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Data-Driven Decision Making

Data-Driven Decision Making Using Microsoft Excel

This assignment must be completed and submitted using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (.xls). Provide a source for each equation you use. Sources must be listed at the bottom of the spreadsheet. No title page or additional formatting is required.

  1. Channels of Communication
  2. Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR)
    • Roto Air plans to spend $1,000,000 on this project, resulting in a total savings of $2,500,000 over the life of the project. Calculate the Benefit Cost Ratio. Important: show your work. Ignore any effects of the time value of money.
    • Roto Air also considered another project that would have partially satisfied their needs. It would have required a $750,000 investment and would result in a savings of $125,000 per year for 10 years. Calculate the Benefit Cost Ratio. Important: show your work. Ignore any effects of the time value of money.
    • Comparing only the BCRs, explain which project should Roto Air should have chosen. Ignore any effects of the time value of money.
  3. Payback Period
    • Calculate the payback period for the $1,000,000 investment shown above. Important: show your work. Ignore any effects of the time value of money.
    • Calculate the payback period for the $750,000 investment shown above. Important: show your work. Ignore any effects of the time value of money.
    • Comparing only on the payback periods, explain which project should Roto Air have chosen. Ignore any effects of the time value of money.
  4. Net Present Value (NPV)
    • Calculate the Net Present Value of Roto Air’s $1,000,000 investment with a $250,000 annual savings for 10 years when the interest rate averages 3% annually. Important: show your work.
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diversification

DQ #6: PROMPT for Discussion Post (DUE FEB. 13 at 23:30EST!!!!)
Forum Topic Responses: Students are required to research their selected forum topic, using a minimum of 4 reference sources in addition to the text book, and then compile a 500-word minimum response to the forum topic. APA format (with title page, page numbers, header etc.) is required. Responses will be submitted through a plagiarism/originality checker so be extremely careful of this.
Comprehensive, forum topic response contributions will be critically graded on the thought quality of the response, work effort, research, and analysis.
Select ONE of the following forum topics to research and write about (see below on the list)
Discussion #6 Topics (select ONE):
· How does your work place evaluate projects?
· Does diversification really work?  What are ways to really diversify risk?
· What do you think is your personal risk tolerance?  Do you see this changing over time?  Why

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factors of diversity

In this assignment, you will build upon your response to the Required Assignment (RA) in Module 4. You will continue your case study of your chosen organization.
Scenario: Now that you have defined the problem, use behavioral theory constructs to explore how organizational teams might affect the change effort.
Instructions:

  • Discuss factors of diversity including various types of diversity likely to be encountered in the organization.
  • Identify actual ethical perspectives/approaches within the organization. (Note: Do not identify that something is simply ethical or unethical.)
  • Explain how factors such as offshoring and outsourcing may lead to employee fears and uncertainty.
  • Discuss how all the previous three items (i.e., diversity, ethics, and offshoring/outsourcing) may lead to conflict individually and in teams. Include the specific types of conflict that may be present. How might even individual conflict affect a team’s performance? Is there a systemic component to this consideration, and if so, how?
  • Recommend a manner to minimize, or perhaps alleviate, such fears and uncertainty.

Write an 8–10-page, well-argued case paper in Word format. Be sure to include a summary section. Note: The title page, references, and appendices are not included in the page count.
Apply APA standards to citation of sources. The course book, the trade journal(s) noting the problem, as well as peer-reviewed journal articles are to be used to support your position and theoretical constructs. General Internet sources will not be accepted as references. Click here to download the APA Guide. Use this guide to format your assignment.
Write your responses in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrate ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; display accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation per APA (6th edition) standards.

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challenges leaders and managers face regarding diversity

After addressing the challenges leaders and managers face regarding diversity in M6: Assignment 1, let us focus on how leaders and managers might abuse power in dealing with a diverse workforce. Consider the role cultural stigmas play regarding how leaders and managers communicate with and react to a diverse workforce. Consider the importance of diversity training for leaders, managers, and employees. Further, consider how sociocultural factors related to leaders, managers, and employees help or hinder functionally effective communications. Finally, there is the ethical consideration of determining whether a leader or manager’s use of power to gain compliance is acceptable.
Using the module readings and the Argosy University online library resources, research the ethical implication of cultural abuse. Based on your research, respond to the following:

Write a 3–4-page paper in Word format. Note: The title page, references, and appendices are not included in the page count.
Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Click here to download the APA Guide. Use this guide to format your assignment.
Write your responses in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrate ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; display accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation per APA (6th edition) standards.
Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M6_A2.doc.
By the due date assigned, deliver your assignment to the Submissions Area.

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cost accumulation system

When companies accumulate costs, they generally use either a job-order or a process costing system. The type of system used often varies based on the type of product or service provided.
Using the module readings, Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet, locate an article on how a company utilized a cost accumulation system.
Respond to the following:

By the due date assigned, post your response to the Discussion Area. Through the end of the module, review and comment on at least two peers’ responses.

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company’s strategy with respect to regional location of its facilities for manufacturing, design, research and development, marketing, and customer service.

A critical element of a company’s operations management strategy is the efficient management and location of the company’s facilities. To take advantage of lower labor rates or easy access to raw materials and resources, several companies in the U.S. and Europe have looked to offshore operations including manufacturing, design, and customer service in low cost regions of the world such as China, India, Eastern Europe, or Southeast Asia. In recent years, there are indications that some companies are looking to reverse the offshoring trend. For example, from the end of 2102 and through 2013, GE moved manufacturing of appliances from China to Kentucky, and Lenovo opened a design center in North Carolina.
Using the module readings, the Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet, research a company with global operations. Based on your research, respond to the following:

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virtual management

Learning Activity #1 – Theme 1
This week, we look at leadership from the manager’s perspective and explore the differences looking at leadership from a leader’s perspective.  Managers focus on process, procedure, and implementation of the organization’s purpose.  A manager’s perspective is about getting the job done and keeping stability.  
In a recent virtual management meeting the Heads of the various marketing departments of Biotech met to discuss the recent decline in sales of food supplements since Nestle and General Mills entered the market.  In a meeting to get direction on how to fix the drop in sales, the question came up about who should handle the matter – the marketing managers or the owners.  One manager said, “A problem like this should have a solution from the top.”  Another manager responded, “I do not agree. We have dips in sales all the time and we go out and fix them using our own ideas and talent.”  “I agree, managers are leaders too” another voice said.  Maximillian Barney sat back in the Yonkers conference room away from the camera noting that the Americans wanted to move on their own, the Europeans held back but signaled agreement with the Americans.  The rest were quiet.   Maximillian pondered, “How do I see my managers – are they leaders too?”
Looking back at week one theorists and our readings this week, how should Maximillian answer this question?
Learning Activity #2 – Theme 2
The manager must be able to solve problems, communicate, and lead teams toward the completion of a task.
You are the manager of the HR department in New Mexico.  Headquarters has just sent you the new employee turnover figures for the various departments. For some reason the Quality Control Department is losing way more than the average number of lab techs.  Training new employees is costly to the company and the high turnover is costing money that could be better spent elsewhere.
Research uncovered the problem. Skilled lab techs were leaving to go to a company not far away that was paying more.  One employee, who has been with the company for five years, said she stayed with Biotech despite being approached by the company down the street because, “Although the new company paid more, Biotech offered better health care benefits.”  She had a sick son.  She indicates that she wished she could receive more flexible hours or work from home.
Using employee’s feedback or facts from the case scenario, and the weekly readings, what ideas should you consider offering to the Quality Control Manager to keep people from leaving and why?  Be sure to include in the explanation what motivates people and how your ideas are reflective of motivational theory.
Week 6: The Leading Function
Without the ability to influence employees toward goal achievement, a manager cannot be effective. No matter how well-crafted the objectives or how well-organized the resources, nothing can be achieved if employees are unwilling or unable to work toward the objectives.  Managers who lack the ability to influence employees are often ineffective and find it difficult to motivate workers to increase productivity.
Theme 1: What is Leading?
Read/View:

Theme 2: The manager must be able to make decisions, solve problems, communicate, motivate employees, and lead teams toward the completion of a task. This is often done as part of the leading function.
Read/View:

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Hardball tactics

Hardball tactics are utilized in a negotiation to try to pressure another party into a settlement or decision. Often times, the party with more power use these tactics against an otherwise weaker or unprepared negotiator.
Your readings this week discussed some typical hardball tactics and how they are used. For this week’s assignment select 5 of these tactics, define each one, and compare and contrast the pros and cons of using each one. Finally, create an example of how one would use each of these tactics in a hypothetical negotiation.