The accompanying table shows how total donations, average donati.docx

The accompanying table shows how total donations, average
donations, total labor costs and average labor costs vary
depending on the number of employees State U hires for its
fundraising activities.
Complete the following:
· Calculate the total value of donations raised by three
employees, and explain the method you used to make this
calculation.
· Calculate the total labor cost with four employees, and explain
the method you used to make this calculation.
· Analyze the relationship between average benefits and average
costs by filling in the blanks in the following statement:
· If the President of State U decides to hire fundraising
employees as long as their average benefit exceeds their average
cost, then this results in ________ employees being hired and a
net benefit (total donations minus total labor costs) of
________.
· Evaluate the marginal benefit (in terms of extra donations) of
the 2nd employee.
· Explain how the marginal cost of the 4th employee will
increase the total labor cost.
· Determine when the net benefit of hiring fundraisers is the
largest.
MGT 550 Milestone Three Rubric feedback: Good job, Manuel!
External Communication: Medium(s): While you share a lot of
great information on communication and ways to disseminate
information through different channels, it is not clear to me
what medium RIM is actually using. You discuss a media
statement, what is that exactly? Is that similar to a press

release? More detail on the actual medium being used would be
good.
External Communication: Audience: This is written well and
captures your external audience well.
External Communication: Conflict: These are thoughtful
examples of conflicts. Good job!
MGT 550 Milestone Two Rubric feedback: Overall, good job,
Manuel!
Internal Communication: Message: While your internal message
looks good, I do not see where you have explained the change
management principles that were considered in its development,
supported by text and other scholarly sources. I am also not
clear on how the memo will be disseminated to employees?
Your description states that the Sr. Leadership will receive an
email. Since they are cc'd on this memo, are we also emailing
the memo to employees as well?
Articulation of Response: Always double check your work for
grammatical errors. There are a few misspelled words and an
incorrect citation.
MGT 550 Milestone One Rubric feedback: Overall, this is a
great start, Manuel. Flesh out a bit more of the details regarding
the communication goals.
Introduction: Context: Your introduction context shares a lot of
good information both in relation to the RIM situation and in
clearly indicating which issues will be addressed.
Introduction: Communication Goals: While you discuss the
goals of the communication and the share the audiences, I do
not see much detail on the actual message or channels to be
used.
Articulation of Response: Double check your word usage. Did
you mean to use synonymous rather than anonymous?

MGT 550 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
The final project for this course is the creation of a strategic
communication case study.
Effective communication skills are critical to success in almost
all managerial positions. Several challenges exist surrounding
the creation and implementation of
effective communications both internally (inside organizations
between individuals and groups) and externally (outside
organizations with markets, partners,
and other third parties). Technology, change, and the various
needs of stakeholders are just a few of the concerns that impact
business communications. This
course is designed to help you communicate effectively in a
variety of business settings with both internal and external
stakeholders. Effective communication is
a necessary tool for managing people and organizations.
In this project, you will enhance your skills and knowledge of
techniques in various communications to lead change, develop
and maintain relationships, and
address sources of conflict through effective communications
tied to organizational goals and core visions. Through the
development of a strategic
communication case study, you will gain comprehensive, hands-
on experience in evaluating and constructing communications
that inform, persuade, and
influence intended audiences in order to achieve strategic goals.
Using the provided case study, you will identify issues that
must be addressed from an
organizational perspective. Additionally, you will make

informed decisions regarding what actions to take, paying
particular attention to appropriateness of
communications and mediums, as well as evaluating
effectiveness. To access the final project case study, “Research
in Motion: Sincerely, a RIM Employee (A),”
refer to the MGT-550 Textbook/Case Study Bundle mentioned
in the syllabus.
The project is divided into three milestones, which will be
submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold
learning and ensure quality final
submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules
Three, Five, and Seven. The final product will be submitted in
Module Nine.
In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the
following course outcomes:
address a variety of audiences
promote
strategic goals
principles for supporting employee development
communication for informing appropriate next steps
ct for determining appropriate
communication response techniques for internal and external
stakeholders

Prompt
Your strategic communication case study should answer the
following prompt: What messages should be communicated in
response to the presented issue,
who are the target audiences of the messages, and how will the
messages be delivered? Additionally, how will you evaluate the
effectiveness of your
communication decisions in order to inform future decision
making?
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Introduction
A. Establish context for your paper by summarizing the
important details of the case and outlining the specific
problem(s) that you will address.
B. In response to the presented issue, define clear and specific
communication goals. Who are your target audiences and what
do you want to
accomplish with your communication?
II. Internal Communication
A. Determine the medium(s) that you will use to deliver your
message and explain how you made this decision.
B. Define the target audience of your internal communication.
Include key factors and any cultural factors about this audience
that you considered.
C. Craft the message that you will communicate internally and
explain what change management principles you considered

when developing this
message.
D. Explain how you considered the personal needs and
development of employees when creating messaging.
E. Explain what considerations are being made in order to offer
continuous support to employees through the change process.
F. Identify potential sources of conflict that may arise as a
result of your internal communication. Consider the message
you are communicating as
well as the medium(s) used.
III. External Communication
A. Determine the medium(s) that you will use to deliver your
message and explain how you made this decision.
B. Define the target audience of your external communication.
Include key factors and any cultural factors about this audience
that you
considered.
C. Craft the message that you will communicate externally and
defend how the message promotes the organization’s strategic
goals.
D. Identify potential sources of conflict that may arise as a
result of your external communication. Consider the message
you are communicating,
as well as the medium(s) used.
IV. Follow Up
A. Explain how your message and delivery decisions align with
the mission, vision, and goals of the organization.
B. Describe how you will monitor and measure how the

information was received and interpreted by your internal
audience.
C. Describe how you will monitor and measure how the
information was received and interpreted by your external
audience.
D. Explain how you will document the lessons learned from
your communication plan to inform future decision making.
What would you have
done differently?
Milestones
Milestone One: Draft of Introduction
In Module Three, you will submit a draft of the introduction to
your case study. Define the problem you identified in the case
and begin to develop a plan to
address the problem using internal and external
communications. Furthermore, prioritize the first steps in the
process of addressing the problem and set goals
for your communication. This milestone is graded with the
Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Draft of Internal Communication
In Module Five, you will submit a draft of your internal
communication. Craft the internal message that you will use to
address the problem you identified in the
case study provided. In doing so, you will specify the mediums
you will use to deliver the message, explain why these mediums
are important, and outline the
target audience. Furthermore, you will explain how you factored
in the personal needs and development of employees when

creating messaging, including the
considerations being made to support employees through the
change process that will be implemented to address the problem.
Finally, identify potential
sources of conflict that may arise as a result of your external
communication. Consider the message you are communicating
as well as the medium(s) used. This
milestone is graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.
Milestone Three: Draft of External Communication
In Module Seven, you will submit a draft of your external
communication. Craft the external message that you will use to
address the problem you identified in
the case study provided. In doing so, you will specify the
mediums you will use to deliver the message, explain why these
mediums are important, and outline
the target audience. Furthermore, you will explain how the
message promotes the organization’s strategic goals. Finally,
identify potential sources of conflict
that may arise as a result of your external communication.
Consider the message you are communicating as well as the
medium(s) used. This milestone is
graded with the Milestone Three Rubric.
Final Submission: Strategic Communication Case Study
In Module Nine, you will submit your strategic communication
case study. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing
all of the critical elements of the
final project. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback
gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded
using the Final Project Rubric.
Deliverables
Milestone Deliverable Module Due Grading

1 Draft of Introduction Three Graded separately; Milestone One
Rubric
2 Draft of Internal Communication Five Graded separately;
Milestone Two Rubric
3 Draft of External Communication Seven Graded separately;
Milestone Three Rubric
Final Submission: Strategic Communication Case Study Nine
Graded separately; Final Project Rubric
Final Project Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Your strategic communication case
study should be 12 to 15 pages in length, depending on the
complexity of the crafted
communications and the robustness of the research and analysis.
Do not simply copy and paste from previous milestones; edit
and revise for cohesiveness.
Use one-inch margins and 12-point Times New Roman font.
Adhere to the latest edition of APA formatting.
Critical
Elements
Exemplary (100%) Proficient (90%) Needs Improvement (70%)
Not Evident (0%) Value
Introduction:

Context
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
response demonstrates an
advanced ability to extract a
thorough and accurate case
summary from a narrative
Summarizes the important details
of the case and outlines the
specific problem(s) that will be
addressed
Summarizes the important details
of the case and outlines the
specific problem(s) that will be
addressed but summary is
cursory or missing important
details or problems outlined are
vague or illogical
Does not summarize the
important details of the case and
outline the specific problems that
will be addressed
6.33
Introduction:
Communication
Goals

response demonstrates a
complex grasp of how to
effectively communicate to a
target audience
Defines clear and specific
communication goals in response
to the presented issue
Defines communication goals but
goals are vague or unclear or lack
connections to the presented
issue
Does not define communication
goals
6.33
Internal
Communication:
Medium(s)
explanation demonstrates a keen
insight into the use of
communication mediums for the
promotion of strategic goals
Determines the medium(s) that
will be used to deliver message
and explains how this decision
was made

but does not explain how this
decision was made or explanation
is cursory or illogical
Does not determine the
medium(s) that will be used to
deliver message
4.75
Internal
Communication:
Audience
nuanced understanding of key
considerations when defining a
target audience
Defines the target audience of
internal communication,
including key factors and any
cultural factors that were
considered
internal communication but
definition is vague or key factors
and cultural factors are missing
Does not define the target

audience of internal
communication
6.33
Internal
Communication:
Message
explanation demonstrates a
sophisticated awareness of how
use change management
principles to support employees
Crafts internal message and
explains change management
principles that were considered in
its development
Crafts internal message and
explains change management
principles that were considered in
its development but message
lacks cogent connections to
change management principles
Does not craft an internal
message and explain change
management principles that were
considered in its development
6.33

Internal
Communication:
Needs and
Development
explanation provides keen insight
into employee needs and
development
Explains how the personal needs
and development of employees
were considered when creating
messaging
Explains how the personal needs
and development of employees
were considered when creating
messaging but explanation is
illogical or lacks cogent
connections between the needs
and development of the
employees and the messaging
Does not explain how the
personal needs and development
of employees were considered
when creating messaging
6.33

Internal
Communication:
Support
explanation demonstrates a
nuanced understanding of using
change management principles to
support employee needs
Explains what considerations are
being made to offer continuous
support to employees through
the change process
Explains what considerations are
being made to offer continuous
support to employees through
the change process but
explanation does not reference
internal communications or
considerations are illogical
Does not explain what
considerations are being made to
offer continuous support to
employees through the change
process
6.33
Internal
Communication:

Conflict
response makes cogent
connections between
communication methods and/or
messages and potential conflicts
Identifies potential sources of
conflict as a result of the
communication
communication but response is
illogical or does not consider the
messaging and the mediums used
Does not identify potential
sources of conflict as a result of
the communication
6.33
External
Communication:
Medium(s)
determination demonstrates a
keen insight into the use of
communication mediums for the

promotion of strategic goals
and explains how this decision
was made
but does not explain how this
decision was made or explanation
is cursory or illogical
Does not determine the
medium(s) that will be used to
deliver message
4.75
External
Communication:
Audience
nuanced understanding of key
considerations when defining a
target audience
internal communication,
including key factors and any
cultural factors that were
considered

internal communication but
definition is vague or key factors
and cultural factors are missing
Does not define the target
audience of internal
communication
6.33
External
Communication:
Message
defense demonstrates a
sophisticated awareness of how
external communications can be
used to promote strategic goals
Crafts external communication
message and defends how
message promotes organization’s
strategic goals
Crafts external communication
message and defends how
message promotes organization’s
strategic goals but defense lacks
cogent connections to the
message or strategic goal
promotion is illogical

Does not craft external
communication message
4.75
External
Communication:
Conflict
response makes cogent
connections between
communication methods and/or
messages and potential conflicts
communication
communication but response is
illogical or does not consider the
messaging and the mediums used
Does not identify potential
sources of conflict as a result of
the communication
6.33

Follow Up:
Mission, Vision,
and Goals
explanation makes cogent
connections between delivery
decisions and the promotion of
strategic goals
Explains how message and
delivery decisions align with the
mission, vision, and goals of the
organization
Explains how message and
delivery decisions align with the
mission, vision, and goals of the
organization but explanation is
cursory or illogical or lacks cogent
connections between the
message and the mission, vision,
and goals of the organization
Does not explain how the
message and delivery decisions
align with the mission, vision, and
goals of the organization
4.75
Follow Up:
Monitor and

Measure
Internal
description demonstrates a
sophisticated awareness of the
nuances of message receptions
and interpretation
Describes how to monitor and
measure how the information
was received and interpreted by
the internal audience
the internal audience but
description is cursory or methods
are illogical
Does not describe how to
monitor and measure how the
information was received and
interpreted by the internal
audience
6.33
Follow Up:
Monitor and
Measure
External

description demonstrates keen
insight into the reception of
communication strategies
the external audience
the external audience but
description is cursory or methods
are illogical
Does not describe how to
monitor and measure how the
information was received and
interpreted by the external
audience
6.33
Follow Up:
Lessons Learned
description demonstrates keen
insight into the reception of
communication strategies

Explains how to document the
lessons learned to inform future
decision making, including what
to do differently
Explains how to document the
lessons learned to inform future
decision making but
documentation strategies are
cursory or illogical, or does not
include to do differently
Does not explain how to
document the lessons learned
6.33
Articulation of
Response
Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and organization
and is presented in a professional
and easy-to-read format
Submission has no major errors
spelling, syntax, or organization
Submission has major errors
that negatively impact readability
and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors
that prevent understanding of
ideas
5.04
Total 100%
Running head: research in motion (rim) 1
research in motion (rim) 8Company History
Name
Institution
Date
Introduction
An organization is bound to experience a crisis at one
point in its existence. The manner in which the organization
manages the disaster will determine the success or failure of the
organization. Communication is an essential tool in an
organization. It is through communication that organizations
find it easy to coordinate their activities. Conversely, there is
no better time when organizations need to be effective in
communication than in times of crisis. In many instances, when
an organization is in crisis, there is confusion since many
people may be attempting to do what they think is in the best
interests of the organization. Unfortunately, their efforts may
not be coordinated, and that may end up having adverse effects
on the ability of the organization to manage the crisis.
Communication plays an integral role in crisis management to
the extent that it makes sure that all the stakeholders are
reading from the same script, and that all of the stakeholders are

moving toward the same direction (Coombs, 2014). In the
absence of effective communication, there will be confusion,
and that will have adverse effects on the organization.
Company History
Research in Motion is a Global telecommunications company.
In 2011, the company’s co-chief executives found themselves
facing a serious crisis which needed them to take actions to
prevent the company from experiencing a further decline in
market performance. The previous year, the company had faced
one of the most challenging times when it had a decline in its
market share while its stock price also experienced a serious hit.
In this particular crisis, one of the senior executives in the
organization addressed a damning anonymous letter which
revealed some of the weaknesses and cultural problems of the
company. The letter questioned, among other things, the
leadership style of the organization, the organizational culture
as well as the product development systems in the company.
The anonymous senior executive offered personal insights and
possible solutions which could be used to bring back the
company to its lost market standing. While the letter was
addressed to the executives of the company, it was unfortunate
that the letter got leaked and it was picked up by an online
technology news provider referred to Boy Genius Report. The
contents of this letter were later published in an online article
of Boy Genius Report, thereby exposing the weaknesses of the
company to the public (Thecasecentre.org, 2012).
Further, the letter seriously exposed the leadership weaknesses
of Research in Motion. The co-chief executives of the company
were under pressure to find out the best ways to address the
public over the issues addressed in the letter. Most importantly,
since it was evident that they were being questioned by their
employees, the co-chief executives had to find the most suitable
approaches to communicate with the employees internally. It
was necessary for the co-chief executives to assure the employ
the most suitable mechanisms to address the problems
internally.

The specific problems to be addressed
There are two specific problems which need to be addressed in
this case study. The following is an illustration of some of the
problems which would have to be addressed in this case study;
Change the perception of the outsiders concerning the problems
facing company; form the case study, it is apparent that the
company has come from a difficult financial year which was
characterized by poor performance in the market as well as
dwindling share prices. When this letter went public, it affected
the reputation of the company in the market since it exposed its
weaknesses to outside parties. Thus, it is necessary to execute a
communication strategy which will restore the reputation of the
company in the market (Ulmer et al., 2017).
Address the confidence and faith of the employees in the
leadership of the organization; from the letter, it is notable that
the employees have lost faith in the company and its leadership.
To some of the employees, the leadership is prepared to address
the ills facing the company. Besides, it would be helpful for the
organization to carry out communication, which would address
the concerns of the company. Most importantly, it would be
necessary to make the employees understand that the leadership
is aware of the challenges, and it is taking necessary steps to
address them (Coombs, 2014).
Communication goals
There are two primary targets of this communication exercise.
The first target is the employees of the organization. The second
target of this communication is the outside stakeholders of the
company, including clients, suppliers and partners. Among the
employees, the communication goal is to reassure them that the
organization is doing whatever is possible to address their
concerns. However, communication also seeks to help establish
a communicating structure between the leadership and the
employees (Coombs, 2014). Apparently, the employee might
have written the synonymous letter because there was no
alternative communication channel which he could use. Another

goal of communication is to provide an opportunity for the
employees to understand the operations of the company. It may
be argued the employee who had a problem with the product
development and employee culture of the organization did not
have an adequate understanding of the operations of the
company. Nonetheless, the main goal of outside communication
is to rebuild the image of the company. The publication of the
contents of the letter had caused a serious dent to the image of
the company, and it was necessary to rebuild it.
The mediums of communication applicable
There are two primary mediums of communication which will
be used in this communication. One of the mediums is memos
while the second medium is the use of emails. The main purpose
of using memos is because it is capable of being used to reach a
wide range of audience. For instance, since it will be necessary
to communicate with all employees about a wide range of
concerns, the use of memos will be most appropriate. When a
memo is used, it is possible to summarize the information in
such a manner that will make it easily accessible to all the
employees. One of the advantages which makes the use of
memos suitable in this case is that memos are easy to produce,
and they are also easy to read since they are not loaded with
many words (Guffey & Loewy, 2012).
However, since there are only a few senior executives working
for the organization and it would be possible to reach out to
them. The most suitable medium for reaching senior executives
is the use of emails. At their level, it would be possible to draft
emails which will be directed at each senior executive. The first
benefit of this medium is that it will affirm to the senior
executives that the management recognizes their rank and status
in the organization. Additionally, the use of emails allows
senior executives to provide immediate responses to
communication.
Targeted audience
For this internal communication, there are two primary targets
of communication; employees and senior executives. The issues

arising from the leaked letter to the management concerned
mainly the employees and the senior executives. A critical
examination of both the executives and the employees reveal
that they have unique features and cultural dispositions which
determine the interaction among them (Thorson & Moore,
2013). Firstly, it is important to note that not all employees
speak the same language. While a significant majority of the
employees have English as their first language, it is also notable
that there are many employees who are not English speakers.
Thus, when making internal communication, it would be
necessary to make sure that there is consideration of the
interests of these groups. Perhaps it would be necessary to
consider translating the messages or using simple language for
the benefit of the employee who does not have English as their
first language.
The message
MEMO
TO: All Employees
FROM: Co-Chief Executive Officers
CC: Senior Executives
DATE: 27.06.2019
SUBJECT: Clarification on Employee Concerns
Research in Motion (RIM) has been one of the most effective
companies in the industry for the last decade. In an environment
which is a highly competitive industry, there is a reason which
has made the company stand out among its peers. It is through
sheer determination and commitment to the highest standards of
quality and innovation that the company has managed to stand
tall in the industry. Besides, the stable leadership which the
management has shown has provided a favorable environment
for the growth of the company. Although it is notable that the
company has in the recent years lost a little ground to its rivals
with regards to market share and share prices, there is no reason
to suggest that the county is heading south. While appreciating
that the recent performances do not indicate the direction which
the company wants to take in its growth agenda, it is notable

that the challenges are not insurmountable. In a letter which has
been circulated in various online platforms, there has been a
projection that the company is directionless and disorganized as
a result poor leadership, unsuitable organizational culture as
well as the product development problems.
Concerning these accusations leveled against the company, we
have the following to say; we have the following to say;
Firstly, in the face of the massive growth which RIM has
experienced in the last few decades, it is not fair to say that
there is poor leadership. Perhaps the accusation concerning poor
leadership arises from the fact that the company has lost some
economic and competitive ground in the last few years. It is
important to note that the performance of an organization in the
market is determined by a wide spectrum of political, economic
and social factors. Thus, it would be very shortsighted to place
the blame on the management. Throughout the time when this
company has existed, the leadership has always desired to make
decisions which it feels best serves the interest of the business.
In many times, the decisions have been favorable, but there are
also times when the decisions may fail to achieve the desired
objectives. These challenges do not mean there is poor
leadership. We would like to assure you that the leadership is
steadfast and has an unwavering commitment to take this
organization to the next level.
The organizational culture of RIM has also come into sharp
focus. Just like many other aspects of the business, the culture
of the organization has always kept changing. The management
realizes that as times change, it becomes necessary to lead a
cultural change which would make sure that the culture in line
with the contemporary environment in which the organization
operates (Schein, 2010). It is true that the leadership
appreciates that there could be problems with the organizational
culture which could have been responsible for the poor
performance of the organization in the recent past. However, the
cultural problem is not so massive that it could be a cause for
concern to the organization. The leadership is currently

adopting a wide range of measures to influence the development
of an organizational culture which would enable RIM to
enhance its competitiveness in this ever-changing environment.
While appreciating that the employees may at times have
concerns with several issues in the organization, it is, however,
essential that employees must use the most appropriate ways or
mediums to relay these concerns to the concerned authorities.
The leadership of RIM has an open-door policy, which means
everybody with concerns is free to knock any door and present
grievances without having any disciplinary action taken against
him. The adherence to the proper communication channels will
not only protect the image of the company, but it will also make
sure that solutions to the challenge are found in time.
Needs and Development
During the development of the message, it was important
to consider the levels of professional training of the employees.
One of the primary challenges which are responsible for the
disorganization of most organizations is poor training on a wide
range of organizational processes. While employees may be
skilled in their various fields, it is possible that they may not
have an adequate understanding of the mode of operations in the
organization (Cohen, 2017). For example, in the case of the
senior level executive who authored the anonymous letter, it is
possible that an individual may not have understood
organizational processes. Thus, when developing the message, it
was necessary to understand that a significant number of
employees may not understand the organization. Besides, it was
considered that when the employee accused the organization of
having a poor organizational culture, the individual may have
been new in the organization and as a result, may not have had a
clear understanding of the foundations of the culture of the
organization (Rao, 2002). As a result of this, it was essential for
the message to clearly demonstrate the process of cultural
development in the organization and the way it has served the
organization.
Support

As the organization goes through this period of transition, it is
possible that employees may be affected in a certain way. Thus,
the organization has taken several steps to make sure that it
helps the employees through the critical transition phase.
Firstly, the organization has clearly provided a communication
channel which employees may use to seek any clarification. It is
important to note that poor communication is one of the factors
which lead to confusion and despair among the employees
(Cadon, n.d). Through effective communication, it is possible to
address the concerns of the employees and help them settle in
the organization. Besides, the organization is embarking on a
continual training of employees to improve their exposure to
current trends.
Potential conflicts arising from the communication
One of the potential sources of conflict arising from
communication is the possible misinterpretation of the
communication by the recipients (List, 2011). Among the people
who accessed the message through the memos, it is not possible
for them to seek clarification. Thus, each recipient is entitled to
interpret the message in his way, and that can cause a
misunderstanding and a subsequent conflict.
External Communication
Effective external communication serves as a critical strategy
when it comes to proper crisis management. For-profit, as well
as non-profit organizations in present-day society should adopt
and incorporate effective communication frameworks in their
operations; given they remain subject to a great deal of public
scrutiny. In essence, the 21st century remains characterized by a
wide range of complicated and multifaceted crises, which
require any given organization to take a comprehensive
approach to developing appropriate and result-driven external
communication strategies. Typically, an efficient crisis
management plan must factor in a seamless external
communication framework because the manner in which an
organization manages disasters determines its success or failure.

In this case study, the various instances of failure show that
Research in Motion (RIM) is in a crisis, which can only be
addressed or solved through an effective external
communication framework. The communication model should
be developed and implemented in manner that it aptly manages
the situation facing the company’s external stakeholders. In
particular, the company’s external communication should go a
long way in assuaging the fears of its customers and other
stakeholders, such as suppliers and service providers (Ahmed,
2018). A proper external communication channel will ensure
that the intended message reaches the target audience and works
towards improving the company’s already tainted public image.
Medium
RIM can utilize a variety of communication channels with the
sole purpose of disseminating information to the public and all
other responsible stakeholders. Most importantly, these media
possess different characteristics, as well as scope, meaning the
company should place great emphasis on identifying and the
most appropriate and effective medium. In this respect, RIM can
achieve this by evaluating how each of the media performs
regarding the target audience, costs, and the conveying the
intended message. In other words, some external communication
channels tend to enhance convenience and reliability, especially
when tasked with the responsibility of delivering information to
a given audience. On the same note, the cost incurred
determines the type of external communication media to use.
Although some communication methods are more effective than
others, communication experts associated with successful and
international firms have so far recommended the need for using
at least two media as way of dealing with or handling any given
organizational crisis. According to Burdstrom (2018), this
multidimensional and pragmatic approach allows a firm to
benefit a great deal from the strengths of each channel. Sensibly
speaking, the use of different media plays a leading role in
creating communication synergy, which, in turn, presents an
organization with the opportunity to reach a broader audience

base. In this way, the company in question can quickly
disseminate the message in an efficient manner.
RIM should convey the intended message by considering and
using external communication channels. In essence, the
company can effectively disseminate its position regarding the
leaked letter to the management. The firm should make this
consideration; given the rapidly developing information and
communication technologies and social networking sites and
associated platforms. Change-driven companies from across the
globe are increasingly becoming digitized as they have and
continue to embrace social media, Facebook, Snapchat, and
Twitter to communicate with their customers. Information
technology (IT) is fast revolutionizing the communication
sector with billions of people interconnected through these
platforms. The increased uptake of the internet and the use of
computers have enabled customers to quickly gain access up to
date information about the various developments and trends in
the corporate world (Hall, 2014). In this sense, RIM should
prioritize the use of their website in disseminating information
to external stakeholders. For instance, the company should
create a statement on its website and other social media handles,
highlighting issues facing the firm, the interventions it has put
in place, as well as the way forward.
The use of online platforms in the dissemination of information
is advantageous on numerous fronts. When compared to
traditional communication channels, such as TV, radio,
billboards, and letters, social media networking sites are
relatively cheaper. Second, the use of Facebook and other social
media platforms would play a fundamental role in ensuring the
company reaches the target audience because the leaked letter
reached the platform through the same media. Therefore, using
the same medium to counter the narrative and set the record
straight gives the company an equal opportunity to pass its
message to its external stakeholders, especially those who might
have been adversely impacted by the letter. Moreover, that the
use of online platforms in disseminating information would

enable the company reach its millions of customers from
wherever they are in the globe (Lazzari, 2018). Concisely,
social media has globalized external communication.
In addition to social media, RIM should make a comprehensive
media statement on local and international print and electronic
media. In the statement, the company should identify, state, and
respond accordingly to each of the issues raised by employees
in the leaked letter. Equally important, the management should
examine and make necessary changes to the statement before it
goes public as a precautionary measure; avoiding errors and
omissions. The media statement will allow RIM to respond to
the various issues affecting the company and reassure its
customers and other stakeholders of the initiatives it is
undertaking to remedy the situation. A media statement helps
the organization to formally narrate its story to the public,
which helps in controlling the situation. Hall (2014) argues that
an organization can manage a crisis by going ahead of the
damaging story. Accordingly, the whole process of arresting the
situation allows the firm to shape the narrative of the ongoing
crisis and remedy the image of the company.
Target Audience
In the case at hand, the target audience for the external
communication comprises the company’s existing and potential
clients, shareholders, service providers, and the general public.
In particular, RIM is currently facing a crisis that has led to
poor share performance in the stocks market and reduced
profits. The leaked letter to management highlighting the
leadership deficiencies in the organization has had had a
negative impact on the company's corporate reputation. With the
perception among shareholders that the company is being poorly
managed, the RIM’s share prices have decreased significantly
because individual investors have lost confidence in the
company. Besides shareholders, the general public and potential
investors shied away from the company’s shares as it seemed
that the company was experiencing significant leadership and
organizational challenges. In his recent article, Ahmed (2018)

corroborates that investing in a business with significant the
identified management and performance problems serves as a
severe risk that both short-term and long-term investors often
consider before investing.
Apart from the identified external stakeholders, the company
should invest in assuring the general public of the high levels of
professionalism and competence that the firm ascribes to. RIM
should make the general public aware of its principles as way of
ensuring people embrace and identify with it the organization.
Cardon (2016) argues that people tend to associate not only
with successful but also socially responsible brands that
promote their ideals and public policy. The general public is a
critical target audience as they are the consumers of the
organization’s products and services. In essence, the company’s
sales volume depends on the level of consumer loyalty. The
relevance of the general public has been reflected by the poor
performance posted by RIM in the recent past as the market
refrained from purchasing its products.
Draft of External Communication
Media Statement by Jones Whitaker about the Leaked Letter to
the Management of RIM
Research in Motion is a dedicated and responsible company
driven by high standards of corporate governance.
The company has learnt of the public dissemination of the
contents of a letter to the management. As an organization, RIM
encourages its employees to continuously critique and make
suggestions of how the organization may improve its operations.
Through this policy, the company has tremendously improved
its capacity and organizational efficiency thereby enabling the
organization to meet its objectives. As such, the leaked letter is
a testament to the expanded freedom of employees to air out
their grievances and highlight areas in need of improvement.
To this end, RIM has forwarded the issues highlighted in the
latter to a special task force, as is ordinarily the case, to
investigate the allegations raised therein. The company assures
its stakeholders that appropriate action will be taken to address

these organizational weaknesses, if any, upon receiving the
official taskforce report.
Thank you for your continued support.
For interviews contact:
Alex Maine
Head of Public Relations
Phone number: 202-555-1212
[email protected]
Conflicts
One of the anticipated conflicts expected by the issuance of the
above media statement is the possible misinterpretation of the
message. The company's external stakeholders may have
numerous questions arising from the statement because it
appears to take a general approach to conveying the intended
message. In essence, the statement at hand has not identified
any of the issues raised by RIM employees. In this respect,
stakeholders are more likely to demand for clarifications.
Another conflict would result from external stakeholders’
relationship with the already appointed special contact person
tasked with the responsibility of to conducting further
interviews and queries. Other players might have difficulty
developing and maintaining the much-needed rapport with the
contact person thereby keeping crucial information. Cardon
(2016) has noted with a great deal of concern that this type of
misinformation might compel stakeholders to not fully
appreciate the company’s efforts in addressing the various
issues highlighted in the leaked letters.
Follow Up
Mission, Vision and Goals
LaReau, J. (2017, October 19). NADA Data shows dealer profits
eroding. Retrieved November 25, 2018, from
http://www.autonews.com/article/20171019/RETAIL/171019631
/nada-dealer-profits-
service?CSAuthResp=1%3A573702363707401%3A423309%3A

1%3A24%3Aapproved%3A28166A7A56FB946992CCF6F22FD2
0DD9
Internal Communication Measurement
External Communication Measurement
Lessons Learned
References:
References Milestone 1
Coombs, W. T. (2014). Ongoing crisis communication:
Planning, managing, and responding. Sage Publications.
Thecasecentre.org. (2012). Research in Motion: Sincerely, a
RIM Employee (A). Ivey Publishing. Available at:
https://www.thecasecentre.org/programmeAdmin/products/view
?id=108285
Ulmer, R. R., Sellnow, T. L., & Seeger, M. W. (2017). Effective
crisis communication: Moving from crisis to opportunity. Sage
Publications.
Cadon, P. W. (2nd Edition). Managing Through
Communication. McGraw-Hill Education.
Cohen, E. (2017). Employee training and development. In CSR
for HR (pp. 153-162). Routledge.
Guffey, M. E., & Loewy, D. (2012). Essentials of business
communication. Cengage Learning.
List, C. (2011). Group communication and the transformation of
judgments: an impossibility result. Journal of Political
Philosophy, 19(1), 1-27.
Rao, J. A. (2002, November). Helping employees embrace
change. Retrieved from
McKinsey&Company: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-
functions/organi…

Schein, E. H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership
(Vol. 2). John Wiley & Sons.
Thorson, E., & Moore, J. (Eds.). (2013). Integrated
communication: Synergy of persuasive voices. Psychology
Press.
Ahmed, A. (2018). Types of external communication. Bizfluent.
Retrieved Feb. 6, 2019 from https://bizfluent.com/list-7662353-
types-external-communication
Burdstrom, G. (2018). When you need to make a statement to
the media. Retrieved Feb. 7, 2019,
from https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-to-write-a-statement-
2295985
Cardon, P. (2016). Business communication: Developing leaders
for a networked world (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill
Education.
Hall, J. (2014). How to choose the right medium for your
message. Retrieved January 25, 2019,
from https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnhall/2014/04/20/how-to-
choose-the-right-medium-for-your-message/
Lazzari, Zach. (2018, June 28). Importance of external business
communication. Retrieved February 6, 2019,
from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-external-
business-communication-19304.html

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