Proposal to Transform the Current Leadership at Pink Olive Business

Assignment 2: Proposal

Whether in industry or academia, problems occur that require action. Sometimes these solutions allow some part of the department or division to run more efficiently. Other times, these solutions contribute innovative studies to a larger body of ongoing research, such as AIDS, cold fusion, or artificial intelligence. Before any work actually can be performed, however, the writer must convince his/her audience that the task in question is absolutely critical for success, and worth the time, personnel, and finances expended for the effort. The proposal is the format of choice for such an occasion. Its structure and content have been developed over time to achieve a singular goal: to persuade the reader that you, above anyone else, have the means to solve that problem. In developing a proposal for this assignment, you will have two options: 1) Management proposal: Consider the field-related groups of which you are a member (studentrun organizations, former/current internships, industry associations, etc.), and propose an action to the leadership that will allow the group to run more effectively. 2) Research proposal: Write a proposal for an instructor in your major field proposing a research and report project that you will conduct for course credit. Your broad goal is to convince the instructor that you have identified a significant and feasible project, that your methods will achieve the stated objectives, and that you can complete the project within the time and budget constraints. The following components will make up your proposal:  Cover Letter – Also called the Letter of Transmittal. Explains why you are submitting the proposal and what problem is being addressed. The cover letter will typically offer brief summaries of the proposal objectives and parts, particularly those that the writer doesn’t want the audience to miss.  Summary or Overview – What is this project about, and what does the writer propose to do? How does this project relate to the audience’s interests? How will this project be better than similar ones the audience might fund?  Introduction – Often referred to as the Problem Statement or Needs Assessment. What is the problem or need? Is the problem important? Is this the type of problem in which the audience is interested? Does the writer have a grasp of the problem? Does the writer’s concept of the problem match the audience’s?  Objectives – Exactly what will be the outcomes of the proposed work?  Plan: Methods, Dates – What will be done? In what order? What methods will be used? Are these the right methods to achieve the objectives? When will the project be complete? Are the scheduling goals realistic?  Evaluation or Quality Control – What measures will be used to establish that the plan is achieving the objectives? How will we know the plan is working?  Budget – How much will the project cost? How much will each component cost? Are the costs fair and reasonable for the work performed?  Personnel and Qualifications – Who will do the work? Do they have the qualifications (education/, experience, interest) to do the work well? Are they the best qualified of the various people who have applied to do the job? Do they have a record of success in similar projects?  Conclusion – Does the writer restate the problem or need, summarize the proposed solution, and remind the audience why the solution is beneficial to them? Optional Components  Facilities and Equipment – What kind of specialized area and/or tools are necessary to complete the task?  Bibliography – What sources are used to inform the writer’s work? Is the list crafted after the style manual of the field? Formatting  2-5 pages (plus cover letter)  1-inch margins  Single-spacing or 1.5 spacing (NO DOUBLE-SPACING)  Professional, legible font (No Times New Roman, Courier, or Calibri)  Point size range between 10-12  Block paragraphing w/ paragraph breaks  Pages (w/the exception of page 1) must have running headers and page numbers  Cover Letter follows business letter formatting  NOTE: The cover letter is considered a separate document from the actual proposal. It is not the first page of the proposal.