Blue S2

Ok everyone, i decided to ask here since im flat out of ideas! I need to write a business report as a final paper for one of my classes. The topic is basically a communication problem between upper and lower management. I need to then be able to analyze it, and then research it, and propose solutions.

I have racked my brain and i cant believe im at such a loss for a workable idea. Basically i cant think of a problem to work with. Ive never worked in an office environment, and ive never had to deal with any formal management in any of my previous positions!

I have tried thinking outside the box and finding a way to incorporate a communication problem between people in recording work, engineer vs. tech or head of publishing vs. accounting dep. etc... and i just cant seem to get something i feel i can work with based on the guidelines.

Any ideas?????? Anyone???? (dont ask when its due either...you can probably guess)

alpenweissisnice

Give some thought to the horrors of tele-commuting; ie management at home office and an employee working from home, with most all communication done through email. You could discuss how the nuances of interpersonal communication are lost when using a "2-D" communication method like email. Imagine a scenario where upper management asked the employee to accomplish a particular task through an email, and describe how the message was skewed in interpretation by the reciever.

Solutions may include re-working communication flow through AIM type technology, text messaging, etc, etc...Good luck!

cpt_koolbeenz

Well. . .upper management is usually concerned with broad problems like how they are going to meet the budget for example, and lower management is concerned with how they are going to get all the work done. Classic struggle. What about something like . . . .how can lower management complete it's workload under the restrictions that upper management has placed on them. Lower management hears - 'we must complete the project on time and satisfy the customer. Upper management hears - 'we must complete the project under or at budget'. Lower management faces the need for overtime, and upper management doesn't want to hear that. Compromise, analyze the processes to see if they could be improved to provide better time management. Look at temp help which would be cheaper than overtime. Etc. Hope it helps!

Blue S2

Hmm....interesting ideas... You know what...i never even thought of the tele-commuting thing! I have a friend that works like that as a programmer. Thanks, both ideas have started to get the ideas working a little...