Business and Marketing: Diversity

Research Project The organizers of the upcoming 2014 Young Businessperson’s Conference have offered a substantial prize ($50,000 stipend, plus a 2-year contract with the YBC’s headquarters as consultant) for any college undergraduate business student who is able to identify and propose a solution for the biggest problem currently facing those working in the field of [business]. Identify a major issue or dilemma in your field and, using scholarship and supplementary sources (as well as logic to support your claims), compose a thesis-driven paper (1200 words) as to what those who work in the field should do to rectify this problem. Use one company or institution in that field as an illustration (exhibit source use) of the problem. For example, you might discuss solutions to privacy issues in online social media (Facebook). Your audience is a 3-person panel of judges (the Chairperson of the YBC event, a leading university professor in your field, and the CEO of a local business relevant to your field). You should consider: why the problem exists (its origins), why it is relevant/important, who it affects, as well as alternative solutions (and what would be needed to integrate such a solution). Note: The research paper’s main goal should be to propose and then support a main claim (thesis) through the use of logic and scholarly support. Each paper, because of the distinctions in topic and discipline, will be largely different. In a thesis-driven research paper, it is your job, as student-scholar, to take the lead. Your main claim (thesis) should be the original claim which drives the entire paper forward. Your topic sentences (sub-claims) and paragraphs should be your ideas and claims, which help support and progress the main argument claim (thesis). You should rely on and consider BEAM in your research and writing (this means finding diverse sources and using them accordingly – for Background, Exhibit, Argument, and Method to help devise and support your ideas. Outside research (from your sources) takes a backseat and offers support and background for the paper. This should be largely written in your voice from your perspective. Remember, a good ratio of your ideas and voice to the work of your sources should be about 4:1 or 3:1 at most. No more than a third of any paragraph should be quoted/paraphrased material. The responsibility to make claims, provide relevant logic, commentary, and analysis as to how your claims are plausible, etc is yours. The researched material in a research paper is there as support, not to make the argument for you. Draw your own conclusions and make sure to fully discuss the quotes/paraphrase that you include (why it is relevant, what is being said, how it affects your topic, what it contributes or implies for the topic/issue at hand, etc.). It is your job to tie things together and guide your audience through the logic of your argument. For formatting guidelines, please below. All papers must: -Be no less than 1,200 words. Papers turned in with less than 1,200 words of content will be severely penalized. Title page and bibliography do NOT count towards word or page count. Many of your papers will (rightfully) be longer than this. DO NOT simply stop at 1,200 because you have hit the minimum limit. Always write as much as is needed to fully and convincingly present your argument. -Be typed and double-spaced, in a 12-pt font (Times New Roman or something similarly easy to read). One-inch margins all around the page will be the standard. -Have a formal Title Page on a separate page, before the introduction. Title, Name, Class (with section number), School, accurate Word Count and Due Date must be present. Text should be centered in the middle of the page or should appear in the bottom right corner of the page. Papers turned in without a Title Page will be penalized. -Have pages numbered. Upper right hand corner is fine. If you wish to use a header with other information, please limit it to Last Name and Page only. -Utilize (actually integrate and CITE) no less than 5 sources (4 scholarly). You may use each source as many or as few (at least once of course) times as you see fit. It is highly encouraged that you utilize your sources in thoughtful and diverse ways (see BEAM= Background, Exhibit, Argument, Method). -Use proper APA citation (or appropriate style of your discipline) of any chosen quote, paraphrase, and/or summary in text. ***start with the problem, focus on it and on the solution Thank you