Author: chris

Please choose from one (1) of the scenarios below. Note: The scenario that you choose in this assignment will be the one (1) with which you continue for Assignment 2.

Scenario 1

You are a Human Resources Manager of an expanding technology company consisting of 170 employees that develops and distributes small electronic devices. Over the past two (2) years, a research group formed, designed, and built prototypes of small remote surveillance cameras used for security. Recently, your company won a contract to build and provide these remote surveillance cameras to various government agencies. The contract will begin with your company supplying these cameras to agencies within your home state. If all orders are fulfilled sufficiently, the contract will be expanded to supplying agencies outside of your home state.

For the immediate future, you will need to secure a larger facility and hire more staff to sustain the first part of the contract. This staff will consist of ten (10) Assembly Technicians, one (1) Certified Quality Control Engineer, one (1) Contract Administrator, and one (1) Office Support Paraprofessional. Meanwhile, there is a contract clause requiring that you provide a staffing plan in order to ensure future product deliveries and sustain the possible future growth.

Scenario 2

You are a former certified education administrator who departed your former position to become the owner of a small, in-home day care consisting of you and a part-time assistant where you care for children from age three (3) to age ten (10). Over the course of time, your demographic population has increased due to significant business growth that has resulted in many families relocating to your area. With more businesses projected to move to the area and the building of new housing developments, it is projected that this growth could be long term.

You have decided that this is a good opportunity to expand your day care business as you have received many inquiries for childcare. In order to comply with your home state regulations, you will require a larger facility and will need to hire additional staff in order to sustain the larger demand for day care. This staff will consist of five (5) Certified Day Care Professionals, one (1) Registered Nurse Professional, five (5) After-School Assistants and one (1) Office Support Paraprofessional. You have secured approval for a bank loan and qualify for future loans for future expansion if your current endeavor is successful. Meanwhile, the state in which you operate has requested that you provide a staffing plan before it will issue licensure for your expanded capacity.

Note: You may create and / or make all necessary assumptions needed for the completion of these assignments.

Select one (1) of the scenarios and write a four to five (4-5) page paper in which you:

1. Identify two (2) types of staffing models that could apply to your chosen scenario and determine which model would be best suited for efficiency, productivity, and possible future growth. Examine the significant effect of each identified staffing model on processes that may be occurring within the organization (e.g., outsourcing, contingent workers, consulting firms, etc.).
2. Predict the major potential legal issues that you may encounter when establishing equal employment opportunities and diversity within the workplace while still aiming to acquire employees with the needed certifications and credentials. Next, explain the method of achieving transparency within your staffing model. Justify your response.
3. Specify three (3) tasks that you need to perform to identify, analyze, and develop job requirements and task statements that you will include in formalized job descriptions. Next, predict the frequency with which you would need to review and adjust these job descriptions as your company progresses. Provide a rationale for your response.
4. Describe three (3) methods to deal with high employee turnover and the availability of employees with required knowledge, skills, or abilities. Next, describe the primary manner in which the described succession-planning methods would be beneficial to your company. Justify your response.
5. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• 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 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 assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Explain the role of staffing to support an organization’s strategy and improve productivity.
• Develop a model for staffing an organization that supports the firm’s Human Resources Management strategy and sustains productive operations.
• Summarize the key legal compliance issues associated with staffing organizations.
• Explain the planning considerations for staffing organizations, the use of job analysis, and the components of a staffing plan.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in staffing organizations.
• Write clearly and concisely about staffing organizations using proper writing mechanics.

Select an organization and prepare a strategic plan to grow the business over the next three years. Your strategic plan must include the following:

• Describe your organization’s history, products, and major competitors.
• Explain the current situation of the organization in the market.
• Conduct a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and trends) to determine areas that offer opportunities for change.
• Choose at least three areas from your SWOT analysis and explain why the areas you have chosen are essential to your strategic plan. Use theories and examples from your text and additional sources to support your rationale.
• Explain your method to measure the success of your strategic plan.

Your paper must be EIGHT PAGES in length (excluding the title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style guidelines as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. In addition, you must use at least three scholarly sources, in addition to the text. Remember to incorporate information that you have learned from this course as well as your personal experience.

Your Final Project

• Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include a title page with the following:
  • Title of paper
  • Student’s name
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Date submitted
• Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.
• Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought. If possible, provide the context of a first-person experience where you saw this academic concept in operation.
• Must conclude with a restatement of the thesis and a conclusion paragraph.
• Must use APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center to document all sources.
• Must include a separate reference page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Continue to use the organization you selected for your final project in Week 1. This week, you are being placed on a ten-person virtual team. You are quite excited and want yourself and the team to be very successful. You decide that prior to the team getting started on the project, you want to do some research that will help you identify ways to make your virtual team most effective. You may need to create hypothetical details about the team and its purpose on the basis of what you know of the organization you selected for the final project.

On the basis of your research, write a paper addressing the following:

• Assess the purpose of the team and the contribution of key members to team purpose.
• Analyze four to six potential problems that virtual teams typically face. Is the hypothetical team you described susceptible to these problems? What specific problems might it develop?
• Justify four to six viable solutions to make your team effective, including why these solutions will work.

Provide at least three sources and cite them appropriately throughout your paper.

Submission Details:

• Present a 5- to 6-page paper in a Microsoft Word document formatted in APA style.
• On a separate page, cite at least three sources using APA format

Emotion and Social Cognition
Social psychologists have long studied the relationship between emotion (affect) and cognition, and there are many studies which demonstrate that emotion does indeed impact social cognitive functioning. For example, emotion can impact attention, judgments and decisions, cognitive processing/flexibility, perceptions of morality, and stereotypes/prejudice. Not only does emotion impact social cognitive functioning, but research also indicates that emotion, itself, is a social construction wherein social factors influence emotional response and emotional responses have social ramifications.

For this Discussion, select a peer reviewed article from the Walden Library which studies emotion (affect) and its impact on social cognition, including but not limited to attention, judgments, decisions, cognitive processing, flexibility, perceptions of morality, and stereotypes and prejudice. Based upon the article you selected, consider whether or not emotion is a social construction.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 3 a brief summary of the peer-reviewed article you selected from the library (include the key variables, the design, and the main findings). Then, post an argument for or against the notion that emotion is a social construction. Use the article you selected to support your argument and include any connections between emotions and social cognition.

 Impact of Mood on Decision Making
The awareness of moods and emotions provides you information about your individual circumstance and about your interactions with others. This information, in turn, helps you make decisions and judgments. For example, if you were in a bad mood, you might make a global judgment regarding life satisfaction. If you were in a good mood, you might decide to sky dive from an airplane because you were feeling elated and excited to try something new. Moods and emotions greatly impact your decision-making process, and it is important to understand this connection.

For this Discussion, review the media titled Social Cognition and Affect, and consider why the person in the video made the decisions he or she did and what impact moods and emotions may have had on his or her decisions.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 a brief explanation of three possible reasons why the person in the media made his or her decision. Be specific. Then, explain two ways mood/emotion may have impacted this person’s decision. Finally, describe one life or death situation and explain how mood/emotion could impact decision making in this situation.

 

 

Directions:

• Read the case study provided and identify all three of the ethical dilemmas presented.
• Describe the nature and all dimensions of the three ethical issues.
• Identify the ethical code numbers and definitions of each issue presented using both the APA and ACA codes.
• Discuss alternative courses of action that could be taken by the counselor to rectify each dilemma.
• Describe the implications of each alternative action; lay out the limitations and advantages of each alternative considered.
• Choose one course of action and provide a justification for this selection.
• Describe the ethical decision-making model (from your course materials) you used throughout the process to arrive at a final decision (i.e., Forrester-Miller and Davis). Make sure you outline each step.

You will be graded on the process you used to arrive at your recommendations and the reasoning behind picking a specific recommendation (and not the actual recommendation itself).

You should utilize and cite at least two peer-reviewed journal articles to include in your research.

The body of the paper should be no less than 5 pages in length. Your paper should be double-spaced, in 12 point Times New Roman font, with normal 1-inch margins, written in APA style, and free of typographical and grammatical errors. It should include a title page with a running head, an abstract, and a reference page.

case study

James is a community counseling student who is interning with the College Counseling Center at the

local university. James is a 25 year-old Caucasian male, who attended a private high school in a small

rural town. In terms of being a counselor, James admits that one of his challenges is that he has not

experienced much diversity in his relationships. He states that this is not a significant issue because he

plans on opening a private practice in his hometown as soon as he graduates. Since he “knows the town”

he doesn’t feel that this is a big deal. Also, in terms of finding clients, James states that he is sure he will

be able to get referrals because his father works for the town newspaper and will run an ad as soon as he

moves home.

James admits he has no clinical experience but is pleased, upon arriving at his internship site, to see that

his ex-girlfriend is going to be his assigned clinical supervisor. Since they have not seen each other in

years, James figures that meeting once a week will give them a good opportunity to catch up on “old

times”. James also figures that she could continue to supervise him in private practice until he receives his

license. James is relieved because he knows she won’t mind, since he will be graduating in nine months,

if he puts her credential, Licensed Professional Counselor, after his name since she is supervising him.

After discussing private practice, James asks his ex-girlfriend if he can begin to see clients right away

because he is anxious to get experience and begin working on his practice. Since she figured he would be

a pretty good counselor, she agreed and paired him up with Lisa, a 21 year-old Latina female.

During the first session, James was running late and was unable to fully cover all of the intake

documents with Lisa. He put them aside and said, “We don’t really need to review these. It is just

paperwork required by the Center. Please sign here.” As the counseling session continued, James

thought he might have recognized symptoms associated with depression including decreased motivation,

loss of appetite and overall dissatisfaction. He thought about bringing these up with his supervisor but

forgot once he left the session.

James continued to meet with Lisa. The first few sessions focused mainly on her recent break-up with her

boyfriend and the resulting academic difficulties. She was very concerned that her career dream of

becoming a lawyer may be in jeopardy.

In the third session, Lisa casually mentioned that she began to experience depressive symptoms as a

child when her mother’s partner began to physically abuse her at the age of 5½ years. Lisa told her

mother about the abuse, but she did not intervene. Shortly after the physical abuse began, the man

began to also sexually abuse her. Once again, Lisa reported this to her mother and also to a teacher at

her school, but nothing was ever done. Lisa reported that when she was 7, she placed an unknown

prescription medication of her mother’s into this man’s alcoholic drink. Later that same day, the man

experienced a stroke and was rushed to the hospital where he later died. Lisa also reported learning that

her mother’s partner’s stroke and subsequent death were related to the combination of prescription

medication and alcohol. The client has never told anyone other than James that she had placed

medication in this man’s drink.

 For this assignment, you will complete an academic literature review of current operations management strategies with an emphasis on best practices for incorporating new and established technologies into business operations.

In completing this assignment, you will choose at least seven peer-reviewed articles from the Argosy University online library resources (beyond the required readings). You will review, analyze, and synthesize the selected materials. Later, you will use this information in RA 2 to develop a case study that details a business process reengineering (BPR) strategy for integrating IT with the goal of improving selected operational aspects of the business.

The purpose of this literature review is for you to practice the following:

• Critically review the articles and understand how the concepts are related
• Synthesize the various concepts and results of the review
• Write a collective analysis of the articles

Download and review the following resources you will need to complete the literature review:

• Suggestions for Writing Effective and Organized Papers: Use this guide for help with structuring the content of your paper in a cohesive manner.
• APA Quick Reference Sheet: Refer to this resource for help with APA style regarding in-text citations, reference entries, and paper formatting.
• Review of the Literature: Apply the concepts in this document when writing your review of the literature.

Complete the following:

• Select at least seven peer-reviewed articles from the Argosy University online library resources (beyond the required readings) with an emphasis on the best practices for incorporating new and established technologies into business operations using BPR.
• Then, write a literature review that includes the following:
  • Provide an introduction of the context of the articles. Describe the operations management strategies.
  • Identify key themes that emerge from the selected articles.
  • Analyze the patterns of similarities and differences in how each author has presented each theme.
  • Evaluate the implications of operations management strategies on the successful management and leadership of an enterprise.

Note: A literature review is not simply a summary of the articles, but is a synthesis of the many ideas and concepts presented in the various articles.

Due Week 5 and worth 100 points

As a way of experiencing the Humanities beyond your classroom, computer, and textbook, you are asked to do a certain type of “cultural activity” that fits well with our course and then report on your experience. Your instructor will require you to propose an activity and get instructor approval before you do it and report on it (students should look for any instructions in that respect). Every effort should be made to ensure that this is a hands-on experience (not a virtual one), that this activity fits the HUM 111 class well, and that the activity is of sufficient quality for this university course. The two (2) key types of activities are a museum visit or a performance. Note: This must not be a report on the same activity (and certainly not the same report) as done for another class, like HUM 112. For instance, one might go to the same museum as done for HUM 112, but this HUM 111 report will focus on entirely different works and displays.

1. Visit a museum or gallery exhibition or attend a theater or musical performance before the end of Week 5. The activity (museum or performance) should have content that fits our course well. Have fun doing this.
2. Write a two to three (2-3) page report (500-750 words) that describes your experience.

• • Clearly identify the event location, date attended, the attendees, and your initial reaction upon arriving at the event.
  • Provide specific information and a description of at least two (2) pieces (e.g., art, exhibits, music, etc.).
  • Provide a summary of the event and describe your overall reaction after attending the event.
  • Use at least the class text as a reference (additional sources are fine, not necessary unless required by your content). Your report should include connections you make between things observed in your activity and things learned in the course and text.

Note: Submit your cultural activity choice to the instructor for approval before the end of Week 5 (earlier is even better). Look for guidance from the instructor for how or where to make your proposal. You may also seek advice from your instructor (provide your town/state or zip code) for a good activity in your general area.

 

Visiting a Museum

• It makes sense to approach a museum the way a seasoned traveler approaches visiting a city for the first time. Find out what there is available to see. In the museum, find out what sort of exhibitions are currently housed in the museum and start with the exhibits that interest you.
• If there is a travelling exhibition, it’s always a good idea to see it while you have the chance. Then, if you have time, you can look at other things in the museum.
• Every effort should be made ahead of time to identify a museum that has items and works one can easily connect to our HUM 111 class and book. Since HUM 111 covers from ancient times to the 1500s AD, it makes more sense to focus on items from that time frame. In general, museums with artistic cultural artifacts and fine arts work better than history museums.
• Any questions about whether a museum-visit activity fits the course and assignment well enough will be decided by the instructor when the student seeks approval for the activity. Any alternative activity outside the normal ones listed here, such as for those limited by disability or distance, will be determined by the instructor. Generally, we do not expect students to travel over an hour to get to an approved activity.
• Take notes as you go through the museum and accept any handouts or pamphlets that the museum staff gives you. While you should not quote anything from the printed material when you do your report, the handouts may help to refresh your memory later.
• The quality of your experience is not measured by the amount of time you spend in the galleries or the number of works of art that you actually see. The most rewarding experiences can come from finding two (2) or three (3) pieces of art or exhibits which intrigue you and then considering those works in leisurely contemplation. Most museums even have benches where you can sit and study a particular piece.
• If you are having a difficult time deciding which pieces to write about, ask yourself these questions: (1) If the museum you are visiting suddenly caught fire, which two (2) pieces of art or exhibits would you most want to see saved from the fire? (2) Why would you choose those two (2) particular pieces?

 

Attending a Performance

• Check your local colleges to see if there are any free or low-cost performances or student recitals. Student performances are generally of almost the same quality as professional performances, but typically cost much less. However, performances of high school level or lower will not meet this requirement.
• A performance that is relevant to a HUM 111 course is more difficult to find than a performance that would be relevant to HUM 112 (which covers from 1600 to the present). However, our course does cover Shakespeare and Greek tragedy and drama, so any performances of those will work. Note: One can sometimes find music performances of music from the Renaissance or Reformation period, or even earlier.
• Any questions about whether a performance activity fits the course and assignment well enough will be decided by the instructor when the student seeks approval for an activity. Any alternative activity outside the normal ones listed here, such as for those limited by disability or distance, will be determined by the instructor. Generally, we do not expect students to travel over an hour to get to an approved activity.
• Unlike visiting a museum, where you can wear almost anything, people attending performances are often expected to “dress up” a bit.
• Take a pen or pencil with you and accept the program you are offered by the usher; you will probably want to take notes on it during or after the performance.
• Turn off your cell phone before entering the auditorium. Do not use your phone to record the music or to take pictures or videos. To play it safe, turn the phone off.
• Most long musical performances have at least one (1) intermission. If the lights start blinking, it is a sign that the performance is about to begin.
• Look for very specific things (such as a particular piece of music or the way certain instruments sounded at a specific time) which tend to stand out as either enjoyable or not enjoyable. Be sure to take notes of the things which you find enjoyable as well as the things which are not enjoyable.

 

If a student is unable to attend a cultural event in person due to circumstances beyond the student’s control, then the instructor will recommend an alternate event / activity for the student to “attend” online. The “virtual” event / activity is usually only for students who, due to their physical location, cannot possibly attend an event / activity in person; typically, these students are stationed overseas or have no means of transportation. Experience shows most museums and activities are modest in cost and manageable for students, and you will often see students from other universities there on similar course projects. If you are facing financial hardship, keep in mind that many museums have a free day each week and performance discounts are often available for students and veterans, among others. Feel free to ask your instructor to help with finding low-cost options. If you believe that you have a legitimate reason for attending a “virtual” activity, you must contact the instructor no later than Week 5 for your request to be considered.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA style format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. (Note: Students can find APA style materials located in the course shell for reference).
• 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:

• Explain the importance of situating a society’s cultural and artistic expressions within a historical context.
• Examine the influences of intellectual, religious, political, and socio-economic forces on social, cultural, and artistic expressions
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in the study of world cultures.
• Write clearly and concisely about world cultures using proper writing mechanics.

Define business operations.

List the three primary functions of a business’s operations.

List the six key functions that all businesses need to address just as part of doing business

Define managing versus leading

Describe one of the major differences between leaders and managers

What are the four key factors that a newly promoted leader needs to focus on?

Identify the 4 main functions of management.

Define the role of Human Resource Management or HRM as it’s often referred to.

Explain how HRM professionals are now viewed and what their main goal is.

What is the marketing mix?

You are to write an ethical profile paper that recognizes the formative influence of your family, heroes, and personal style on you as an ethical professional. This paper will provide a profile of you in regards to your ethical and professional practice. You will be required to include information on who you are as an ethical professional, how this course has shaped your unique ethical decision-making style, and the areas in which you feel still need further development.

Include the following four sections in your paper:

1. Ethical Autobiography: First, explain how you think through and determine what is “right” and “wrong” (personally and professionally) in your own daily life. Second, identify four examples of ethical behaviors and explain how your cultural heritage has shaped your values. Third, describe the nature of the four ethical behaviors you see in yourself.
2. Professional/Ethical Hero: First, identify an ethical “hero,” an individual that has most impressed you and serves as your role model because of their professional/ethical presence (i.e., sensitivity, appropriate boundaries, and respect for privacy, ethical commitment, and ethical courage). Elaborate on his or her ethical characteristics. Discuss how this person can (or does) serve as a role model for others in the helping profession. Second, describe how this “hero” has influenced your value system. Click here to read an article on ethical hero.
3. Ethical Decision-Making Style: This section will articulate your implicit style in terms of ethical decision making. Although there are specific models that help facilitate ethical decision making, everyone has his or her own unique style. Taking into consideration the ethical decision-making models presented in this course, identify the style that reflects your early and ongoing experiences with moral values and issues that has been influenced and shaped by your parents, relatives, peers, and valued adults in your life, such as a teacher or coach. Use what you have written from your autobiography to supplement this discussion. In summary, explain your implicit ethical decision-making style, including how this course and your cultural heritage have served as influential factors.
4. Professional and Ethical Development: Ethical development is, for most, a career-long process. In the last section of your paper, please identify at least two areas discussed in this module/course where you feel you would benefit from more development. Lastly, suggest ways in which you can acquire your further development.

Please include information from two or more external scholarly references using APA formatting for all citations.

Your paper should be approximately 6–8 pages in length, be double-spaced, in 12 point, Times New Roman font with normal 1” margins; be written in APA style; and be free of typographical and grammatical errors. It should include a title page with a running head, an abstract, and a reference page.

Shared Practice: Variance Analysis

Several tools are available to managers when evaluating organizational performance. Variance analysis is one such tool used to evaluate performance. Variance analysis compares actual costs with standard costs. The results from a variance analysis are important for helping managers control costs as well as identify areas were organizational performance and efficiency can be improved.

To prepare for this Discussion: Shared Practice, review the Learning Resources for this week and reflect on how actual costs, standard costs, and variance analysis will contribute to your current or future role as a manager or in decision making. Consider the role of variances when engaged in decision making and how variance analysis might help contribute to improved organizational efficiency.

Zimmerman, J. L. (2014). Accounting for decision making and control (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

• Chapter 12, “Standard Costs: Direct Labor and Materials” (pp. 538–563)

  This chapter describes standard costs for decision making and control as well as direct labor and direct material variances.

 

Post by Day 3, the following:

• Describe a scenario in which there are both highly favorable and highly unfavorable variances. Be sure to include the actual and standard costs in your scenario.
• Analyze how and why you, as a manager, would prioritize the variances for analysis and how knowing these variances might help you improve efficiency.

Note: Your scenario should be different from those posted previously by your colleagues.