MARK 4005 W24-W

Midterm Test (25%)

This test has three parts.

Please answer questions in full sentences in a Word document.

Submit your document via Brightspace by 11:00 am.

Part A – Short Answers – Answer any three (3) of the following 5 questions for 5
marks each = 15 marks
Suggestion: spend about 30 minutes

1. Which one of the interpersonal communication skills we discussed early in

the course (e.g., professionalism, teamwork, meeting, telephone, etc.) do
you think will be most useful to you in your marketing career and why?
Provide at least two examples of how this particular skill will be beneficial.

2. Explain what a low-context culture is. What are its characteristics?

Outline two ways in which people from a low-context culture might feel
challenged when working on a team project with people from a high-
context culture.

3. What are politeness markers in routine business messages? Explain a

situation in which you wouldn’t need to use politeness markers.

4. Imagine you have the chance to become salesperson of the year for your
organization. What would intrinsically motivate you to win this award?
What would be an extrinsic motivation to win?

5. In a persuasive sales message, what are two ways that you can gain
attention at the beginning of a message? What are two ways that you can
motivate action at the end of a message?
Part B – Complex Message – Compose an email message for one (1) of the
following 2 scenarios for 15 marks = 15 marks
Suggestion: spend about 45 minutes

Scenario 1:

You work for the charitable organization ACT Charity (not a real charity).

Your charity is hosting its annual silent auction next week, and you’re hoping
that companies in the area will help you out by donating auction items.

This annual auction raises money for child and youth mental health programs in
your area. Without the infusion of funds raised each year, many of these
programs would be unable to continue.

Write a persuasive email request to Stavros Babich at Mac&Company

(BabichS@M&Co.com), a local company that creates and delivers specialized
gift baskets (not a real company). Use the AIDA writing plan and ask if his
company would be willing to donate a gift basket. Make up any additional
information you need. Do not use the Internet to generate any information for
this message.

Make up an email address for yourself that uses your organization’s name in it
(example: h_mcafee@ACT.org).

Your message should be no more than 1 page in length and should incorporate
all the key formatting components of a business message (subject, salutation,
complimentary close, signature block).

OR

Scenario 2:

You are the marketing manager at CreatiLab (not a real agency), a boutique
marketing agency. Your marketing team specializes in digital marketing
campaigns for a roster of clients. Over the past year, demand for your services
has increased, so much so that you recently added two new members to your
marketing team.
You’re somewhat surprised to receive an email from your marketing team lead,
Jenn Hubbard, asking permission to contract some of the team’s work out to an
external creative agency. It seems that even with the two additional team
members, the team is not able to handle the current workload.

While you understand that your team is working hard, the reality is that the
team has a say in the work your agency takes on, and just last month you
advised the marketing team against agreeing to do extra work for three of your
smaller clients; however, the team chose to take on this extra work, and now
they’re struggling.

You are willing to sit down with Jenn and her team and discuss the situation
and/or brainstorm ideas for getting the work done; however, there is no money
at this time to hire more staff, even on a contractual basis.

Compose your email response to Jenn using the BRCB writing plan that we
discussed and practiced in class to deliver this negative information. Make up
any additional information you need; do not use the Internet to generate
information for this message.

Your message should be no more than 1 page in length and should incorporate
all of the key formatting components of a business message (subject, salutation,
complimentary close, signature block). Be sure that both your and Jenn’s email
addresses incorporate your agency’s name (ex: h_mcafee@creatilab.com).

Part C – Informal Report – Compose an Informal Email Report for one (1) of the
following 2 scenarios for 15 marks = 15 marks
Suggestion: spend about 45 minutes

Scenario 1:

You are a project manager for an event planning firm called EverAfter (not a
real firm). Your boss, Filicia Mhone, wants to know how you and your team are
progressing on an upcoming charity fundraiser you’re working on for ACT
Charity.

Put the details below in a concise, yet detailed progress report. Use both
primary and secondary headings to organize the information. Add any
information (make up the details) you feel is important to this report. Do not
use the Internet to generate information for this message.

The event space, Hyland Farms, has been booked, and you have hired a caterer
for the evening. You are still working with the caterer on the menu for the five-
course sit-down meal; you are planning to begin the evening with appetizers
that catering staff will serve on trays to guests as they mingle and browse
auction items; however, the cost of this may be prohibitive. You’re still
negotiating this component with the caterer.

One of your biggest obstacles has been finding a way to set up all the dining
tables and the auction items in a single space, the Grange Room; you would
prefer not to have to display auction items in an adjoining room and had hoped
to host the event in a larger room, the Everly Room; however, recent water
damage required some renovations to that room and Hyland Farms can’t
guarantee that it will be ready in time for your event.

Your message should be about 1 ½ to 2 pages in length and, in addition to

headings, should incorporate all of the key formatting components of a
business email (subject, salutation, complimentary close, signature block).
Make sure that both your email address and your boss’s incorporate the
EverAfter name.

OR

Scenario 2:

You work as a project manager for Haywood Homes on High (not a real firm), a
condo development firm in Toronto. You are in the final planning stages of a
condo development project which is set to begin construction in early June.
Your boss, Julia Kamish has asked you to update her on your team’s progress.

Put the details below in a concise, yet detailed progress report to your boss.
Use both primary and secondary headings to organize the information. Add any
information (make up the details) you feel is important to this report. Do not
use the Internet to generate any information for this message.

You have spent the last five weeks meeting with City officials to finalize the
securement of necessary permits. You have all but one: the permit to allow for
three levels of underground parking is proving to be problematic; you have a
meeting with City officials along with your engineering team on February 27.
The problem is that three levels of underground parking is unprecedented in
this neighbourhood (Riverside).

All the condo units in the development have now been pre-purchased. Three of
the five commercial spaces on the first floor have been pre-purchased. You are
hopeful that as interest rates come down over the next few months, the
remaining two will also be pre-purchased. When that happens, 100% of your
funding will be in place; however, with over 80% of your funding in place now,
you are on track to begin construction in June.

Your message should be about 1 ½ pages in length and, in addition to headings,

should incorporate all the key formatting components of a business email
(subject, salutation, complimentary close, signature block). Make sure that both
your email address and your boss’s incorporate the Haywood Homes on High
name.