complaints legitimate? Have they always complained or is this a recent development? If recent, what has changed to cause the complaints? What have the art directors already tried to do to handle their concerns? How does their negative attitude affect productivity?
Why did one of the top executives leave recently? In what ways has the absence affected the branch productivity and employees?
Has the loss of some management people caused the regular procedure of collaborative review to be overlooked or are the complainers not doing their jobs appropriately?
What’s the nature of the complaints filed by the four clients with Mr. Forest? What does each request to resolve the situation?
Does the Roanoke branch have a staff person dedicated to social media outreach?
Once you’ve created answers to these and other questions you’ve asked yourself, determine how you’ll approach the investigation to accomplish your goals and find the facts underlying each situation. These methods might include one-to-one interviews with employees, observation of the work environment, surveys of the clients, and a review of various business reports, policies, and procedures. Use a variety of methods—don’t rely on only one, such as employee interviews, because what people feel or say may not represent the reality of the situation. Create further details as necessary to craft a clear picture of
The branch, the employees, and the clients (both satisfied and dissatisfied)
Particular cause or source of each problem (usually more than one cause)
The impact of each cause on business and morale
Assignment: Methods
In a Word document, type the heading “Step 1: Methods.” Below it type a list of your methods and summarize what you want to accomplish with each. For example, if your method is to interview each department as a group, what kind of information related to the problems should you be able to uncover through that method?
Step 2: Gathering Information
Set aside your prewriting for a few days until you can revisit it with fresh eyes. Reread the scenario information and add ideas to your prewriting as you review it.
Suppose you decide to create two questionnaires, one for all the employees at Roanoke and one for all the clients Roanoke has serviced in the last 12 months. Your purpose is to determine when the problems began, how they’re defined by those involved, what caused them, and how the employees think they could be solved. Write several possible questions and jot down any facts you hope to establish with each question.
Assignment A: Employee and Client Surveys
Continue with the Word document begun for Step 1. Type the heading “Step 2A: Surveys.” Below it type “Employees” and list in correct sentence form the top three employee questions from your brainstorming. Choose words and phrases appropriate for the intended purpose and audience. Under each question, write one or two sentences describing the information you hope to establish through the use of that question.
Type “Clients” and list the top three client questions from your brainstorming. Under each one, write one or two sentences describing the information you hope to establish through the use of that question. Use language appropriate for the intended purpose and audience.
Assignment B: Letter to CEO of Roanoke Branch
Continue from Step 2A in the same Word document, but begin a new page. Write a full-block style, neutral letter to the CEO of the Roanoke branch in which you explain the reason you’re coming and the preparations he or she must complete before your visit. Use the ABC approach to developing each paragraph. Use correct sentence structure and word choice appropriate for the intended purpose and audience.
Based on your prewriting, detail what reports and client accounts you’ll review during that visit, the meetings and interviews you want to conduct, any branch policies on which you need further information, employee performance reviews, procedural manuals, and so on. Be sure to end in a positive tone showing appreciation for the CEO’s assistance. Include a representation of your signature above your typed name (such as typing it in italics or script font).