Author: chris

Source of Revenue: An Increase in the Medicare Patient Population

The president of Gentiva Health Services is considering increasing her number of Medicare patients served next year. However, to do so she must begin to use RNs for client visits, which Medicare reimburses at $45 per visit. An RN costs $35 per hour versus the current cost of $15 for an LPN or nurse’s aide. The president believes she can increase her patient visits by 15% by accepting Medicare patients. She is also aware that if she increases her Medicare patients, the company’s administrative costs will increase by approximately $10,000 per year because of the claims file complexity.

Using the Gentiva Health Services Statement of Income http://finance.yahoo.com/q/is?s=GTIV, use the following volumes for your calculations:

Volume for the year:

• Flexible budget: 6,000 visits
• Static budget: 5,945 visits
• Actual budget: 5,889 visits

Prepare a two-page report that addresses the following:

1. How many more visits will the company generate if it accepts Medicare patients?
2. What would be the estimated profit or loss associated with the Medicare service line?
3. Would you recommend that Gentiva Health Services increase its number of Medicare patients served? Why or why not?

The second task is: Business Plan

Review the quarterly report and develop a business plan for the organization for its upcoming financial year. Be sure to include the following in your organized business plan:

• Organization segment
• Marketing segment
• Financial segment
• Projected cash flow statement
• Projected income statement
• Projected balance sheet

Overview

In your final project, you will analyze an investment opportunity applying key components of advanced microeconomics theories to typical business decisions. You will assume the role of an entrepreneur, and you will conduct an analysis focusing on an investment opportunity of your choice. In your analysis you will carefully evaluate key factors influencing the demand for the product, cost and supply issues, the role of market structure, and competitive analysis on firm strategy. You will also analyze the effects of government regulations and market intervention on potential profitability, and you will use price and non-price strategies to support product introduction. Using the above analyses, the last step in your final project requires you to model the potential financial viability of the proposed new product using approximate figures. You will determine whether or not to recommend investing in the development and commercialization of the investment opportunity to your business partners.

 

Prompt

In task 4-4, you will evaluate variables specific to production and resource costs for the improvement of organizational costs for the investment opportunity chosen for your final project. In this milestone, you will submit a 2–3-page paper that analyzes your investment opportunity production and resources factors by costs, constraints, and effects of technology. Your paper should include the following:

 

• Costs: Assess what key non-price variables could be expected to affect production costs of the new product. How can these aspects be leveraged to effect efficient methods of production and acquisition of resources to improve upon organizational costs?

 

• Constraints: Assess constraints that could affect future production and costs. How can these aspects be leveraged to effect efficient methods of production and acquisition of resources to improve upon organizational costs?

 

• Effects: Assess the effect of potential technology changes on production, costs, or competition. How can these aspects be leveraged to effect efficient methods of production and acquisition of resources to improve upon organizational costs?

 

Overview

In your final project, you will analyze an investment opportunity applying key components of advanced microeconomics theories to typical business decisions. You will assume the role of an entrepreneur, and you will conduct an analysis focusing on an investment opportunity of your choice. In your analysis you will carefully evaluate key factors influencing the demand for the product, cost and supply issues, the role of market structure, and competitive analysis on firm strategy. You will also analyze the effects of government regulations and market intervention on potential profitability, and you will use price and non-price strategies to support product introduction. You will then evaluate the potential financial viability of the proposed new product using approximate figures and determine whether or not to recommend investing in the development and commercialization of the investment opportunity to your business partners.

 

Prompt

In task 7-2 you will evaluate the market structure and influences on firm strategies and profitability for the investment opportunity chosen for your final project. You will also evaluate the effects of government regulation and intervention that may affect your business. For example, this is where you would discuss how well the market operates and include examples of aspects market performance specific to your selection. Is it efficient? Does it produce good outcomes? Why or one why not?

 

In this milestone, you will submit a 3-5 page paper that includes the following:

 

1. Market Structure:
2. Market Competition: What is the existing and potential market competition? How do these companies affect the firm’s strategies and profitability? This is where you would discuss the type of competitors, number of competitors, and barriers to entry.
3. Firm Strategies: What are potential price and non-price strategies that the firm might use and what are their relationships to the market structure? For example, discuss a strategy that would support the success of your product. Depending on how the industry is structured you might discuss how it is consistent with the market structure. Perhaps you would address how it is different. Once you address this, you would discuss how your choice provides an advantage in the market.
4. Effects of Regulation and Intervention:
5. Policies: Identify policies or regulations at the local, state, or national level that could potentially affect your business. What are the reasons for these policies or regulations?
6. Effects of Intervention: How do these policies or regulations affect your ability to compete and profitably operate in your business? Include examples specific to aspects of market performance to support your conclusions. For example, some forms of regulation, such as patent protection, may afford more profit opportunities while others, such as environmental regulations, may add to your costs.

 

 

 

Review a court case related to the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, or Safe Drinking Water Act. Then, write a case study of at least two full pages in length. Please discuss the following:

 

 

the court case

why and when it occurred

the outcome

how the outcome impacted future interpretation of the act

personal thoughts about the court case

 

The case study should be written in paragraph form and at least two pages in length. It does not require a title page or a running header; however, please double space, use 12 point Times New Roman font, and cite your sources and references in APA style.

Evidence-based medicine (EBM), previously translational medicine, can be defined as improving care based on empirical research and/or hands-on practice. The EBM’s approach is based on either direct patient care (bottom-up) or an experiment translated into guidelines (top-down).  EBM is used in either in conjunction or as quality assessment tool(s) for continuous quality improvement (CQI). The healthcare leader must utilize the evidence to promote healthcare quality.

• Explain the process of evidence-based analysis.
• Highlight the major players and their roles in EBM policy (i.e., government, providers, patients, etc.).
• Explain the EBM “Levels of Evidence” as defined in your course text.
• Review the case “Constraints of the ACA on Evidence-Based Medicine.”
• Provide a written analysis of the case “Constraints of the ACA on Evidence-Based Medicine” in Chapter 9 of your textbook. (Utilize the  “Levels of  Evidence and Grades of  Recommendations” as defined by the National Guideline) Clearinghouse.
• Summarize the policy of EBM in your conclusion.

Your paper

• Must be 4 to 6 double-spaced pages in length (not including title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined .
• Must include a separate title page with the following:
  • Title of paper
  • Student’s name
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Date submitted
• Must use at least four scholarly sources in addition to the course text.
• Must document all sources in APA style as outlined

Task

Write a JAVA program that would facilitate text chatting/exchanging between two or multiple computers over the network/internet, using the concept of JAVA socket programming. If you do not have any network environment, you can run on a single machine by instantiating your program multiple times. E.g. you can have program1 and program 2 running on same machine exchanging texts between themselves.

Rationale

This assignment is designed to asses following learning outcomes:

• be able to write programs that would communicate with another program running in the network;
• be able to deconstruct/analyse the object-oriented features of a Java program;

You are probably use to seeing starbucks coffee shops everywhere that you might not realize that the

company went from 11 stores in 1987 to 2,600 in the year of 2000. This incredibly rapid growth sprang form the company’s ability to create a unique experience for customers who wanted to buy this dietint brand of lattes and mochas where ever they found themselves. At Starbucks’ core, there was a culture of treating each customer as a valued guest who should feel comfortable relaxing and taking in the ambience . Whether you were in the company’s founding location in Seattle, Washington, or at the other end of the country in Miami, Flordia, you knew what to espect when you went to a Starbucks. This uniform culture was truly put to the test in the face of massive expansion, however, and by 2006 Starbucks chairman and former CEO Howard Schultz knew something had gone wrong.  He noted that  “As I visit hundreds of Starbucks store in the cities around the world, the enterpreneurial merchant in me sensed that something intrinsic to Starbucks’ brand was missing. An aura. A sprit. The stores were lacking a certain soul.” Starbucks’ performance has become lackluster, with hundreds of planned store opening being cnacled and hundreds more store being closed.

 

So, Schultz too the dramatic step of coming back as CEO and engaging ina companywide effort to change the corporate culture back to what it had been before its expansion. All 7,000 Starbucks store were closed for a single afternoon as part of training effort of 135,000 baristas. Quality control was a primany mission; baristas were instructed to pour every glass of espresso like honey from a spoon, to preserve the flavor. This emphasis on quality over speed ran counter to the principles of mass production, but it was just what the company needed to ensure ot could retain its culture. Espresso machines that obscured the customers’ view were replaced with lower profile machines that allowed baristas to look directly at the guest while making beverages. And ” assembly-line production,” like making several drinks at once, was discouraged in favor of slowly making each drink for each customer.

 

Schultz is convinced his efforts to take culture back to its roots as a neighborhood coffee shop-one embraced with the :romabce of coffee” and treating every customer as an old friend- has saved the company. Today, Starbucks earns more than $3.6 billion in quarterly revenue and operates more than 18,000 store in 60 countires around the globe.

 

Prompt: Respond to the following questions based on the case study “Incident One: Starbucks Returns to Its Roots,” in Chapter 18 of Organizational Behavior.

 

 a. Evaluate the paradigm shift from pre-modern (industrial) to this postmodern organizational perspective to identify any current ideas applicable to the Starbuck’s case study in shifting from a task-oriented perceived culture to a people oriented culture. Is this a growing trend in organizations today? Is the external culture (e.g. customers) becoming expectant to these behavioral changes?

 

b. What assumptions related to postmodern organizational theory applies to the Starbuck’s case study. Are the needs shifting to not allow for the pre-modern organizational model? Is there an assumption both internal and external in the ‘correct’ organizational model, if so, what are the perceptions and behaviors that drive this? What cultural shifts have occurred that are influencing these assumptions and expectations?

 

c. Postmodern theory involves the human aspect of an organization. Organizational theory has evolved over the last several decades, beginning at an Industrial perspective which was a mass production focus to this postmodern theory where such leadership focus is on Servant Leadership, Collaborative Leadership, and others. This postmodern theory involves a more people-centric dynamic that draws upon the resource of its human capital. So if the postmodern theory is about the human capital within an organization does the case study conflict or agrees with the postmodern theory?

 

d. What organizational model/structure would you select for the new vision of the Starbuck’s CEO?

 

Format: This assignment should follow these formatting guidelines: 250 to 500 words, double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and citations in APA format

Government and nonprofit leaders encounter ethical dilemmas regularly as they perform their duties. When leaders do not address ethical dilemmas appropriately, dilemmas become ethical breaches with possible dire consequences. For instance, former President Bill Clinton encountered an ethical dilemma upon meeting intern Monica Lewinsky and considering whether or not to pursue a personal relationship with her. When he decided to pursue a personal relationship with her, he committed an ethical breach. Some ethical dilemmas and breaches may be considered more subtle. Consider a seemingly minor incident such as a mayor using a city vehicle to run a personal errand or contracting family for high-paying city jobs. Understanding the full range of potential ethical dilemmas and considering the consequences of ethical breaches are the first steps to being a strong government or nonprofit leader.

 

Focus on the ethical challenges facing government leaders.

 

Identify a contemporary ethical dilemma that you heard or read about in the news confronting either a government or nonprofit leader.

 

Think about the nature and severity of the ethical dilemma and why it might be considered an ethical breach.

 

Submit 150 – 500 word response: Due by Thursday 10/15/15 a brief description of the government or nonprofit leader and the ethical dilemma he or she is confronting. Then explain the nature and severity of the ethical dilemma and why it might be considered an ethical breach. Finally, explain the actual or potential consequences of that ethical breach to the leader.

 

Journal

 

Think about when you have faced a difficult ethical dilemma in your own life. Explain how and why you made the choice that you did. Having the benefit of hindsight, would you make the same choice today? (1 page)

 

Support your work with specific citations from the Learning Resources. You are allowed to draw from additional sources to support your explanation, but you must cite using APA standards. All quoted material must be identified, cited, and referenced per APA standards.

 

Assignment 1: Not All Companies Are Viewed as Equal

In the land of free trade, the public does not view all industries as equal. Do you believe that is ethical? Do you believe that some industries are unfairly targeted? Should it be consumers’ choice to partake in products that are not healthy for them, or do those companies have an ethical obligation to protect people? In this assignment, you will choose one (1) industry to write about. Possible industries to research could be tobacco, soda, alcohol, casinos, or candy companies, just to name a few.

Write a one and a half to two (1½ – 2) page paper in which you:

1. Become an advocate for either the consumer or the industry. Prepare an argument explaining the major reasons why you support either the consumer or the industry.
2. Explain the role capitalism plays in corporate decision making.
3. Discuss if you believe it is possible for a company to cater to both its best interest and that of the consumer conjointly or if one always has to prevail. Justify your response.
4. Use at least two (2) quality references. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as academic resources.
5. Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
   1. Typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
   2. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, your name, your professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
   3. Include a reference page. Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Determine the considerations for and process of ethical business decision making to balance corporate and social responsibilities, and address moral, economic, and legal concerns.
• Analyze selected business situations using the predominant ethical theories, such as utilitarian, Kantian, and virtue ethics to guide ethical business decision making.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in business ethics.
• Write clearly and concisely about business ethics using proper writing mechanics.