instructions

 

You are an analyst for BuckStar Coffee (BC), a publicly-traded coffee retailer which has accumulated excess capital over the past five years.  Your boss, the CEO, has appointed you the Capital Improvements Committee to explore two possible uses of the excess capital for an expansion project. Your boss has asked you to write a memorandum to the Committee in which you recommend one alternative over the other.

 

For purposes of this assignment, you should assume that Starbucks Corporation does not exist.  Do not include any outside information, e.g. data, studies, or reports, in support of your recommendation. Therefore, only the relevant criteria and facts from this business scenario prompt and your own reasonable inferences from those facts may be used in your final analysis. However, to understand the business concepts implicated in this prompt, you may find it necessary to conduct outside research for the sole purpose of familiarizing yourself with those concepts and effectively analyzing the prompt. You are strongly encouraged to conduct such research.

 

Your memorandum should include a proper memorandum heading (i.e. “To”, “From”, “Re”, and “Date” lines). In addition, you should use Times New Roman 12-font type with one-inch margins and double-space your memorandum. The word count for this assignment is a minimum of 500 words and a maximum of 800 words (exclusive of the memorandum heading and any interim headings).  You will not receive credit for any submissions below 500 words.

 

Upload your memorandum to the folder labeled “Writing Assignment #1” under the “Assignments” tab on Blackboard by no later than the deadline. If you have trouble uploading your memorandum, email a copy of the memorandum to your professor by that deadline. Please see your syllabus for the course’s late submissions policies. If you have any questions regarding Writing Assignment #1, please contact your professor.

 

Evaluation Criteria:

 

In addition to your use of persuasive writing techniques as we have discussed in class and mechanics (grammar, punctuation, style), you will be evaluated based on the following.

 

Have you:

• clearly stated the decision options for the company and your recommended decision?
• evaluated both decision options using the relevant criteria for the decision?
• provided persuasive evidence as to each criterion that supports the decision?
• included counter-analysis for both decision options?
• organized your analysis in accordance with the Two-Criteria, Two-Alternative Decision Template (handout)?
• written a memorandum that is easy for the reader to follow, and is your writing style clear, correct, and concise?

BuckStar Coffee For the purposes of this assignment, assume that Starbucks Corporation does not exist.