Post
Bus411 Unit 1 Discussion Latest 2017 April
Everything we do in a business environment is done with a
strategic purpose. Your taking this course is to complete a degree program and
better your opportunities for career advancement. At least for most of you. For
others it might be purely personal. So in a sense, you’re all trying to better
each other for “that” job. So moving forward, from a strategic standpoint, what
are you going to do to beat every other person in this course, out for that
job? How do you position yourself to “look better”? Or do you attack this from
the opposite side and attempt to make everyone else look just a bit worse?
Post
Bus411 Unit 2 Discussion Latest 2017 April
How much of an impact does the
“maturity” level of the industry or company have on strategy?
How can you be innovative in a mature
industry?
How can you be conservative in an
introductory/rapid growth situation?
Should you be conservative???
Back up your assertions with resources and
readings from the course, and your own research or experience.
Post
Bus411 Unit 3 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2017 April
dq 1
Detecting unethical practices at
supplier factories, to include monitoring and compliance, is a major challenge
to say the least. Yet, wages drive cost and it’s an absolute necessity to
maintain the lowest cost in production of any good. Or is it???
This week, focus on debate! Start or
select a fellow student’s side, and eitther support, or argue against, that
position. Teamwork!
But be constructive in your approach.
Discuss how important is it for
companies such as Nike and Wal-Mart that source extensively from foreign
suppliers located in countries where wages are low and substandard working
conditions are common to institute supplier codes of conduct and undertake
programs to monitor and ensure supplier compliance with these codes of conduct?
Would you recommend that a company join the Fair Labor Association and use
FLA’s standards and program of factory audits instead of trying to set up its
own supplier monitoring and compliance effort? What can a company do to detect
and combat the efforts of unscrupulous foreign suppliers to deceive
inspection/compliance teams?
dq 2
Post University in general, and
myself specifically, need your assistance. We continually strive to be better.
So here’s your chance to unload; Identify and give examples of the steps that
can be taken at the functional level to improve Post’s efficiency, product
quality, ability to innovate, and responsiveness to our customers. That is,
you! Remember however, to be practical and pragmatic. This is a business. Draw
from this week’s materials. Funding is not unlimited. This is a real world
environment, so provide real world solutions. Cite specific examples
throughout!
Post Bus411
Unit 4 Discussion Latest 2017 April
This week, you have a car to sell.
You want to purchase a new vehicle and the dealer is offering you, well, almost
nothing for the car you have now. So you’re going to sell it outright.
Describe the competitive positioning
you face and are going to take, the tradeoffs you face with differentiation,
the cost, and any pricing options you might offer. Be creative! You need the
money
Post Bus411
Unit 5 Discussion Latest 2017 April
This week we look at tailoring
business models to existing conditions and different industry environments. But
I thought that in starting a business, or in fact growing a business, you need
to “stand out” from the crowd. You need to distinguish yourself and your
business. So just how important then in your opinion, is tailoring the business
models? Select a business that that either already exists, or you would love to
start, and support your thoughts. Show us why it is, or is not, important to
tailor the models!
Post Bus411
Unit 6 Discussion Latest 2017 April
This week let’s discuss integration.
First, name a company the practices horizontal integration. Describe the
structure. Now do the same for a company vertically integrated. In your
opinion, which is better to work for? Which offers workers the better opportunity
to better yourself? Now, if you owned the business, which would you implement?
Think again about the workers opportunities. Does their betterment also mean
what’s best for your business?
Post
Bus411 Unit 7 Discussion Latest 2017 April
Are you a stakeholder in Post University?
Next week, in all your courses, you’re going
to be asked to complete your student survey. Big deal… Why should your
instructors care about what you have to say? Why should Post care about what
you have to say? What difference can you, can any stakeholder make, by
conveying your thoughts to the company you’re a stakeholder in? Is there a
better way to reach for a result or action from the company? If you own the
company, why should you listen to whatever anyone say regarding improvement for
the company you’ve poured you heart, should and monies into? Who are we to tell
you??!
Ahhh, perhaps a light goes on here? Who is a
stakeholder and why are they, and their voices, important?
Post
Bus411 Unit 8 Discussion Latest 2017 April
So we end with leadership. Which many would argue should be at
the start of any organization. What qualities and behaviors are most important
in a leader? Are manager’s leaders? Why or why not? And lastly, inevitable
you’ll be asked to name all the good qualities you want to see in a manager, or
a leader. Tell me the worst qualities you’ve actually experienced in managers
and leaders. Why do they stand in your mind? Are you a strong enough leader
yourself to employ the same tactics as you move forward in your career? Or are
managers and leaders sometimes forced to use techniques that you consider
“poor” at this point in your career?
Post
Bus411 Unit 1 Assignment Latest 2017 April
This week’s materials focus on Strategic
Thinking. This type of thinking employs the principles of Vision, Values and
Mission. Your assignment this week is to develop a classroom lecture that
details each of these principles, and notes how each affects a person’s
leadership style. You are to use, and cite, no less than 4 outside sources.
This will be in APA format and a minimum of 2 pages. That is, the BODY of your
paper is to be a minimum of 2 pages. Title pages, Abstract and resource pages
do not count to the total.
Post
Bus411 Unit 2 Assignment Latest 2017 April
Assignment: Examining Business Strategy and
the Five Forces Model: The Challenges Facing eBay; Time for Changes in
Strategy? This week we look at strategic thinking in the business environment.
Your assignment this week is to:
1. First, research, and create, a Porter’s
Five Forces Model of eBay in either Visio, Excel, of PowerPoint format. Use
external sources to assist in populating your model.
Next, report and analyze your findings,
touching on the following questions;
1. What does your five forces analysis reveal
about the nature and strength of the various competitive pressures eBay faces?
Are the competitive pressures facing eBay and other online auction company’s
conducive to earning good profits? Why or why not?
2. Based on your analysis of the industry and
eBay’s situation, what problems and issues does eBay’s top management need to
address? Which ones are top priorities?
3. What do you see as the key success factors
for firms in the online auction industry?
You are to use, and cite, no less than 3
outside sources for your report portion. This will be in APA format and a
minimum of 2 pages. That is, the BODY of your paper is to be a minimum of 2
pages. Title pages, Abstract and resource pages do not count to the total.
Post
Bus411 Unit 4 Assignment Latest 2017 April
Assignment: Finance and Operations: This week
we look at finance and operations, and apply a bit of quantitative analysis to
the effort.
Your assignment this week is to analyze
current financial ratios for a given business.
1. Think of a specific business you find
interesting.
2. Find the financial statement for that
business on the internet.
3. Now, define the following ratios, note the
ratio for your business, and explain the financial health of the company when
looking where the company is financially compared to its competitors.
a) Return on Capital
b) Gross Margin
c) SG&A Margin
d) Total Debt/Equity
e) Total Revenue
f) Gross Profit
Post
Bus411 Unit 5 Assignment Latest 2017 April
Assignment: Your business strategy in the
Global Environment This week’s materials focus on your innovations and
creativity in a global environment.
Congratulations! You have just started a new
business!
Your assignment this week is to:
1. First tell me what your new business is. Do
you provide a service, or a product? Define this business you’ve spent so much
time dreaming of starting.
2. Next develop a PEST Analysis as the first
part of the paper.
3. Finally, describe how you’re going to grow
this business in the global environment.
Parts 1 and 2 will be a Word Doc. APA
formatting is NOT required. You are to use, and cite, no less than 2 outside
sources. Minimum of 2 pages. That is, the BODY of your paper is to be a minimum
of 2 pages. Title pages, Abstract and resource pages do not count to the total.
Post
Bus411 Unit 6 Assignment Latest 2017 April
Assignment: Case Analysis: The Decision Making Process
You are to write a minimum, 2 page essay, on this week’s subject
matter per below. Using a personal example from you life or organization:
1. Discuss the main phases or activities of the decision making
process, including for example: the background leading up to the problem
situation; problem recognition; development and evaluation of alternatives;
selection of alternative; and outcome of the decision. Where possible, analyze
the information seeking and information use behaviors in the decision making
process.
2. Incorporate the terminology from this week to show the
instructor that you have read and can apply the material effectively.
3. Discuss what could have made the process better.
Post
Bus411 Unit 7 Assignment Latest 2017 April
Assignment: The “issue” of Stakeholder
Management and Corporate Performance.
You are to write a minimum, 2 page essay (text
not including the reference page and title page), on this week’s subject matter
per below.
When looking at stakeholders in a for profit
institution (i.e. Walmart), how would you rank the stakeholders importance and
input to the fiscal health of the organization? Do some stakeholders have more
of a preference than others? Is the environment a stakeholder in the company?
How do we make sure the environment has a voice?
Post
Bus411 Unit 8 Assignment Latest 2017 April
One of the main purposes of this course is to
allow students who are about to complete their programs of study at the Malcolm
Baldrige School of Business to demonstrate their familiarity with the Baldrige
Core Values that have been reinforced throughout the program.
For this assignment you are required to write
a reflective paper summarizing your experience of the BUS 411 course. You are
expected to refer to the Baldrige Core Values in this reflective exercise and
to discuss how those Core Values were exhibited in your work in this course and
throughout your program of studies in the Malcolm Baldrige School of Business.
Paper requirements: Your paper will be a
minimum of 4 pages, APA format. That is, the BODY of your work will be 4 pages
minimum. Title page, Abstract and reference pages do NOT count to this total.
All papers will be submitted through SafeAssign to reduce the potential of
plagiarism. Be sure to read the grading criteria (below) by which your paper
will be evaluated before you write the paper and again after you write your
paper.
