New York Times Health Short Informal Proposal

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New York Times Health Short Informal Proposal

Background:

You work in the HR department for Fox and Badger, an online outdoor store and you have many co-workers who spend most of their day sitting while they deal with online orders or answer customer questions.So although you are an outdoor company, not all of your employees are super fit. You have read that other companies have given their employees personal activity trackers to encourage them to engage in a more active lifestyle, which may benefit the employees in terms of their health and may benefit the company in terms of healthier employees who may need less time off and be more productive, and perhaps eventually may lead to lower costs for health care or at least fewer increases in costs. Therefore, you will write a short informal proposal to the CEO in which you propose that your company should equip each employee with a personal activity tracker.

Your proposal has the following components in this order:

  • Memo Header & clear subject line that catches reader’s attention and conveys the benefit of your solution
  • An Executive Summary: this first paragraph contains the following: a buffer, the problem, the solution, the main reason for investing in the personal activity trackers, and the budget involved.An executive summary, see pages 407-408 allows a reader to read only that paragraph and decide whether he or she needs to keep reading).
  • Description of the Problem: Use sufficient detail to persuade readers that inactivity during the day at work causes a number of problem (use sources to document the types of problems being inactive at work can lead to.Consider finding reputable sources on how sitting all day can lead to cardiovascular disease for example).
  • Solution:Describe your solution and then follow this description with at least three arguments for your proposal to give employees personal activity trackers. See page 285 for employing logic and emotion as you develop reasons. Support your arguments for your proposal with research (e.g. evidence from various studies or case histories or articles to show the positive benefits of giving employees these devices
  • Now Give Specific Details about the Solution:
  • Budget Information: An estimate of the total cost of the personal activity trackers for your company. You must explain the budget items in detail. If you are asking someone to give you money or asking them to implement something that will require money, you need to justify the expense and explain how you arrived at the amounts you did. Are there any other expenses in addition to the trackers themselves
  • Objection and Refutation:You should anticipate at least one objection to your proposal and refute it.Read the sources I have given you and you will find possible objections employees and employers have.
  • A conclusion persuasively restating your request and the main reason and explain how you can be contacted should the VP want to discuss this in person.
  • Explain the ideal qualities a personal activity tracker should have
  • Show how the brand you recommend meets these ideals
  • Consider including a comparison of the cost of the brand and features you recommend to other other brands on the market
  • Include a time frame (how long it will take to implement your plan)

Sources: Use at least three sources in addition the articles I have linked to this assignment sheet. You may certainly use more however. I’d suggest you use following databases: ABI Inform, Academic Search Premier and you may use Google but make sure the sources you find come from respected publications.

Sources need to be documented in the text by telling your reader who the writer is and his or her expertise:According to New York Times health writer John Doe (2017), ……., and a list of references needs to be included. Just putting someone’s name in parentheses tells me nothing about the credibility of the writer.And use quotations.

Use APA style of documentation.You may of course also use testimony if you know of users who have these activity trackers

You Attitude: You want to pay special attention to creating a “you attitude” so that your reader will be motivated to provide funding for the program. Since you are writing to the CEO, consider what she or he cares about.

Report Format:

Length: 3-5 pages using single space typing and blank lines between paragraphs excluding the separate reference page