TO: Students in MIS 7550 – Fall, 1998

FROM: Chuck Gibson and Bob Reck

DATE: September 8, 1998

SUBJ: Short Papers

Four short papers are required in the course. The evaluation of each is 15% of your final grade in the course.

Each paper is to be written on the subject and discussion of one or more of the classes within each of the four Modules of the course, as laid out in the course syllabus. You may choose the class on which your paper is based.

The paper is to be in the form of a memorandum to either an executive in a case discussed in class, to an executive in the company where you are currently employed, or to an executive in another actual company where you have worked or with which you are familiar.

The memorandum is to be an analysis and recommendation referring to a specific problem or issue of interest to you and the addressee. The memo should make use of the reading material and/or case discussed in the class, and may refer to any earlier reading or case covered in the course as well. It should also refer to class discussion and lectures as pertinent to the memo. Most importantly, it should include your additional thoughts based on these inputs and should provide a conclusion and some specific recommendations for the executive or person to whom it is written.

The memorandum must be no more than five pages (double spaced, 10 point font minimum) in length, including all exhibits. Articles or other material may be referenced or attached to the memo; their page length is not included in the five page limit.

The papers/memos may be submitted electronically (send to cgibson@MIT.edu; send as a MSWord file in .rtf format) or in hard copy.

The papers/memos are due by 6:30pm on the following days:

Based on Module A: September 21, 1998

Based on Module B: October 19, 1998

Based on Module C: December 7, 1998

Based on Module D: December 14, 1998