The Challenge
Press Announcement for Immediate Release

Mega Opus International, a global leader in consumer product manufacturing, has announced that it is searching for a new production facility. MOI, Inc., is looking for a suitable host country somewhere in Latin America (South America, Central America, and the Caribbean).

As a leading producer of small personal appliances, high-tech entertainment devices, automobiles, apparel, and electromagnetic transportation systems, MOI can offer the country chosen a number of benefits: jobs, a rising standard of living, infrastructure development, and a possibility of expansions to the original facility, fueling economic growth through the coming century.

That’s what MOI can offer you. Now, what can you offer MOI?

Time Table

Phase I: South America
Country Profiles due...
Friday, Sept. 11

Phase II: Central America & Caribbean
Country Profiles due....
Friday, Sept. 18

Phase III: Evaluations & Presentation
Written Recommendations due...
Friday, Sept. 25
Oral/Visual Presentations.....
Monday, Sept. 28

Phase IV: Submission to Judging Team
Wednesday, October 1

1) Written profile--
A two-paragraph typed description detailing your country’s location, place, and region

2) Maps--
Two hand-drawn maps; one of your country, showing major cities, landforms, rivers, etc., and one of the entire region, identifying your country and its neighbors.

3) References--
A typed, alphabetized reference list on separate page from your profile, maps and table. Follow the CHS Writers’ Guide for specific format instructions.

4) Data tables--
Information that you’ve gathered about your country, organized, and identified by source

5) Charts & graphs--*
Computer created bar graphs and pie charts showing significant features of your country, with explanations of the graph contents

6) Optional--
other, optional items, which may include artistic, decorative items, journal, narrative, etc. created by the student.
The goal of these country profile reports is to provide snapshot information about particular countries in a standard format, so you can compare them in Phase III of the challenge.

*Slight differences in requirements for #5) Charts & graphs exist between Phase I & II. Consult the scoring guides to help you determine your particular requirements.

Phase III:
Evaluation and Reporting

In Phase III of the challenge you and your team members will evaluate the information you collected in Phases I & II, with a focus on choosing one of your 8 countries to present as your candidate for MOI’s new facility.

In addition to the 8 country profiles your individual team members will have produced in the first 2 phases of the challenge, you’ll also turn in a persuasive proposal for MOI to consider as they begin to site their new facility. Your persuasive proposal should include:

1) Written overview of the countries you’ve considered, providing basic information about your 8 countries in paragraph form.

2) Data tables showing relevant information for comparing your 8 countries to each other, in table form.

3) Charts & graphs depicting elements of comparison visually in graphic form.

4) Written rationale for your choice, intended to persuade the selection committee to choose your country for its site selection.

5) References--
A typed, alphabetized reference list for materials used in the Phase III.

The written proposal is the only element that will be submitted to the outside judges, but there are two other important elements of your reporting:
1) an oral presentation of your findings to the class in which you explain your selected country and identify key reasons for your choice, and
2) a visual presentation of your findings, including key information interpreted to support your selection.

It is possible to combine the two types of presentations into a single “event”, but for the most part, the information provided in the oral segment will parallel the information you’ve written in Phase III (elements 1 & 4 at the left) and the visual presentation will mirror the data, charts and graphs you’ve provided in Phase III (elements 2 & 3).

The goal here is to provide the same or similar information as you’ve created in the written proposal, but in a different format and media.

Possible visual presentations are listed at the right.

Slide Show:

Use PowerPoint to create a slide show focusing on key areas, graphs, data and other elements. Project it on the screen for others to see, or provide it on multiple computers for small groups to visit.

Multimedia Project:

Use HyperStudio to create a menu-driven multimedia project, where visitors can pick and choose the information they’d like from the data you’ve collected.

Web Page:

Use HomePage to create a web page/web site containing information you’ve collected, and link to useful sites you’ve used along the way.

Video:

Use a camcorder to record a visual tour of your countries and the data you’ve collected surrounding them.

* What would make a corporation choose one country over another for locating a new production facility?

* What features distinguish one country from another?

* What drawbacks might there be for a country which is chosen for new industrial development?

* What qualities make a good piece of writing?

* What qualities make a good oral presentation?

* How can you make sure everyone in a group fulfills his/her role?

* What can you do to solve problems within a group?

* _________________________________________________________

* _________________________________________________________

Deadlines:

* Friday, the 11th - Phase I Reports Due

* Friday, the 18th - Phase II Reports Due

* Friday, the 25th - Phase III Reports Due

* Monday, the 28th - Tuesday, the 29th - Phase III Presentations to Class

* Thursday, the 1st - Written Reports to Outside Judges