Category: Essays

Students, please view the “Submit a Clickable Rubric Assignment” in the Student Center.

Instructors, training on how to grade is within the Instructor Center.

Assignment 2: Operations Decision

Due Week 6 and worth 300 points

Using the regression results and the other computations from Assignment 1, determine the market structure in which the low-calorie frozen, microwavable food company operates.

Use the Internet to research two (2) of the leading competitors in the low-calorie frozen, microwavable food industry, and take note of their pricing strategies, profitability, and their relationships within the industry (worldwide).

Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you:

Outline a plan that will assess the effectiveness of the market structure for the company’s operations. Note: In Assignment 1, the assumption was that the market structure [or selling environment] was perfectly competitive and that the equilibrium price was to be determined by setting QD equal to QS. You are now aware of recent changes in the selling environment that suggest an imperfectly competitive market where your firm now has substantial market power in setting its own “optimal” price.
Given that business operations have changed from the market structure specified in the original scenario in Assignment 1, determine two (2) likely factors that might have caused the change. Predict the primary manner in which this change would likely impact business operations in the new market environment.
Analyze the major short run and long cost functions for the low-calorie, frozen microwaveable food company given the cost functions below. Suggest substantive ways in which the low-calorie food company may use this information in order to make decisions in both the short-run and the long-run.

TC = 160,000,000 + 100Q + 0.0063212Q2

VC = 100Q + 0.0063212Q2

MC= 100 + 0.0126424Q

Determine the possible circumstances under which the company should discontinue operations. Suggest key actions that management should take in order to confront these circumstances. Provide a rationale for your response. (Hint: Your firm’s price must cover average variable costs in the short run and average total costs in the long run to continue operations.)
Suggest one (1) pricing policy that will enable your low-calorie, frozen microwavable food company to maximize profits. Provide a rationale for your suggestion.

(Hints:

In Assignment 1, you determined your firm’s market demand equation. Now you need to find the inverse demand equation. Having found that, find the Total Revenue function for your firm (TR is P x Q). From your firm’s Total Revenue function, then find your Marginal Revenue (MR) function.
Use the profit maximization rule MR = MC to determine your optimal price and optimal output level now that you have market power. Compare these values with the values you generated in Assignment 1. Determine whether your price higher is or lower.)

Outline a plan, based on the information provided in the scenario, which the company could use in order to evaluate its financial performance. Consider all the key drivers of performance, such as company profit or loss for both the short term and long term, and the fundamental manner in which each factor influences managerial decisions.

(Hints:

Calculate profit in the short run by using the price and output levels you generated in part 5. Optional: You may want to compare this to what profit would have been in Assignment 1 using the cost function provided here.
Calculate profit in the long run by using the output level you generated in part 5 and cost data in part 3 and assuming that the selling environment will likely be very competitive. Determine why this would be a valid assumption.)

Recommend two (2) actions that the company could take in order to improve its profitability and deliver more value to its stakeholders. Outline, in brief, a plan to implement your recommendations.
Use at least five (5) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia does not qualify as an academic resource.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

Analyze short-run and long-run production and cost functions.
Apply macroeconomic concepts to changes in global and national economies and how they affect economic growth, inflation, interest rates, and wage rates.
Evaluate the profit-maximizing price and output level for given operating costs for monopolies and firms in competitive industries.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in managerial economics and globalization.
Write clearly and concisely about managerial economics and globalization using proper writing mechanics.

Click here to view the grading rubric

Suppose you are the Information Security Director at a small software company. The organization currently utilizes a Microsoft Server 2012 Active Directory domain administered by your information security team. Mostly software developers and a relatively small number of administrative personnel comprise the remainder of the organization. You have convinced business unit leaders that it would be in the best interest of the company to use a public key infrastructure (PKI) in order to provide a framework that fosters confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and nonrepudiation. Email clients, virtual private network (VPN) products, Web server components, and domain controllers would utilize digital certificates issued by the certificate authority (CA). Additionally, the company would use digital certificates to sign software developed by the company in order to demonstrate software authenticity to the customer.

Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you:

Analyze the fundamentals of PKI, and determine the primary ways in which its features and functions could benefit your organization and its information security department.
Propose one (1) way in which the PKI could assist in the process of signing the company’s software, and explain the main reason why a customer could then believe that software to be authentic.
Compare and contrast public and in-house CAs. Include the positive and negative characteristics of each type of certificate authority, and provide a sound recommendation of and a justification for which you would consider implementing within your organization. Explain your rationale.
Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment (no more than 2-3 years old) from material outside the textbook. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

Explain how businesses apply cryptography in maintaining information security.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in information systems security.
Write clearly and concisely about network security topics using proper writing mechanics and technical style conventions

Non-Traditional Performance Strategies

In the 21st century, some HR managers and leaders believe that non-traditional strategies have the potential to enhance engagement, increase productivity, and improve performance levels in many organizations. For example, it is essential to consider the significance of employees receiving the right amount of sleep each night—which has a direct result on job performance. At the most basic level, prolonged sleep deprivation has a negative impact on our health” and that sleep deprivation is the “equivalent to being legally intoxicated. Many researchers emphasize the value of employees being well-rested as well as the usefulness of taking afternoon naps. What if managers allowed employees to take a nap after their lunch breaks? Sleep is an important contributor to creative problem solving. Could this strategy potentially help boost creativity and performance levels? Perhaps no single daytime renewal behavior more reliably influences performance-and is less common in the workplace-than taking a nap” (Schwartz, et al., 2010, p. 72).

Many researchers understand the correlation between being well-rested and higher performance levels and they also point out the significance of taking time off from work to relax. As a matter of fact, Americans are sleeping less as well as taking less time off from work. “On average, Americans now fail to use 439 million paid vacations days a year. In 2008, one third of Americans said they intended to take no vacation at all” (Schwartz, et al., 2010, p. 75). In contrast, Europeans continue to enjoy far more vacation time than Americans do, which relates to having a higher quality of work and home life. From an organizational behavior perspective, employees are usually overwhelmed with work and feel that they cannot take any quality time off to relax. The dilemma is that most employees will never feel as if they are all caught up and can truly enjoy a vacation. The long-term implications of always being overwhelmed at work and never taking time off can result in disengagement and counterproductive activities. Organizations need healthy employees who are able to innovate, synergize, and work collectively with their peers.

It is important also to mention that diet influences performance levels. Many organizations are notorious for spending thousands of dollars each month on purchasing unhealthy snacks for employees to encourage them to come to meetings or work extra hours. The fast pace of today’s work world has caused changes in people’s eating patterns as well. Instead of eating meals jointly with family members, friends, and colleagues, many families and individuals have been conditioned to eat in between work or other activities. As a result, many American employees are overweight, lethargic, and have lower performance levels. “Between 1960 and 2000, the average weight of American men between the ages of twenty-one and twenty-nine jumped from 163 to 191 pounds. During the same period, the average women went from 140 to 164” pounds (Schwartz, et al., 2010, p. 91). Most organizations have several vending machines full of unhealthy snacks available for their employees. “The staple foods in most vending machines and at most off-sites are candy, cookies, and chips, filled with sugar, salt, and fat. These foods provide a quick and short-lived buzz when people’s energy is flagging, but they take a toll on their health and productivity over time” (Schwartz, et al., 2010, p. 117). Organizations need to pay close attention to the food they offer in their vending machines and cafeterias. Managing stress means managing one’s food intake and having a regular exercise program. Some organizations have devoted significant resources to food and snacks that are offered at work. This non-traditional type of strategic human resource management is commendable and has many benefits for recruiting and retention.

Reference: Schwartz, T., Jones, J., & McCarty, C. (2010). The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working. New York, NY: Free Press. (This book is not required).

Module 2 – Case
TWO PRIMARY OUTCOMES OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Assignment Overview

The two primary outcomes of HR management are recruitment and retention. Through HR planning, managers anticipate the future supply of and demand for employees and the nature of workforce issues, including the retention of employees. These factors are used when recruiting applicants for job openings. Being able to recruit and retain the “best” employees have been difficult tasks for HR managers. The “best” employees are not necessarily the most qualified individuals (e.g., the most educated or with the most work experience), rather it is the individuals who provide value to an organization, who complement the organization, who understand and embrace the organization’s mission, and who fit the culture of the organization. This quandary is a result of a number of different variables such as: job satisfaction, organizational commitment, job performance, and motivation. The following figure illustrates the two outcomes of HR management.

Two Main Outcomes of HR

Furthermore, contemporary HR managers also are tasked with assisting with peak performance initiatives because of escalated global demands and competition.
Case Assignment

Drawing on the material in the background readings and doing additional research, please prepare a 3-5 page paper (not including the cover and reference pages) in which you:

Discuss the connection between recruitment and retention.
You will discuss whether you believe it is better to (1) hire hard and manage easy or (2) make up for bad selection with good training.
Discuss strategies for retaining employees.

Implementation of the Balanced Scorecard

The term “balanced scorecard” became part of the professional accounting vernacular in the early 1990s. This nontraditional approach to measuring strategic performance was developed by Dr. Robert Kaplan and Dr. David Norton. As the name implies, the goal of the balanced scorecard is to provide stakeholders with a balanced view of the performance of an organization.

For this Assignment, review Case 14-1, “Global Oil” in Chapter 14 of your course text and reflect on the information presented. Consider how the balanced scorecard should be implemented, including how it the results of this implementation might contribute to organizational decision making.

The Assignment:

Provide a critical analysis of M&R’s implementation of the balanced scorecard, including an identification of the strengths and weaknesses of the program.
Prepare a response to the following: Was the adoption of the balanced scorecard at M&R responsible for turning around the organization’s financial performance? Explain why or why not.

Submit your Application by Day 5.

To submit your Assignment, do the following:

Save your Assignment as a ”.doc” file with the filename “WK5Assgn+last name+first initial.doc”. Sally Ride’s filename would be “WK5AssignRideS.doc”.
To upload your Assignment, click on Assignments on the course navigation menu, and then click the Assignment Turnitin – Week 5 link.

General Guidance on Application Length:

Your Application, due by Day 5, will typically be 4-6 paragraphs in length as a general expectation/estimate for each bullet point. Refer to the rubric for the Week 5 Application for grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use the rubric to assess your work

Project Initiation and Planning

[Pin It]

Assignment 2: Project Initiation and Planning

Due Week 6 and worth 140 points

Note: Please use the project from Assignment 1 to complete this assignment, which requires that you provide the necessary scope for your project.

In Assignment 1, you have defined the objectives of the project in terms of a problem which it solves or an opportunity on which it capitalizes. You have also created a Scope Statement (or Statement of Work) which outlines the basic components of the project. It is now the time to create a charter, have it approved by the sponsor / client, and with charter in hand, start the planning process. First, a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is created followed by a project plan / network.

Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you will:

Discuss the value of a project charter and, based on your research, include an outline of the components which you deem necessary for your project. Note: You do not need to write a charter.
Specify the stakeholders for the project, and analyze the position of each for the project, in terms of their influence, as well as their attitude toward the project (i.e., positive, neutral, or negative).
Create a WBS for your project using the proper format (MS Word, MS Excel, Visio, or any other applicable format) to depict WBS graphically (see the example on page 110 of the textbook). Alternatively, you may use a coded format using MS Word (see example on page 115. The example is in MS Project format but the same could be done in MS Word).
Create a project plan / network using the proper format (MS Word, MS Excel, or any other applicable format) to depict the project network (example on page 173). Be sure that all typical components on a project network are included, and critical path is properly depicted.
Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
Typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
Include a reference page. Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.

2 reflection paper in 1 hour

[Pin It]

In your reflection, address the following:

Why is diversity and inclusion important to the campus culture at the University of Toledo?
Why is a diverse campus important to you?
Identify a few dimensions of diversity that you feel make up your identity. Keeping these dimensions in mind, what do you bring to the diversity of our UT community? Provide examples of experiences to illustrate your answer.

Write a well-organized reflection, 2 pages in length (typed, double-spaced).

W5FP

[Pin It]

Final Project: Using Visuals to Communicate a Message

Visual media can have a significant impact on how effectively a message is communicated. Appropriate and strategic visuals can inspire the audience, lend clarity to a message, and, in general, say things that words alone cannot.

Throughout this course, you decided on a message to communicate, determined the most effective platform or medium for that message, and selected the most appropriate visuals to support the message. For the Final Project, incorporate a minimum of three different types of visual design, such as typography, graphics, and images to deliver your intended message. Note that if you did not create the visual, you must include a reference for the visual(s) contained in the project.

For this project, use the concepts you’ve learned in this course to effectively apply visuals to a business-related message. Below, you will find just a few examples of how visuals can be utilized to communicate a message in the business setting. Feel free to use any of the examples listed below, or if you choose to select examples not included on the list, be sure to request instructor approval prior to completing the Final Project.

Examples of Business Communication

How Each Example Might Look for Your Assignment

Presentation on department achievements

PowerPoint slides with visuals such as video clips, images, and charts and associated speech in the Speaker’s Notes section at the bottom..

Print advertisement for your own business

Word document or PDF version of an advertisement, complete with appropriate image(s), embedded (or links to) video clips, composition, typography, and company logo and website.

Training materials on your job responsibilities

Word document or PDF version of job instructions using typography, composition, and relevant images and video to promote clarity.

Company website

Word document, PowerPoint, or PDF mock-up that illustrates what you would want your website to look like. Complete with appropriate images, effective composition and color usage, company logo, video clips, and shapes representing where the buttons would be.

Your Final Project must contain aspects of each element discussed in the course as it applies to your example communication piece. It must use appropriate typefaces, deliver a clear message, and have clear brand identity. It must also use an appropriate composition of graphics, photos, video, or other visual media. In addition to the text, your paper must contain a minimum of five scholarly sources, two of which must be from the Ashford University Library.

In your five- to seven-page paper (not including the title and reference pages or the three visual media examples), be sure to address the following:

Discuss the rationale behind choosing each of the three media elements and support your discussion with concepts from the course material.
Explain why the media elements contained in your Final Project deliver the message you intended to communicate.
Describe the intent of the message.
Apply a minimum of five concepts from the course material to support your choice of media elements. For example you may use concepts such as visual literacy, perception, visual marketing, storytelling, design, branding, social media, communication theories, or any of the other concepts presented during the course. Be sure to discuss the relationship of the concepts to the media elements that you have chosen.

Writing the Final Paper

The Paper:

Must be five to seven double-spaced pages in length (not including the title and reference pages or the three visual media examples) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the approved APA style guide. Title page, reference page, and any exhibits or appendices are not counted in the paper length.
Must include a cover page that includes:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
Must include a title page and an abstract.
Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.
Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
Must conclude with a restatement of the thesis and a conclusion paragraph.
Must use a minimum of five scholarly in addition to the text, two of which must be from the Ashford University Library.
Must use APA style to document all sources.
Must include a reference page that includes the scholarly sources that you relied upon in constructing your paper per APA guidelines.
Must be written in the third person

Why would nations favor fixed vs. floating exchange rates for their currencies? Why do some developing nations have a “fear of the float?”

DQ 1

The U.S. has historically low interest rates at present. How would you predict these would impact the value of the dollar on foreign exchange markets? How, in turn, would these low interest rates impact our balance of trade? Explain your answers

All organizations have internal politics. However, most organizations keep their political battles private and it is rare that the public will know the details about political intrigue within the major corporations. However, Hewlett-Packard (HP) is rare in that its political battles were waged publicly. HP will make for an ideal case study both because of the intense political behavior occurring at the top and because many articles have been written about these political battles.

HP has been through five CEOs since 2005, and each change of CEO has been controversial. The drama started in 2005 when then CEO Carly Fiorina was under attack from several members of HP’s Board of Directors. Some board members even took the dispute public by leaking information to the press. Fiorina fought back by investigating the leaks, but ultimately lost the battle and was ousted as CEO. Her replacement, Patricia Dunn, continued to investigate leaks by the board through the use of private investigators. Even more controversy emerged when it was discovered that the investigators used the method of “pretexting” in order to obtain phone records of board members.

For this assignment, make sure to first carefully review the background materials regarding the causes of political behavior, types of political behavior, and the ethics of political behavior. Examples of the causes of political behavior include competition for resources, ambiguous organizational goals, lack of trust, and performance factors. Examples of types of political behavior include blaming others, selectively distributing information, managing impressions, and forming coalitions. Regarding ethics, consider the three main factors:

Does the political action violate individual rights?
Does it improve the welfare of those involved?
Does it increase distributive justice?

Review the background materials and do some research on the political dramas at HP. There is a lot written about HP’s many dramas over the years; here are some articles to get you started:

Veverka, M. (2011). The soap opera at HP continues. Barron’s, 91(39), 25.

Granelli, J. S. (2006, Sep 20). Lockyer probe of HP spying reaches to ’05; sources say the inquiry goes back to the ouster of CEO Carly Fiorina, a possible victim. Los Angeles Times [ProQuest]

Kessler, M. (2006, Sep 08). Controversial HP probe started under Fiorina; stock falls as board continues public feud. USA Today [ProQuest]

Pearlstein, S. (2011, Sep 25). How HP, silicon valley’s darling, became a soap opera. The Washington Post

Once you have finished reviewing the background materials and have completed your research on HP’s internal politics, write a 4- to 5-page paper addressing the following issues:

What individual and organizational factors of HP and its senior leaders led to the intense political behavior? Refer to the background readings in your answer, and in particular, pages 370–372 of the Nair textbook in your answer.
What types of political behaviors did HP’s board members and CEOs exhibit? Be specific and use the types of political behaviors discussed by Nair (2010) and Aswathappa (2010).
Were the leaks to the press by members of the board ethical? Was the investigation by Patricia Dunn into the links ethical? Consider the factors of utility, individual rights, and distributive justice discussed by Nair (2010) and Aswathappa (2010) in your answer.

Module 2 – SLP
ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS

For this assignment you will be continuing to write about your own workplace experiences as they relate to power and politics. Think of one of the largest political battles you witnessed or were apart of during your career, and think carefully about how the concepts from the background materials apply to what you experienced.

In preparation for the SLP, make sure you have a thorough grasp of the terminology from the background materials including the main individual and organizational factors that lead to political behavior and the types of political behavior. Once you are comfortable with the terminology and concepts from the background materials, write a 2- to 3-page paper addressing the following issues:

Briefly describe a political battle that took place in your workplace. Explain who the main players were and what issues were at stake.
What individual and organizational factors lead to this political battle? Refer to the background readings in your answer, and in particular, pages 370–372 of the Nair textbook in your answer. Refer to Nair (2010), Aswathappa (2010), or the Pearson tutorial in your answer.
What types of political behaviors did your coworkers exhibit in your political battle? Be specific and use the types of political behaviors discussed by Nair (2010) and Aswathappa (2010).
Do you think any of the participants behaved unethically during this political battle? Consider the factors of utility, individual rights, and distributive justice discussed by Nair (2010) and Aswathappa (2010) in your answer.

Due Week 6 and worth 300 points

According to the Department of Health and Human Services (2002), the nation’s capacity to respond to bioterrorism depends largely on the ability of clinicians and public health officials to detect, manage, and effectively communicate in advance of and during a bioterrorism event.

Prepare a narrated presentation, using PowerPoint or other similar software, detailing a bioterrorism-related issue, analyzing the threat(s) that the bioterrorism-related issue poses.

In preparation for your presentation, research and review at least one (1) healthcare facility’s preparedness plan. Note: A video to help students record narration for the PowerPoint presentation is available in the course shell.

Prepare a twenty (20) slide presentation in which you:

Specify the key steps that healthcare managers should follow in preparing their organizations for a potential bioterrorism attack.
Outline at least two (2) possible early detection and surveillance strategies, and investigate the main ways those strategies may prompt timely interventions to effectively treat and diminish the impact of a bioterrorism threat.
Evaluate the specific preparation steps in the preparedness plan of a healthcare facility of your choosing.
Suggest at least one (1) possible improvement to promote early detection and enhanced surveillance.
Use at least four (4) recent (within the last five [5] years), quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

Apply decision making models to address difficult management situations.
Develop policies that ensure compliance of healthcare delivery systems with current legislation.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in Health Care Operations Management.