Question

Unit 1 DQ: Diversity (Graded)

As a Human Resources (HR) manager, you have noted an extremely low number of women currently at any level of management within the company. In addition, you have noticed a disproportionate number of women have left the company over the past year.

Address each question completely in detail. Think fully on the answer before submitting your response.

Please align the number of your response to the numbered question below. Be sure to write in a professional manner (paragraphs, complete sentences, etc.) Sloppy inattentive submissions will be penalized.

1. What actions could you take to increase the number of female new hires?
2. What specific programs/initiatives could you develop to assist hiring managers in the interview process?
3. What additional steps could you take to assure a safe working environment for female employees?

Sample papers

Human Resource

In the recent labor force, industry, diversity is increasingly becoming the order of the day. Dead and gone are the days when men alone would dominate all sectors and industries in the economy. Despite the fact that men are still many in most industries, the number of employed women is slowly increasing thus creating a healthy competition between men and women employees.

Question 1

One of the many ways that companies and organizations can use to attract more women in their companies is by creating a uniting font. Therefore, the recruiting process and procedure should emphasize the importance of recruiting and retaining women in the company. Similarly, the members of the human resource department, interviewers, and the entire organizational team should understand that recruiting, hiring and retaining women employees is the primary goal of accompany. In addition, the company should make the job ads women-friendly (In Harzing, A.-W, & In Pinnington, 2015). Research shows that women like having fun, friendly and casual atmosphere. Therefore, companies should strive to create a friendly environment for women.

Question 2

According to most human resource managers, promoting the current female employees and employees in positions of power gives the necessary motivation to interviewers the motivation to look for more women. When women are represented at the highest level, such as the interviewee committee, there are high chances that they will prioritize the needs of female employees.  Additionally, constant and regular training on the need of diversity in the workplace enhances the ability of the interviewers to give more chances to female employees (Mathis, Jackson, Valentine, & Meglich, 2017).

Question 3

The creation of a friendly working environment is the key to the recruitment and retaining of female employees. This can be done by taking the sexual harassment seriously. Research shows that women are more vulnerable to sexual harassment than men. Therefore, the assurance of their safety is key to their commitment to an organization (Mathis, Jackson, Valentine, & Meglich, 2017).

References

In Harzing, A.-W, & In Pinnington, A. H. (2015). International human resource management. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Mathis, R. L., Jackson, J. H., Valentine, S., & Meglich, P. A. (2017). Human resource management.

Question

Description: Speech Preparation – Informative (Speech of Review) Directions: Video Preparation Assignment The purpose of this assignment is for students to begin developing content for the Speech of Review. Assignment elements must be developed to include:  Topic choice (business, product, or service) Specific purpose: Thesis/central idea: single, declarative statement that reflects essence/central idea of speech. Questions based on thesis/central idea (audience-centeredness): refer to Lesson 6 discussion question Potential main points: 2-5  Include 2 research-based, credible resources since you must incorporate D.E.N.T.S (definitions, evidence/examples, narratives, testimony, and statistics) in speech, with full citations. Use MLA or APA (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Submit a 1-2 page WORD document including aforementioned elements, and use the grading rubric to ensure elements are concise, correct and accurate. NOTE: use numbers or bullets for content; do not submit in essay form.  Sample Student Assignment General Purpose: To inform Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the benefits of a COSCO membership. Thesis/Central Idea: A COSTCO membership is beneficial since it affords the user a wide selection of name-brand merchandise, the convenience of specialty departments, and exclusive member services, designed to make one’s shopping experience a pleasure.  Main Points: A.   COSTCO membership saves members money on over 20 categories of products. B.   COSTCO offers specialty departments such as Optics, Hearing, and a Photo Center. C.   COSTCO provides exclusive member services for business, home, and lifestyle. D.   COSTCO offers a variety of membership levels to fit one’s needs.  

Sample paper

COSTCO Membership Benefits

General Purpose: To provide information

Specific Purpose: To inform the audience about the specific benefits of being a COSCO member

Thesis/Central Idea: COSCO members enjoy a wide range of services and products at lower prices including discounted gift cards, free health screenings, great deals on rental cars, insurance, great vacation deals, and among other products designed to improve customer experience.

Key Points:

1. COSTCO members enjoy discounted gift cards.

Shopping at COSTCO is always an amazing experience for members. While most of the grocery and retail gift cards provide customers with the same dollar value as the up-front cost, the COSTCO gift card acts as a discount voucher. This means that customers are able to enjoy discounts on the gift cards while shopping. COSTCO will provide you with up to 20 percent discount on the grocery and retail gift cards (Swanson and Samantha 1). This is a huge discount to customers.

1. Amazing deals during vacations

COSTCO card leisure travelers enjoy great deals by using the card. While cruises offer the best vacation deals to customers, travel agencies do not provide attractive price package discounts. In fact, they will offer you almost the same price. Travel agencies may provide customers with certain incentives such as on-board credit. However, these incentives are nothing compared to what COSTCO members enjoy. COSTCO provides members with a cash card, which may range between $260 and $665 dollars. This is huge incentive considering that online travel agencies will only offer you about $50 to $150 in credit (Swanson and Samantha 1).

1. Best deals on rental cars

COSTCO membership also covers individual transportation needs. COSTCO members enjoy amazing deals on car rentals. COSTCO works with only four care hire companies, which include Enterprise, Alamo, Budget, and Avis. According to Swanson and Samantha (1), a comparison of car rental prices in Chicago indicated that COSTCO offered members with the cheapest deals. While the lowest four-day charges for other companies were $167.79, COSTCO was able to provide members with a smaller car through its partnership with Alamo for only $137.69. This is an amazing deal for COSTCO members, and among the key reasons why you should consider signing up with COSTCO.

1. COSTCO offers a variety of membership levels to fit individual needs

COSTCO offers a variety of membership levels, which means consumers can make a choice from different alternatives. It is important to provide members with choices to improve flexibility. COSTCO provides three different types of membership. These include personal (Gold Star), business, and executive. The personal and business memberships share many similarities, and are virtually the same. For instance, they cost $55 and give access to two individuals (Sadler 1). Nonetheless, business membership allows members to sell any wares bought at COSTCO. In addition, members can have an extra five memberships using the same account. The executive membership goes for $110. This includes personal membership and two percent discount provided on all purchases.

1. Free health screenings

The benefits provided by COSTCO extend to health services. COSTCO membership guarantees individuals with free health screenings (Sadler 1). COSTCO organizes free health screenings on occasional basis and informs members through various outlets. Common screenings provided include osteoporosis screening, healthy heart screening, lung health screening, and diabetes screening. The health screenings cover most of the common health problems affecting people. Early diagnosis is important in helping manage these conditions. As such, COSTCO members can enjoy healthier lives.

Works Cited

Swanson, David, and Matt Samantha. “8 hidden benefits to your COSTCO membership.”             USA Today, 23 December 2016, late ed.

Sadler, Alex T. 9 secret perks that make a Cotsco membership totally worth it.             http://clark.com/shopping-retail/ways-to-save-get-more-out-of-costco-        membership/. Accessed 7 July 2017

Question

Boston Chicken, Inc.

Boston Chicken developed a new segment of the fast food restaurant business, home-cooked food. To take advantage of this innovation the company sought to grow rapidly by signing franchise agreements with large area developers. However, it also provided sizable loans to the developers to help them finance new restaurants. These loans have, in turn, been financed through public stock and convertible debt issues made by Boston Chicken. The case is used as a comprehensive security analysis case, covering strategy analysis, accounting analysis, financial analysis and valuation.

Questions to Guide/Be Addressed in Your Case Analysis:

1. Assess Boston Chicken’s business strategy. What are its critical success factors and risks?
2. How is the company reporting on its performance and risks? What are the key assumptions behind these policies? Do you think that its accounting policies reflect the risks?
3. What adjustments, if any, would you make to the firm’s accounting policies?
4. What questions would you ask management about the company’s performance?
5. How is Boston Chicken performing?
6. What assumptions is the market making about the company’s future performance and risks? Do you agree with those assessments?

 HYPERLINK “http://info.umuc.edu/acct-fin/fm-syll/msaf670/cases/boston_ch.xls” See attached excel sheet with financials (separate attachment)

 Develop your case analysis as a paper with an introduction, statement of the issues/problems, body/analysis and conclusions/recommendations sections. See scoring template (separate attachment).You may include a post script to your paper, which comments on recent events associated with the company; however, do not let the “Monday morning quarterback” syndrome drive your analysis. Your analysis should be independent of what has transpired after the situation/time period described in the case

Sample paper

Boston Chicken case study

Question 1: Assess Boston Chicken’s business strategy. What are its critical success factors and risks?

The business strategy comprises of the art of management, formulating, implementing and evaluating of cross-functional decisions that enables an organization to achieve its long-term goals. There exist different business strategies such as growth strategy, product differentiation and price skimming strategy that can be adopted by an organization to further their long-term objectives. In this case, Boston Chicken firm has adopted product differentiation as their main mode of business strategy. Product differentiation is the procedure of distinguishing a product or a service from other by ensuring that it is unique in its own ways to make it more attractive to a specific target market. Through the provision of home cooked nourishment in the form of chicken at sensible costs, Boston Chicken has significantly and successfully differentiated their product from that of their competitors. Their food is accessible for on premises utilization and consumption as well as for brings home conveyance and delivery.  The basic achievement and success factor of Boston Chicken is their ability to provide and serve high-quality food to their esteemed customers.  Additionally, their good relations and ability to appoint to grow through the help of franchisees and attracting a large number of the customer base have significantly contributed to their success. However, the firm has treated and deals with several risks such as the failure of the franchises to return the credit they have been offered by the firm as well as the risk of losing their customers as they go searching for higher value money outlets (Bivand, n.d.). Finally, considering that Boston Chicken may be unable to control the quality of the product sold by this franchisee, they may end up producing low-quality products and in the process lose more customers.

Question 2: How is the company reporting on its performance and risks? What are the key assumptions behind these policies? Do you think that its accounting policies reflect the risks?

Despite the company reporting aggressively about its performance and risk, their reporting strategy is flawed from the word go. One of the biggest mistakes in their operations was their attempt to keep franchise losses from the public eye.  The company reported large profits which included payments on royalties and loan repayment interests from the franchise and areas developers. Considering that the area developers accounted for 10 percent of the total notes receivable each, the company should have implemented bad debts accounts to recognize the fact that not all money will be returned. The area developers lost more than $ 50 million in 1994 thus affecting the performance of the company. Moreover, the company financial reports are not indicating the falling profits, as well as the declining demand for their products as more and more customers go to other companies in search of value based products.

The primary assumptions of the firm were the interest realized and the royalties received from franchises were a form of earning for the company. Moreover, the firm assumed that by reporting lower sales potential franchise will be disappointed and be heartbroken from getting into the business which in turn would have slowed down the rate of appointment of new franchisees. According to the reports, the company had reported that it had sold a total of $ 18,900 while in the real sense it had total sales of $ 23,000 per week (Bivand, n.d.). Additionally, the firm assumed by reporting lower revenue some franchisees would leave the company in search of greener pastures.  However, the most important assumption made by the company was that if they reported the losses made by the franchisees and area developers to the general public the stock prices would have declined significantly thus affecting the company finance.

Most of the accounting policies adopted by the company are meant to hide the tremendous risks of failing franchises since they do not reflect the risk. However, to some constrained degree the bookkeeping policies reflect the dangers. The 1994 balance sheet shows a convertible subordinated debt of $130,000 compared to null debts in 1993 and 1992. Such a large debt within a period of one could have raised alarms from different quarters of the firm as it shows a decline in business. Moreover, a cross-examination of the cash flow statement shows that the net income of a company with so many franchisees as well as company that provide finances regarding loans to area developers is only $ 16, 173 in 1994 while the from financing activities is $255,703. This revelation above is a clear indication that the company finances most of its activities from convertible subordinated notes.

Question 3: What adjustments, if any, would you make to the firm’s accounting policies?

Considering the primary purpose of having accounting policies in an organization is to enhance accountability and transparency, the first step would modify the reporting of revenues of the company. I would begin by separating franchise related fees as well as royalties should not be included in the revenue of the company when a store is opened but rather should be accounted for when the firm received them in cash.  Considering that Boston Chicken paid up to 80 percent of all the cost incurred in opening these franchisees, learning to differentiate income from the repayment of the loan would have been a great move. Correspondingly, just money got from organization worked stores ought to be perceived as income. The bookkeeping approach ought to demonstrate extra paid in capital and its sources. The separate ought to be given to show its capitals separately and resources separately. Amid the year 1994, the money got from working exercises is $16,173 while the trade utilized out contributing exercises is $270,854. The accounting policy adopted by the organization should not have shown in the same place $ 163,622 paid for plant, property, and gear, and issuance of notes receivable. To enhance the accountability and transparency in the organization as well as to uphold the trust of all stakeholders, there should be a detailed explanation as to why the company was willing to take up the risk of an issue such a large number of notes to the area developers (Bivand, n.d.). Additionally, accountants should learn how to separate their work by calculating the cost and revenue of the company differently from those of the franchisees considering that franchisees are always regarded as independent entities.

Question 4: What questions would you ask management about the company’s performance?

After looking at the company’s bookkeeping policies and records, the management has a lot to answer concerning their practices and the company performances. The first question would focus on the quality and the integrity of the company earnings. From the books presented, it is easy to tell that there a lot of mistakes in the accounts provided. Fees, royalties and interest payment from payments from franchisees that are financed by the mother company that is Boston chicken are not performing as expected (Bostic, n.d.,). The next question would focus on the actual changes of the company sales and revenues and how well they can project next year’s sales and revenue. From the accounts provided it is evident that there is a significant increase in cost and expenses of running the business from $ 14,592 in 1992 to $71,540 in 1994 while there are no significant changes in revenue and sales. Any changes in the cost and expenses incurred should be clearly reflected in the sales and revenue of the company. Moreover, another performance that would require my attention and clarification would be the rise of interest cost from $ 440 in 1993 to $ 4,235 in 1994. This is a significant increase that should not be witnessed within a period of one year. The management should have a detailed explanation as to why the interest cost increased at that rate. Other question would focus on the marketing strategy of the company considering that most of the company customers were purchasing other company products in search of value-based products. Therefore, I would like to know what changes Boston Chicken has implemented to attract and retain a value-seeking customer. What changes would the company implement to ensure that the franchise agreements are not draining the company finances and resources? What can the company do to make their home-cooked food to make them value-based?

Question 5: How is Boston Chicken performing?

Looking at the accounts provided by the company to the public, the company is performing well since it is recording significant growth and increase in revenue. Moreover, the total numbers of shares of the company are steadily growing from 32,667 in 1993 to 42,861 in 1994. However, this is not the real story behind the scenes considering that it is evident that the company is making losses from their franchisees. For one to get the actual picture on the ground, he or she has to closely examine the cash flow statement which clearly indicates that the net operating cash in the year 1994 is $ 35, 198 while the net cash used to invest in different activities of the company is$ 270,854. Moreover, the amount of money invested as the issuance of notes receivable is $ 225,282 which raises the question whether Boston chicken is operating as a fast food company or a finance company (Bivand, n.d.). From the above analysis, it is quite clear that the company is not performing as expected the senior management is only making things work by trying to cover up what is actually going on. As a fast food company, a large portion of its revenue should actually come from selling the home-cooked nourishment at a lucrative price rather than from its financing activities since it is not a financial institution.

Question 6: What assumptions is the market making about the company’s future performance and risks? Do you agree with those assessments?

The market is assuming that the Boston Chicken franchises acquire more income than they currently realize per week and they expect this trend to be consistent from week to week. As the revenue and profits increases, the income of the franchise will increase which in turn will lead to an increase in income of the whole company as well as increase per share earnings.  However, this is contrary to my expectation and assumption since the company books of accounts show that the primary income of the company comes from financing activities rather than sales of the home-cooked chicken (Bostic, n.d.,). Therefore, the basic income of the company widely depends on the fees, royalties, and interests collected from the appointed franchisees. Most of the market players and the management of the Boston chicken are yet to figure out that most of the company revenue does not come from their primary product. Despite the fact that it is standard to utilize the accumulation arrangement of bookkeeping if there should expect a rise an occurrence of Boston Chicken, just the expenses, eminence, and intrigue acknowledged ought to be perceived.

Introduction

Boston Chicken shows a positive growth regarding income statement since the financial results of the company is pleasing in the eyes of the public, but a closer look at the financing activities of the company completely changes the scenario. Most of the finances of the company come from the issuance of stock as well as the issuance of debentures and lending money to their franchisees and area developers.  Considering that each franchise operates independently, it becomes difficult to control the activities of these franchises which in turn increase the risk of these franchises not returning the money. As a result, the business is taking the wrong turn which is also enhanced by the fact that more and more customers are turning to other value products and as they feel home-cooked chickens are not fulfilling their needs effectively and effectively.

Statement of Issues Problems

1. The interest for Boston Chicken items is decreasing as a stable rate as since clients are looking for an incentive for cash.
2. The money that Boston Chicken has given its franchisees speaks to a generous hazard. The cash may not be returned, and therefore they should have an account for bad debts.
3. Both the pay and budgetary position of Boston Chicken is confronting significant money related hazard (Bivand, n.d.).

Conclusion

Boston Chicken had a phenomenal plan of action when it initiated since it was focused on expanding their business as well as their customer base by appointing franchisees and area developers to open up shops all over the region. Be that as it may, changes in client preferences and tastes which forced them to seek other products from other companies led to a decline in the demand for the home-cooked chicken. The organization has financed a few franchisees, and this speaks to a significant hazard to the organization especially if these franchisees fail to live to their expectation or pay up their loans.

Recommendation

It is prudent for Boston Chicken should offer value for the customers’ money for them to win their hearts and encourage them to buy the organization products. It should alter its menu and present low-value high esteem items. Additionally, it ought to receive a more moderate franchise arrangement and ought to abstain from giving money to the franchise. Boston Chicken ought to enhance its plan of action. This will pull in monetarily solid franchises to it.

References

Bivand, R. (n.d.). Revisiting the Boston Data Set (Harrison and Rubinfeld, 1978): A Case Study in the Challenges of System Articulation. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2719454

Bostic, R. W. (n.d.). The Role of Race in Mortgage Lending: Revisiting the Boston Fed Study. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2135

Related:

Compare and contrast the evidence presented by Freidman with that provided in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report summary videos

Question

Course event

In 1970 Milton Friedman claimed that the only social responsibility of business was to increase profits. Compare and contrast the evidence presented by Freidman with that provided in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report summary videos. In light of the available evidence, discuss whether you believe Friedman’s claim is valid.

Sample paper

Course Events

Milton Friedman has a very different perspective about the social responsibility of business compared with what we all consider to be right. According to Milton Friedman, the main role of a business is to make profit and not to give attention to any social interest of other people. In most cases, social responsibility activities are tasked with the corporation. This makes it hard to clearly identify the actual individual that is responsible for those social activities. In Friedman’s views, in a private-property, free-enterprise system, a corporate executive is not the business owner, but an employee. The direct responsibility of this employee is not to society, but to his or her employer. This means the employee is bound by the employers’ rules and instruction and can only perform business as per their desires. In most cases, enterprise owners’ desire is to maximize profits while adhering to basic social rules required by the law and that are dictated by the ethical duties in the industry of operation. According to Friedman, a manager or an executive in a corporation is simply an agent who operates based on conditions given by others (owners). This person does not have the ability to decide on social responsibility unless authorized or unless the owner is ready to take the cost[1].

To some extent, Friedman’s stand on social responsibility matches what IPCC advocates for. Since an executive officer does not have the power to decide on such things, corporations should embrace social responsibilities by creating organizational policies to implement them. This means corporations should authorize their agents to embrace social responsibilities during their operations and embrace the cost associated with the same. According to Friedman, corporation agents are only required to follow basic rules as defined by the law and ethical norms. IPCC affirms this by advocating for the formation of rules or government regulations that demand environment conversation. Based on those laws, industries must devise ways to control the amount of emission they produce, or incur carbon tax among other charges. When such laws are implemented, then it becomes easier for all corporations to be socially responsible simply by observing basic societal laws imposed by the governments.

One of the main differences between IPCC and Friedman’s view is that in IPCC, human activities are regarded as the main cause of climatic change. Control of human activities through being responsible for own actions would make a great difference in reducing this effect. So according to IPCC companies should find a way to confirm their emission which include trapping the gases and store them in underground archives. Friedman, on the other hand, does not think corporations should consider adding to their cost due to social goodness. Making a profit should be their core goals, and thus, if not forced, they should ignore such activities. Such an attitude in IPCC views are among the main cause of the negative climatic change experienced today and its change can ensure control of excessive greenhouse gases emission[2]. While IPCC calls for taking responsibilities at individuals’ operational levels, Friedman calls for ignoring such cost if not forced by the law to incur them. In Friedman’s view private, free enterprises do not have any responsibility toward the society, but toward the owner. This statement discourages any small move to reduce pollution for the sake of our environment, and encourage working without employing any measures that would increase operational cost and reduce profitability. On the contrary, IPCC believe observing human activities at individuals’ level can play a great role in reducing greenhouse gases emission in the world. The two thus show consensus in some issues and disagreement in others.

References

Friedman, Milton. “The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profit.” The New York Time Magazine, 1970 September.

IPCC. “Fifth Assessment Report – Synthesis Report.” 2015 December. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGH0dAwM-QE

[1] Friedman, Milton. “The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profit,” The New York Time Magazine, 1970 September.

[2] IPCC. “Fifth Assessment Report – Synthesis Report,” 2015 December. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGH0dAwM-QE

Related:

What are the Values and Assumptions of Business Strategy?

Question

Summary:

Philip Roscoe argues that economic thinking has become very influential within modern society, and this is certainly true in the area of management and corporate strategy. What underlying assumptions stemming from economic theory can you identify in the article by Peter Cohan?  Describe why they are underlying and whether they are reality or value assumptions?  Finally, discuss whether you agree with the assumptions you identified.  Why or why not?Note: This newspaper article is very similar to the type of article that will appear on the midterm exam. It is strongly recommended that you practice with this article in preparation for the midterm. This is not to be submitted and will not be graded, but will be discussed in class. The midterm exam question is as follows:

Read the newspaper article below and then respond to the following questions in the exam booklet provided:

1. a) Using your own words, state the primary claim that is being made in the article and identify any secondary or related claims. (?5 marks)
2. b) Then critically evaluate the evidence provided by the author using the terms and concepts taught in this course. (?10 marks)
3. c) Next, identify any underlying assumptions you think the authors hold. (?5 marks)
4. d) Finally, discuss whether you think the author’s claims are valid and convincing and use your critical analysis above to defend your response. (?5 marks)

Sample paper

What are the Values and Assumptions of Business Strategy?

According to Roscoe (2014), economic thinking has turned to be highly influential in the modern society. Some of the most affected areas include decisions made as consumers that extend to family relations, health, and education. According to Roscoe (2014), people are ready to sway their moral duties and molarity in an effort to justify economically customized self-interest. This is Roscoe’s view normally results in limitations in the forecasting of the future by creating financial recessions and excess environmental threats across the globe.

What underlying assumptions stemming from economic theory can you identify in the article by Peter Cohan?

Cohan’s (2017) article reflects on opposing changes taking place in two different companies in the same business environment; Amazon and GE.  While Amazon is growing and acquiring other companies, GE is recording negative growth with a decline in shares value. The underlying assumption that can be identified to stem from Cohan’s article’s economic theory is that the choice made on business portfolio to grow and which one to discard play a great role in determining the company’s ability to survive, grow and gain financial sustainability in the future. Wrong mover negatively affects the company after a short while. However, a well-calculated business mover with an effective analysis of its ability to grow and areas in the market to take advantage of can give a company a strong foundation of experiencing a great level of growth in the future, even when other businesses experience business strain.

 Describe why they are underlying and whether they are reality or value assumptions? 

The assumptions are important or underlying because they give a business a direction to take in the quest for growth and expansion. Business is built by making strategic decisions that determine the new changes that must take place to promote growth. The results of these changes are highly characterized by how well the strategic move was calculated. The assumptions can never be 100% accurate. However, they are value assumptions that are likely to bring positive change if well thought of and well informed. However, it is always important for an organization to know that situations do change with time. In this regard, new moves should be made frequently to address changing market situation to safeguard the business position in the market. This means, while the assumption may be real for a certain time, this situation is not permanent. GE according to Cohan (2017) managed to make positive growth with their new strategy of growing unique business portfolio, while discarding the common one. However, this also failed after sometimes. Things change with change of market situation and other external business environment, and hence the organization executives must remain alert and ready to make adjustments while needed.

Finally, discuss whether you agree with the assumptions you identified.  Why or why not?

I highly agree with the identified assumptions. The success in any business is highly determined by the steps taken to make change. Business growth is determined by understanding the business and understanding the market and using this understanding to make business changes that address gaps in the market. Once the right move is made, there is nothing that can stop growth and taking advantage of the market loophole for a while. However, it is important to note that no situation is permanent. In this regard, the executives need to continue studying their business and market to keep on making viable changes so as to maintain the business survival, financial growth, and competitiveness in the market.

References

Cohan, P. (2017 Jun, 26). Wall & main: GE, Amazon, and the future of corporations. Telegram. Retrieved from https://www.telegram.com/news/20170626/wall-amp-main-ge-amazon-and-future-of-corporations

Roscoe, P. (2014). I spend therefore I am: how we all become economic. Random House Canada

Related:

Jim’s annual review

Question

you are a HR manager at a company.you need to hire 3 new people( one front desk person as a customer service assistant, the other 2 will work on the production line.) give at least 5 places you would recruit for each position and explain why each place would be a viable option.

Sample paper

New Hires

There are various viable options for looking for new hires to fill available vacancies in the organization. The source for the recruit may influence the chance of getting the best person for the job. The five places I would look for hiring a customer service assistant are recruiting firms, use of flyers, the company’s webpage, online services such as LinkedIn, and religious organizations.

Recruiting firms are a rich source of qualified employees (Vashisht, 2006). Contingency firms tend to place qualified recruits since they receive payments once the employee qualifies for the job. Flyers can be a great way of attracting qualified customer service assistants. The company can place flyers at the establishment especially if many customers access the establishment. The company’s webpage can also be great for hiring customer service assistants (Vashisht, 2006). Here, the company is likely to meet prospective employees that already have great interest in joining the company. Online services such as LinkedIn, Hotjobs.com, and among others can enable the company to seek recruits at a very low cost. Thousands of prospective employees access online job platforms daily. Local religious organizations can also be a great source of finding qualified candidates and at a low cost. By linking with the religious leaders, it is possible to reach qualified employees.

For the production line position, there is need to seek employees with prior experience due to the sensitive nature of the job. The preferable places are media advertisements, walk-ins, professional organizations, job fairs, and networking. Use of media advertisements is one of the most common methods (Vashisht, 2006). The advantage is that the company is able to reach a large number of prospective candidates to choose from. Professional organizations such as engineer’s institutions may be a good source of qualified and experienced production line workers. Job fairs are suitable when the company wishes to higher employees in a particular field, for instance, engineering, production, information systems, and other fields. At job fairs, the company can be able to interact with prospective employees. Networking involves developing contacts with the community or particular industry (Vashisht, 2006). The company can use these contacts to locate qualified candidates. Lastly, the company can rely on walk-ins, or the unsolicited job applications.

Reference

Vashisht, K. (2006). A practical approach to sales management. New Delhi: Atlantic.

Related:

HR Management

Question

You are a hr manager a female employee comes to you upset because a male co worker was  creating a hostile work environment by repeatedly asking her out on dates even after she said no. what would you do?formulate the conversation you would have and summarize the conversation you would have with the employee’s male co worker

Sample paper

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Sexual harassment is a serious problem in the workplace. It involves unwelcome behavior by one individual to another. The behavior can be either direct or implied as long as it causes discomfort to the other individual (Gandhi, 2015). Majority of sexual harassment cases in the workplace often go unreported due to fear of reprisal. This may lead to stress, depression, stigmatization, and other serious health issues upon the victim. Sexual harassment mainly involves women as the victims and men as the perpetrators. Repeatedly asking a female colleague out on a date, despite her declining the invitations, is a form of sexual harassment (Gandhi, 2015). As the HR Manager, it is important to curtail such a behavior exhibited by the male colleague. A meeting with the perpetrator can help in solving the issue. The following is the possible conversation with the male co-worker.

HR Manager: Good morning, it is my hope your day started well. The reason for this meeting is to discuss issues concerning sexual harassment in the workplace. As you are aware, the company has a very strict policy concerning sexual harassment. The company will not hesitate to take action against employees who go against this policy. There has been a formal report made against you concerning harassing a female colleague. In particular, the report indicates that you have pestered your colleague with numerous requests that she accompanies you out for a date. Despite being turned down on several occasions, you continue with the behavior. What do you have to say?

Male Co-Worker: Well, I am surprised that it has come to this level. Actually, I did ask her out on a few occasions but I had not intend to cause any discomfort nor violate any of her rights. Although she turned down my offer, I had hope that she would one day accept to go out with me.

HR Manager: Do you have anything to add?

Female Co-worker: Not much. I clearly indicated to him that I was not willing to date, but he has been pursuing me relentlessly to the point that I feel my rights are being violated. I believe I have the right to choose whether I should date or not.

HR Manager: After carefully assessing this issue, I have concluded that you are creating a hostile environment for your colleague to work in. Although you may not realize, it is clear your behavior is annoying your colleague. Worse still, your behavior goes against the company rule. As such, you must stop that behavior immediately. Since this is the first offense, I will leave the issue there. However, I will still send you a letter detailing the company’s policy over sexual harassment for record purposes. You are dismissed.

Reference

Gandhi, M. N. (2015). Handbook on Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace. Retrieved        from             https://www.iitk.ac.in/wc/data/Handbook%20on%20Sexual%20Harassment%20of%20W omen%20at%20Workplace.pdf

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Survey of Human Resource Management

Question

Describe and analyze the broad range of talent management efforts that use software applications to help you Director to make an educated decision. Give some examples of firms that have successfully used these applications. Describe how these efforts are useful in terms of strategic human capital management.

Sample paper

Software PPT

Speaker notes

• A software is a set of instructions and programs that are used to operate computers and machinery. It is usually divided into applications software and system software and can be thought to be the variable part of a computer or machinery(Kumar, 2013).
• However, not all software are compatible with all hardware and thus, there is the need to perform a compatibility test to determine the best software that suits a situation or an organization.
• A computer-based information system has various components such as hardware, software and human resource making it very hard for one to operate without the other. Thus, they all must be used together.

Types of software

• There exists a wide range of software that can be utilized on various occasions depending on the situation and magnitude of workload. It is worth noting that there is no single software that can be proposed for certain situation and thus, the user must conduct its usability and compatibility before installing(Reuwer, 2013).
• A software helps people and organization to use a computer and other computer related machines to operate thus improving our efficiency and effectiveness as well as total productivity.
• However, for an individual to be in a position to use specific software, he must display some knowledge and skills in that field. Failure to have these much-needed skills will lead top failure of the software.

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Accounting software

• Accounting software is an application software that can be used by individuals and organization to record, process accounting transactions with functional elements such as accounts payable, accounts receivable and trial balance(Schorr, 2013).
• Accounting software enables the collection, storing and processing financial and accounting data to provide and retrieve information that is used by decision makers in the future of the business.
• This software can be acquired through various methods and ways that include in-house development by the host organization, purchasing it from a third party or combining a third party application with minor modifications to suit the situation.
• A good example of an accounting software is enterprise accounting software that helps an organization to keep track of financial transactions and the data and information produced by these transactions.

Collaboration software

• Collaborative software is a groupware or software that can be used by more than one person that is usually created and designed to allow individuals to perform a similar task from different workstations(Ramler, 2016).
• Collaboration software can also be referred as confluence software that allows easy communication and access to company records that are widely used to make decisions as it facilitates quick collaboration and sharing of information.
• Moreover, online collaboration helps individuals from various parts and stations to work online with their colleagues using the cloud to aid communication, file sharing, and project management.
• A good example of this software is Lotus Notes that are widely focused in communications.

Database software

• A database is a computer software application that creates a platform where the users, other applications and the database itself can interact freely with no limitations(Ambler, 2012).
• The basic purpose of this software is to define, searching, updating and the administration of databases that helps in preventing data loss in case of danger.
• This software provides a channel that can be used to store as well as retrieve information whenever needed for decision-making as well as providing insight into the progress and performance of the business.
• One of the popular databases that can be used in an organization is Oracle database.

Project management software

• Project management software is widely used by project managers, stakeholders, and other users to control the costs and work in progress on on-going projects as it widely helps in project scheduling and resource allocation(Burke, 2013).
• Each project management software is highly dependable on the size of the project in question considering that is can also help to keep a record and track on the capacity of the people and other materials that are used to complete the project.
• It helps to maintain the quality of the project and the goods and services provided by an organization through quality assurance as well as budgeting. The best and ideal example of Project management software is the Harvest.

conclusion

• A software is important to any organization that desires to go digital, and the hardware cannot operate on their own. However, the organization must perform a background study of each software before adapting.
• High skills are needed in operating this software to guarantee better and accurate results.

References

• Ambler, S. (2012). Agile database techniques: Effective strategies for the agile software developer. John Wiley & Sons.
• Burke, R. (2013). Project management: planning and control techniques. New Jersey, USA.
• Kumar, J. (2013). Gamification at work: Designing engaging business software. In International Conference of Design, User Experience, and Usability , (pp. 528-537). Springer Berlin Heidelberg.
• Ramler, R. F. (2016). Industry-Academia Collaboration in Software Testing: An Overview of TAIC PART 2016. In Software Testing, Verification and Validation Workshops (ICSTW), 2016 IEEE Ninth  International Conference on , (pp. 238-239). IEEE.
• Reuwer, T. J. (2013). Key factors in the internationalisation process of SMEs exporting business software as a service. . International Journal of Business Information Systems, 12(2), , 140-162.
• Schorr, M. S. (2013). U.S. Patent No. 8,442,850. Washington, DC: U.S. . U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Powerpoint

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HR Management

International Economics

Assessment 1:

Note: This is a group assessment. In any group maximum of 3 members are allowed. In mentioned cases provide a neat diagram to explain your answer. Make sure to label axes properly. Else points will be deducted. The maximum possible points is 40.

Maximum points: 40 points

1. The following excerpt is from the case study “The Euro in crisis: Decision Time at the European Central Bank”. (distributed in the class)

“……a bailout for Greece would send a signal to other indebted member states that the ECB would step in if private lenders become nervous.”

Answer the following questions with appropriate diagram and using AD-AS model, Money market, aggregate expenditure model, and forex market (as required). For part a, b and c appropriate diagrams are MUST. Else points will be deducted.

1. When ECB went out for a bail out then what was expected to happen to the interest rate in Greece? (10 points)

At this moment, many European countries were still suffering from the effects of the 2008 economic crises. Greece is one among the many European countries that were in the verge of collapsing considering that it did not have enough funds to run its operations. However, on May 8, 2010, finance ministers of 16 Eurozone nations met in Brussels to discuss on the best way to help Greece out of its current situation back then. After a lengthy discussion, they settled for a bailout. However, this bailout did not come without adverse effect. The decision of the European Central Bank to bailout Greece could have a negative effect on the interest rates in the country. Having a large chunk of money in the economy after the recession would increase the amount in circulation in the economy of Greece and hence lead to an increase in the interest rate of the country (Trumbull, 2010). Having a lot of funds in the circulation would definitely lead to inflation which then would require the banks to raise their interest rates in the attempt to control the inflation in order to feel and see that value of the bailout. Despite the fact that economy cannot run without enough funds, a lot of funds would do more of harm than good. On the same note, if the interest rate of Greece increases, it becomes difficult for people to have access to loans.

1. Comment on the expected outcome of this policy on behalf of ECB. Provide diagram and detailed explanation on output and prices. (10 points)

Despite the bailout having adverse effects at the European level, the bank itself would be affected in various ways. The primary goal of any bank is to stabilize the prices of goods and services in any country, and the bailout meant that the bank would be going against this principle. Going on with the bailout, meant that the European central bank was not insulated against the political pressure that may be present in the specific countries.  Moreover, considering that the European central bank is not directly associated with any specific country, bailing out Greece would have been seen as if the bank was meddling with political independence of members. As a matter of fact, meddling with Greece bailout, it would have prompted other countries such as Spain which was going through the same situation to stake their claim of needing financial assistance from the bank. In general, we can say that although the bailout would have saved Greece from collapsing economically, it would also have triggered other unwanted and adverse effects particularly from political institutions from other countries.

On the same note, the bailout would lead to an increase in the total output of the country considering that Greece will be in a position to produce more. Having enough cash in the economy helps the country to increase its investment opportunities and chances considering that the white collar sector may not be having enough employment opportunities. However, there is always a negative correlation between prices and outcome. An increase in output leads to a decrease in prices of goods and services. Since the output is high and there are many suppliers of the same product, there is no stiff competition for the available goods and services, and this helps to lower the prices of these commodities (Campello, 2010). On the other hand, when the output is low it raises the prices of the commodities and services since all customers would be fighting for the available goods.

From the diagram above, we can see the negative correlation between the prices of commodities and the output of the same in Greece after the bailout is effective. If the prices moves from P1 to P2 the output reduces from Y2 to Y1.

1. c) If government of Greece also increases (assume) the expenditure (expansionary fiscal policy) then what do you think can potentially happen to prices? Provide the relevant diagram and explain your answer.(10 points)

If Greece employs expansionary fiscal policy, the prices will go up. Expansionary fiscal policy involves more government spending which leads to increased aggregate demand. Thus, the chances are that there will be an increase in the amount of money in circulation. This means that most individuals if not all will have money to purchase goods and services at any price thus increase the demand for the available goods and services (Trumbull, 2010). This effect leads to inflation which is the continued and persistent rise in prices of goods and services as a result of higher demand in the economy

An increase in the Greece government expenditure would lead to an increase in the nation income thus an increase in aggregate demand. From the diagram above, it is easy to tell that as the GDP increases from Y1 to Y2 so does the aggregate demand as it moves from AD1 to AD2. This movement in aggregate demand triggers the price to increase from P1 to P2. Considering that citizens have enough money, they will be fighting for the available goods and services regardless of the price.

1. Overall do you think that bail out of Greece is healthy policy from the perspective of ECB? Answer this one in context of the Case study. ( 5 points)

Yes. The ECB’s main mandate is to protect the value of the euro and extensively the euro itself. Bailing out Greece would have forced the bank to engaged in a fiscal transfer. The formation of the new European Financial Stability Fund (EFSF) demanded support from member states; this support, however, was put to risk by the ECB as its move to bail out Greece risked reducing vital political support for the formation of EFSF.

The main role of the new European Financial Stability Fund is to act as a financial backstop for any Eurozone country that was having troubles accessing the bonds markets. This setup sends a signal to Portugal, Greece, and Spain that the ECB would provide a backstop in case of fiscal crisis.

If Greece were left to default otherwise it would only lead to other low states like Portugal and Spain to follow the same suite, therefore, sending the whole EU spirally into a crisis, the euro would depreciate and thus the overall economic situation of the Eurozone would worsen further. Setting up financial stability through the bail out of Greece and the formation of European Financial Stability Fund is a long-term solution to such contagion. Therefore, the euro value would be protected, and the euro itself defended through the bailout of Greece. The protection of the Euro value is the main objective of the European Central Bank thus bailout of Greece is a healthy policy since it aids the ECB in stabilizing the euro value.

1. Explain why a group of economist thinks that a common currency like Euro for the region is not a good idea. Restrict your answer to the concepts discussed in the class and the case Study. Page limit is one page. (5 points)

The Euro like any other new idea being brought into existences suffered a number of criticisms that it was not a good idea. Economists such as Milton Friedman, Henry Kaufman, and Martin Feldstein warned that the euro as a single currency could trigger a civil war in Europe. Other Economists emphasized on the risks of centralizing monetary policy to the common decision-maker ECB while fiscal authority was controlled by the member states. These economists alerted that individual states had an incentive to over-stimulate their economies through fiscal imprudence because the benefits of fiscal stimulus were local and the costs of monetary tightening were felt across Europe (Trumbull, 2010). This act would only weigh the ECB to charge higher interest rates than might otherwise be necessary to meet their inflation targets, resulting in slower economic growth across the Eurozone.

References

Campello, M. G. (2010). The real effects of financial constraints: Evidence from a financial crisis. Journal of Financial Economics, 97(3),, 470-487.

Trumbull, J. G. (2010). The Euro in Crisis: Decision Time at the European Central Bank.

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