This assignment tasks the student with defining their target industry and researching issues facing their industry today. For example, an issue facing Human Resources students might be the use of social media for background checks. Health Care Management students may want to research issues associated with privacy, cost, the role of government or insurance coverage.

No matter your professional focus, every industry faces issues that are part of management conversation. Your next assignment (Business Interview #1) tasks students with interviewing the first of four individuals with industry experience. Becoming familiar with current issues will facilitate the conversation, improve first impressions and prepare you to ask intelligent questions.

The Assignment:

Read several articles to become familiar with current issues in your industry. Articles selected should be of material length (several pages) from journalistic or industry sources (i.e. major papers, magazines, journals).

Select one of the articles and provide a 2-3 paragraph summary of the issue. Include the following:

1. Definition of the industry of interest (i.e. Health Care)
2. Definition of the issue of interest (i.e. Medical Costs)
3. Summary of the key points associated with the issue
4. Copy of or link to the article for instructor reference

Once you have surveyed articles and summarized the one referenced in #2 above, develop 3-5 questions that will become the basis of industry conversation in your next assignment. List these questions for this assignment and retain them as the beginning of your template for the next assignment.