Memo

MEMO Faculty members of the business division Dean of the business division 5th February, Re: Dump your own trash I am writingto propose an initiative within our business division that will enable the department reduce its overall operating cost. Thereby comply with the directive that all divisions within the University should cut their budget by twenty-five percent. This memo will therefore, seek to persuade faculty members to comply willingly with the new mandate of trash emptying.
Persuasion on personal trash emptying
Presently, the business division incurs a considerable cost on trash emptying service, which is performed by janitorial staffs who on weekly basis usually pick the trash from the desk of faculty members and then dispose them off in the large dumpsters at the basement.
By emptying our own trash in the large dumpsters at the basement, the business division will be able to reduce its operating cost arising from trash emptying service offered by the janitors, who charge the division an extra cost for this service. There will also be a reduction in operating cost since the trash emptying service offered by janitors contribute to high electricity cost since they perform this task during night shifts when faculty members are off duty.
Secondly, by emptying our own trash there will be an increase in recycling since we are more likely to be keen on sorting between recyclables and non-recyclables than the janitors. This will instill positive feeling within ourselves, as we will be taking an active role in environmental conservation.
Thirdly, when we are mandated to dump our own trash, the amount of waste is likely to decline since we will be keen on ensuring that we make fewer visits to the large dumpsters at the basement. Consequently, having less waste will also reduce cost within the division, since less trashcan liners will be purchased.
Moreover, dumping our own trash in the large dumpsters will be a form of exercise that will help in reducing fatigue and boredom associated with sitting on a desk the whole day.
Lastly, the successful implementation and full co-operation by the faculty members on this new program will position the business division as an example for the entire university.
The use of ideas from the readings
1. Readings on writing memo
With reference to the writings by Perkins and Brizee (2010), I was able to structure the memo appropriately and acknowledge the fact that mentioning the facts in summary form will be more effective in connecting the readers with the message of the memo.
2. Readings on writing persuasive messages
Using the ideas spelt out by Bowman (2002) in his writings, where he stated that when trying to persuade readers it is critical to inform them on the benefits they will get from willing implementing what the writer suggests. Thus, I focused on ensuring that my memo is very persuasive by listing five different advantages or benefits that faculty members will experience if they willingly dump their own trash in the large dumpsters at the basement.
3. Readings on how business people react to errors
Using the ideas of Beason (2001), I was able to counter-check against common writing errors that he listed, which could have otherwise made my memo less effective in persuading the faculty members.
References
Beason, L., (2001). Ethos and Error: How Business People React to Errors. College Composition and Communication. 53(1), 33-64.
Bowman, J. (2002). Writing Persuasive Messages. Retrieved from: http://homepages. wmich. edu/~bowman/c4eframe. html. Accessed on [04. 02. 2013]
Perkins, C. and Brizee, A. (2010). Writing a persuasive memo (audience and purposes). Retrieved from: http://owl. english. purdue. edu/owl/resource/590/01/. Accessed on [04. 02. 2013]