Author: chris

 

Read the following article:

• Baye, M. R., Gatti, J., Rupert J., Kattuman, P., & Morgan, J. (2007). A dashboard for online pricing, California Management Review, 50(1), 202–216. (AN 27337872).

Write an article review answering the following questions:

• What are the main ideas of the article?

• Based on your own knowledge, experience, and readings, do you agree or disagree with the ideas in the article? Explain.

• How will you apply the ideas in this article to your course project?

 

At the beginning of the online era, many pundits—including The Economist—concluded that the online retail industry was an unpromising one for firms seeking competitive advantage: The explosive growth of the Internet promises a new age of perfectly competitive markets. With perfect information about prices and products at their fingertips, consumers can quickly and easily find the best deals. In this brave new world, retailers’ profit margins will be competed away, as they are all forced to price at cost.1 Things have not quite turned out the way the The Economist predicted. Prices have not been driven to marginal cost—indeed, the “law of one price” does not hold in online markets.2 Moreover, major players with identifiable brands and pricing power over consumers, such as Amazon, have emerged from the sea of competitors in both U.S. and European online markets. What innovations in pricing strategy are required for a firm to be successful in an e-retail market? This article uses insights gleaned from five cases studies of pricing in online markets to highlight several innovative pricing strategies for e-retailers. The cases are drawn from the experiences of online retailers at the price comparison site, Kelkoo. A subsidiary of Yahoo!, Kelkoo boasts over 4 million visits per month from consumers within the UK alone, and price listings by over 4,000 retailers, including more than 40 of the 50 largest Internet retailers in the UK. It is the largest price comparison site in all of Europe. Based on the lessons drawn from the cases, we offer a “dashboard” for online pricing—a set of tools for assessing (and possibly reshaping) pricing strategies in the highly dynamic online environment. While our focus is on innovative pricing strategies for online markets, the prerequisites for competitive advantage in offline markets are still operative in online space.3 Brand recognition, firm reputation, and store location (placement on the screen) are important to a successful online business. However there are unique features of online markets that necessitate innovations relative to traditional offline markets, and it is important to assess how these features impact successful online pricing strategies. The online marketplace differs from physical markets in a number of significant respects. One of the most important differences is the ease with which online consumers and rival retailers may access comparative information about seller characteristics and prices.4 The fact that search engines, shopbots, and price comparison sites provide both consumers and firms with a wealth of information—merely at the cost of a click—is a two-edged sword. While consumer access to price information tends to sharpen price competition, firms’ access to this information creates opportunities for innovative pricing strategies that are not generally feasible (or even necessary) in offline markets. Online customers often search at the product level rather than by store. By the time a consumer is ready to make a purchase, she will likely have compared a variety of attributes, including prices, at alternative e-retail outlets. This fundamentally changes the nature of competition faced by e-retailers, who increasingly compete at the individual product level rather than across broad product categories. Consumers are much more selective in online markets. Accordingly, specialization in the provision of niche products, where competition may be weaker, can be a profitable strategy in online markets. Thus, in contrast to offline markets, pricing and yield management strategies in online markets must be product specific. For offline firms looking to tap into online markets, a fundamental rethinking of time-honored pricing policies—such as applying the same markup to similar products sold at the store—is required. The timing and tailoring of prices to specific models of products is the key to successful pricing in online markets. In online markets, it is technically feasible—even strategically desirable—to frequently change the prices of individual products. With the tempo of price changes by competitors being measured in days rather than weeks, price management requires a dashboard to monitor and respond to the dynamic nature of online markets.

 

To summarize, online markets are considerably more fluid than their offline counterparts because consumers are increasingly searching for specific models of products. Additionally, the number of rivals selling a particular product—and their prices—change almost daily. Further adding to the dynamics, for many products sold online the pace of technological change translates into dramatically shortened product life cycles. A one-size-fits-all pricing policy, prescribed from on high, is unlikely to yield satisfactory results in online markets. Successful e-retailers use a variety of innovative, dynamic, and product-specific pricing strategies.

 

Imagine you are the chief of police. As the chief of police, you will need to ensure that your law enforcement officers lead ethical careers. In order to prepare for this assignment, review Chapters 7 through 9 in the textbook. Then, research Kohlberg’s stages of moral development and find at least two (2) relevant articles that discuss Kohlberg’s theory, Means vs. Ends, and Kantian ethics.

 

Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you:

1. Identify and discuss the three (3) levels of Kohlberg’s stages of Moral Development, and explain how you would address each level within your department.
2. Explain how your officers can use Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development to evaluate three (3) types of criminals who are at different stages of moral development.
3. Illustrate two to three (2-3) ways in which you would address self-interest and pursuit of pleasure to prevent police corruption.
4. Identify and discuss at least three (3) Prima Facie Duties that you believe all of your law enforcement officers should fulfill.
5. Support your position statement with two (2) relevant and credible references, documented according to latest edition of APA. (Note: Do not use open source sites such as Ask.com, eHow.com, Answers.com, and Wikipedia.)

 

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 format (latest edition). Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page developed in accordance with the latest edition of APA, including a running head, page number, the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page, revision of the previous assignment, and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

 

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Recommend ways to use ethics to improve decision making in the criminal justice system.
• Analyze various philosophical approaches for ethical decision making, and the effectiveness and limits of each approach for making ethical choices.
• Analyze basic questions about morality, norms, and values.
• Examine the concepts and effectiveness of reward and punishment.
• Explain why and how the concept of justice is important to the field of criminal justice.
• Explain Kohlberg’s moral development stages and how they can be applied to issues in criminal justice.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in ethics and leadership in criminal justice.
• Write clearly and concisely about ethics and leadership in criminal justice using proper writing mechanics.

Capacity management in businesses is a function of their operations and environment. In today’s business world, evaluating and managing capacities is becoming significantly more difficult. Therefore, managers need to do a balancing act to reduce costs and effectively utilize available capacities.

Write your initial response in 200 to 300 words. Give examples in support of your responses, be sure to include numerical examples where required. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

Then respond to the following:

• Which type of operation has a more difficult time managing capacities: an environment supporting standardized products or one supporting customized products? Why? State your reason(s) and provide examples.

 

Assignment 2: Evaluation of Business Operations

Scenario

You are the human resources (HR) manager for a public organization and you are conducting a New Hire Orientation session for all new employees. Last week, you analyzed the organization, including its strengths and weaknesses, as well as its mission, vision, goals, and objectives. This week, you have been asked to give a presentation on the business operations of the organization.

Instructions

Refer to the report you prepared on the organization for M1: Assignment 3.

Develop a PowerPoint presentation that accomplishes the following:

1. Create a diagram of the organizational structure showing the hierarchy and chain of command.
2. Develop a flowchart that analyzes the steps of the organization’s business processes.
3. Conduct a capacity analysis of the location(s) and logistics. Your capacity analysis should address both short- and long-term implications regarding all aspects of the business process, including storage, production, processes, costs, and accessibility.

Develop a PowerPoint presentation. In addition to the slides, include a detailed outline in the speaker notes section explaining the content on each slide. Be sure to support your responses using at least two scholarly sources from the Argosy University online library resources or the Internet. Cite the sources for your information.

Make sure your presentation adheres to the following Presentation Guidelines:

• Create a presentation that is professional and visually appealing.
• Include a combination of text and graphics.
• Do not write out your entire presentation on the slides. Use bullet points of keywords and short phrases instead of long sentences and paragraphs.
• Create your presentation (slides and speaker notes) using language that can be easily understood by the intended audience.
• Use APA formatting for your slides and Speaker Notes (outline).

Write in a clear, concise, and organized manner. Your response should demonstrate ethical scholarship in appropriate and accurate representation and attribution of sources (i.e., APA); and display accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

 

Leadership and Diversity

Imagine you are a midlevel manager in a large organization in the city of Detroit. Recently, your department has been cited for lacking the level of diversity the organization would like to see across departments. You are currently looking to hire an accounts manager. Two men apply for the position. Both hold bachelor’s degrees from state colleges and have the same amount of experience relating to this position. One candidate is African American and one is Caucasian. While both candidates received positive references, the references for the Caucasian candidate were stronger and more enthusiastic.

 

Review the scenario above and think about which candidate you would hire and why.

 

Explain the personal values and ethical guidelines that informed your choice. Justify why you selected one candidate over the other.

 

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.

 

• Describe Your Own Environment

  Consider the natural environment or biome found in the geographic area where you currently live. For example, if you live in the Midwest, the natural biome for this area is the grassland. If you live in Alaska you are likely to live in either the tundra or the boreal forest. Describe the main features of the biome found in your geographic area. Include features such as the environment (moisture, temperature) and any topographic features that would influence the climate (mountains, large bodies of water, etc.).

• Identify Ten Organisms

  Make a list identifying at least ten organisms—at least five plants and five animals—that live in your biome, and describe how these organisms interact with one another. For example, is the relationship competitive or symbiotic?

• Describe Each Organism and its Environmental Needs

  In the speaker notes section in your presentation, briefly describe these ten organisms and the type of conditions—that is, moisture, warm temperatures, or a type of plant—they need in order to survive. Be sure to include the interactions between these organisms and the resources they need to survive. You may wish to use various tools available in Microsoft PowerPoint to visually depict these relationships.

• Hypothesis of a New Environment

  Consider a situation where the temperature of the climate was to increase by an average of ten degrees Celsius. Address the following:

  • How would these organisms survive if the temperature warmed up this much?
  • Would they stay or move to a more suitable environment?
  • Would a new species move in?
  • How would migratory species be impacted?
  • What would happen to your biome?

  Now, consider if your biome changes with the temperature shift. Address the following:

  • What types of plants and animals do you think would live there?
  • What will happen to the rarer species? Will they cease to exist?
  • Identify five plants and five animals that you feel would inhabit this warmer area.
  • Describe this new ecosystem and the new interactions that will most likely exist.
• Additional Topics to Include
  • How would environmental management practices change in your area?
  • Would this drastic shift in temperature impact culture and society in your area?
  • Would you still choose to live in this area after a drastic shift in temperature? Give reasons to support your answer.

Use pictures from the Internet to represent your chosen species, and give credit to these Web sites. Support your statements with 3–5 credible sources. Use the last slide of your presentation as a reference slide.

Discussion 1

A project manager needs to understand the importance of the acquisition of capital goods. There are many choices for capital good procurement, including buying or leasing new equipment, or buying used equipment. Describe an example from the text or your personal professional experience where your project or organization had to procure capital goods for strategic reasons.  What was the type of equipment (new, used) and how was it purchased?

 

 

Discussion 2

 

Suitability and reliability are two examples of quality in terms of buying materials, goods or services.  Provide an example of a “best buy” from your professional experience where quality aspects were not met in accordance to the text definition of quality dimensions. What aspect of quality could be improved for future projects? Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings.

 

 

Students, please view the “Submit a Clickable Rubric Assignment” video in the Student Center.

Instructors, training on how to grade is within the Instructor Center.

Assignment 2: Aggression and Violence in the Media

 

Reflect on two to three (2-3) TV shows in which characters demonstrate aggression or violence. Consider the context in which this aggression or violence occurred and ways in which it can lead to desensitization.

Write a one to two (1-2) page paper in which you:

Briefly describe at least one (1) episode of a television show in which you observed aggression or violence.
Identify the context in which the character(s) demonstrated aggression or violence. Include the gender, age, and culture of the character(s) involved in the aggressive or violent act(s).
Discuss at least two (2) possible reasons why the selected TV episode included aggression or violence. Provide a rationale for your response.
Describe at least two (2) ways that media violence can cause desensitization in people. Justify your response.

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. 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 is not included in the required assignment page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

Develop an increased understanding of the dynamic between society and individuals.
Use technology and information resources to research issues in social psychology.
Write clearly and concisely about

Please note that you will still be required to submit a written assignment in Week Eight. The “final” essay is not the last essay required in this class***

Final Exam Paper:

In at least 1000 words typed in proper APA format (including a 12-point font, double spacing, a title page, a reference page, in-text citations, a running header, page numbers, and an abstract page), you will write a review on any psychological disorder (can be an anxiety disorder, a mood disorder, a personality disorder, a somatoform disorder, a dissociative disorder, or even schizophrenia) of your choice.

One friendly piece of advice here is to choose a specific disorder versus a category of disorders. For example, instead of trying to do your essay on all personality disorders, you might choose just one personality disorder, such as avoidant personality disorder. That should make the paper more manageable.

First, you should discuss what the disorder is (general description, types if different types exist, symptoms), and how one gets the disorder (possible causes, risk factors).

Second, you should choose four of the perspectives listed in the textbook–psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral, cognitive, group, biological–and discuss how a psychologist/doctor from each perspective would treat a patient with your disorder.

Part of this assignment will require you to enter the Grantham library. You should consider contacting the librarian (well before the due date) for help if you do not understand what peer-reviewed sources are or if you do not understand how to use the library functionally at Grantham.

You must include two peer-reviewed sources from an electronic journal within your essay, using at least some information from each of these sources within your writing. These sources should come from the Grantham library. You may use other resources, but at least two of your sources must come from the library and be peer-reviewed sources.

Your assignment should be at least 1000 words in length and should be presented in APA format, including a title page, in-text citations, a running header, page numbers, double spacing, and a reference page. Your assignment should use terms/references directly from the chapter, and all extra outside research must be properly cited.

 

1. “If management treats employees well, pays them a fair wage, communicates with them, and ensures that they have a safe and healthy work environment, there is no need for a union.” Do you agree or disagree with the statement? Explain your position.

 

 

 

1. What is the rationale for health care organizations’ adoption of strategic management?

    

   Leadership in Health Care

    

2. Explain the importance of measurement and developing criteria for efficiency, effectiveness, performance, efficacy, and quality in health organizations. Why is this important to health leader evaluation?

    

    

3. Appraise and defend a “perfect” health leader by explaining the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of that “perfect” leader. Is this similar to the type of leader you want to be? Why or why not?

Imagine you are the chief of police. As the chief of police, you will need to ensure that your law enforcement officers lead ethical careers. In order to prepare for this assignment, review Chapters 7 through 9 in the textbook. Then, research Kohlberg’s stages of moral development and find at least two (2) relevant articles that discuss Kohlberg’s theory, Means vs. Ends, and Kantian ethics.

 

Write a two to three (2-3) page paper in which you:

1. Identify and discuss the three (3) levels of Kohlberg’s stages of Moral Development, and explain how you would address each level within your department.
2. Explain how your officers can use Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development to evaluate three (3) types of criminals who are at different stages of moral development.
3. Illustrate two to three (2-3) ways in which you would address self-interest and pursuit of pleasure to prevent police corruption.
4. Identify and discuss at least three (3) Prima Facie Duties that you believe all of your law enforcement officers should fulfill.
5. Support your position statement with two (2) relevant and credible references, documented according to latest edition of APA. (Note: Do not use open source sites such as Ask.com, eHow.com, Answers.com, and Wikipedia.)

 

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 format (latest edition). Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page developed in accordance with the latest edition of APA, including a running head, page number, the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page, revision of the previous assignment, and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

 

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Recommend ways to use ethics to improve decision making in the criminal justice system.
• Analyze various philosophical approaches for ethical decision making, and the effectiveness and limits of each approach for making ethical choices.
• Analyze basic questions about morality, norms, and values.
• Examine the concepts and effectiveness of reward and punishment.
• Explain why and how the concept of justice is important to the field of criminal justice.
• Explain Kohlberg’s moral development stages and how they can be applied to issues in criminal justice.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in ethics and leadership in criminal justice.
• Write clearly and concisely about ethics and leadership in criminal justice using proper writing mechanics.