SVKM’S NMIMS

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Term End Examination
Trimester I
(Academic Year 2020-21)

Program: MBA Year: 1 Trim: 1

Subject: Business Communications - 1 Date: 6th October 2020

Marks: 40 Time: 2.00-4.00 pm

Duration: 2 hrs No. of pages: 2

Instructions:
1. The TEE take-home assignment upload schedule is 3rd October 2020, 12.00 pm. The submission
deadline is 6th October 2020, from 2.00-4.00 pm.
2. Students should adhere to the given timeline of submission. No extension will be given.
3. The assignment is uploaded on MS Teams. The submission needs to be uploaded on MS teams
along with an email to the faculty to ensure no gap in communication.
4. Students should submit only typed answers in Word/Powerpoint document.
5. The documents must be checked for plagiarism via Turnitin before submission. Turnitin report
should be part of your submission.
6. For hashcode generation, create one single Word file - PowerPoint or any other working content
can be imported to this Word file. Create a coverpage with your name and SAP ID. The file can
then be converted into a pdf for hashcode generation. The ‘exam pdf file’ should be submitted on
MS Teams corresponding with the Quickhash code generated and shared.
7. All questions are compulsory.
8. Answer to each new question to be started on a new page.
9. Figures in brackets on the right-hand side indicate full marks.

Read the attached case “Fresh to Table” and answer the questions given below:
Q.1) The meeting is over – Fresh to Table (FtT) CEO Erik Mossberger, VP (HR) Anika Jensen, and
COO Dwayne Fisher have finally been able to decide on an action plan to manage the Showalter
Slack crisis. You are Dwayne Fisher and the CEO has requested you to draft out the minutes
of the meeting so that each one has absolute clarity on the action plan, roles, responsibilities
and timelines (this will be based on your case analysis and recommendations). The details of
the meeting to be taken from the case. The meeting primarily focussed on the following issues:
a) Should they stop the use of Slack within FtT?
b) Should they revise or reiterate FtT’s technology and communications policies?
c) Should they fire the offending employees or do something less severe, such as put them on a
personal improvement plan?
d) In the long term, would these actions align with the values that Mossberger had vowed to
maintain when he had founded the firm?
TOTAL MARKS = 10

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Q.2) You are CEO Dwayne Fisher, and you have decided that the best way forward would be to
address all the employees in a face-to-face Townhall meeting. As a CEO, you want to be
unemotional and avoid fanning the flames. You wish to provide an example of respect and
decorum, which will send necessary signals to the remaining employees and reinforce the FtT’s
corporate values and a culture of trust and professionalism. During the Townhall, you plan to
adopt a clear communication strategy that does not defame anyone yet explains why four
colleagues were fired. You wish to reiterate the importance of adherence to updated company
policies as the firm goes from a small start-up to a more established industry player.
a) Draft a meeting notice and agenda. (10 marks)
b) Also, develop your 10-slide presentation (PowerPoint) for this meeting – with a presentation
outline and speaker notes. (10 marks)
TOTAL MARKS = 20

Q.3) You are VP (HR) Anika Jensen, and you need to submit a report (with all the necessary sections
in an executive summary) with your recommended solutions - short and long term - along with
an implementation plan and success evaluation criteria.
a) An update comprising of assessment of the current situation regarding the Showalter Slack
crisis.
b) Actions taken to address the crisis head-on in the short term.
c) An insightful long-term plan to strengthen the FtT team to avoid and contain such crises in the
future and align the company culture with the FtT’s corporate values.
Draft a brief report in a memo format to be sent to the Board and top management of FtT.
TOTAL MARKS = 10

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