Writing in labor and employment relations3/Content and readings/Weekly Agenda Spring 2019

Required Text
Alred, Brusaw, and Oliu, The Business Writer’s Companion, 8th edition (2017), Bedford/St. Martin’s http://www.digiwisecareerservices.com/smlr-books.html

Readings (Throughout Semester)

 * Alred, Chapter 11 - Grammar
 * "Dangling Modifiers, p. 349
 * "Person", p. 360
 * "Sentence Construction to Sentence Fragments", pp. 370-377
 * "Tense, Verbs and Active Voice", pp. 377-385
 * Alred, Chapter 12 - Punctuation and Mechanics, pp. 388-423
 * Alred, Chapter 10 - Style and Clarity
 * "Business Writing to Loaded Arguments", pp. 306-319;
 * Tone to You", pp. 328-334.

Activities (in class)

 * Course / Assignment Review
 * Writing AS / IS a Craft
 * Mini-Introductions
 * 3Ps activity


 * Complete Email Address & Contact Info (Google Sheet)

Readings (Throughout Semester)
=== Writing Guidelines: Grammar (G), Sentence Construction (SC) & Punctuation (P) ===
 * See Pre-Course Preparation & Guidance (before Week 1)
 * West Oakland Farms Sow Seeds of Renewal for Ex-Inmates, by Jonathan Kauffman, Sept. 6, 2015 in San Francisco Chronicle.
 * See Pre-Course Preparation & Guidance (before Week 1)

Watch / Listen

 * Allan Little - BBC Journalism Skills: Principles of Good Writing for News (0:01-3:04; (14:45)
 * Black Panther-Inspired Urban Farming video

Homework

 * Weekly Discussions
 * Add Your Current Resume Version V1.0 to Canvas
 * 1) For Week 1, DO NOT UPDATE / REVISE YOUR RESUME
 * 2) When you name your document, add the Version Number - V1.0 - For example, "Shawn_Fisher_Resume_V1.0"
 * 3) Bring two (2) printed copies to class (see below)

Bring to Next Class

 * Transferable Skills document (completed)
 * Original / Current Resume + Advertised Job in Your Profession / Field - PRINT TWO (2) COPIES OF EACH DOCUMENT
 * 1) DO NOT UPDATE / REVISE YOUR RESUME. You will receive feedback in class to help you do that.
 * 2) The Job Description should be for a role you want to apply for, after graduation
 * 3) Save a copy of the Job Description (as a PDF - because the ad may not always be available).
 * 4) You will need to submit the Job Description for Assignment 1

Activities (in class)

 * Transferable Skills
 * CAR Stories Make Compelling Reading / Resumes
 * CAR Stories & Feedback (call and response)
 * Resume Review + Job Ad (Remember to bring 2 copies of each)
 * See Writing Guidelines & Formatting Rules

Readings

 * Alred, Chapter 9, Job Search and Applications - Resumes, pp. 282-300.

Watch / Listen

 * TED TALK: Highlight Your Ability not Your Experience, Jason Shem (6:30)
 * Funny Video about Resumes
 * Prof. Fisher - Video Review of Job Description, Cover Letter & Resume

Homework

 * Weekly Discussions - Three (3) CAR Stories (DRAFT)
 * Add Revised Resume V2.0 to Canvas
 * 1) Aligned to your desired job / Job Description
 * 2) Based on what we learned / covered in class
 * 3) Based on your Partner's / Table feedback / suggestions
 * 4) Name it with your First Name and Last Name and Assignment Name (i.e., Shawn Fisher_Resume Version 2).

Activities (in class)

 * Learning Review
 * Review Resumes + CAR Stories (DRAFT)
 * Research Job Ad, Company, etc.
 * Following Directions / Instructions - HR / Govt Forms

Readings

 * Alred, Chapter 9, Job Search and Applications - Application Cover Letters, pp. 260-272.
 * Application and Cover Letters, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Homework

 * Weekly Discussions
 * Revise Cover Letter - with feedback received
 * Assignment 1 - Resume, Cover Letter & Job Ad DUE Next Class (Week 4)

Activities (in-class)

 * Resume Assignment Review - Highlight Changes to Revised Resume (V4.0)
 * Cover Letter - write Cover Letter (DRAFTS) - aligned to Job Description & Industry
 * Bullets (bullet points) & Big Words - Kickstart Your Writing!
 * Peer GROUP Worksheet
 * Peer GROUP Worksheet

Readings

 * Alred, Outlining and Paragraphs, pp. 23-29
 * Alred, Memos, pp. 99-102
 * Subscribe to: SMLR E- List Archives
 * Visit website: Rutgers Education and Employment Research Center''' - https://smlr.rutgers.edu/content/education-employment-research-center-eerc
 * Anthony Goldbloom: The jobs we’ll lose to machines — and the ones we won’t TED 2016 (4:36) - https://www.ted.com/talks/anthony_goldbloom_the_jobs_we_ll_lose_to_machines_and_the_ones_we_won_t

Watch / Listen

 * 1) Andrew McAfee: What will future jobs look like? TED 2013 (14:21) - https://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_mcafee_what_will_future_jobs_look_like
 * 2) Erik Brynjolfsson: The key to growth? Race with the machines TED 2013 (11:53) - https://www.ted.com/talks/erik_brynjolfsson_the_key_to_growth_race_em_with_em_the_machines
 * 3) Wingham Rowan: A new kind of job market TED Salon 2012 (12:13) - https://www.ted.com/talks/wingham_rowan_a_new_kind_of_job_market

Universal Basic Income

 * Universal Basic Income, Waking Up with Sam Harris, Podcast Episode #130 (Start at 4:00 minutes)
 * Sam Harris interviews Andrew Yang - 2020 Presidential candidate and entrepreneur - . (Sam Harris is a neuroscientist, philosopher, and best-selling author Sam Harris as he explores important and controversial questions about the human mind, society, and current events.
 * Rainer Strack: The Workforce Crisis of 2030 — and how to start solving it now (12:47) -
 * Google futurist and director of engineering: Basic income will spread worldwide by the 2030s, Business Insider, April 14, 2018

The Importance of Unions & the Union Movement (according to Bernie Sanders)

 * Bernie Sanders Explains Unions to Young People, YouTube, (9:10)

Homework

 * Weekly Discussions

Activities (in-class)

 * Revised DUE Dates for Assignments - Memo - 2 pages / Progress Report - 5 pages
 * Peer GROUP Review

Readings

 * Alred, Brusaw, and Oliu. The Business Writer’s Companion, 8th edition (2017), Bedford/St. Martin’s, Chapter 5, Job Search and Applications - Research - pp. 167-173
 * The Disposable Plight of Adjunct Professors, Washington Post, February 2019
 * Are you an employee or a contractor? Carpenters, strippers and dog walkers now face that question, in LA Times, by Margot Roosevelt, February 23, 2019 (assigned by Prof. Naomi Williams)

Watch

 * TBD

Labor Readings & Resources
Labor law, standards, regulations - for employment information, unemployment numbers, and updated legal information
 * 1) US Department of Labor - https://www.dol.gov
 * 2) New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development - https://nj.gov/labor/

Historical overviews:
 * Philip Dray, There is Power in a Union: The Epic Story of Labor in America
 * Priscilla Murolo & A. B. Chitty, From the Folks Who Brought You the Weekend

Economic & Labor Policy & Implications:
 * Economic Policy Institute, https://www.epi.org/about/ - good source for ideas on how to think about projects’ broader implications
 * New Labor Forum – https://newlaborforum.cuny.edu/ - A labor journal of the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies that deals with new research and debates on working-class issues

Watch / Listen

 * Prof. Fisher - Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoOMJDDAsrs - Using RefCheck & Rutgers Library / Databases

Homework

 * Weekly Discussions

Activities (in-class)

 * Assignment 1 - Cover Letter & Resume Review
 * Grammar, Sentence Construction, Punctuation
 * Guest Speaker - Heads-Up
 * Memo Assignment / Template, Due Date
 * Memo Template Example - Peer GROUP Review

INSTRUCTIONS:
 * Write Context / Organization Type, Products / Services - Name of Company, What is Changing / Proposed / For Whom? Why? When? How?
 * Write 3-5 bullet points for Each Group BELOW
 * Employees / Labour; Customers; Suppliers; Investors; Government/Regulatory; Community; Other Impacts
 * 1) Who is affected? How? Where? Why?
 * 2) Who is responsible? What will you be asking of him / her to help you make decisions
 * 3) What is their likely response / challenges / resistance / motivations

PRO"' CON'''
 * Faster call handling after hours
 * Impersonal service that might cause the organization to lose customers}}

Readings

 * Alred, Memos, pp. 99-102
 * Alred, Chapter 11 - Grammar
 * "Dangling Modifiers, p. 349
 * "Person", p. 360
 * "Sentence Construction to Sentence Fragments", pp. 370-377
 * "Tense, Verbs and Active Voice", pp. 377-385
 * Alred, Chapter 12 - Punctuation and Mechanics, pp. 388-423

Changing Nature of Work

 * Watch Out Workers, Algorithms Are Coming to Replace You — Maybe, by David Kaufman, NYT, October 18, 2018 (Summary: Mr. Harari recently spoke about the benefits and dangers of A.I. and its potential to upend the ways we live, learn and work. The conversation has been edited and condensed. https://nyti.ms/2EwVcQd)
 * 50 Employee Relations Issues You Should Be Documenting, by Debbie Miller, HR Acuity blog, 2012
 * 7 Compliance Issues Every HR Leader Should Know, HRDive, January 29, 2019
 * 6 Books on the Future of Work that Every HR Professional Should Read, SHRM, Sept. 2018 - https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/book-blog/pages/6-books-on-the-future-of-work-that-every-hr-professional-should-read.aspx
 * Changing Nature of Work, 2019, World Bank - http://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2019

Questions to Consider
 * 1) What impact will automation have on work?
 * 2) What are possible scenarios for employment growth?
 * 3) Will there be enough work in the future?
 * 4) What will automation mean for skills and wages?
 * 5) How will automation affect Labor and Employment Relations?

Watch

 * How Amazon Blew Its Chance in New York (video), Jon Sarlin, CNN, February 15, 2019 - https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/15/tech/amazon-nyc-hq2-fail/index.html (3:32)

Homework

 * Write and Submit MEMO (Draft / Version 1) - 5 Bullet Points for each Stakeholder Group on the Template: Employees / Labour; Customers; Suppliers; Investors; Government / Regulatory; Community; Other Impacts
 * Weekly Discussions

Week 7 - Amazon, NYC Pushback and the Media - Guest Speaker

 * Instructions for next draft / version of Memo Assignment - Write one (1) paragraph for each stakeholder group: Employees/Labour; Customers; Suppliers; Investors; Government/Regulatory; Community; Other Impacts

Activities (in-class)

 * Guest Speaker - Jon Sarlin, CNN Producer


 * Peer GROUP Review (for content the speaker presents)

Readings

 * Amazon's Hard Bargain Extends Far Beyond New York, by By Karen Weise, Manny Fernandez and John Eligon, March 3, 2019, in New York Times
 * Amazon Patented System to Put Workers in a Cage on Top of a Robot, Sept. 7, 2018 in Seattle Times
 * McKinsey Report - Jobs Lost, Jobs Gained: What the Future of Work Will Mean for Jobs, Skills and Wages
 * Book Review, Louis Hyman, New York Times,(The Gig Economy / Temporary Work)
 * Amazon's Aggressive Anti-Union Tactics Revealed in Leaked 45-Minute Video, by Bryan Menegus, Gizmodo, Sept 25, 2018
 * Summary: Amazon, the country’s second-largest employer, has so far remained immune to any attempts by U.S. workers to form a union. With rumblings of employee organization at Whole Foods —which Amazon bought for $13.7B in 2017 — a 45-minute union-busting training video produced by the company was sent to Team Leaders of the grocery chain last week, according to sources with knowledge of the store’s activities. Recordings of that video, obtained by Gizmodo, provide valuable insight into the company’s thinking and tactics.
 * Amazon has patented a system that would put workers in a cage on top of a robot - https://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazon-has-patented-a-system-that-would-put-workers-in-a-cage-on-top-of-a-robot/, in Seattle Times, Seattle Times, September 7, 2018
 * Uber Drivers Lose Big Class Certification Case, Sept 26, 2018
 * Summary: The Ninth Circuit issued its decision in O'Conner v. Uber, a class action that centered on drivers' claim that they should be classified as employees. The Ninth Circuit reversed the district court's order to certify the class action, holding that the drivers must arbitrate their claims individually because arbitration agreements they signed with Uber prevented class claims.
 * The Race to Replace Farmworkers with Robots, Washington Post, February 17, 2019
 * How Amazon Blew Its Chance in New York, by Lydia DePillis, CNN Business

Watch

 * How Amazon Blew Its Chance in New York (video), Jon Sarlin, CNN, February 15, 2019 - https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/15/tech/amazon-nyc-hq2-fail/index.html (3:32)

Homework

 * Write and Submit MEMO (Draft / Versions 2 + 3)
 * 1) Arrange the five (5) Bullet Points into a logical sequence and write concisely including all of the points in a single paragraph. 1 paragraph per Stakeholder group: Employees / Labor; Customers; Suppliers; Investors; Government / Regulatory; Community; Other Impacts
 * 2) PRINT THREE (3) COPIES OF YOUR ASSIGNMENT - AND BRING TO NEXT CLASS. Make sure your first name, last name, phone number and Rutgers email address are at the top of the document.
 * Weekly Discussions

Week 8: Memo Assignment Review & Feedback; Final Assignment (Parts); Curiosity & Empathy to Solve Challenging Problems

 * Memo Assignment Feedback
 * Final Assignment - Progress Report (Parts)
 * Responding to Change - Internal - Training / Support
 * Responding to Change - External - Communications / Advocacy
 * Financial - Budget - Revenue / Expenses
 * Developing a Plan & Reporting Results
 * Evaluating Success & Continuous Improvement
 * How to Find Solutions to Challenging Problems
 * 1) Primary Research - Finding Information & Insights - "Curiosity & Empathy + Discovery Interviewing" - Get Out of the Building - Rutgers I-Corps Site (see reading below).
 * 2) Secondary / Literature Research (Library)

Activities (in-class)

 * Peer Group Review
 * Lecturette: Rutgers I-Corps Site Experience / Entrepreneurship / BMC / PMFit
 * Curiosity Audio (Brian Glazer - A Curios Mind)
 * Empathy & Stakeholder / Customer Needs Discovery Videos
 * Video - Vanessa Encarcion Wedding - https://vimeo.com/325041636/3658a9bba3

Readings

 * Alred, Chapter 4 - Progress and Activity Reports, - p. 117-119
 * Alred, Chapter 4 - Proposals to Quotation Marks - p. 120-136
 * Alred, Chapter 10 - Style and Clarity
 * "Business Writing to Loaded Arguments", pp. 306-319;
 * Tone to You", pp. 328-334.
 * Rutgers Launches National Science Foundation I-Corps Site University-Wide, February 2018
 * Business Model Canvas & Customer Discovery Explained, by Steve Blank - Stanford Prof. and Lean Entrepreneur.
 * Student Debt is Dragging an Entire Generation Down: Here's Why So Many Americans Feel Cheated By Their Student Loans by Anne Helen Peteron, BuzzFeed News, February 9, 2019

Two (2) Kinds of Empathy

 * 1) Listening with Understanding and Empathy (3:32) - Caring Perspective, Wondergrove Video on Vimeo
 * 2) Customer Discovery - Customer Empathy (2:25), Lean LaunchPad Series (Steve Blank)
 * Design Thinking I - Empathy-Based Prototyping (3:08)
 * Design Thinking Empathy (2:57), Arts Perspective

Be Curious - Have Curiosity Conversations

 * Curiosity Conversations by Brian Grazer - 3 min excerpt starting at 11:00

Talk to People & Listen for the Answers

 * Value Proposition (and Product-Market Fit) - How to Build a Startup (2:28) - Business Perspective
 * How To - Customer Conversations - Interviews 1 - https://youtu.be/M03K48LwGQE - (5:41) - intro
 * How to - Customer Conversations - Interviews 2 -https://youtu.be/P3QzFjjRJwg (3:49) - advanced
 * Customer Discovery - Assuming You Know - https://youtu.be/DTEF6D4n6Ds

Business Model Canvas

 * Visualizing Your Business Model (3:40)

Homework

 * Make a 15-minute appointment with Prof. Fisher - https://calendly.com/customerdiscoverypros (you will need a computer - and download Zoom video conference application)
 * Identify and contact AT LEAST TWO (2) PEOPLE (STAKEHOLDERS) who you can do a "Customer Interview" with, regarding THEIR Training Plans - Make Your Appointment for AFTER Next Week's Class.


 * Keep Accurate Records - You are Required to Submit these with your Final Assignment
 * Date Interviewed; First Name; Last Name; Role / Position; Organization; City; State; Country; Email Address; Phone Number (with area code); Skype Address (if used)
 * Weekly Discussions
 * Weekly Discussions

Activities (in-class)

 * Lecturette(s) - Training; Communications; and Budgeting
 * Who are You Going to Talk To? - Person, Role / Responsibility, Company / Organization
 * Discovery Questions
 * Customer Archetype(s) - optional
 * Lecturette: Evaluating Success & Continuous Improvement (1/2)
 * Lecturette (Guest): Cost Breakdown

Readings

 * TBD

Watch / Listen

 * TBD

Homework

 * Submit Stakeholder Training, Communications and Budgeting DRAFT 1
 * Be sure to indicate how you are going to "Report Results"
 * Conduct Customer Discovery Interviews with at least two (2) people related to THEIR Training Plans
 * Incorporate your insights and learning into YOUR Training Plan
 * Weekly Discussions - NONE THIS WEEK
 * Weekly Discussions - NONE THIS WEEK

Activities (in-class)

 * Feedback - Stakeholder Training, Communications and Budgeting DRAFT 1
 * We will also discuss "Reporting Results"
 * Debrief - Customer Discovery Interviews
 * Lecturette: Evaluating Success & Continuous Improvement (2/2)

Readings

 * TBD

Watch / Listen

 * TBD

Homework

 * Submit a Summary of Customer Discovery Interviews DRAFT 1. Write 1/2 page for each Interview - you can write more if you need to.
 * Incorporate Best Practices & Ideas from Customer Discovery Interviews with Your Stakeholders into your Briefing Note
 * Submit Evaluating Success & Continuous Improvement DRAFT 1
 * Weekly Discussions - NONE THIS WEEK
 * Weekly Discussions - NONE THIS WEEK

Activities (in-class)

 * Review + Discussion - Customer Discovery Best Practices DRAFT 1 and Ideas from Your Stakeholder Interviews
 * Review - Evaluating Success & Continuous Improvement DRAFT 1
 * Also discuss "Risk Management"

Readings

 * Digital Health Investment Review Tool, ICT Works - https://www.ictworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/DHIRT-Tool-HOW-TO-USE-GUIDE.pdf
 * 5 'Stages of Design Thinking - https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/5-stages-in-the-design-thinking-process
 * Outline of Design Thinking Course - https://www.plusacumen.org/courses/introduction-human-centered-design

Watch / Listen

 * Tim Brown, President & CEO, IDEO (26:42)
 * 25 TED Talks that Inspire Design Thinking

Homework

 * Submit Briefing Note DRAFT 1 - All Sections
 * Be sure to include your TRAINING PLAN - that includes training intervention to the problem, communications and financials (budgeting), duration / timeline
 * Weekly Discussions
 * Weekly Discussions

Activities (in-class)

 * Review Briefing Note DRAFT 1

Readings

 * TBD

Watch / Listen

 * TBD

Homework

 * Submit Briefing Note DRAFT 2
 * Optional: Recontact the People you did Customer Interviews with - Share Your Plans & Insights - Get Their Feedback and Incorporate into Briefing Note DRAFT 2
 * Weekly Discussions - NONE THIS WEEK

Activities (in-class)

 * Review Briefing Note DRAFT 2 - Final Revisions BEFORE Submitting Final Assignment
 * SIRS

Readings

 * TBD

Watch / Listen

 * TBD

Homework

 * Weekly Discussions - Course Learnings & Takeaways - (400-500 words)
 * Conduct a full review and copy edit of your Final Paper.
 * Get someone else to proofread it.
 * Excellent grammar makes a big difference to the success of your proposal and your grade.
 * REMEMBER TO PROPERLY NAME YOUR BRIEFING NOTE.

Remember: Writing Guidelines: Grammar (G), Sentence Construction (SC) & Punctuation (P)

 * Clarity of Thinking
 * No stream of consciousness, rambling, lack of specificity / details
 * Short Sentences
 * No run-on sentences
 * Grammar, Wordiness, Better Writing Construction
 * 1) Alignment between Cover Letter & Resume
 * 2) Extraneous / Strikethrough
 * 3) Redundant Words / Phrases
 * 4) Watch Verb Tenses
 * 5) Judgment / Claims in Writing - should, could, would
 * 6) Active vs. Passive Sentences
 * Watch for Typos, Big Words (don't use them!)