Posted: April 2nd, 2015

Memo Order Description Article: How Industries Change by Anita M. McGahan https://hbr.org/2004/10/how-industries-change Write a memo to the author, which discusses how one issue (no more!) in the article relates to a topic in this course. The memo ought to be about eight paragraphs long. In the first half, describe the issue from class to the author, perhaps as we discussed it, or as the assigned materials described it. There needs to be enough detail such that someone who has not taken this course can understand the topic well. Then use the remaining paragraphs to explain how the article relates to the issue. If the author agrees, explain the specific points. If the author disagrees, describe the points of contention and perhaps the cause. If the author adds a dimension, explain that. For example, “Our text says that to achieve A we must do B and avoid C. Your article generally agrees but adds that in situation D, we must not forget to do E as well,” could be the introductory sentence summarizing both halves. There is no value in summarizing the article since the author is intimately familiar with it, but the author is not at all familiar with this course or its materials. To recap, I am not looking for a summary of the article but an analysis of how the article supports what we learned in the course, how it disagrees, or how it adds to it. Your supporting arguments consist of specific items from the course and the article, and perhaps from your own experience. Be sure to cite the article as well as every word, fact and idea in the memo which is not your own, and to explain any quotations rather than merely let them speak for themselves. Q. You mention the first half of the memo is to describe an issue from class to the author, meaning related the article with class topics? A. You will find a topic in the article which we have covered in class. The first half is to describe that topic to the author. For instance, the article might discuss mission statements. In that case, the first half would describe our definitions of the vision and mission statements. It is the second half of the memo which relates the article to the topic from class.

Memo

Order Description

Article: How Industries Change by Anita M. McGahan
https://hbr.org/2004/10/how-industries-change
Write a memo to the author, which discusses how one issue (no more!) in the article relates to a topic in this course.
The memo ought to be about eight paragraphs long. In the first half, describe the issue from class to the author, perhaps as we discussed it, or as the assigned materials described it. There needs to be enough detail such that someone who has not taken this course can understand the topic well.
Then use the remaining paragraphs to explain how the article relates to the issue. If the author agrees, explain the specific points. If the author disagrees, describe the points of contention and perhaps the cause. If the author adds a dimension, explain that. For example, “Our text says that to achieve A we must do B and avoid C. Your article generally agrees but adds that in situation D, we must not forget to do E as well,” could be the introductory sentence summarizing both halves.
There is no value in summarizing the article since the author is intimately familiar with it, but the author is not at all familiar with this course or its materials.
To recap, I am not looking for a summary of the article but an analysis of how the article supports what we learned in the course, how it disagrees, or how it adds to it. Your supporting arguments consist of specific items from the course and the article, and perhaps from your own experience. Be sure to cite the article as well as every word, fact and idea in the memo which is not your own, and to explain any quotations rather than merely let them speak for themselves.
Q. You mention the first half of the memo is to describe an issue from class to the author, meaning related the article with class topics?
A. You will find a topic in the article which we have covered in class. The first half is to describe that topic to the author. For instance, the article might discuss mission statements. In that case, the first half would describe our definitions of the vision and mission statements. It is the second half of the memo which relates the article to the topic from class.