You have been selected to be the project manager (for a project of your choice). The project you choose here will be used again in Assignment 4 (Week 6) and you may be asked to reference this project in subsequent weekly discussions. The project that you decide to use should meet the key criteria of a project, such as (a) having a beginning and an end; (b) results in something being delivered to someone; (c) requires a series of activities that must be done to complete the project; and (d) requires resources (e.g, people, materials) to complete the work. The project can be one of a personal or professional nature. Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you define the scope of your chosen project. In your paper you must: 1.Provide a brief summary of your chosen project. 2.Describe at least three (3) project goals and three (3) project objectives. 3.Identify the key customer(s) and at least two (2) stakeholders for your project. Remember, you are delivering the project to your customer(s); however, there are others (stakeholders) who have a vested interest in your project. 4.Describe at least three (3) key milestones and /or deliverables for your project. 5.Describe a high-level timeline that includes key tasks and deadlines. 6.Estimate the project’s overall cost and any key staffing and non-staffing resources needed. 7.Examine your project’s greatest challenge and provide a recommendation for addressing the challenge in question. 8.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.
Cultural Exploration
Throughout the textbook, there are sections named Global Guidelines. On page 301, the authors point out that, “…the language, images, and other aspects of a communication that seem perfectly clear and appropriate in one’s own culture can be incomprehensible, laughable, or offensive in another.” Although we may be aware that there are differences between cultures, it is important to know how to find information on different cultures so that we can communicate effectively.
- For this document, consult the Global Edge website at http://globaledge.msu.edu/global-insights (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. https://globaledge.msu.edu/global-insights
- Under “Insights by Country” choose one of the following countries, then click “Go”: Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, Germany, Russia, Brazil, Spain, Greece or Argentina. (Alternatively, if you currently work for a company with ties to a particular country, you may choose that country.)
- On the left menu, select Culture.
- Explore the three cultural sources: Centre for International Learning, Culture Crossing, and Kwintessential Language and Culture Specialists.
- Look specifically for information on cultural customs such as level of formality, ways to address persons of other cultures, personal space, need to develop personal relationships before conducting business, etc.
- Write a formal memo that describes the most important considerations to observe when conducting business with people from the country you selected.
This memo is worth 40 points and should be at least 1-2 pages long, single-spaced. Be sure to note which sources your information came from. Grading will be based on the following:
- Clear description of the country selected and why.
- Explanation of 3-5 customs that are important when doing business with this country.
- Note any customs you were particularly surprised by and why.
- Conclusion that summarizes tips for communicating with the country’s people.
- Formatting, spelling and grammar, and length of memo.
- Proper credit to sources consulted on the Global EDGE website.
HHS 320 Cultural Awareness In The Human Services
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The assignment for this course is a Research Paper. The purpose of the Research Paper is for you to culminate the learning achieved in the course.
Focus of the Paper
For your Paper, select one aspect of cultural diversity from the following list that you would like to study:
* (For improved memory and increased awareness, remember the mnemonic, GARREACS.)
- Gender
- Age
- Race
- Religion
- Ethnicity
- Ability
- Class
- Sexual Orientation
Once you have chosen one aspect of cultural diversity to study in depth, prepare a Research Paper with the following components:
- Summarize the pertinent historical, political, social, economic and cultural factors related to your chosen aspect of diversity.
- Consider and summarize any relevant developmental theory models related to your chosen aspect of diversity.
- In regard to your chosen aspect of diversity, identify and evaluate the relevant laws or programs that have either helped or restricted access to care and support.
- Evaluate how your chosen aspect of diversity, in combination with two other aspects of diversity, can lead to increased needs or issues. For example, if someone is female, African American, and lesbian, will there be additional challenges? Select any combination of 3 aspects of diversity to discuss.
- Describe at least two resources currently available in your area for someone needing special services related to your chosen aspect of diversity.
- Explain how your personal characteristics will either complement or conflict with this diversity issue. Consider your own biases and prejudices or those of your family of origin.
- Discuss relevant concerns, cautions or insights necessary for you to be a culturally competent human service professional.
Writing the Paper
The Paper:
- Must be eight- to ten 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 seven scholarly sources.
- 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.
Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.
SEC 435-Computer Science
- A common misconception with Mac OS X systems is that they are not as susceptible to viruses and malware as PCs and therefore do not require users to apply additional security measures. Discuss whether or not you believe this is true. Provide a rationale for your response.
- Review current Mac security features from Apple’s website located at http://www.apple.com/macos/security, and read the article 10 Best Antivirus for the Mac at http://techtop100.com/9-best-antivirus-for-mac-do-macs-need-antivirus-best-free-mac-antivirus. Select two tools, and research their features, functionality, provided protections, mitigated risks, costs, and any other pertinent information. Evaluate the quality of at least two of the selected Mac security tools, based on their available features, functionality, provided protections, mitigated risks, costs, and any other pertinent information discovered in your research. Decide whether or not you would recommend either of the tools for a Mac user. Justify your response.
- Any current topic or article related to penetration techniques.
- The instructor insight.
Patagonia Ryan Gellert’s outdoor sports clothing-Strategic Management
Assignment Questions Scenario:
Patagonia Ryan Gellert’s outdoor sports clothing business views revenue growth as only one of three equal “missions”. His California-based company, Patagonia, once advertised on “Black Friday,” America’s busiest shopping day, urging its adventurous customers not to buy one of its products.
The group’s latest idea is Worn Wear, an initiative encouraging customers to send their old garments to other fans of the brand, who then won’t have to buy new clothes they don’t need. Is this a mission or a business? You’ve guessed by now that Patagonia is not publicly listed on any stock market. Maybe Gellert is lucky that he gets to run only the European part.
Patagonia was founded in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard, a Canadian with a business making pitons for climbers. The company, still owned by Chouinard and his wife Malinda, designs clothes for outdoor sports ranging from skiing to rock-climbing, outsourcing production. It sells its products in 68 shops bearing the Patagonia name, including 24 in Europe, ranging from ski resorts such as Chamonix to a surf store in San Sebastian, Spain, and cities from Munich to Milan and Dublin. Gellert says it will turn over more than $600m (£396m) globally this year.
“Patagonia is a unique brand within the outdoor active lifestyle space. There’s a technical product piece and quality product piece, but there’s also a really strong set of values that are captured in the mission statement and the company charter. “In North America and Japan, the brand has been present for many years and through continuing to tell its stories and being consistent in its mission, people have really started to respond. “That has fuelled the growth. As it gets dwelt on in the marketplace, people really understand what it’s about. It has really proved to resonate.”
Ah yes, back to those values. Patagonia was founded with a triple mission to “build the best products, do no unnecessary harm and to use business to inspire solutions to the environmental crisis” It is a founding member of One Per Cent for the Planet, a group to which it donates 1pc of annual gross revenues (about $6m last year) to charities working on sustainability issues. The missions, say Gellert, are inseparable from the Patagonia brand, which is perhaps best known in America for the “Don’t buy this jacket” full-page advertisement the company took in The New York Times in 2011. “That was probably the most high-profile example of us staking out our position, as everyone was getting out their credit cards ready to go shopping and buy a lot of stuff that they didn’t need,” says Gellert. “It was pretty impactful.” What was the effect on sales? An increase, smiles Gellert. So people ignored the message? “They seemed to,” he replies. “But there was a lot of discussion around the ad and it generated a lot of interest. “It’s complex, but there’s certainly a part of me that believes that for every Patagonia item sold, that’s people making a decision to purchase something that’s an alternative to traditional brands and businesses. I think there’s something positive there.”
The Worn Wear initiative takes this further by “celebrating the repair and extension of life of existing products”. Patagonia has teamed up with eBay to create a network of people passing on clothes the company made years ago. It has also invested in Yerdle, a start-up US company enabling the exchange and recycling of used goods. Part of the Worn Wear initiative is an “iron-clad guarantee” that Patagonia will replace or repair old products and seek to ensure that they are recycled.
The company also has a Worn Wear van that drives around North America, offering free clothing repairs, including for items not made by Patagonia.
“It’s about thoughtful consumption,” says Gellert, “encouraging people to think about what it is they truly believe they really need and to purchase things that they need and avoid purchasing things that they don’t. “I know all this can sound like marketing, and there’s a brandbuilding element to it, for sure. But the impetus here really is to encourage people to be very thoughtful about what they buy, how long they use it and what they do with it at the end of its life.”
Do American capitalists think the company is mad? “A little bit,” laughs Gellert. “But I think it goes to the company being owned by the same people that founded it, and them not needing the money or much to exist on.”
Patagonia’s biggest rival, The North Face, is vastly different, belonging to VF Corporation, a Nasdaq-quoted US group that also owns the Lee, Wrangler and Timberland fashion brands and has a stock market capitalisation of $31bn. The North Face has also been a lot more successful in Europe than Patagonia. “The North Face has been an example of a brand from North America that has built a very substantial business in Europe,” admits Gellert. “But we’re not seeking to replicate that model. We’ve got a unique brand and we measure how we’re doing against things other than just growth.” Indeed, Gellert sees growth as “a by-product of doing well in running the business the way that we run it”. Patagonia is registered in California as a “benefit corporation,” allowing it to codify its commitment to the environment and society at large.
In 1996, Patagonia claimed to be the first clothing company to launch products in pesticide-free organic cotton. It is also moving into organic food, with Patagonia Provisions offering products in the US from ethically-sourced salmon to Tibetan soup. Gellert is still striving to improve Patagonia’s position in Europe, however. “The people who know Patagonia in Europe and the UK are often very passionate about the brand,” he says, “but there are not nearly enough people that we have communicated with there and that’s something we’re going to address. Our European turnover is about €60m. I would like to see our business in Europe come closer to 20pc of the global turnover of the brand.”
Gellert has made several senior European hires and says Patagonia will be “focusing storytelling around key markets and key stories and working to reintroduce the brand”. The company has decentralised its European footprint, moving its HQ to Amsterdam from Annecy, France, and opening offices and showrooms across Europe, including a trade and dealer services showroom off Oxford Street. There will also be more shops. “We’ll be opening three to five stores in markets throughout Europe over the next 24 months,” says Gellert. “But it’s going to be very thoughtful expansion, not a significant bump up.” Patagonia faces even more of a challenge in the UK, where it has no shops, having previously sold through a partner store in Covent Garden. It currently distributes in Britain through 140 independent stores, including Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports, Snow + Rock, and shooting equipment shop Farlows of Pall Mall. Will there be a London Patagonia-branded store? “We don’t have plans currently, but we will definitely do another store in London. It’s just a question of when,” says Gellert.
You have been hired by Patagonia as a consultant to help develop a strategic plan for its growth and expansion. You are expected to write a report to summarise your research findings on the given tasks below
Tasks (100%)
- Critically analyse the external environment and industry competition within the outdoor active lifestyle clothing industry. (35 marks)
- Using relevant frameworks, critically discuss Patagonia’s resources and competencies as well as how they can be utilized in gaining competitive advantage in the outdoor active lifestyle clothing industry. (20 marks)
- Critically evaluate the degree to which Patagonia’s current mission statement can support its growth and expansion strategies. Reframe the mission statement for a new strategic change if required. (10 marks)
- In light of the analysis done in Task 1, 2 and 3, construct a SWOT analysis of Patagonia and recommend changes (providing justifications) to its current business-level strategy if required. If changes are not required, provide justifications for retaining the current strategy. (20 marks)
- As a part of the assessment, all students should answer the Employability Skills Self-Assessment Survey in Week 1 and 10. (5 marks)
- Referencing (Harvard) (10 marks) Assignment Guide for Model Answers 1. The external environment affects the competition actions and responses firms take to outperform competitors and earn above-average returns.
The External Environment
The Industry Environment
Firms understand the external environment by acquiring information about competitors, customers, and other stakeholders to build their own base of knowledge and capabilities. On the basis of the new information, firms take actions, such as building new capabilities and core competencies as the basis for better serving their stakeholders’ needs.
- Resources, capabilities and core competencies are the foundation of competitive advantage. Resources are bundled to create organizational capabilities. In turn, capabilities are the source of firm’s core competencies, which are the basis of establishing competitive advantage. Module Code Module Title Autumn 2017 Coursework Brief GSM LONDON Page 7 of 18 Components of and Internal Analysis
- 21 st century organisations are inclined either merge or make acquisitions as a means of achieving growth and expansion plans. A good answer will consider the likely competitors that are suitable for VF Corp. to acquire as well as provide justification for the feasibility and viability of the strategic choice. Furthermore, a good answer will develop a consistent argument either in favour of against VF Corp. conducting acquisitions. Factors such as the timing, stages, process etc of acquisition should be included in a good answer.
- A business-level strategy is a strategy through which the firm operates. How will VF Corp. go about gaining access to needed and potentially scarce resources in the new market? At business level, firms select from among the generic strategies of cost leadership, differentiation, focused cost leadership, focused differentiation and integrated cost leadership/differentiation. Five modes of entry into international markets are available to firms.
Final Project: Conceptual Analysis of a Specific Theoretical Construct
Final Project: Conceptual Analysis of a Specific Theoretical Construct
This course has explored various theoretical constructs and their application with various clients. When providing services to clients, a professional social worker uses theory as a guide. Use the following conceptual framework to prepare a 12–15 page paper to analyze Psychodynamic Theory.
1. Philosophical/historical roots
2. Theoretical framework (use work from seminal experts in the development of the theory chosen)
3. Nature of support for and against theory (empirical, practice wisdom)
o How do theoretical concepts translate into or guide specific practice goals and practice skills?
o What social work values are embraced?
4. When/with whom would it make the most sense to use this method in practice?
o Target populations
o Problems
o Those for whom this model is contraindicated
5. Description of treatment process
o Initial phase (e.g., purpose, areas of study and investigation, use of relationship, client/worker interaction, nature and content of client participation, nature of worker authority and expertise)
o Assessment (e.g., purpose, limits and range, process of assessment phase, client/worker interaction, nature and content of client’s participation, emphasis on strengths vs. weaknesses, nature of worker authority and expertise, relationship of assessment to theoretical bases, underpinnings, expected outcomes of assessment phase)
o Treatment (e.g., goals [implicit and explicit], focus of work, strategies and techniques used [empirical support, practice wisdom])
o Termination (e.g., how decided, how carried out)
6. Research
o How does this theory inform research methods and topics?
Business Ethics
Let us examine the course, Business Ethics, though the lens of your own experiences in business. Identify one company or organization (the “Company”) that you have worked with or for, describe the basic structure purpose of the Company and then write a paper in which you respond to the following questions. In your response, include specific examples and incorporate concepts and terms you studied in the course. Also use at least two reliable sources on the subjects of Corporate Culture, Business Ethics and/or the Ethics of Marketing in addition to your textbook.
1. Corporate Culture: Describe the corporate culture of the Company. How does this culture compare to other cultures you have read about or worked with? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this type of culture? Did the Company have a Mission Statement or Credo? Did the culture track the Mission Statement? In what ways did it not? Can you identify specific reasons why you believe the culture was different than these professed mores and goals? How much of the culture at the Company came from the top-down as opposed to the bottom-up? Were you in a position to make changes or suggestions to the corporate culture? Did you do so? If so, what were the results? If you did not make suggestions, why didn’t you? If you were to start a company of your own, what lessons in corporate culture could you take from the Company?
2. Meaning and Rights at Work: Was the work you did at the Company meaningful? Why or why not? In what ways could the leaders of the company make certain that the work was more meaningful? Why do we concern ourselves with whether or not work is or is not meaningful to us? Do you have a right to work at a meaningful job? Why or why not? What if the work is generally uninspiring but occasionally exceptionally meaningful—is that situation a meaningful job situation? Did you ever find yourself complaining about the lack of meaningful work or direction at the Company? Did the corporate culture help or hinder the amount of meaning people were finding in their jobs at the Company? Did you feel the amount of meaning people found in their jobs had any correlation to the amount of participation they were allowed in the decision-making process at work? Why or why not?
3. Marketing Ethics: Who were your customers at the Company? Were sales and marketing a major point of discussion within the Company? What sort of tactics and strategies were employed in order to maximize sales? Did you ever feel that the Company was acting unethically towards its customers via its marketing and sales techniques? How? If you were CEO for a day, how might you change these tactics to make them more ethical? At what point in the marketing process does “hard selling” become unethical? At what point does manipulating a customer’s sales choices become deception or lying? Did you ever feel that those lines were being crossed in your Company? How?
SUMMARY: Final Project Requirements
4–5 pages in length (excluding cover page, abstract, and reference list)
Use at least two reliable sources in addition to your textbook.
APA format (including bibliography)
WK 4 DQ
WK 4 – DQ 1
Securities Law
Private University, a private nonprofit educational institution located in California, decides to issue “Shares in Learning” certificates in a one-time offering to the public. These shares will be sold for $500 each and entitle the bearer to redeem each certificate for two undergraduate or one graduate college credit in any of its schools at any time in the future. The shares may also be resold without restriction by the initial purchaser. The offering will be made via the Internet.
Will the offering need to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Securities Act of 1933? Explain. Does your answer differ if “Shares in Learning” are issued by Private College, a proprietary for-profit institution that does business in all 50 states? Why?
WK 4 – DQ 2
Antitrust Law
Review the “AT&T Pulls $39 Billion T-Mobile Bid on Regulatory Opposition (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.” article.
In 2011, AT&T attempted a merger with T-Mobile. The Justice Department sued under the act, claiming that the merger would constitute a violation of the antitrust laws. In 2012, AT&T dropped its attempt at the acquisition.
If AT&T had merged with T-Mobile, would the merger have violated antitrust laws? Why, or why not? Do not be unduly influenced by the Justice Department’s stance on the issue. Use your own analysis to reach a conclusion.
Management Of Technology And Innovation: Research Project
Follow all the instruction and answer with properly citation and reference and APA style .
- The case study should be organized as follows:
- Title Page ( APA Style ).
- Introduction – this paragraph will provide an overall picture of what your paper is .
- Challenges and Opportunities Walmart Canada .
- Technological Needs.
- Potential Solutions .
- Chosen Solution – describe the information technology solution that you have chosen and explain how you made your decision. ” Walmart Canada.”
- Purchasing Plan – describe how your company or government agency will proceed with purchasing this solution. “Purchasing IT Products” Walmart Canada.
- Implementation Plan – describe how Walmart Canada company or government agency will proceed with implementing this solution. This section must clearly outline potential challenges and how you plan to address them.
- Write a conclusion which will provide the reader with your final impressions on where Walmart Canada organization currently is in terms of the planning, purchase, and implementation of this information technology solution, and your recommendations for next steps.
- Organize your information as a formal case study in a Word document.
Evaluation
The Individual Research Project Part 3 will be marked in its entirety out of 100. The following rubric indicates the criteria students are to adhere to, and their relative weights to the assignment overall.
Activities/Competencies Demonstrated
% of Final Grade
1
Writing Quality – Writing must be logically organized and free of grammatical and typographical errors; previous feedback incorporated as necessary
/15
2
Content – The submission must demonstrate solid research and insightful observations.
a. Research effectively analyzed
/15
b. Advantages/disadvantages accurately drawn from literature
/30
c. Conclusion accurately reflects findings
/30
3
References – All references cited as per the APA style manual.
/10
Total
International Financial Markets And Institutions Assessment
1. Essay: This essay has a word length of 2,000 words:
0. Which one of the following is crucial to Singapore economy: A sound monetary policy or a stable exchange rate system? Explain the reasons for your choice.