RWS 290: Business Writing and Rhetoric

Memo Practice Activity Week 5 — 10 Points Possible

Background: As we know ethical dilemmas are common in many parts of our lives, including our careers. In this assignment, imagine that your boss has asked you to research an ethical issue specific to your field. For example, if you are interested in marketing, some potential issues may include price wars, selective advertising, and deceptive marketing. If you are interested in management, you may wish to choose a topic related to unethical leadership, toxic workplace culture, or discrimination and harassment.

In this assignment, you’ll need to research this issue carefully and summarize your findings in a memo for your boss.

Your Tasks/Deliverables:

• Research your ethical issue using web sources and the SDSU Library. Gather at least three sources on your issue. (Note: effective sources will have credibility and not be from obscure dot-com web sites.)
• Use these sources to summarize the issue for your boss. Explain the issue and explain the issue’s relevance to your industry.
• Recommend three action items your industry can take to address this issue.
• Convey this information in a memo to your boss.
• Use footnotes to cite your sources, APA or MLA format
• NOTE: You may make up a business name and the name of your boss for this memo if you would like.

Evaluation