Writing In The Style Of A Whitepaper
Analyze the challenges your organization (Albany state University) faces in understanding how to use technology to communicate and how you might address these challenges from the perspective of a learning organization. Get and give feedback on writing in the style of a white paper.
Communication and technology are clearly related, although communication and technology skills exist independently of each other. However, the increasing reliance on technology for communication presents challenges and opportunities that require a thorough understanding of each.
How does your organization rely on technology for communicating? What challenges has this raised for your organization?
What are one or two things you might suggest implementing in order to shift to more of a learning-organization–centered approach to meeting these challenges?
Whom would you need to involve to assist you in making this change?
Write a short memo to that person or people, outlining what you propose and why, along with a brief plan for how to implement the idea. Practice writing in the style of a white paper. Use concise, nonjargon language and bulleted lists, with a chart or graph to illustrate your point, referencing the literature with footnotes or endnotes.
What was it like to write this way? What do you have to work on?
Sample Solution
Challenges
- Lack of technical expertise: Many faculty and staff at Albany State University do not have the technical expertise to use technology effectively for communication. This can lead to problems such as miscommunication, technical difficulties, and security risks.
- Inadequate training: The university does not provide adequate training on how to use technology for communication. This can make it difficult for faculty and staff to learn how to use the technology effectively.
Full Answer Section
- Lack of resources: The university does not have the resources to provide all faculty and staff with the technology they need to communicate effectively. This can lead to some faculty and staff being unable to use technology for communication at all.
- Resistance to change: Some faculty and staff are resistant to change and may be reluctant to adopt new technologies for communication. This can make it difficult to implement new communication technologies.
- Improved communication: Technology can be used to improve communication within the university. For example, email, video conferencing, and social media can be used to connect faculty and staff, students, and alumni.
- Increased efficiency: Technology can be used to increase the efficiency of communication within the university. For example, automated email notifications can be used to keep faculty and staff informed of important events, and online collaboration tools can be used to share files and work on projects together.
- Reduced costs: Technology can be used to reduce the costs of communication within the university. For example, video conferencing can be used to replace face-to-face meetings, and email can be used to replace paper documents.
- Investing in training: The university would need to invest in training for faculty and staff on how to use technology for communication. This training would need to be ongoing, as new technologies are constantly being developed.
- Providing resources: The university would need to provide all faculty and staff with the technology they need to communicate effectively. This would include laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
- Creating a culture of change: The university would need to create a culture of change where faculty and staff are encouraged to adopt new technologies. This would involve providing incentives for faculty and staff to use technology for communication, and it would also involve celebrating successes.
- Faculty and staff: Faculty and staff would need to be involved in the decision-making process for adopting new technologies. This would help to ensure that the technologies are adopted in a way that meets the needs of the university community.
- Students: Students would also need to be involved in the decision-making process. This would help to ensure that the technologies are adopted in a way that meets the needs of students.
- Administrators: Administrators would need to provide support for the change. This would include providing resources, training, and a culture of change.