H.B. Fuller Project

    Group/Individual Assignment
     

    Overview

    The H.B. Fuller document outlines a scenario in which an organization is forced to respond to what it feels is an unfair and damaging allegation against it. Your job as a group is to research the issue using real data and then plot a communications plan to put your side of the story out. You will need to identify four distinct audiences, choose an appropriate medium, and craft a message that will achieve clearly articulated organizational goals. The group will submit an analysis of the problem and a summary of your proposed solution. In addition, each group member will be responsible for the composition and presentation of one message to a selected audience.
     

    Procedure

    Working together as a group come up with a research plan (you may want to delegate different areas to look at). Based on the situation as outlined in the original document, and whatever else you are able to find out, select a number of different audiences that you want to reach. The following questions might help you get started:
     

    • What internal and external audiences are most likely to be affected or influenced by the original NBC report? How can this be harmful to your organization?
       
    • Which audiences are in a position to be most important in terms of their influence or the number of people to whom they can spread the word?
       
    • What medium or media are best suited to reaching your target audiences?
       
    • What is your primary goal? What is your best outcome? What are your specific goals for each audience?
       

    Outcome

    The group will submit a summary of your research, your analysis of the situation, and your rationale for choosing the audiences and the media that you did (about 3 pp., memo format). In addition you will attach the four documents (or scripts, etc.) that you plan to disseminate. Each of these documents will be authored by one of the members of the group and will be signed. Although the primary responsibility for each particular document will belong the individual author, you will each act as editors and advisors on the whole package.

    Each group will also make a brief presentation of its analysis and messages to the rest of the class.
     

    Option

    A particularly large or involved message may require more than one person to compose and produce. Under special circumstances, and with the permission of your supervisor (me), two team members may work together as primary authors. You will then share the grade for this component of the project.
     

    Timeline

    Final product: Jan. 12

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