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Explain a competitive analysis of organization and offering

Explain a competitive analysis of organization and offering

Strategy and Positioning Analysis

Select a new product or service that will be launched by either an existing organization or one you will create. Obtain your instructor’s approval of your product or service before beginning this project.

Complete the following assignment using the “Strategy and Positioning Analysis” template. ATTACHED

Develop a 2,100-word analysis explaining the following headings:

• Describe the organization’s background, industry, and product or service.

• Describe, in detail, the product or service.

• Prepare the SWOT analysis of the organization and offering.

• Explain a competitive analysis of the organization and offering.

• Describe your target market in detail, including information on the geographic, demographic, psychographic and behavioral factors used to choose your market segment.

• Identify the needs that cause your target market to buy.

• Create a written positioning statement that identifies:

o Your organization’s product/service
o Your target market
o How your product solves the target market’s needs
o What makes your organization different from its competition

Include at least four sources of research that support your analysis; at least one must be the textbook, one from the University of Phoenix library, and one piece of secondary research.

Format your assignment consistent with APA guidelines.

Negative externality of smoking

Negative externality of smoking

You are in charge of study the tobacco industry and its effects on the society well-being.  To tackle that the team of environmental economist (you included, of course) decided to approach this with the theory of externalities (Recall, tobacco is a good that provokes a negative externality in the society) and divide the project in 2 steps:

Step 1.-  First step is to find the market equilibrium of the industry so a competitive equilibrium is found using the following functions:

Demand = Marginal Private Benefit (MPB) = 60 – 0.25Q

Supply = Marginal Private Cost = -3 + 0.2Q

Step 2: Trough the team research and literature you have found that the negative externality of smoking to the society accounts for 5% of the total amount (quantity) of cigarettes in the market (Marginal External Cost (MEC) = 0.05Q)

At competitive equilibrium Marginal Private Benefit (MPB) = Marginal Private Cost (MPC) or Supply = Demand

1.- Find the competitive equilibrium Quantity and Price

At efficient equilibrium Marginal Social Benefit (MSB) = Marginal Social Cost (MSC)

2.- Find the efficient equilibrium

Recall (+MPC), we are assuming the Marginal External Benefits are nonexistent ()

3.- Contrast the state of the Industry on both cases.  For example Including externalities does the supply increases or decreases? does prices go Up or down? please be specific

Describe the major functions of human resources focus

Describe the major functions of human resources focus

The Week One Assignment

Research the major functions of human resources and review the laws of human resources in the Key Human Resources Terms activity. In a 1-2 page report, prepared in APA style with at least two references, do the following:

Describe the major functions of human resources focus on two major functions choose two you have experience with or that really interest youSelect one of the laws from the key human resources terms area and explain it be sure to explain and not just define also, use your own words at least 80% of the time, so no more than 20% of any work can be copied and pastedReport on your personal experience dealing with human resources as an employee this is not the time to complain about the HR department at your workplace keep in mind this is an academic paper, so make choices about format, layout, and content accordinglyA note about APA: APA is not the enemy following the formatting and citing rules of APA simply require attention to detail

APA Basics:

Cover page — there is a template in Resources at the top of this screen1 inch margins all aroundDouble-spaced textCite sources in the text (Jones, 2004) and on the references page

Role of human resource professionals in strategic initiative

Role of human resource professionals in strategic initiative

  1. Conduct Internet research for corporate downsizing. Pay particular attention to statistics found during the recessionary period of the past 18 months. Explain findings.
  2. How important of a role has the HR function played in recession-driven downsizing.
  3. How are the HR needs of high-tech firms different from other types of firms?
  4. What role can human resource professionals play in strategic initiatives within high-tech firms
  5. Why is it important that companies consider becoming more global
  6. How can the HR function make the globalization effort more effective?
  7. Why do you think having an HR strategy is important for a company?
  8. Why are some companies’ HR strategies inadequate?

Examine ethical issues and dilemmas in business

Examine ethical issues and dilemmas in business

Discussion

“Leadership and Ethics” Please respond to the following:

• Use the Internet to research someone you believe to be an ethical leader of a company. Focus on his or her actions of ethical leadership that support your viewpoint. Next, define what you believe constitutes ethical leadership. Provide two (2) examples of the selected leader’s actions that fit your definition of ethical leadership.

• Evaluate the leadership of a leader in your organization, or prior organization, in terms of the seven (7) habits of ethical leaders. Determine one (1) area in which this leader could improve upon, and suggest one (1) action that this leader could take in order to do so. Note: Please do not identify workplaces or leaders by name.

Case Study : Zappos: Delivering Customer Satisfaction

Read the “Zappos: Delivering Customer Satisfaction” case, located on page 475 of the textbook.

Write a four to six (4-6) page paper in which you:

1. Analyze the manner in which Zappos’ leadership has fostered a culture of ethicalness in the company. Suggest two (2) actions that other companies can take in order to mimic this culture.

2. Determine the major impacts that Zappos’ leadership and ethical practices philosophy have had on its stakeholders.

3. Examine three (3) of the ethical challenges that Zappos faces. Recommend three (3) actions that Zappos’ leadership should take in order to address these ethical challenges.

4. Evaluate the effectiveness of the core values in relation to developing a culture of ethicalness. Determine the manner in which the core values support the stakeholder’s perspective.

5. Analyze the major ethical challenges that Zappos has faced. Determine whether or not you would have resolved these challenges differently than Zappos’ management. Provide a rationale for your response.

6. Use at least three (3) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other similar Websites do not qualify as academic 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:

• Examine ethical issues and dilemmas in business.

• Analyze scenarios to determine the ethical character of decisions made and the related impact on the organization.

• Examine the significant issues of an ethical controversy in business to moral philosophy and values.

• Write clearly and concisely about issues in ethics and advocacy for HR professionals using correct grammar and mechanics.

• Use technology and information resources to research issues in business ethics and advocacy for HR professionals.

Create a plan to implement a firms strategy

Create a plan to implement a firms strategy

Part 1: Operation, Technology, and Management PlanWrite a three to six (3-6) page paper in which you provide the following information below.

Operations Plan

Remember to assign a dollar amount to each operational cost you find, as you will need these figures for your income statement and cash.

1. Create an operations plan for your NAB company using the template in the text as a guide.

Extract appropriate information from the NAB Company portfolio, where applicable. Other required items in the template should be filled in using your personal preferences.

2. Provide a rationale for the competitive advantages section using appropriate functional-level and business-level strategies to explain the competitive advantages.

o Note: Much of the research pertaining to the hints provided here can be found in the NAB company portfolio.

o Hints: Consider whether you will rent or buy your facilities or outsource production to an existing company.

o Hints: One of your biggest expenses as a startup non-alcoholic beverage company will be transitioning from a small batch prototype of your beverage to production on a large scale. Research the equipment you will need (vats, refrigerators, burners, ovens, bottling equipment, and so on), whether you will rent or buy, how you will maintain and clean it, and so forth. Consider how you will ensure quality control.

What capacity do you intend to reach?

o Hints: Deliberate your inventory control. Where do your supplies come from and what is your turnaround time to produce your beverage once you have received an order?

o Hints: Consider your distribution method. Refer back to your notes for the SWOT analysis assignment in Week 2 of class.

o Hints: How will you stay abreast of new developments in your industry? What new products do you have in development now, in addition to your flagship product?

3. Describe your research and development activities and explain how they will contribute to the company.

Technology Plan

4. Create a technology plan for your NAB company using the template in the text as a guide (p. 227 | Technology Plan Preparation Form ). Extract appropriate information from the NAB Company portfolio, where applicable. Other required items in the template should be filled in using your personal preferences.

5. Provide a rationale for the personnel needs section by incorporating appropriate functional-level strategies.

o Hints: Consider the type of technology your company will use to conduct the following activities: manage personnel; take, fulfill, and track orders; manage inventory; communicate with customers and provide customer service; and produce your beverage.

Management and Organization

6. Create a management plan for your NAB company using the template in the text as a guide (p. 248 | Management Plan Preparation Form ). Extract appropriate information from the NAB Company portfolio, where applicable. Other required items in the template should be filled in using your personal preferences.

7. Using the flow charts on p. 242 as a guide, outline your company’s management hierarchy. Note: Charts or diagrams must be imported / included in the MS Word document.

8. Provide a rationale for the management structure and style section by incorporating appropriate functional-level strategies.

9. Format your assignment according to these formatting requirements:
a. Cite the resources you have used to complete this exercise. Note: There is no minimum requirement for the number of resources used in the exercise.

b. Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
c. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date.

Part 2:

Business Plan

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:

• Create a plan to implement a firm’s strategy and manage the change from current operations.
• Describe strategic planning techniques used to formulate alternative strategies designed to achieve stated business goals.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in strategic management.
• Write clearly and concisely about strategic management using proper writing mechanics.This assignment consists of two (2) sections: a draft of your business plan and an income statement containing your business plan financials (i.e. Week 7 Discussion “The Financials”). Note: You must submit both sections as separate files for the completion of this assignment.

You must intend to raise money for your startup company. You can start with money from friends and family but at some point you will need funds from outside investors, either angels or venture capitalists, depending on how much money you project you will need to raise. Another possible angle is to develop money through crowdfunding, assuming your product meets the demand of such audiences.

Before you can raise money, you must develop a business plan that convinces an investor that your company will succeed.

Section 1: Business Plan (MS Word or equivalent)

Read Chapters 18 and 19 of the course text: Successful Business Plan. Use the Plan Preparation Forms at the end of each chapter of Successful Business Plan as a rough guide.

Write an approximately fifteen to twenty (15-20) page draft of your business plan in which you:

1. Revise the components of the following previously submitted sections based on the feedback you have received.

1.
a. Company Description (Assignment 1)
b. Industry Analysis and Trends (Assignment 1)
c. Strategic Position & Risk Assessment (Assignment 1)
d. Target Market (Assignment 2)
e. Competition (Assignment 2)
f. Marketing Plan & Sales Strategy (Assignment 2)
2. Create an Ethics & Social Responsibility Plan.
Note: The Ethics & Social Responsibility plan should account for approximately three to five (3-5) pages of the Business Plan Draft.

2.
a. Describe the ways in which your company is committed to being a good corporate citizen.
o
– Hints: Consider the following areas:
– Creating jobs
– Following the laws of every jurisdiction in which your company operates
– Fair and honest treatment of employees
– Non-discrimination of employees and increasing diversity of your work force
– Hints: If your company is designed as a social venture-in which you have a primary purpose of achieving a social or environmental goal-describe what that goal is and what aspects of your company are designed to reach that goal. Provide a rationale for why you have or why you have not chosen this to be a social venture.

3.
b. Discuss how your company’s activities will affect the environment and identify the steps you will take to mitigate any negative impacts.
o
– Hints: As a beverage company, consider such issues as your choice of packaging, disposal of bottles / packages by consumers, and your use of resources, such as water in areas where water may be scarce.
4.

c. Determine any health issues / claims related to the product you are making, whether negative or positive. Suggest the strategy your company will use to mitigate any negative issues, and to ensure any positive claims are true.
5.

d. Many beverage products have negative health impacts on certain segments of a population (e.g., children, pregnant mothers, etc.). Suggest your company’s plan, through advertising, distribution, and / or other methods, to target and reach only appropriate market segments.

3. Format your assignment according to these formatting requirements:

a. Cite the resources you have used to complete the exercise. Note: There is no minimum requirement for the number of resources used in the exercise.

b. Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

c. 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.

Section 2: Business Plan Financials (MS Excel worksheets template)
4. For year one, revise and submit the Income Statement, Cash Flow Projections, and Balance Sheet sections from the “Business Plan Financials” MS Excel template (see: Course Required Files in Week 1).

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
• Describe strategic planning techniques used to formulate alternative strategies designed to achieve stated business goals.
• Create a plan to implement a firm’s strategy and manage the change from current operations.
• Analyze strategies for exerting the internal leadership needed to drive the implementation of strategic initiatives and improve operating excellence.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in strategic management.
• Write clearly and concisely about strategic management using proper writing mechanics.

Discuss about leadership development and social change

Discuss about leadership development and social change

Discussion : Leadership Development and Social Change

Leadership and management development can go beyond the day-to-day operations of an organization and can actually help contribute to promoting positive social change at many levels. The human resource skills of effective managers translate well in promoting social causes like gender and economic equality.

Based on your reading for this week:

Consider how companies can utilize leadership development to promote positive social change within an organization and around the community.

Post by Day 4 a substantive response of approximately 200-250 words that addresses the following:

Identify a company from your professional experience, including its industry and location.

Describe leadership development strategies that the company could employ within the organization to promote positive social change.

Explain how these leadership strategies could benefit both the company and the industry.

Use the Week 6 Discussion 2 Template (located in this week’s Learning Resources) to develop a draft of your response. Then, post your finalized statement to the Discussion Thread.

Read a selection of your colleagues’ postings.

Respond by Day 7 with at least 75 words each to two or more of your colleagues’ postings in one or more of the following ways:

Ask a probing question.

Share an insight from having read your colleague’s posting.

Offer and support an opinion.

Make a suggestion.

Expand on your colleague’s posting.

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you learned and the insights you gained as a result of the comments your colleagues made.

Be sure to support your work with specific citations from the Learning Resources and any additional sources.

Week 6 Learning Resources

Required Resources

Readings

Blanchard, P. N., & Thacker, J. W. (2013). Effective training: Systems, strategies, and practices(5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice-Hall.

Chapter 11, “Employee and Management Development” (pp. 399-434)

Chapter 11 deals solely with the development of managers in an organization. In this chapter, you will study the roles, traits, and strategies of managers in an organization. You will also explore the various developmental strategies and training programs that benefit the development of managerial roles in an organization.

Focus on the reasons for and implications of creating training strategies for various managerial levels in an organization. This will help you create training programs focused on management needs, and bridge the gap between organizational goals and management principles.

Optional Resources

Afshar, V. (2014). The skills of a social business leader. Retrieved from

http://www.inc.com/disneyinstitute/afshar/social-business-leader.html

Castellano, S. (2014). Reflections on leadership. TD: Talent Development, 68(12), 66-68.
PricewaterhouseCoopers. (2008). How leadership must change to meet the future. Retrieved from

https://www.pwc.com/us/en/people-management/assets/future-leadership-change.pdf

Ray, K. W., & Goppelt, J. (2011). Understanding the effects of leadership development on the creation of organizational culture change: A research approach. International Journal of Training and Development, 15(1), 58-75.
Voloshin, K., & Winkle Giulioni, J. (2013). “Less is more” leadership development. TD, 67(9), 26-29.

Modern-day labor relations

Modern-day labor relations

In a three-page paper detail the current pressures on the U.S. labor relations system-on the corporate side, such issues can be workplace flexibility and employment involvement. Also, examine the current pressures on the labor side, such as low union density, a representation gap, and difficulties in organizing new workers.

Ensure that your paper is in APA format with minimal grammar and spelling errors.

Discuss the six forms of deferred compensation

Discuss the six forms of deferred compensation

1. Discuss the six forms of deferred (stock) compensation.

2. List and discuss four possible limitations of merit pay programs. Please discuss in detail and provide examples for each of the limitations

3. Discuss in detail the factors that compensation professionals use in determining the appropriate compensation mix for salespeople. Provide at least three examples.

4. Discuss the concept of “just-meaningful pay increase.” How can it can strengthen the pay-for-performance link?

5. Compare and contrast the types of claims that can be made under workers’ compensation programs.

6. Compare and contrast the four-based activities to create market-competitive pay systems.

7. Describe the strategic importance to updating survey data. Explain the different methods for updating data. Provide an example to illustrate updating data.

8. Compare and contrast employers’, employees’, and government’s goals in the compensation system. Provide at least three examples.

Common components of a diversity plan

Common components of a diversity plan

You will compare that company’s diversity plan to the 10 common components of a diversity plan.

In a 2-3 page paper, give a general overview of the plan you chose for this assignment. Consider each of the 10 components and describe how the company has included this component. Be specific in your findings. If you do not see evidence of a component, consider how you believe the company might include the component.

In addition, provide ideas you have about how this plan can be improved in order to increase its effectiveness.

Pick one of the following companies for the assignment: Radisson, USPS, Google, or PepsiCo.