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2003
Student Writing Contest
Winning
entry case analysis
MEMORANDUM
TO: Diana McKowen
FROM:
Lauren Duke
DATE:
February 21, 2003
SUBJECT:
Fundraiser Request from Mayor Okura
In
reference to your request regarding the mayor’s fundraiser,
I have based my decision on the following criteria:
- Audience – The
recipient of the request is a prominent figure within the
community. He is currently serving as mayor and is actively
involved with all major financial and business commerce
regarding Hudson, Michigan. Mayor Okura is not only intelligent
and influential, but he is a respected representative of
the city, and he is looking to extend his term by running
in the next election.
- Ramifications –
I had difficulty denying the Mayor’s request because
he has such a strong voice in the community, but some factors
could not be overlooked. For example, the fundraiser would
serve up to 150 people. This large number of people could
potentially cause severe damage to the company grounds.
If an event of this size were held, the company would be
taking a major risk since a significant amount of time was
devoted to enhancing the landscape. I also had to consider
possibly offending the new mayor, by denying his request,
if he was reinstated in office for the next term. I attempted
to offer any assistance that I could by recommending other
sites. Lastly, I didn’t want to start a trend of hosting
events for various candidates or nonprofit organizations.
The Mayor was generous to offer financial assistance for
the fundraiser, but ultimately the risks to the company
significantly outweigh the potential benefits.
- Strategy – I
tried to maintain a positive tone and appear neutral to
all parties. To keep lines of communication open, I tried
to be inviting and at the same time optimistic about future
endeavors. I wanted the mayor to be able to rely on our
company and trust that we are genuinely interested in the
future of the community, while maintaining the integrity
of our company. I strived to let the mayor down gently and
remain supportive of his campaign at the same time.
After
analyzing the three points above, I have concluded that it
would be in the best interest of Custom Research Services
to decline the Mayor’s request. Our goal is to be profitable,
successful, and neutral, but at this time I believe that hosting
his fundraiser could jeopardize our position in the community.
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