Category: Essays

When looking for information about a particular issue, how often do you try to resist biases toward your own point of view? This assignment asks you to engage in this aspect of critical thinking.

The assignment is divided into two (2) parts.

For Part I of the assignment (due Week 2), you read a book excerpt about critical thinking processes, reviewed the Procon.org Website in order to gather information, and engaged in prewriting to examine your thoughts.

* Remember that in the Week 2 Discussion, you examined the biases discussed in Chapter 2 of the webtext.

In Part II of the assignment (due Week 4), you will write a paper to synthesize your ideas.

Part II – Writing

Write at three to four (3-4) page paper in which you:

1. State your position on the topic you selected for Assignment 1.1.

2. Identify (3) three premises (reasons) from the Procon.org website that support your position and explain why you selected these specific reasons.

3. Explain your answers to the “believing” questions about the three (3) premises opposing your position from the Procon.org website.

4. Examine at least two (2) types of biases that you likely experienced as you evaluated the premises for and against your position.

5. Discuss the effects of your own acculturation or group identification that may have influenced your biases.

6. Discuss whether or not your thinking about the topic has changed after playing the “Believing Game,” even if your position on the issue has stayed the same.

The paper should follow guidelines for clear and organized writing:

Include an introductory paragraph and concluding paragraph.
Address main ideas in body paragraphs with a topic sentence and supporting sentences.
Adhere to standard rules of English grammar, punctuation, mechanics, and spelling.

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 Style 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.

You must follow these submission guidelines:

Submit the essay to Turnitin.com and then submit the originality report and final essay with any needed revisions to Blackboard.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

Identify the informal fallacies, assumptions, and biases involved in manipulative appeals and abuses of language.
Create written work utilizing the concepts of critical thinking.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in critical thinking skills and informal logic.

I can inbox assignment docs that I have already completed on what I learned to give an idea of what I have learn. Need done by the time specified no more than that. Only 3-5 pages I would do it but leaving for a trip today and won’t return until after due date. Serious e inquires only.

The Final Paper provides you with an opportunity to integrate and reflect on what you have learned during the class.

The question to address is: “What have you learned about statistics?” In developing your responses, consider – at a minimum – and discuss the application of each of the course elements in analyzing and making decisions about data (counts and/or measurements).

The course elements include:

Descriptive statistics
Inferential statistics
Hypothesis development and testing
Selection of appropriate statistical tests
Evaluating statistical results.

Writing the Final Paper

The Final Paper:

Must be three to- five double-spaced pages in length, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a title page with the following:

Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
Must use at least three scholarly sources, in addition to the text.
Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Business stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, customers, and the general public, receive positive benefits from businesses that follow ethical principles and practices. Ethical dilemmas, where there are conflicting interests and no easy answers, arise in all business. When they do, people are called upon to make difficult decisions. Students will write a paper focused on business ethics using information from the course material provided and from their own research.

By completing this assignment, students will meet the outcome(s):

identify the critical business functions and how they interact in order to position the organization to be effective in the current business environment;
explain the importance of the integration of individuals and systems to organizational effectiveness;
describe the ethical and social responsibilities that confront a business.

Required Elements of Short Paper #1:

Read critically and analyze the scenario below;
In your paper, respond to the questions following the scenario.

Required Formatting of Paper:

This paper should be double-spaced, 12-point font, and two to three pages in length excluding the title page and reference page;
Follow this format for your paper:Summary paragraph
Title page
Introduction
Body, in paragraph form. Use the following section headings:
Angela’s Ethical Dilemma
Employees’ Roles/responsibilities in Ethical Situations
The Organization’s Role/responsibility in Ensuring Ethical Practices

Reference page formatted according to APA requirements. Include at least two reference page citations and their corresponding in-text citations.
The paper is to be written in the third person. There should be no words in the paper such as “I” and “we;”
You are expected to paraphrase and not use quotes. Deductions will be taken when quotes are used and found to be unnecessary;
Submit the paper in the Assignment Folder.

Scenario: An Ethical Dilemma

It’s half-time and the neighbors who regularly get together to watch the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon begin to make their way to the kitchen to refill their snack plates. While the others are out of the room, Evelyn lags behind to tell her neighbor, Jan, about Steve, her nephew, and his recent good fortune. Steve and his wife are about to put down a deposit on their first house. Steve works for JLT Cincinnati, a multi-state corporation with a campus in Cincinnati. Evelyn describes how thrilled the two of them are about the house, especially its location, as it will mean a much shorter commute time for Steve. Evelyn goes on to say how very much Steve appreciated Jan’s help last year in steering him to the open accounting position at JLT Cincinnati. With Steve just finishing college and the job market the way it was, that accounting position was like a dream come true for him.

Jan, who works in the Human Resources Department at JLT Cincinnati, feels a knot in the middle of her stomach at the news. She is aware that a decision has recently been made by the leadership at JLT Cincinnati to transfer the local accounting operation to JLT Wichita, corporate headquarters, a cost-saving move. The decision won’t be announced for a few more weeks, but even so, Jan knows that Steve will most likely not be offered a comparable job at JLT Cincinnati or even be asked to move to Wichita to take one of the few accounting positions that will open up there. He is the newest employee to join the group and seniority is always a major factor in downsizing activities at JLT.

1. What is the ethical dilemma Jan is faced with now? What should she do? Explain your answer.

2. What factors generally contribute to employees not operating ethically in business? When faced with an ethical situation, what steps can an employee take to try to make the most appropriate decision?

3. How can an organization help employees make appropriate decisions when faced with ethical situations? What steps can an organization take to try to ensure that all parts of the organization operate ethically?

Conduct an Internet search for websites that could be used to find out information on people such as court records. Use the websites you discover to find out information about a family member, friend, or co-worker you know well. Write a 2 to 3 page paper on your websites that you used, the information they provided, and your findings. Were you surprised at the findings whether you found a lot or very little? must be in proper apa format.

The Importance of Network Security & Emerging Threats

You are applying for a job as the Chief Information Officer at Nitro Hardware Company. The application requires you to compose a report on why you think information security is important and discuss at least five emerging threats to information security.

Compose a professional report, between 2-3 pages in APA style citing a minimum of two sources for this assignment.

In Assignment 2, using the same company from Assignment 1, you will focus on the company’s mission, introduction, and branding.

Note: You may create and /or make all necessary assumptions needed for the completion of this assignment.

Write a four to five (4-5) page paper in which you:

Develop a branding strategy for your product that covers the brand name, logo, slogan, and at least one (1) brand extension.
Assemble a marketing strategy for your product, and determine an appropriate time table to implement your plan). Provide a rationale for your response.
Prepare a positioning statement. Include a perceptual map that shows your company’s position against its competitors. From this map, create a statement that depicts your position. For example, “Our product is the fastest in its class for half the price.” Note: See pp. 54 – 55 in the textbook for examples of perceptual maps. You may use Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or other equivalent software to create your perceptual map.
Examine the relevant consumer behavior for your target market. Explain the main reasons why the brand name, logo, slogan, brand extension, as well as the positioning statement and marketing strategy are right for the identified target market.
Develop your company’s mission statement and company introduction.
Use at least three (3) academic resources as quantitative marketing research to determine the feasibility of your product / service. These resources should be industry specific and relate to your chosen product / service. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic 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:

Analyze the marketing framework including the concepts of the 5Cs, STP, and 4Ps.
Examine the marketing science of customer behavior and products in the marketing exchange process and create dynamic strategies for competing.
Evaluate the basis for market segmentation and approaches to segmentation.
Evaluate target customer segments and positioning products within these segments.
Examine the marketing science of customer behavior and products in the marketing exchange process and create dynamic strategies for competing.
Develop branding strategies for existing and new products.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in marketing management.
Write clearly and concisely about marketing management using proper writing mechanics.

Coogly Company is attempting to identify its weighted average cost of capital for the coming year and has hired you to answer some questions they have about the process. They have asked you to present this information in a PowerPoint presentation to the company’s management team. The company would like for you to keep your presentation to approximately 10 slides and use the notes section in PowerPoint to clarify your point. Your presentation should address the following questions and offer a final recommendation to Coogly. Make sure you support your answers and clearly explain the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing the weighted average cost of capital methodology. Include at least one graph or chart in your presentation.

Company Information

The capital structure for the firm will be maintained and is now 10% preferred stock, 30% debt, and 60% new common stock. No retained earnings are available. The marginal tax rate for the firm is 40%.

Coogly has outstanding preferred stock That pays a dividend of $4 per share and sells for $82 per share, with a floatation cost of $6 per share. What is the component cost for Coogly’s preferred stock? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using preferred stock in the capital structure?
If the company issues new common stock, it will sell for $50 per share with a floatation cost of $9 per share. The last dividend paid was $3.80 and this dividend is expected to grow at a rate of 7% for the foreseeable future. What is the cost of new equity to the firm? What are the advantages and disadvantages of issuing new equity in the capital structure?
The company will use new bonds for any capital project, according to the capital structure. These bonds will have a market and par value of $1000, with a coupon rate of 6% and a floatation cost of 7%. The bonds will mature in 20 years and no other debt will be used for any new investments. What is the cost of new debt? What are the advantages and disadvantages of issuing new debt in the capital structure?
Given the component costs identified above and the capital structure for the firm, what is the weighted average cost of capital for Coogly? What are the advantages and disadvantages of using this method in the capital budgeting process?

Assignment 2 Grading Criteria
Maximum Points
Correctly calculated the cost of issuing preferred stock and explained the advantages and disadvantages of using preferred stock in the capital structure.
20
Correctly calculated the cost of issuing new equity and explained the advantages and disadvantages of issuing new equity in the capital structure.
20
Correctly calculated the cost of new debt and explained the advantages and disadvantages of issuing new debt in the capital structure.
20
Correctly calculated the weighted average cost of capital for the firm and explained the advantages and disadvantages of the using this method in the capital budgeting process.
20
Prepared an informative and accurate PowerPoint presentation which summarized the relevant and important aspects of the findings. At least one chart or graph was included and the notes section was used to clarify the talking points.
10
Written in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrated ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; displayed accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Submit a 4-5 page report based on the following problem:

Mary has been working for a university for almost 25 years and is now approaching retirement. She wants to address several financial issues before her retirement and has asked you to help her resolve the situations below. Her assignment to you is to provide a 4-5 page report, addressing each of the following issues separately. You are to show all your calculations and provide a detailed explanation for each issue.

Issue A:

For the last 19 years, Mary has been depositing $500 in her savings account , which has earned 5% per year, compounded annually and is expected to continue paying that amount. Mary will make one more $500 deposit one year from today. If Mary closes the account right after she makes the last deposit, how much will this account be worth at that time?

Issue B:

Mary has been working at the university for 25 years, with an excellent record of service. As a result, the board wants to reward her with a bonus to her retirement package. They are offering her $75,000 a year for 20 years, starting one year from her retirement date and each year for 19 years after that date. Mary would prefer a one-time payment the day after she retires. What would this amount be if the appropriate interest rate is 7%?

Issue C:

Mary’s replacement is unexpectedly hired away by another school, and Mary is asked to stay in her position for another three years. The board assumes the bonus should stay the same, but Mary knows the present value of her bonus will change. What would be the present value of her deferred annuity?

Issue D:

Mary wants to help pay for her granddaughter Beth’s education. She has decided to pay for half of the tuition costs at State University, which are now $11,000 per year. Tuition is expected to increase at a rate of 7% per year into the foreseeable future. Beth just had her 12th birthday. Beth plans to start college on her 18th birthday and finish in four years. Mary will make a deposit today and continue making deposits each year until Beth starts college. The account will earn 4% interest, compounded annually. How much must Mary’s deposits be each year in order to pay half of Beth’s tuition at the beginning of each school each year?

Assignment 2 Grading Criteria
Maximum Points
Calculated the compounded interest over 20 years and evaluated the value of the savings account upon closing. (CO 1)
32
Calculated the bonus payout over 20 years vs. a one time payout with interest and distinguished which bonus option would be better for the client. (CO 1)
32
Calculated the present value of the bonus and analyzed the difference in bonus for the client. (CO 2)
32
Analyzed the tuition costs for the client and determined what the future costs will be and determined how these funds can be accumulated over time. (CO 4)
60
Written Components: Organization, usage and mechanics, APA elements, style

By Wednesday, September 9, 2015 solve the following problem. Norma’s Cat Food of Shell Knob ships cat food throughout the country. Norma has determined that through the establishment of local collection centers around the country, she can speed up the collection of payments by two and one-half days. Furthermore, the cash management department of her bank has indicated to her that she can defer her payments on her accounts by one-half day without affecting suppliers. The bank has a remote disbursement center in Iowa.

If the company has $5 million per day in collections and $3 million per day in disbursements, how many dollars will the cash management system free up? Justify your answers.
If the company can earn 8 percent per annul on freed-up funds, how much will the income be? Justify your answers.
If the annual cost of the new system is $800,000, should it be implemented? Explain why or why not.

Select one (1) of the following categories of products to research: sports apparel, automobiles, home furnishings, or televisions. Use the Internet to research at least two (2) companies within the selected product category. Take note of the leading companies in this product group, as well as the types of marketing, pricing, and consumer-oriented promotional strategies that these leading companies within the product group use.

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

Compare and contrast the promotional strategies used by two (2) different companies for a similar product within the category that you selected.
Recommend two (2) ways in which a company within the selected product group could use marketing information to differentiate itself in the marketplace to gain an advantage over its competitors. Provide a rationale to support your recommendations.
Propose two (2) uses for consumer-oriented promotions that could assist a company in both the short and long term for the product group that you selected. Provide a rationale for your response.
Analyze the strategic manner in which the leading company in this product group has made its pricing decisions by using one or more of the four (4) pricing objectives. Suggest two (2) actions that other companies within the same product group may take in order to differentiate themselves and gain a competitive advantage. Provide a rationale for your response.
Determine the most effective advertising medium for a company in the selected product category. Support your response with two (2) examples of the effectiveness of the chosen medium.
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:

Apply the core marketing concepts and marketing orientation to develop viable marketing strategies that fit a variety of market environments, domestic and international.
Analyze information technology applications and the application of decision support systems to gain a competitive advantage and more effectively control operations.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in contemporary business.
Write clearly and concisely about contemporary business using proper writing mechanics.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric found here.

Topic: After reading the “Morals and Religion” section of your text, compose a personal response to your study of James Fowler’s “Stages of Faith”. Consider your own journey in faith and discuss with your classmates the relevancy or irrelevancy, as the case may be, of Fowler’s proposed sequence. Support your comments with information from the textbook readings, presentations, and Scripture. Do not just tell your story or give your personal opinion; use your critical thinking skills. Your thread must be between 250–400 words. Be sure to use correct APA citations and reference.