200817 Business Communication Skills Assignment Sample

• Subject Code : 200817
• University : Western Sydney University My Assignment Services is not sponsored or endorsed by this college or university.
• Subject Name : Business Communications

Business Writing Critical Review

Question 1 Identify the argument and write the thesis statement (one (1) sentence only).

Any given day of the week a newspaper can be picked up and it is almost guaranteed to have some report on sexual harassment. Sexual harassment cases are one of the highest class action suites, which are brought about in work force. Simply stated “sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.” When the words sexual harassment in the workforce come into a sentence the mind immediately jumps to scenarios of men touching women, smacking their behinds, or making sexually oriented comments. This is what sexual harassment has come down to, a one sided event of which men are almost always viewed as the perpetrator. This is not always true however, men are sexually harassed as well and they either do not come forward with their accusations or they are not believed.

ANSWER:

Sexual harassment is not gender-specific as men also get sexually harassed just as women.

Question 2 Identify implicit assumptions (2-4 sentences).

Identify the implicit assumptions being made by the armed protesters and their supporters.

Armed Protesters Enter Michigan's State Capitol to Demand End to Coronavirus Lockdown

1 May 2020

Dozens of protesters, some of them heavily armed, have occupied the capitol building of the US state of Michigan to demand an end to coronavirus stay-at-home orders.

Many at the so-called ‘American Patriot Rally’ ignored state social-distancing guidelines as they packed inside the state’s capitol building and the area surrounding it on Thursday.

Police let more than 100 protesters into the building. The demonstrators had their temperature taken by police, as a coronavirus precaution, as they entered.

It appeared to be the largest of several protests in Michigan’s capital, Lansing, after supporters of Republican President Trump last month organised thousands of people for ‘Operation Gridlock’ which jammed the streets with cars to call out what they said was the overreach of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s strict stay-at-home order.

“Governor Whitmer, and our state legislature, it’s over with. Open this state,” Republican US congressional candidate Mike Detmer told the crowd. “Let’s get businesses back open again. Let’s make sure there are jobs to go back to,” he said.

Protesters claim Ms Whitmer’s stay-at-home order violates constitutional rights, and they urged people to open their businesses on May 1 in violation of the Governor’s order.

Michigan authorities warned the protesters could be fined for violating social-distancing rules.

ANSWER:

1. That violence will follow if the protestors are not heard

2. That the social distancing orders are a political strategy hiding behind the smoke-screen on coronavirus

3. That Governor Whitmer does not have the interest of the people at heart

4. That the protest is a planned political strategy of the opposition party (Republicans).

Question 3 Discuss a set of data (200 words max)

ANSWER:

The use of cash money as a payment method has declined since the year 2007. In 2007 65% of the total number of payments were made in cash. However, the numbers have declined since then to 61% in 2010 and then to 45% in 2013. The second most common mode of payment was card followed by BPAY, PayPal, Personal check, and other. While in 2007 the most common mode of payment was case, by 2016 it became the least common mode of payment. Payment by card become frequent by 2016. Other modes of payment such as BPAY remained relatively uncommon. In 2007 only approximately 3% users paid by BPAY, PayPal, personal check, and other modes of payment.

Among BPPAY, PayPal, personal check and other modes of payment, BPAY was most commonly used in 2013 (after cash and card payments). In fact BPAY and ‘other’ modes of payment were at oar in 2010 and 2013. In 2016, ‘other’, however was the third most common mode of payment after card and cash. In 2016, about 6% people used other payment methods.

Question 4 Describe flaws in an argument (2-4 sentences only)

It is about time that we make marijuana an option for people in chronic sever pain. We approve drugs when society reaches a consensus about their value, and there is clearly now a consensus for such approval. A recent survey of public opinion reported that 73% thought medical marijuana should be allowed. In addition, the NSW Association for the Treatment of AIDS Victims supports marijuana smoking. Anyone who would not support the legalisation of medical marijuana has never sat for house with someone crying out in pain and pleading to die just to stop the pain.

ANSWER:

1. Grammatical errors:”…marijuana has never sat for house with someone…”

2. The passage is demanding in tone: “it is about time…” which evokes resistance in the reader

3. It is selfishly motivated and does not consider the impact on the larger consumer base

Question 5 Create arguments and counter-arguments (200 words max).

Identify three arguments for and against the Coalition’s new energy plan.

Use the newspaper article below to help, and you may also make up your own arguments and counter-arguments.

You need to match up the counter-arguments with the arguments. For example, if Jenny argued that the university should employ Tom Jones because he is an excellent economist, I wouldn’t counter that argument by saying that cornflakes are better than rice bubbles. What I could say as a matched counter-argument is that the university does not need any more economists, good or bad.

Coalition Back to The Future with Its Climate Policy

Sydney Morning Herald, 21 May 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has proved that natural disasters can pose just as great a threat to Australia’s security as terrorism or weak borders. So it is good news that the federal government this week made the first announcements since the 2019 election on how it plans to fight the catastrophic threat of global climate change.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor on Tuesday announced changes to the $2 billion Climate Solutions Fund which is supposed to help Australia meet its 2030 emissions reduction targets under the Paris Treaty.

He followed this up yesterday by releasing a discussion paper for a ‘‘Technology Investment Roadmap’’ which canvasses possible further government subsidies for emissions-reduction projects. Unfortunately, the measures announced fall well short of what is required and in some ways represent a step backward.

While Mr Taylor has announced tweaks to the Climate Solutions Fund, he has not promised any more money to boost its completely inadequate resources.

It spends less than $200 million a year on ‘‘carbon sink’’ projects such as tree planting and soil management. While welcome, it is a drop in the ocean and does nothing to curb the much larger and still rising emissions from transport, industry and coal-and gas-fired power generation.

Australia needs economy-wide action in all these areas if it is to meet the Paris targets and then achieve the goal of zero-net emissions by 2050, which scientists say is needed to save the Great Barrier Reef.

In fact, Mr Taylor has adopted a ‘‘back to the future’’ strategy in one area by diverting some of the existing cash to so-called Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects.

Since the Howard government, Australia has invested billions of dollars in CCS, which uses filters and other gizmos to siphon greenhouse gases from smokestack fumes and then bury them underground.

The process is as cumbersome as it sounds and costs far more than proven emissions reduction technologies such as renewable solar and wind. Despite 20 years of effort, aside from a couple of natural gas facilities, none of the projects have passed the prototype stage. Even if it could be made to work, businesses will not invest in it without a clear incentive such as an emissions trading scheme or massive government subsidies.

The technology roadmap discussion paper released yesterday promises a slightly more transparent mechanism for identifying promising new technologies into which the government might invest. At least it is not tied to one dubious technology. Yet the Coalition has floated and discarded at least four other emissions reduction plans in the past seven years and cynics will question whether this roadmap leads anywhere. They will point out that it offers no actual money or any real action other than a program of annual reports and consultations.

Until cash is on the table, the roadmap is just another piece of paper. Mr Taylor says he wants to use ‘‘technology, not taxes’’ to cut emissions but it is doubtful he is prepared to spend taxpayers’ money on picking winners. It would fly in the face of the Liberal Party’s free market philosophy.

Since ditching the much-maligned ‘‘carbon tax’’, the Coalition has now spent seven years in government without a coherent climate policy on reducing emissions. It is time to stop the charade.

Greenhouse gas emissions have fallen because of the pandemic but it is just temporary breathing space. If it is not to become an international pariah in climate change negotiations, Australia must step up.

ANSWER:

Arguments:

• ‘‘Technology Investment Roadmap’’ which canvasses possible further government subsidies for emissions-reduction projects aims to work towards the goal of a carbon free Australia.

• Investment in technology will lead to advanced methods of recycling as well as improved carbon emission control

Counter-Argument:

• No additional funds have been allocated for this technology Investment Roadmap

• There are no visible changes to the climate and the current clear air is not due to the plan but rather due to the nationwide lockdown which has cleared the air and reduced air pollution

• Technologies such as solar wind and others cost a lot more than the budget allocated his will then eventually be a failed project.

Question 6 Identify missing evidence (200 words max).

You are the Human Resources manager in charge of administrative staff across the ten office locations of your accounting firm. You have been tasked with evaluating the proposal to move all administrative functions such as making appointments, tax return submissions, document management and supplier payments, to the head office.

What information would you need for your evaluation, and why?

ANSWER:

I would need to know the reason behind the move in order to understand the viewpoint and the aim of the move. This will help in conducting HR activities from the perspective of the business. Additionally, I will need to know the administrative capacity of the head office as all ten office’s work will have to be moved to one. I will also need to know the capacity of the administrative staff and their ability to wok under pressure. Knowing this will help in organizing training sessions if and when needed.

I will need to know the process of tax return submissions and the facilities available for document management and supplier payment to ensure that all facilities are already available when the work moves to the head office. By knowing what is already available and what is not, I will have the appropriate knowledge of what more needs to be supplied before the move. It is best to arrange everything so that work is not interrupted. I will also need to know whether all appointment and payments have been scheduled and made in order for processes to continue to flow. The team strength required is an additional piece of information required so that HR can arrange additional team members to fulfil administrative tasks.

Remember, at the center of any academic work, lies clarity and evidence. Should you need further assistance, do look up to our Business Communication Assignment Help