Carol Oates’ story, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? ” is initially about a teen (Connie) who is going through the beginning phases of teen life, playing into the stereotype of an image-conscious teen. She is recalcitrant with her parents, sneaks off to start hanging out with boys, et cetera. About a third of the way through the story, a man that she had seen earlier at the diner shows up to take her out for a drive, and the situation goes downhill as she asks him more and more questions.
This man (Arnold Friend) is somewhat inspired by serial killer Charles Schmid, but yet the story never really seems to be about him. Even when she is describing Friend, Connie seems to describe him as he pertains to her, saying things like: “He wasn’t tall, only an inch or so taller than she would be if she came down to him,” and “the nose long and hawklike, sniffing as if she were a treat he was going to gobble up. ” Oates herself talks about how “in subsequent drafts, the story changed its tone, its focus, its language, its title. (Charters 898) The story now is more about how this girl, despite her trying to act as an adult when she’s out and about, is so very fragile when it comes to the manipulations by this man that so many think that they’d be immune to. It works on a few levels, as it is an interesting story in and of itself, and it also speaks volumes (and is still relevant, despite its age) about the psyche of the American teen girl. Oates, Joyce Carol “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?
Management Question
The Assignment must be submitted on Blackboard (WORD format only) via allocated folder.
Assignments submitted through email will not be accepted.
Students are advised to make their work clear and well presented, marks may be reduced for poor presentation. This includes filling your information on the cover page.
Students must mention question number clearly in their answer.
Late submission will NOT be accepted.
Avoid plagiarism, the work should be in your own words, copying from students or other resources without proper referencing will result in ZERO marks. No exceptions.
All answered must be typed using Times New Roman (size 12, double-spaced) font. No pictures containing text will be accepted and will be considered plagiarism).
Submissions without this cover page will NOT be accepted.
Learning Outcomes:
1.1 Recognize and memorize concepts of communication theory as they affect business organizations and the individuals in them.
1.2 Communicate better, knowing that good communicators make better managers and that communication is a dynamic process basic to individuals and organizational life.
1.3 Analyse effective business letters, memorandums, and case studies.
Assignment Question(s):
Question 1: Critical Thinking
Two Phrases That Indicate Your Boss Is Not Listening To You
One of the biggest predictors of whether an employee will be engaged at work is the extent to which they feel like their boss listens to them. But sadly, we’ve all had (or are having) the experience of a boss who doesn’t listen to us. And I’m not talking about really blatant situations (e.g. they literally turn away from us or roll their eyes), but rather those situations in which the boss acts like they’re listening but hears nothing we say.
I recently witnessed just such a case. An executive, let’s call him “Pat,” was holding a town hall meeting to discuss the company’s recent, and disappointing, employee engagement survey results. About 40 employees showed up to the meeting. He kicked things off by saying, “Welcome, everybody. As you know, I’m having this meeting today because I want to hear your concerns directly. I’m here to listen about your issues with your supervisors, so fire away.”
One employee raised his hand first and said, “With the recent cost-cutting, I think we’ve all got concerns about whether we’re going to have jobs next year.” Pat quickly responded, “Oh, I hear you. You think you’ve got problems? At least your wages are ones that other companies will pay. But I’m the VP and I’m over 50, so when you combine my high salary with my age, I’m going to have a really tough time finding a job. But hey, life’s not fair, right?”
Then another employee raised their hand. “I actually have a different concern. My supervisor tells me that I’m supposed to bring her any suggestions for improvement, but when I do, it’s like she doesn’t listen to me.” Pat responded, “I know how that feels, but I don’t want you to worry, because those feelings will pass and you will get over it.”
Source: Forbes Magazine
Think about how well this manager listened in high-pressure situation:
1.Explain how well he did at each of the following active listening skills: paying attention, holding judgment, reflecting, clarifying, and sharing. (2.5 Marks)
2.Suggest some strategies to turn this manager into an excellent listener. (2.5 Marks)
Question 2: Writing Exercise
Things have been a little tight lately, and you need some money to get you through to the end of the school term. Write two letters asking for a loan of $500 (1) to a friend, (2) to a bank loan officer. How do your approaches to these audiences differ? (5 Marks)