Two documents are posted here for your reference:
- Position Paper guidelines and outline: BUS280 Format and Outline for Position paper
- Position Paper grading rubric: BUS280 Position Paper RUBRIC
Companies have been outsourcing work for many years. This trend has been carried to an extreme in the case of offshoring – sending work to other countries where labor is cheaper. The competitive environment of global business, the struggle to create and maintain competitive advantage as well as the demands by stakeholders for return on their investment of the basic factors of production have made the Outsourcing/Offshoring topic one bathed in controversy. Is it good business or profit driven short sightedness? Does it build or break economies? These are but a tiny sliver of the arguments surrounding these practices. Almost every business now faces this decision, and with every decision controversy arises. Currently, India’s low-cost labor has made it an offshoring destination for global firms like HP, IBM, Accenture, Intel, AMD, Microsoft, Oracle Corporation, Cisco, SAP.
Arguments for and against this strategy are plentiful and in your position paper you will take one side of this debate. However, in writing about this issue you must examine your opinion of the issue critically. Prior to writing your position paper, define and limit your argument carefully. The situation is complex with multiple solutions. Narrow the scope of your position paper to something that is manageable. Research your position thoroughly, consulting experts and obtaining primary documents. Consider feasibility, cost-effectiveness, economic and political/social climate when evaluating your position.
Format guidelines and a rubric have been posted to help you construct your paper. Please refer to these as you draft your assignment. The link to the Purdue OWL has also been provided to help with the mechanics of writing this paper. There are a few key differences in this assignment compared to others you have completed in this course. Please note the following:
- Your reasoning and strength of evidence/argument is weighted at 80% of the total grade. So, clearly this is where you should focus your efforts.
- The LENGTH of the paper has been expanded to permit UP TO 4 pages. However, if you can state your points, support them with evidence and come to a conclusion in fewer than 4 – there is NO deduction for length unless you fall below the MINIMUM of 2 pages. This does NOT include your bibliography or table of references!
- This paper REQUIRES citations! What is the best and easiest way to do this? Use a web-based citation generator such as http://www.bibme.org/. It is fast, FREE and accurate. When you create your citations please use APA Format.
