We are going to have discussions on strategic management topics, as they apply to companies.

For this assignment, we will focus on Overstock.com., a large retail company that self-identifies as follows:

"Overstock.com is a technology-based retail company offering customers a wide variety of high-quality products, at great value, with superior customer service. The company provides its customers with the opportunity to shop for bargains by offering suppliers an alternative inventory distribution channel." (Source: http://www.overstock.com/about?TID=FOOT:CI:ABOUT)

WEEK 1:

As you research Overstock.com, you may want to compare and contrast that company with the other massive retailers - whether on-line (e.g., Amazon.com, Ebay.com), or brick-and-mortar retailers (e.g., Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Sears).

Please visit the Overstock.com site, and identify the company's mission and vision, as well as their major stakeholders (you may need to interpret and/or make assumptions here, as all mission and vision statements are not crystal clear - nor are they always explicitly stated. You should note that the stakeholders aren't simply the shareholders. "Stakeholders" include everyone and anyone who is affected by the success or failure of the company).

Hello,

the requested research is part of my dissertation:

In the area of IT Service Providers:

? How does a cooperation defines its market
? How does a corporation define its offerings (product portfolio)
? How do I distribute my offering:
describe the normal Sales Cycle
o How to generate leads?
o How to correctly address target customers?
o How to find the right contact person?
o What is success in terms of sales? And how can I measure it?
o How to apply a sales process for my target market
Measures in the Sales Process
Definition of:
? Scales
? KPIs

? How to structure marketing and sales?
-
Types of Sales
1. Direct
2. Indirect
...

Please put a focus on Cold Calling
? advantages/ disadvantages
? is cold caling still valid in the age of information

Customer perspective: How do customers decide on a vendor/ Service provider ?

If there are any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
BR

MKT 100 - Assignment 2
When writing please answer the 8 questions below. . Include an introduction and conclusion paragraph to create a concise and coherent presentation of your ideas. See attachment .

Assignment 2: Observation and Analysis of Local Business

Due Week 10 and worth 210 points
Select and observe a small business in your area. Please do not use a chain or
franchise. You should observe the business in person. If you wish, you can also speak to
the manager or owner if they are available. Based on your observation, answer the
following questions in a 4-5 page paper:
1. Identify the business name, location, and hours and days of operation.
2. Thoroughly describe its products and/or services. Describe their store and
storefront. What image are they portraying to the customers?
3. Give examples of the type of marketing that this business uses to promote their business
and describe why they chose these methods.
4. Identify their customer. Describe their target market and their secondary market. (These
two groups should be a very specific and clearly defined. Do not feel like you are
excluding anyone. You are just defining who they are focusing their marketing activities
on.)
5. Identify two competitors and describe how this business differentiates itself from them.
6. Does the business have a competitive advantage? Explain why or why not.
7. In your opinion, what challenges does this business face in the near future? Explain your
reasoning.
8. If this were your business, what would you do differently? Focus on things we discussed
throughout the class such as marketing activities, interactions with customers, public
relations, image of the brand, social media, etc. Explain your response.
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
? Paper must 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 schoolspecific
format.
? 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. Include an
introduction and conclusion paragraph to create a concise and coherent
presentation of your ideas.
Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the
paper, and language and writing skills.

The major responsibilities of human resources management (HRM) are attracting, developing, and maintaining a quality workforce. Research an organization, with which you are familiar, that is in need of a change and present how you will manage the change process by incorporating the three essential duties of HRM.

Choose one subsystem to change and write a 1,250-1,500 word paper addressing the following questions that pertain to the major human resource management responsibilities and to change management. Strengthen your recommendations by showing how your proposed changes are working in another similar organization that is successful.

Address following in your paper:

1. Provide an overview of the organization you have chosen including three subsystems of the organization, three stakeholders of the organization, and the reason for selecting this organization.
2. What one major organizational subsystem needs to be changed in the organization? Justify your choice. How does it compare to a similar successful organization?
3. How will the subsystem change affect the two other subsystems within the organization that you have identified and how will you realign the total system?
4. Identify and explain how you would ensure that the proposed change will satisfy any three stakeholders of the organization?
How should the organization attract, develop, and maintain the workforce required to bring about your proposed change?
- Choose at least one of the following in your discussion about attracting a quality workforce to support the change in Questions 2 and 3 above: human resource planning, recruitment, or selection.
- Choose at least one of the following in your discussion about developing a quality workforce to support the change in Questions 2 and 3 above: (and this must tie in to 4a too): employee orientation, training and development, or performance appraisal.
- Choose at least one of the following in your discussion about maintaining a quality workforce to support the change in Questions 2 and 3 above (and must relate to 4a and 4b): career development, work-life balance, compensation and benefits, employee retention and turnover, or labor-management relations.
Integrate a faith-based or worldview-based component in the paper and make a clear connection on how it informs the groups\' management practices. (NOTE: Individuals all have a worldview, and that worldview influences their decisions, values, and perceptions. It also affects how they manage people, or think they should be managed. For this assignment, this requirement relates to the worldview of the presenters.

Include at least four academic references to support your position. One of them should directly relate to the company discussed in your paper and another to the organization to which you are comparing it.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

Resources:
Schermerhorn, J., & Uhl-Bien, M. (2014). Organizational behavior (13th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. ISBN-13: 9781118517376
Schermerhorn, J. (2014). Exploring management (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. ISBN-13: 97811118620199 (Available as a custom eBook - includes only Chapters 1, 2, 5, 6, 10, 16, and 17)
& four other schollerly sources

This first & second portion in quotes is from the assignment:

"In accessing a companys strategic position, it is important to identify key stakeholders inside and outside the organization, the roles they play in fulfilling the organizations mission, and the values they bring to the process. External stakeholders-key customers, suppliers, alliance partners, and regulatory agencies-have a major influence on a firms strategic options. A firms internal stakeholders-its owners, board of directors, CEO, executives, managers, and employees-are the shapers and implementers of strategy.

In determining the companys objectives and strategies, executives must recognize the legitimate rights of the firms stakeholders. Each of these interested parties has justifiable reasons for expecting-and often demanding-that the company satisfies its claim. In general, stockholders claim competitive returns on their investment; employees seek job satisfaction, customers want what they pay for; suppliers seek dependable buyers; governments want adherence to legislation; unions seek member benefits; competitors want fair competition; local communities want the firm to be a responsible citizen; and the general public expects the firms existence to improve their nations quality of life."

Here's what I need:

***You do not need to define stakeholder management, please assume the target audience already possesses a working knowledge of what stakeholder analysis/management is.***

What this paper will discuss is a real company of your choice that has succeeded in executing excellent stakeholder management. This company must be a U.S.-based, publicly traded company and represents the hallmark of taking care of both internal and external stakeholders (not all stakeholder listed in the above paragraphs must be included, i.e. they dont have to use unions). There is no set number of source materials that must be used; however, the references cited must accessible online. This is an opinion-based paper where the company you select is neither the right nor wrong, but rather who YOU THINK is a good, if not great, example of a company effectively managing its stakeholders (based on available information). Have fun with this and please feel free to email me if you have any questions. If you come across charts and/or table showing interesting facts about the company, feel free to add those, too. (please don't spend your time making charts/tables elaborate) This paper will not be plagiarized, but used as a source for my PowerPoint presentation. Many thanks!

Authentic Assessment Case Analysis

Overview: The capstone case study has been assigned . It is an authentic assessment of your abilities to identify, analyze, synthesize and recommend marketing strategies based on a unique marketing situation. It is also an assessment of your critical thinking skills. You will need to draw not only on those marketing concepts covered in this case, rather on the accumulated knowledge you have garnered from previous marketing courses. Authentic assessment is a form of assessment in which students are asked to perform real-world tasks that demonstrate meaningful application of essential knowledge and skills. Your performance will be scored on a rubric to determine how successfully you meet specific standards. The capstone case study is NOT a report on the company.



Directions: You will be responsible for completing the case, Cowgirl Chocolates, found on page 659 in your textbook. Unlike your previous case studies, the capstone case study should be prepared using the formal case study method. This means there will not be any leading questions for your answer; you will need to employ high-level cognitive skills in order to successfully prepare your analysis. This assignment serves four important learning objectives that are consistent with the course objectives noted in your syllabus.



Determine your ability to recognize a marketing problem and analyze possible alternative solutions.
Recommend and defend a specific marketing strategy to solve a unique marketing problem
Assess your ability to synthesis marketing concepts and apply them to a unique situation
Assess your critical thinking and writing skills.
In other words, this case will assess your ability to function as a marketing professional.

Authentic Assessment Case Study Format: Prepare your case study as follows:

1. Statement of the marketing challenge

Read the case carefully, several times if needed, to determine the primary marketing challenge. Once identified, provide evidence from the case as to why you believe this is the most important challenge facing management of this company. Even though the case may discuss financial, operational or other issues, be sure this statement is framed as a marketing challenge. The other concerns will be important in your analysis, but not as the statement of the problem. Do not summarize the case; only point out those case facts that support your opinion. Be sure your choice is strategic, not tactical.


2. Analysis of the Current Situation

This can be framed as a SWOT Analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats), and is where you will draw most frequently from case facts and external sources. It should cover the macroenvironmental and microenvironmental trends in the industry. For example, the case may or may not give significant information on competitors. This may mean you will need to find industry analysis information, target market descriptions, competitor information, etc., to complete your SWOT as thoroughly as possible. Remember to footnote your sources.

3. Identification of Alternative Solutions

Based on your analysis, identify at least three possible marketing strategies that you would recommend for this unique situation. Each of your three alternative marketing strategies should include a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative marketing strategy. Do not discuss marketing tactics; rather conclude each alternative with an assessment of how that alternative might solve the marketing challenge.

4. Recommend a Specific Marketing Strategy

From your list of alternatives, select the one solution you believe is best suited to the situation. Be sure to state your rationale for your choice. Also include potential marketing tactics you would recommend to implement the strategy.

Submission Requirements

1. Academic style

This is a formal academic written assignment. As such, it should comply with MLA, APA, or other style guide. MLA is the style most frequently used in business, APA is the style most frequently required in graduate programs. You can decide which style you prefer to use but the style most be consistently applied throughout your case study.

2. Length requirements

There is no minimum or maximum length requirement. However, a good goal should be ten pages of text excluding title page, table of contents, bibliography, and any exhibits you may wish to include. If you are adequately analyzing the case, reaching ten pages should be relatively easy to accomplish. If you are having trouble reaching ten pages, it might be an indication you do not have sufficient depth to your analysis. If your analysis greatly exceeds ten pages, be sure to edit carefully. If your work reflects all the detail you believe is necessary to make your points, then feel free to expand the length to whatever you deem appropriate. One way to reduce length and perhaps make your paper more readable is to include exhibits. For example, you can conduct your SWOT analysis and include it as an exhibit; and only include the major conclusions you reached from it. Same would be true for a competitive analysis (a necessary component of a SWOT analysis) or assessment of target market(s). Reference your exhibit inside your text as appropriate for the style guide you are following.

3. Word Processing Requirements

Please prepare you case study using any word processing software. Save it as either a .doc, .docx, or .rtf format for submission. Double-space the main text of your case study. Use your own discretion for your exhibits. Do not use a font larger than 12 points or margins greater than one inch.

4. Submitting your Authentic Assessment

Post your case study into your assignment folder by midnight of April 27th, or submit to your professor in a face-to-face classroom as instructed. Inasmuch as this case study simulates a real work experience with real deadlines, late submissions will be subject to late penalties of 5% per day



5. Grading

Your case study will be graded using the following rubric. You will receive a student grading sheet that parallels this rubric to help you identify how your grade was determined.



Summary



Part


Title
Total Maximum Points

I
Critical Thinking

Problem identification ??" 10 points
Problem analysis ??" 15 points
Problem resolution ??" 10 points
35

II
Specialization Content

A. Market environments ??" 15 points

B. Marketing strategy ??" 20 points

C. Marketing mix ??" 15 points

D. Overall marketing strategy ??" 5 points
55

III
Communications
10


TOTAL
100






PART I ??" Critical Thinking (35 points maximum)



A. Problem Identification (10 points)



1. Proper identification of primary marketing challenge to be solved in case study (10 points maximum)

Points


Grading Criteria

0-3
Does not properly identify primary marketing challenge to be solved

4-7
Identifies some of the primary marketing challenge to be solved, or identifies a secondary or tertiary marketing challenge

8-10
Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the primary marketing challenge to be solved




B. Problem Analysis (15 points)

1. Consideration and evaluation of at least three alternative strategic marketing solutions to the primary marketing challenge (5 points maximum)



Points


Grading Criteria

0-1
Does not consider any alternative strategic marketing solutions

2-3
Considers one or two alternative strategic marketing solutions with some effort at analyzing strengths and weaknesses of each

4-5
Considers three alternative strategic marketing solutions with appropriate analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of each potential solution




2. Analysis and synthesis of ideas (5 points maximum)

Points


Grading Criteria

0-1
Uncritically accepts ideas and evidence

2-3
Shows evidence of analytic/synthetic reasoning and/or evaluation of ideas as appropriate for the case study situation

4-5
Demonstrates sophisticated use of analysis/synthesis of ideas and evidence as appropriate for the case study situation




3. Marshalling evidence and/or argumentation to support view (5 points maximum)

Points


Grading Criteria

0-1
Offers unsupported or irrelevant opinions

2-3
Supports opinions with argument, evidence, or proof

4-5
Conclusively argues/documents a point of view




C. Problem Resolution (10 points)

1. Arrives at a supported conclusion

Points


Grading Criteria

0-3
Fails to draw or state a conclusion regarding preferred strategic marketing solution from list of alternatives

4-7
Partially states a conclusion regarding preferred strategic marketing solution from list of alternatives

8-10
States a clear conclusion regarding a preferred strategic marketing solution from list of alternatives and justifies choice






PART II ??" Specialization Content (55 points maximum)



A. Market Environment (15 points)

1. Comprehensive analysis of the macroenvironmental trends in the industry impacting the case study situation (

Points


Grading Criteria

0-1
No or minimal macroenvironmental trends are analyzed

2-3
Some macroenvironmental trends are analyzed

4-5
Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of all key macroenvironmental trends in the related industry




2. Comprehensive analysis of the microenvironmental trends in the case studys unique circumstances

Points


Grading Criteria

0-1
No or minimal microenvironmental trends are analyzed

2-3
Some microenvironmental trends are analyzed

4-5
Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of all key microenvironmental trends in the case studys unique circumstances




3. Comprehensive analysis of the competitive forces in the case studys industry

Points


Grading Criteria

0-1
Uncritically accepts ideas and evidence

2-3
Shows evidence of analytic/synthetic reasoning and/or evaluation of ideas as appropriate for the case study situation

4-5
Demonstrates sophisticated use of analysis/synthesis of ideas and evidence as appropriate for the case study situation






B. Developing marketing strategy (20 points maximum)

1. Development of SWOT attributes

Points


Grading Criteria

0-3
SWOT attributes not included or only cursory review are included

4-7
SWOT attributes partially reviewed

8-10
Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of SWOT attributes as a tool for analysis of current marketing situation




2. Identification and analysis of potential segmentation, targeting and positioning opportunity

Points


Grading Criteria

0-3
Either no identification or a partial identification of potential market segments without the targeting and positioning opportunities

4-7
Either identification of all potential market segments but not the targeting and positioning opportunities OR identification of a partial set of potential market segments and the respective targeting and positioning opportunities within each identified segment

8-10
Identification of all potential market segments and the respective targeting and positioning opportunities within each identified segment




C. Marketing Mix (15 points maximum)

1. The recommended marketing strategy provides a comprehensive evaluation and recommendation for each element of the marketing mix: product development and differentiation; valuation and pricing, channel and value chain management; integrated marketing communication

Points


Grading Criteria

0-5
Either marketing mix issues are not discussed or are considered in a cursory manner

6-10
Considers a partial set of marketing mix issues in the context of Parts I, II, and III

11-15
Considers and recommends each element in the marketing mix in the context of Parts I, II, and III




D. Overall Marketing Strategy (5 points maximum)

1. Marketing strategy overall meets the needs of the unique marketing situation presented in the case study

Points


Grading Criteria

0-1
Overall the marketing strategy does not meet the needs and expectations of the unique marketing situation presented in the case study

2-3
Overall the marketing strategy meets the needs and expectations of the unique marketing situation presented in the case study

4-5
Overall the marketing strategy meets and in some areas exceeds the needs and expectations of the unique marketing situation presented in the case study






PART III ??" Communications (10 points maximum)

A Readability, Style and Mechanics (10 points maximum)

1. Paper has been proofread and edited and is free of overt grammatical errors. Paper adheres to submission requirements including use of an academic writing style guide.

Points


Grading Criteria

0-3
There are several problems with the paper which may include:

Tone and/or style are not appropriate for the audience
Proofreading and/or grammatical errors detract from the readability
Major problems in sentence structure
Academic writing style guide not used or consistently applied
Submission requirements not met

4-7
For the most part, tone and style are appropriate for the audience with some weaknesses such as the following noted:

Noticeable proofreading and/or grammatical errors that somewhat detract from readability of the paper
Sentence structure may be rigid and unvarying
Submission requirements minimally met
Appropriate writing style guide used

8-10
The tone and style are appropriate for the audience.

No noticeable proofreading or grammatical errors
Sentence structure and diction are effective and diverse
Submission requirements fully met
Appropriate writing style guide used and consistently applied.






There are faxes for this order.

Customer is requesting that (Serban) completes this order.

Thank you Dhj2385 for the last paper. This one follows all the others using the same history of the organizational problem. I assume you still have access to the files for order A2011398. This one will need NINE peer reviewed references. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Organizational Communication Analysis: Reflection and Evaluation Paper

Final Organizational Communication Analysis

Write a 1,750- to 2,000-word final organizational communication analysis paper on reflection and evaluation. How will you know that your organizational communication analysis was effective? What assessment tools would you use? Explain how your chosen assessments address the following:

o The people
Employees/personnel
Clients/general public

o The tasks
Products or services
Relations of products, services, and organization to the community

o The systems
Internal (formal, informal)
External (formal, informal)

Include references from at least nine peer-reviewed sources.

Format your paper consistent with APA standards.

Customer is requesting that (Dhj2385) completes this order.

Richard Wrights Native Son and Spike Lees Do the Right Thing Film (1989)
By Richard Wright
And
By Spike Lee

Dear Writer,

For this assignment, compare the issue of race relations in both Richard Wrights novel Native Son and Spike Lees film Do the Right Thing.
More specifically the Thesis Statement of the essay should be something like this: analyze Bigger and Mookie's character & personalities (how they are different and similar) and how NO ONE (either Bigger or Mookie) does the right thing because of their race and society oppression; as the result either one should be held responsible for his crimes or troubles. You can also tie this to the thesis: Since Lee purposely chose to preface his script with a quote from Malcolm X, but at the very end of the movie he provides quotes form both Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. Base on this which philosophy do you think Lee is try to advocate? And which philosophy is Wright advocate? And how both Wright and Lee tell this through their novel/film using their characters Bigger and Mookie? This is just a little extra information that I would like to add into the paper in relation with race conflicts but if you think this wont help to make a strong thesis statement for this paper then you dont have to include them in there. However if you think you have another interested topic please feel free to write about but do let me know before you actually started. Again I want to ANALYZE AND COMPARE the two characters & personalities that somehow relate to race tension/relation/conflicts/discriminations from the novel and the film. Please assume that the readers have read the story and watched the movie; therefore, DO NOT SUMMARY AND REVIEW them. This is an English essay.If I confused you or you not understand my thesis statement please let me know.



Please follow the below formats/instructions when write this paper
Essay Organization:
Introduction paragraph
It orderly should include:

Attention Getter (it could be a quote, question, )
Defines your topic- explain you issue, question, or problem, and explain why it matters
Provide Background of the novel and the film (in the middle of the intro)- give a little information that your reader needs to know in order to understand your essay
Finally, offer the Thesis statement that your paper will develop. It must and should be the last sentence/sentences of the paragraph.
I would like an introduction paragraph to be very good one and that it should starts with broad ideas to specific idea.

Body Paragraph(s):
For each body paragraph you should start with a transition sentence (so that the essay is well organize and flows from one paragraph to another or one idea to the next) then strong topic sentence. No quote or questions in topic sentence.

Conclusion:
A conclusion should do 3 things:
Offer judgment- offer a final commentary on the issue youve been discussing
Explain why your topic matters and is important (the so what? question)
Provide culmination- try to pull your essay together by summarizing some of the key points youve made
Provide a send-off- give you readers something to think about, but without introducing any completely different topics
Different ways to write conclusion include:
Suggest a new direction for further thought
Look to the future
Return to a restatement of your thesis
End with a provocative question

PS: The film is Do the Right Thing by Spike Lee, year 1989. The book I used is Richard Wrights Native Son (Perennial Classics Restored Text edition). This is NOT A RESEARCH PAPER BUT THIS IS AN ESSAY. AGAIN DO NOT SUMMARIZE THE NOVEL AND FILM. Essay must be type in Times New Roman font, 12 point. In addition, of course follow the Essay Organization especially for the introduction paragraph. I want a good and strong introduction paragraph. If you have question or unsure about something please email at [email protected]. I am sorry for had giving you too much instructions.


Please let me know if the writer can complete this assignment or not as soon as possible.
======

Here is some thoughts about the essay when i thought about analyze the two character: Bigger and Mookie and how race relation affect them. Hope it help you to find a writer for me:



Although Bigger and Mookie share some common characteristic traits such as the same black skin, poverty, and depression towards the black community. Mookie is able to make his own personal choices were as Bigger was never given any choices at all. In Native Son, Biggers life was extremely influenced by fear, hatred and racial discrimination; in contrast, in Spike Lees film, Do the Right Thing, Mookies life is influenced more by his choices, independence, and freedom.
Having to repress his wants and desires creates a deep need to release those needs at any cost. Bigger is viewed as a violent person. He kills two girls, rapes one of them, and picks a fight with on of his friends during the novel. This violence is due to his repressed feelings combined with a feeling of hopelessness. The hopelessness is due to the lack of the opportunity, while the slim chance of success may be chosen it has to be chosen not of his terms forcing him to swallow his pride. The repression is bottled up inside of him and constantly reoccurring throughout his actions. One of the first times we encounter it is while he is talking to Jack about the Blum job: Bigger felt an urgent need to hide his growing and deepening feeling of hysteria; he had to get rid of it or else he would succumb to it (28). Combined with this repression is fear which is evident in the name of the first of three chapters and described well while Bigger is at home: He knew that the moment he allowed himself to feel to its fullness how they lived, the shame and misery of their lives, he would be swept out of himself with fear and despair so he denied himself and acted tough (10). Biggers violence is a product of all these factors: that his future is constricted to what he can and can not do, that if he wants to succeed he has to do it on the white folks terms all the while dealing with a condescending attitude of those claiming a want to help him and even be his friend. If Bigger is so violent why would anyone want to help him in the first place?
Bigger was born into an unforgiving, American, white culture that tortured, killed, and controlled the black community for over three hundred years. Even though he was born after the Civil War and black slavery was abolished. The white society continued to use fear to dehumanize and destroy black men and women everywhere. Because of being treated unfairly, Bigger was limited to the things that he could do. As Bigger and Gus were discussing the topic of wanting to fly a plane, Bigger says Its funny how the white folks treat us aint it? (17). He wished that he could change the way everything was but there was nothing he could do about it. They own the world, states Bigger (22). Bigger had this hate because he could not change the way the world operated. Bigger expressed his hate to his friends and ultimately to the city of Chicago. Bigger was ashamed and angry because of his familys poverty but there was nothing he could do to help them. According to Wright, Day in and day out there was nothing but shouts and bickering. But what could he do? Each time he asked himself that question his mind it a blank wall and he stopped thinking (12). All he wants to do is to treated like a human being. Unfortunately Bigger is never given the same opportunities as the white men. Even when Mr. Dalton generously gives Bigger his respect, a good pay, and ultimately a chance for an education. Mr. Dalton clearly states, You see, Bigger, Im a supporter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Did you ever hear of that organization? (53). Mr. Dalton was trying to make Bigger feel comfortable and talk to him as an equal. Bigger didnt know what the organization was, but Dalton probably presumed he did. So he told him that to let Bigger know there wa no hate or racism within his family. He actually wants Bigger toknow this so he doesnt hold fear or prejudices against the Dalton family. Bigger has never talked or interacted with whites, and for the first time is treated with respect but still holds negative hatred in his heart. Bigger seems to be confused and inferior by the superior authority Mr. Dalton. Society has imposed this negative energy that will carry over multiple decades to the 1980s where Spike Lee expresses a mian charcter Mookie, who experiences a similar situation with the oppressiveness of black in the job force.
Wright intended for these character to have that quality just as he intended for Biggers character to be difficult to like. Wrights world is simplified into black and white, rich and poor but not right and wrong, that he leaves open for interpretation. The setting in Lees, Do the Right Thing has more racial tensions than just black and white, even though the tension between black and white is the most prominent. Rich and poor do not seem to be as much of an issue, but right and wrong, similarly to Wirght, are left to interpretation.
Block B: Spike Lees film, Do The Right Thing, takes place on an excruciatingly hot summer day. The opening, as well as the duration of the film, powerfully sets a tone that lets the audience soak up the truth about race relations during this time period. The action of the film is centered in and around Sals famous pizzeria, which symbolizes the heart of the community. Over the years, the community has become predominately black and Sal takes great pride and love for the neighborhood. Sal established great relations with his black customers, for they have given him great business and a name. Sal is seen as a sympathetic character, for he treats Mookie as well as the rest of the black population with the utmost respect and gives Mookie the opportunity to make money. Jobs arent easy to find in this area of Brooklyn, for society inhibits the ability of the black culture to grow. Out of all the boys on the block, Mookie is the only one that has a job. Know can you see how this might pose a problem for the future? With nothing to do, racism in the air, violence is just creeping around the corner. In addition, you can see that Mookie hates his job, for he is forced to work by his sister, Jade, who tells him he needs to start taking responsible.
On the other hand, the hate that Mookie had was lying dormant. His character was a well rounded guy in that he could relate to others of a different race and to his won in one accord. For instance, in a scene in Do The Right Thing he talks with Pino about Pinos favorite sport athletes. They all turn out to be African-American. Mookie was a neighborhood person that dinnt have a problem with living in a diverse community. He even had a child that was bi-racial. His community consisted of Puerto Ricans, Koreans, and Blacks. However, we see a hint of hate in Mookie when his friend BugginOut comes in Sals Famous Pizzeria and demands that some blacks be put on the Wall of Fame. Mookie hates when his friends act up in the company of his boss because Mookie likes Sal. Mookie and Sals relationship is built on trust. Sal trusts that Mookie will do as he is instructed which is to deliver pizzas and return in a reasonable amount of time. Mookie respects Sal because of leniency toward him. We also see a glint of hate in Mookie when his character is spitting out racial slurs at Pino. During this scene, various people in the community release racial slurs toward different people that live in the community. It is a venting session. We see the grand finale of his hate when he yells hate and throws a trash can through the front window of Sals Famous.
For Lee, Mookie is the main character. Mookie is similar to Bigger in age and color, but not in aggression. Just like Bigger, Mookie is also constricted, but the why is not quite as evident. However, Mookie doent go behind the counter of the pizzeria; this shows he is not quiet equal within the establishment. The fact that he is the only black person that works in the community and the fact that he works for a white family is also similar to Biggers situation. It seems that the only way for Mookie to make money is to swallow his pride and go to work. Just like Bigger, Mookie has to be submissive but Mookie has to do more than that he also has to mediate. Mookie is thrown between his job and his friends. This is a very difficult position to be in if one wants to keep both their job and friends. Mookie does not have to deal with the same condescending attitude towards blacks that Bigger does. Lee makes it obvious that the world is not just black and white. Mookie tells his black neighbors to get a job; Coconut Sid complains about how the Asians have made the market a success, complaining about the lack of initiative within the black community. Mookie does get a small dose of this from Pino who constantly berates him, complaining to his Father, Sal that Mookie is no good.
The anger and fear experienced by Bigger is the greatest contrast in the two characters, for there is little anger or fear in Mookie. Ture, when Mookie throws the trashcan through the window of Sals, he yells hate. But this is not driven by a fear, but rather more by a frustration. The fear conjured up by the white cops and the murder of Radio Raheem is real enough but affects the community is not any individual like it did Bigger. The frustrations that Mookie experiences are based more on a lack of communication within the community. The police are the only force within this movie that does ot deserve sympathy. Mookie does have the hopelessness that Bigger has. This became evident during the last confrontation between Mookie and Sal. After the money was thrown back and forth, Sal sincerely asks what are you going to do with yourself and Mookie responds get a job, get paid. Again, like Bigger, Mookie is not looking for a bright future, his only concern is now. After watching this scene, I was reminded of the opening scene where Mookie is counting his money. He only had four hundred dollars and Sal threw five hundred at him. Mookie returned the money that he had not earned. This showed that he was not willing to take a hand out, that he would not swallow his pride.


Or another topic would be Human and Diversity. However, if the writer want to write his own topic then that is fine with me. As long as about the novel and movie dealing with race relation.

Human and Diversity
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character said Martin Luther King Jr. In the context to the quote, we learned that segregation plays a major role throughout history among the African Americans, who had suffered a lot to gain their right to be treated equally. In todays society, we find ourselves living in a diverse background where as everyone are being treated equally and regardless of your race, skin coloration, and background, we are all created equally. However, in comparison to todays society versus the early 1940s society, there is a huge different in discrimination between the Whites and the Blacks. In such a society like back in the early 1940s, the African American were being treated badly by the Whites in the society and we can see the perfect examples demonstrated in Spike Lees film Do The Right Thing, he showed us the perfect examples on how different races such as Asians, Italians, Puerto Ricans, and African Americans chooses to be isolated from other group but within their own race. In Lees film, he mainly focused on the big picture of racism based on different ethnic group not just between the African Americans and the Caucasians. Lee constructed the ideas of racism was based varieties of ethnic group and more so on how people chooses to isolated by their own race in the community verses of Richard Wrights ideas on racism that he showed in his story Native Son, Wright constructed his ideas on racism was more baed on segregation and suffer that the main character in the story, Biggie see within the society that he live in not based on how society with see on an individual with different. In contrast, both of the writer gives us a perfect examples on how different ethnic groups interact with each other and also on how on it talks about the relations between the African-American and Caucasians.
In Lees film, his ideas of racism was constructed based on bigotry and racial issues between a multi-ethnic groups isolated from other ethnic group in the community not so much between the African-Americans and Caucasians. Lees mentioned a lot about the relationship between Mookie and Sal. In the film, Mookie who is the African-American work We can see the multi-ethnic issue begin when Mookies friend mentioned about the wall of fame having only pic of famous Italian but not the African-American on it.










Transition: We see that Lees structure on racism was more based on the bigoty of multi-ethnic conflict in his film. However, Richard Wrights ideas on racism was slightly different from Lees film. In Native Son.
















Conclusion: By going into the deeper meaning of Racism and segregation, Lees defined it as a bigotry between multi-ethnics, while Wright defining it as more between the African-Americans, both of these context constructed.

I would like for the writer to complete the project in Franklin Covey format. I will send an email with details on how to cite and write a biblography in Franklin Covey format. I will also have in the same email a Franklin Covey Template that the writer must follow precisely, in order for the paper to be written in true Franklin Covey format. The Research Paper is to be written about an Automobile ignition
(Using a thumb print instead of a key - reduces automobile theft.

The writer should include the 8 steps listed below which presenting the researched information in the project:

1) Description of the product or service, features and benefits, and what needs are being fulfilled by this product.

2) Situational analysis including environmental factors (macro & micro), relevant trends, and SWOT analysis.

3) Description and justification of your target market(s) including segmentation strategy. Include how you will use market research to achieve corporate goals.

4) Competitive analysis including how you will achieve a competitive advantange, with competitive and substitute products.

5) Strategy and tactics for each of the 4 P's

6) Estimated sales, expenses, and profits for at least the first year.

7) Control procedures (e.g. quality,customer satisfaction, perceived value, sales, costs, market share etc.)

8) Market Research: Any primary research required to complete the project can be done using a sample of convenience (non-random sample). Assume that the results are representative of your target market. The use of secondary research is required and should be accurate and up-to-date using Covey style citations and references.
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There are two sources for this Module's Case:

a study of customer confidence in e-tailers (click here if the main link is down). Read this article through the hypotheses (pp. 1-5).

a study of ethics among information systems professionals. Read this one through the hypotheses, down to "measurement" (pp. 1-3).

When you've read through both of these sources, please compose a short (ca. 4-6 pages) paper on the issues of data in business research, with emphasis on the lessons learned from these articles and the readings for this Module. The following questions are suggested as things to think about, not necessarily as points to be answered specifically in your paper:

What is your basic evaluation of each study (on the basis of your admittedly limited acquaintance with both research and the specific studies)? How would you evaluate their original research questions? Are they interesting? Useful?

Are there any changes or additions to these studies that you would make if you were doing the study? Do they each seem to be well grounded in both theory and practice?

Identify the principal variables examined in each study. Are they well defined?

For each study, can you think of a couple of other variables that were not examined that might also have been interestingly related to the research questions?

Overall, drawing on all three articles for illustrations, summarize what you now understand to be the main issues in defining and using data. Do these articles do a good job? Or what should they have done differently?


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it's b2b marketing so i want all the answers focus on b2b, and i dont want lots of quote.

Cyles Lambert(CL), http://www.cycleslambert.com is one of canada's largest bicycle parts distributors. in addition to selling a number of its own brands, CL also distributes a number of well-known international bycycle part brands. some of these brands are carried by CL exclusively in Canada, while others are also carried by other Canadian bicycle part distributors including Norco, http://www.norco.com

Q1. what model would you use to describe this type of distribution channel? why does it work for this industry?

Q2. why are the companies distributed by Cycles Lambert opting to deal though an intermediary? does this distribution model provide value for all parties? how?

Q3. look at the website of at least one of the brands that Lambert distributes exclusively. Do the manufacturer and the distributor stress different aspects of the product? why do you think this is?

Q4. if you were a bicycle retailer, and Cycles Lambert customer, do you think would help to push more business to your store? why?

this is b2b marketing so all the answers should be focus on b2b, and each answer should be no more than 1/2 to 1 page

1."the most important part of b2b marketing is the salesperson's relationship with the buyer. if they get along then the sale will be easy." discuss.

2. manufactures like Chysler, Ford, GM, Mercedes, and Toyota produce passenger vehicles for b2c consumers and trucks and other vehicles for b2b customers. pick one manufacturer's website and compare and contrast the marketing message for their b2b and b2c offering.(use talbe is necessary.) which do you think is better marketed?

3. Intel and AMD have tried for many years to convince consumers to select computers based on the brand of microprocessor. yet, consumers do not have options about the microprocessor in their computer.(you cant chose the same model of PC with either and intel or amd processor.) why do these companies advertise their products directly to consumers? what messages do these firms use to try to convince computer makers to use their microprocessors?

4. I think that most b2b advertising is really bad. crummy photography, bad copywriting and silly concepts. do you agree? why do you think b2b advertising is so bad? does this reduce the sales of b2b products? ( feel free to disagree)

5. a number of the cases we've discussed included resistance to change as an obstacle. new products face resistance in the marketplace. why do b2b marketers face such stiff resistance for new products and what can they do to overcome the resistance? give at least one canadian example of a b2b product that initially faced resistance from potential buyers.

Read the article by Darrell K. Rigby, Frederick F. Reicheld, and Phil Scheter, "Avoid the Four Perils of CRM", Harvard Business REview (February 2002).

The give:
-2-3 paragraph summary of article
-about 1 page or more relation to course material in textbook by David J. Lill "Selling: The Profession" 4th edition.
-about 1 page or more critique on article - Ex. What was good/beneficial/enlightening about the article. What was missing/poor did it communicate effectively. Was it organized. Were any topics missing and if so, what would you add?
12 pt font, double space

I want to request "writer"

This is the continue of the Starbucks paper that you did for me last week. I just need one full page on each question. Also if you can give me the reference that you use. Thank you, Karen

What observations can you make regarding the degree of customer focus which the company exhibits?

Does the organization appear to make timely and effective decisions at all management levels?

Strategic Challenges ProjectPaper Guidelines

I recommend that you use the following outline: 1) Executive Summary, 2) Brief Company Analysis, and 3) Strategic Recommendations.

Executive Summary
I strongly recommend that you start with an executive summary (about 1 page), which summarizes all sections of your paper. You should clearly and concisely state the strategic challenge (opportunity or threat) facing your company, the significance of the challenge, whether this challenge only applies to your company or others in its industry, and what your recommendations are as to how to overcome this challenge. Do not keep the reader in suspense regarding what you are going to discuss in your paper until the very end. It is usually best to write the executive summary after you have finished writing the rest of the paper.

Company AnalysisAs mentioned in the syllabus on p. 5, your paper is limited to 1000-1500 words (12 point font, with 1 inch margins, double-spaced), so, again, being concise will be critical. Below I list an analysis outline. You should not simply go point by point through this analysis outline, but should include only what you think is most relevant and most important to your subject.

I. Short History of CompanyLet your industry analysis (see Part II) guide you as to what to include.

II. Industry Analysis
a. Industry definitionHow are you defining the industry in which your company is in?
b. Customers/BuyersWho purchases the product or service? What are the preferences of these customers?
c. SuppliersWho are the suppliers? Are there lots of suppliers for your company to choose from? Are the inputs scarce or becoming more scarce?
d. CompetitorsWho are they? How many of them are there? How strong are they? What is the degree of rivalry?
e. Threat of New Entrants/Barriers to EntryHow easy is it to enter this industry? How costly is it to enter? Do incumbent firms have the ability or desire to run new entrants out of business?
f. SubstitutesAre there substitute products available, which customers like better?
g. ComplementorsAre there complementary products available, which affect your company?
h. Macro-Environmental FactorsWhat PESTEL factors (such as laws, regulations, informal beliefs in society, etc.) affect your company? Are these changing in some way? If so, how are your competitors responding to these factors?

III. Company CharacteristicsStrengths and Weaknesses
a. What are the valuable and rare resources that your company currently has or is trying to obtain (use the VRINE model)?
b. What are your companys unique capabilities (e.g. production, marketing, R&D, human resource management, etc.)?
c. How flexible or adaptive is your company? Do you think it has the ability to respond to major changes in its industry?
d. What is your companys strategic positioning (i.e. cost-leadership, differentiation, etc.)? What do you think its strategy is (address the strategy diamond)?

IV. Company/Industry FitBased on what you know about the industry and your company from your previous analyses, what is the major challenge (or challenges) facing the company?

Strategic RecommendationsHow should your company address the strategic challenge? What is the timeframe for your recommendations? What additional resources will be necessary to implement your recommendations?

This assignment consists of four different subprojects about the same company. Each one is refered to as assignment 1,2,3, and 4. The first paper is five pages, the second for pages, the third four pages, and the fourth four pages. Extensive research is necessary to complete the assignment and several resources of information.


Assignment #1
Obtain an annual report and perform an analysis of Smith & Wesson and their customers. Also research Smith & Wesson by searching for articles and/or analyst reports from any of the major financial news web sites available to you. Sites that I have used in the past have included www.moneycentral.msn.com, www.quicken.com, www.fool.com among others. Read the annual reports in an effort to determine a general outline of who S&W?s customers are, and what business they are in.
Write a profile what S&W do, highlighting any key aspects/hot button issues that you find. By hot button, I refer to any particular aspects that give them some sort of competitive advantage or ?uniqueness?. Who are their main competitors? What industry are they in? What are their key products? Which customer segments do they primarily serve? How successful have they been?, etc. Please note that I am not asking for their entire history just a profile that gives a broad picture of S&W.
In total it should be five (5) pages.


Assignment #2
Research Smith & Wesson and its industry and perform a Porter Five Forces analysis. For this assignment a minimum of five separate pieces of research material should be obtained, which can include periodical articles, investor analysis, and trend analysis for S&W?s industry.
A Five Forces chart should begin theanalysis to serve as a quick reference point. Beneath each of the forces, a brief one or two word description should be presented about the pages that will follow (see example in picture).
Each of the Five Forces; namely, Ease of Entry, Rivalry, Supplier Power, Buyer Power, and Available Substitutes, should then be discussed beneath their own headings in the paper. Also, please conclude the paper with a brief (1-3 paragraphs are probably good) summary of the key competitive forces that are facing the company.
In total four (4) pages.



Assignment #3
Perform an External Factor Evaluation Matrix on Smith & Wesson. The critical thing to remember about this analysis is to develop a thorough understanding of the factors chosen. Because of the importance of factor knowledge, a minimum of five external sources of information should be acquired regarding the factors chosen. The analysis should include a chart similar to the one below
Parameters:
EFE
Choose 7-10 external factors for analysis
For each factor write a paragraph or two as necessary discussing the nature of the factor, how it will impact the firm, and its importance to the future strategy of the firm (i.e., tell the reason for the assigned rating score).
The essay should be a total of four (4) pages.


Assignment #4
Perform an Internal Factor Evaluation on Smith & Wesson The analysis should include a chart similar to the one shown in Assignment #3 with the notable exception that categories should be ?Strengths? and ?Weaknesses? instead of opportunities and threats.
A financial ratio analysis can be critical in finding some internal factors. The basic idea is to use ratio analysis (comparison of Smith & Wesson to its industry and competitors) to support the factors chosen.
IFE
Do a chart identical to the EFE, except of course that the factors will be internal.
Choose 8-10 internal factors for analysis
For each factor write a paragraph or two as necessary discussing the nature of the factor, how it will impact Smith & Wesson, and its importance to the future strategy of the firm.
The paper should be four (4) pages in total.

A total of 17 pages.







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Please use the all of the following questions in approaching the paper. The paper should address all the questions in a consise way but should be understandable for the reader.

1.A summary describing the most important environmental factors that Methodist Healthcare should incorporate into its strategic planning effort?
2. Please prepare a summary of Methodist Healthcare?s internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats using the "SWOT" model
3. Develop a list of critical success factors for Methodist Healthcare and discuss the rationale behind them. Base your answer on the situational
analysis, the new vision statement, and the goals developed to assist in accomplishing the new vision.
4. What are the strategic objectives for Methodist Healthcare? Discuss the various strategic alternatives available to Methodist Healthcare to fulfill its
objectives.
5. Discuss the importance of communicating Methodist Healthcare?s vision to its customers in the context of the "four P's" of marketing (Product, Price Place, and Promotion). Feel free to comment on how you would revise the vision statement.
6. What is Methodist Healthcare?s financial condition? Has it been improving or deteriorating in recent years?
7. Recommendation for Methodist Healthcare to maintain its strategic momentum?

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PLEASE USE SIMPLE WORDS

Chapter 2: Literature review
2.1 Restaurant industry in Thailand (3 pages)
- Overview of Thailand as a preference destination (number of tourists visit Thailand)
- Overview of restaurant industry in Thailand such as revenue and the importance of this industry


2.1.1 Restaurant industry trend (2 pages)
- Growth of Thai restaurant and foreign restaurant in Thailand

2.2 Notion of eating out (3 pages)
- The definition of dining out?
- The reason why the number of consumer dining out has been increasing significantly?

2.2 Principle of consumer behaviour (2 pages)
- What is consumer behaviour? and consumer behaviour concept

2.3 Consumer attitude towards foreign restaurant (2 pages)
- What Thai people think about foreign restaurant, particularly Korean restaurant, Japanese restaurant, Italian restaurant etc.?

2.3 Influencers affected consumer behaviour toward foreign cuisines
2.3.1 Media influence (3 pages)
How local and international media such as magazine, TV, radio and social network affects consumer behaviour toward foreign cuisines?

2.3.2 Health concern and hygienic factor (3 pages)
How health concern and hygienic factor affects consumer behaviour toward foreign cuisines?

2.3.3 Brand image (3 pages)
Does Thai restaurant have a good brand image from local and international people point of view? And how?
How this image affects consumer behaviour toward foreign cuisines?
2.3.4 Price (3 pages)
- Expectation from what customer paid for, including money and non monetary and how it affects consumer behaviour toward foreign cuisines

2.3.5 Location (3 pages)
How location affects consumer behaviour toward foreign cuisines?

Conflict Management Approaches & Human Behaviors

Expectations and Introduction

The intent of the SLP is for you to apply the theoretical and general aspects covered in each module, to real-life and practical cases.

Conflict is an integral part of our lives, and we encounter it in every aspect of our personal and professional activities.
Surely, you have observed (or even participated in) some form of conflict at your workplace, be it a simple but heated interpersonal matter, or a full-scale organizational dispute.

Part I - Background and Settings (in about a page):

The Organization - Without revealing proprietary information, describe the organization of your choice (It should be one that you are familiar with, so preferably it would be easier, if it would be your own).

The Conflict - Describe the workplace conflict issue you have chosen to write about.
o What is the underlying problem or difference?
o Who are the parties or sides in this conflict?
Choose a Side - Choose one of the parties or sides in the conflict and let me know of your choice.

Part II - How was it Managed? (in about 1 full page):

Describe "your chosen" side's decisions and/or behaviors and/or actions to the following:
o What management approach or strategy was chosen to deal with this conflict?
o What were the major considerations behind this choice?
o Was it effective?

Part III - What Would You Have Done? (in about 1 full page):

Assuming you are the principal representative for your "chosen side":
o What would YOU have done in this case?
o What management strategy would YOU have chosen and implemented in this case?

Customer is requesting that (infoceo) completes this order.

Stevenson, W. J. (2012). Operations management. (11th ed.) New York, NY: Irwin McGraw-Hill.
Johnson & Johnson Company - www.jnj.com


The purpose of this assignment is to develop an operations management integrated framework.


1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Select three peer reviewed scholarly articles and three industry generated articles regarding operations management and the current business environment and write a brief review of each.
4. Discuss the key concepts of Johnson & Johnson Company
5. Johnson and Johnson Company is the business that will be used.
6. Create a four page description of the business.
The description should include:
(a) name of the company,
(b) the type of industry,
(c) product (goods or services) - product to be used is Tylenol.
(d) summary of how the product is produced, and
(e) summary of how the product is distributed.
7. Conclusion
8. Outside resources can be used

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Customer is requesting that (Infoceo) completes this order.

In Module 1, we begin our application of the Balanced Scorecard with a close look at the financial perspective. Actually, we need to start a bit further back, with the fundamental ideas of corporate vision and mission that underlie all effective business strategy. Here is a good brief introduction to this topic:

Robin, D. (ND) Vision, Mission and Values: Management Tools for Building a Better Workplace. Daniel Robin & Associates. Retrieved July 20, 2010, from http://www.abetterworkplace.com/027.html

So the balanced scorecard rests ultimately on corporate vision and mission ? and ultimately, all organizations, whether they are designed to make a formal ?profit? or not, hope to accrue more resources than they expend. So the financial (or ?effectiveness?) perspective is the logical place to start our consideration. But as we observed in the Course Overview and the Introduction to this module, all the perspectives or components are integrally related. So let?s take a good look at the relationship of financial perspectives to the rest of the balanced scorecard before we dive into it specifically:

MyStrategicPlan (N.D.) Balanced Scorecard: Performance Measurements for Success. Retrieved July 20, 2010, from http://www.mystrategicplan.com/strategic-planning-topics/balanced-scorecard.shtml

As we noted, the financial perspective of the balanced scorecard defines the ?bottom line? of the system. So here is a useful brief summary of the approach:

Niven, P. (N.D.) Financial perspective. EPM Review. Retrieved July 20, 2010, from http://www.epmreview.com/Resources/Articles/Delivering-shareholder-value-growing-revenue-and-enhancing-productivity.html

There are any number of possible cases where we could begin. But let?s start in this case with an assessment of the use of the balanced scorecard in Saatchi & Saatchi, one of the premier advertising and ?creative service? organizations (although they have certainly had their ups and downs over the last ten years or so. Here?s how this process has been described:

"Faced with a set of brutally tough choices in the Nineties, Saatchi & Saatchi?s leadership team defined a new vision and global strategy and set stretching three-year financial goals. In this case study, Paul Melter, Worldwide Director, CompaSS, explains how the balanced scorecard was used to turn ambitious strategic aspirations into operational reality."

The article from which this summary is taken can be found here:

Greenhalgh, C. (2004) Building a Strategic Balanced Scorecard: Saatchi & Saatchi Complementary Case Study. Business Intelligence Company. Retrieved July 20, 2010, from http://www.business-intelligence.co.uk/PDFdownloads/strat_bsc/Saatchisr.pdf

As your case assignment for this module, you are to carefully review this article, and then (in 3-4 pages) prepare your analysis of how Saatchi & Saatchi implemented the balanced scorecard and its apparent effects.

Assignment Expectations:

Your analysis should be structured in terms of the following four issues (you will be using essentially this same comparative evaluation framework for the first four modules of this course):

Introduction: What was the situation for Saatchi & Saatchi in the mid 1990s? The management team adopted an approach that was primarily two-pronged: the financial perspective and the customer perspective. In terms of the financial perspective, what goals did the new leadership set for the company?

Analysis: How did the company categorize its different business units (agencies)? What strategies were chosen for each unit? Saatch & Saatchi also adopted several strategies that related best to a customer perspective. What were they?

Conclusion: Did the financial strategies make sense for each given unit? Why or why not? Did the acquisition by Publicis Groupe SA change the results of the BSC? Now that you have analyzed both "prongs", did the two approaches worked in synthesis or in conflict?

Evaluation: Assuming that it would be best if the customer perspective strategies meshed with the financial strategies, do you think the customer perspective reinforces or conflicts with their financial strategies? In your opinion (supported, of course, by your readings), was the implementation done well or poorly?

Some airlines have identified the Business market as crucial to their continued financial success. Evaluate (don't describe) key customer characteristics in this market that must be considered by airline management. With regard to two clearly differing regions of the world (e.g the Gulf and Asia). Explain strategies used by airline management for differentiating products according to regional characteristics.

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The case for this module involves putting together all you have learned about setting objectives for each of the four perspectives, establishing measures and targets for them, and identifying action plans that might put them into effect. As we noted in the introduction to this module, the trick in putting things together under the balanced scorecard involves creating "causal chains" linking together the objectives in such a way that achieving one objective makes it possible to achieve another in sequence. Thus, when we have a series of objectives defined for each of the perspectives, we should be able to start with actions to achieve objectives in the learning and growth domain and ultimately achieve objectives in the financial return/effectiveness domain. Our case here gives you an opportunity to put together such causal chains and see how they might work.

But let's start with some practical advice. Here's a review of a recent book by Kaplan and Norton, the gurus of the balanced scorecard, that discusses implementation strategies. While the review is interesting in its own right, even more interesting is the wide variety of reactions to it from readers that follow the review; read through them quickly to get a sense of the diversity of opinions surrounding this topic.


Silverthorne, S. (2008). Executing Strategy with the Balanced Scorecard. Retrieved May 17, 2010, from http://blogs.bnet.com/harvard/?p=397&tag=nl.e713

Armed with your new sensitivity to implementation, you're now better equipped to look at an example. A few years ago, the journal Strategic Finance published a very interesting case describing the implementation of a balanced scorecard approach in a bank:


Albright, T.; Davis, S.; & Hibbets, A. (2001, October). Tri-Cities Community Bank: A Balanced Scorecard Case. Strategic Finance, 83(4), 54-60.Retrieved May 17, 2010, from http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?sid=1&vinst=PROD&fmt=6&startpage=-1&clientid=29440&vname=PQD&RQT=309&did=83040028&scaling=FULL&vtype=PQD&rqt=309&TS=1226794941&clientId=29440

Basically, you are to carry out the case analysis described in the article, with some slight modifications to the questions posed in the article, as follows. Your complete analysis should involve 2 pages, responding to the numbered points below.



Assignment Expectations:



What's referred to as "Case A" in the article tracks the initial implementation of the balanced scorecard through the establishment of the first set of objectives for each of the perspectives. As you'll see, Table 2 in the article (p. 57) presents a list of performance measures suggested by bank personnel as intermediaries toward the achievement of the three main financial goals: loan balances, deposit balances, and non-interest income.

The first step is to categorize each of the performance measures in Table 2 as belonging to one of the four perspectives (to start you off, we've put the three financial goals in the table already). Here?s a table that you can copy and paste into your paper that might be helpful toward this end:
Learning/Growth
Internal Business Processes
Customer Service
Financial




loan balances

deposit balances

non-interest income


Then, following the procedure described in Figure 1 of the article (p. 58), you are to connect these objectives and measures into two or more causal chains, indicating how the achievement of one objective leads to the potential achievement of another such that ultimately one or more of the financial performance objectives are achieved. You can do this by drawing arrows, or if this is too complicated, by simply specifying the chain in order. As noted, Figure 1 shows one chain; it is highly recommended that you find two others rather than including this one as one of your two. There are numerous possibilities. For each chain, please include a brief paragraph describing the logic of the chain, and why you see the objectives as connected in the way you do. You'll be graded on the effectiveness of your balanced scorecard logic, rather than on whether or not you happen to stumble on any one of the chains that occurred to your instructor. This may seem like a somewhat daunting task, but it's actually kind of fun once you get the categorization of the measures into the proper perspectives accomplished.
Once you've accomplished Case A, then you can move on to the second part of the assignment, Case B, which involves looking at the implementation of the balanced scorecard approach and its apparent consequences. There are two sources of information available to you here: Table 3 (p. 59), which lists the before and after performance of each of the branches of the bank, and the interviews with bank personnel in each of the branches where the system was implemented (pp. 57-59). Here's what you need to do to accomplish this part of the exercise:



Review Table 3 in a comparative way and try to decide if there is evidence for the effectiveness of the balanced scorecard approach in terms of improving the key financial measures. Remember, the balanced scorecard was implemented in branches A-E , and not in branches F-J. To help you make this comparison, you can click here to access an Excel spreadsheet that presents the Table 3 data for your use in this analysis. If you really get stuck in this process, you can click here to access an augmented version of the spreadsheet that has already made some comparisons to help you out -- but you'll get more out of the case if you try to run the analysis on your own from the raw data. The important part is to present a brief but cogent analysis of the relative performance of the balanced scorecard branches versus the branches that did not use the approach, using appropriate comparative numbers to support your argument.




Then, to finish the analysis, review the relative performance of the five implementing branches in relation to the information you have presented in the interviews about how the balanced scorecard was used in each of the branches -- apparently, there were significant differences in implementation, and there are significant differences in the relative performance of the branches (A-E). Briefly describe the relative performance of these branches, and any conclusions you can draw about how the system was implemented in each of them.




Conclude with a brief statement of advice that you might give to the board of the bank about the use of the balanced scorecard overall, and how it ought to be implemented to achieve maximum effectiveness, citing appropriate information and data to support your argument.


Write a well written paper addressing the above assignment, support your position and cite your sources appropriately.

The challenge is to manage your operations to maximize sales per hour. Sounds easy, right? To get yourself more familiar with the topic read this article on restaurant throughput, http://www.enewsbuilder.net/chartenews/e_article001014955.cfm?x=b11,0,w.

Then perform the following simulation on Benihana restaurant throughput.

Here are instructions for running the simulation:

- Go to http://forio.com/simulation/harvard-business-school-benihana-operations-management-sim/login.htm

- Username and Password should be filled in. If not, follow the instructions. Click Login

- Since this is a demo you will only be allowed to play the Batch Dining Room Customers challenge

- Review the Simulation Summary, How to Play, About Benihana and Intro Video sections under the Prepare tab

- Then go to the Analyze tab



- Under Scenario 1 select the Use Batching Option

- Run the simulation clicking the Generate 20 Runs button

- If you want to watch how the customers are batched from the bar area to the restaurant:

- select any single run from the Details section on the left side under the Generate 20 Runs button.

- Then click the Animate button on the right side under the clock.

- Under Scenario 2 select the No Batching Option

- Run the simulation clicking the Generate 20 Runs button

- If you want to watch how the customers are batched from the bar area to the restaurant:

- select any single run from the Details section on the left side under the Generate 20 Runs button.

- Then click the Animate button on the right side under the clock.



- Review the performance of each scenario in the Results section and also the comparison under the Summary tab.

- Look at customers served over time by selecting a single run from the Details section and then selecting the Customers tab in the Results section.



Then, in 2-3 pages, address the following questions:

What is the impact of batching during peak and non-peak periods?

Periods are as follows:

Early dinners ? 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Peak period ? 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm

Late dinners ? 8:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Briefly describe what you believe you learned about operations management from your participation in this simulation thus far, if anything.

Briefly describe any ideas that occur to you as a result of thinking about the simulation in relation to the module topic and readings.

What do you now think of computer-based simulations in general as a learning mechanism? Of this one in particular?

? Assignment 4
Click the link above to submit assignment.
Assignment 4: Internet Technology, Marketing, and Security
Due Week 8 and worth 280 points
Most major corporations, as well as government agencies, have an online presence for organizational and product information, marketing, sales, communication, and customer loyalty. Balancing effective marketing, sales, and communication with security is a major challenge. An organization?s Web site also has a privacy/security policy and uses programs tools designed to protect those who visit the site and put in their information. However, numerous accounts of minor to serious security breaches are reported each year.
Select a major corporation that markets and sells through its Web site and which has experienced a security breach in the past three years.
Write a 5-6 page paper in which you:
1. Describe and evaluate a major corporation?s Website in these four areas: (1) product information, (2) corporation?s contact information, (3) customization of products for customers, and (4) customer information at purchase.
2. Describe and evaluate three (3) of the corporation?s Internet marketing strategies and the competitive advantages its Website provides.
3. Analyze and evaluate the corporation?s privacy / security policy and the corporation?s response to the security breach.
4. Recommend and provide rationale for two (2) methods and/or tools to ensure greater security for customers.
5. Use a minimum of three (3) quality external resources from the last three (3) years to support the content of the paper. (Note: Do not use Wiki sites.)
Your assignment must:
? Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; 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 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