TOPIC: BUSINESS OWNERS Part 1 In Part 1 of this activity, you will complete the following tasks:  Watch "How to Do an Informational Interview." Select your prospective interview candidate. See below for guidance on identifying a suitable interviewee. Gather professional/biographical details about your prospective interview subject. Request an interview by email, phone, or in person. If you're going to send your request by email, review this site for suggested wording. Consider CC’ing me on the request. To identify a suitable interview subject, find professionals in your career you would like to explore. Think about tapping these sources: Check with your personal and professional networks and professors to connect you with professionals in your field of interest. Consider members within student or professional organizations you have joined or would like to join. After you explore your interviewee options, request the interview. Reach out in a timely manner, as many professionals have demanding schedules and may not be available right away. It is also wise to consider having more than one potential interview candidate in case your first choice doesn't pan out. As you prepare for your interview, bear in mind these tips: Maintain a professional demeanor, both in writing and orally. Draft a list of questions in advance. Schedule the interview for no longer than 20 minutes. Part 2 Prepare for your interview well in advance. In Part 2 of this activity, you will prepare for and conduct your informational interview by completing the following tasks: Determine the logistics of your interview. Will you meet in person? Via video chat or web conference (Zoom, Google Hangouts, FaceTime, Skype, etc.)? An interview in real-time is preferable, but if you and your subject are unable to arrange that, you can use email. Draft your interview questions. See below for guidance. Conduct the interview. Here are some questions you might consider: What sparked your interest in this career field? What does a typical day entail in your line of work? What do you like most about your career field? What are some challenges you face in this career choice? How do you handle your work-life balance? What suggestions do you have for someone interested in this field? Who else do you recommend I talk to? Part 3  After your interview, summarize your notes in two or three paragraphs. Include the name of the interviewee, a short biography describing his or her professional background and experiences, and a brief synopsis of your interview details/highlights. Be sure to include a reflection on why you chose to interview this person and what you learned relative to your career. Finally, make sure to include the questions you asked.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/dont-become-the-next-kodak-2012-01-19 http://www.marketwatch.com/story/kodak-files-for-bankruptcy-2012-01-19   Use the links above to begin your research on Kodak and their past bankruptcy filing.  I would like you to also use at least two (2) other sources for your research paper (simply embed sources/citations into your paper).  Keep the Business Improvement Plan to 6-8 pages, double-spaced in 12-point font.  Please refer to your text chapter readings and answer these questions.      1.  Discuss some of the failures of Kodak’s senior management team and name three key initiatives that they could have had in place to avoid a Chapter 11 filing.        2.  Do Internet research about R&D and discuss the importance of this critical business unit to consumer product companies. Ex.>R&D to stay competitive               3.  Discuss your thoughts on how you think Kodak lost its competitive advantage.  What are your (3) recommendations as the company comes out of Chapter 11 and moves forward?  Include a mini media campaign that incorporates Social Media to help market Kodak through the new year (2016-17’).