All posts by : chebby

Compensation is a controversial workplace topic. Throughout the years, specifically the past decade, average employee wages have not greatly risen. However, managerial and executive pay has steadily increased.

Despite current economic stability and low unemployment rates, U.S. businesses are constrained from raising employee salary and benefits due to low-wage foreign competition.  This week’s readings showcase a case study on pay compression at Envelop City and on how McDonalds uses praise (intrinsic factor) and individual incentive pay (extrinsic factor) to ensure satisfied and happy employees.

Discuss how an organization can motivate its employees to maintain/increase their productivity and performance without significantly increasing employees’ compensation.  Additionally, as a compensation consultant, how would you develop market value for positions within your organization? Propose a compensation plan to ensure that rewards (i.e., wages, benefits, and other compensation) match job duties, tasks, and responsibilities.

Answer the above using the question and answer (Q&A) format.  The Q&A format should include the original question along with your response. Within your post, support your responses with information from at least one peer-reviewed/scholarly source (not older than 3-5 years) from  CSU Global online library or the Internet, and provide the full citation at the end of your post. Use APA guidelines (at the CSU Global Writing Center )  to format your references. Your total word count must be at least 300 words excluding the original questions.

  

Question 1

Meryl Software Inc., an American MNC wishing total control of its operations, wants to acquire an existing firm, Graphiti Animations, in Canada. If acquired, Graphiti Animations would be a:

Question options:

  

holding company.

 

greenfield investment.

 

shell corporation.

 

fully-owned subsidiary.

 

Question 2

Which of the following terms refers to the basic means by which a company competes?

Question options:

  

Strategy

 

Mission

 

Procedure

 

Process

 

Question 3

Which of the following is the most likely result of regulations and restrictions enforced by a firm’s home government that prove to be expensive for the firm’s operations?

Question options:

  

The firm searches for less   restrictive operating environments overseas

 

The firm becomes entangled in   lengthy litigation

 

The firm expands its domestic   operations

 

The firm responds to customers’   demands more promptly

 

Question 4

Which of the following entry strategies is most likely to serve as a short-term strategy and to provide limited income?

Question options:

  

Offshoring

 

Management contract

 

Joint venture

 

Fully owned subsidiary

 

Question 5

Due to the high demand for its handmade soaps in Canada, Fragrance Exotica, an Indian Soap manufacturer, has decided to open a new manufacturing unit in Canada, thereby expanding overseas. In this scenario, which of the following reasons prompted Fragrance Exotica to set up a manufacturing unit overseas?

Question options:

  

Tax incentives

 

Trade barriers

 

Manufacturer demands

 

Customer demands

 

Question 6

__________ refers to the establishment of worldwide operations and the development of standardized products and marketing.

Question options:

  

Globalization

 

Nationalization

 

Customization

 

Regionalization

 

Question 7

Which of the following would most likely be categorized as a global financial objective of an international firm?

Question options:

  

Long-term profit growth

 

Company market share

 

Quality and cost control

 

Foreign-exchange management

 

Question 8

At which three levels should firms ideally perform global environmental analysis?

Question options:

  

Innovation, production, and local   distribution

 

Operational, tactical, and top   management

 

Product, domestic market, and   consumer

 

Multinational, regional, and local

 

Question 9

Which of the following is the proactive reason that prompts firms to expand overseas?

Question options:

  

Avoiding restrictive trade   barriers

 

Seeking economies of scale

 

Solving logistics-related problems

 

Responding to foreign competition

 

Question 10

Which of the following statements is true of clustering?

Question options:

  

It helps a firm gain an increase   in efficiencies.

 

It seldom uses specialized labor.

 

It typically increases the costs   of production and distribution.

 

It uses different suppliers and   distribution channels for interdependent companies within an industry.

 

Question 11

The second part of the strategic management process involves the:

Question options:

  

analysis stage.

 

assessment stage.

 

planning phase.

 

implementation phase.

 

Question 12

Futura-Core Technologies, an electronics manufacturing firm, has advantages in financial capability and sustainability, but a disadvantage in speed of innovation. It is also at a disadvantage relative to Core-Dynamix Technologies, another electronics manufacturing firm, in important factors such as manufacturing capability and adaptability to market conditions. Which of the following terms best describes Futura-Core’s abilities in comparison to Core-Dynamix?

Question options:

  

Comparative advantage

 

Absolute advantage

 

Collective bargaining

 

Competitive advantage

 

Question 13

Which of the following strategies would a non-European company most likely use if it wanted to gain quick entry inside the European community?

Question options:

  

Greenfield investment

 

Offshoring

 

Turnkey operation

 

International joint venture

 

Question 14

Which of the following is a national risk with regard to strategic entry scanning?

Question options:

  

Energy availability and prices

 

Legal protection

 

Regional instability

 

Political turmoil

 

Question 15

Restrictive trade barriers most likely influence the globalization of businesses by encouraging firms to:

Question options:

  

develop joint ventures with local   firms.

 

switch from exporting to overseas   manufacturing.

 

import supplies from foreign   vendors.

 

expand the exportation of raw   materials.

 

Question 16

The first broad scan of all potential world markets should result in the firm being able to:

Question options:

  

eliminate markets with   unreasonable entry conditions.

 

eliminate countries with high   cultural risk.

 

identify the strengths and   weaknesses of its competitors.

 

determine the best sources for raw   materials.

 

Question 17

Which of the following is the most common reactive reason for a firm to extend its operations overseas?

Question options:

  

Globalization of competitors

 

Resource access and cost savings

 

Tax incentives

 

Economies of scale

 

Question 18

Which of the following is a global risk with regard to strategic entry scanning?

Question options:

  

Economic and financial risk

 

Corruption

 

Economic and fiscal policies

 

Trade restrictions

 

Question 19

Goals for market volume and profitability are usually set higher for international than domestic operations due to the:

Question options:

  

presence of stable market   conditions.

 

involvement of greater risks.

 

enforcement of government   controls.

 

presence of stable exchange rates.

 

Question 20

Which of the following is the quickest and cheapest way to develop a global strategy?

Question options:

  

Strategic alliances

 

Fully-owned subsidiaries

 

Acquisitions

 

Greenfield investments

 

Section 2

   

Question 21

Which of the following forms of organization is particularly appropriate in a dynamic and diverse environment?

Question options:

  

The global product structure

 

The domestic structure plus   foreign subsidiary

 

The global functional structure

 

The domestic structure plus export   department

 

Question 22

The degree to which headquarters’ practices and goals are transferable most likely depends on whether:

Question options:

  

top managers are from the head   office, the host country, or a third country.

 

the organization is product- or   service-oriented.

 

financial performance reports show   a positive trend in growth over the past several years.

 

the production system is   standardized.

 

Question 23

In spite of the potential problems with local partners, many firms rush the process of partner selection because they:

Question options:

  

are anxious to get into an   attractive market.

 

want to reduce the amount spent on   establishing subsidiaries abroad

 

want to take advantage of the   local partner’s technological innovations.

 

mostly aim at increasing the   number of equity shares within a short period of time.

 

Question 24

Which of the following is true about the matrix structure of organizational design?

Question options:

  

Overlapping responsibilities are   absent in a matrix structure.

 

The matrix structure is developed   to combine geographic support for both global integration and local   responsiveness.

 

Regional managers are solely   responsible for the operations and performance of the countries within a   given region.

 

In the matrix structure,   communication problems, confusion, and conflict are minimal.

 

Question 25

Which of the following is a cultural difference that can significantly affect cross-border alliances?

Question options:

  

Protectionist legislation

 

Emergence of market firms in the   host country

 

Use of e-commerce enablers

 

Organizational formality

 

Question 26

Managers choose the manufacturing location for each product based on where the best combination of cost, quality, and technology can be attained in order to achieve:

Question options:

  

rationalization.

 

integration.

 

segregation.

 

customer loyalty.

 

Question 27

Sedona Inc. is an American firm that manufactures high-quality handbags,
duffel bags, and leather belts at its facility in Arizona. Sedona’s
products have been featured in various fashion magazines, and as a
result, consumer demand has increased significantly. Currently, Sedona
is organized as a domestic structure plus export department. Executives
at Sedona believe the firm is ready to internationalize its operations,
and they are considering various organizational structures.
 

Which of the
following best supports the argument that Sedona should give its
subsidiary managers significant autonomy?

Question options:

  

Sedona is a family-owned business   that began as a subsidiary to Aloha enterprises.

 

Sedona has recently reorganized   into a domestic structure plus foreign subsidiary.

 

Praxis Inc., one of Sedona’s   domestic competitors, has a flat
  organizational structure.

 

Sedona conducts a large percentage   of domestic sales through the
  company’s website.

 

Question 28

All of the following are cooperative aspects of strategic alliances EXCEPT:

Question options:

  

limiting investment risks through   shared resources.

 

learning new intangible skills   from alliance partners.

 

forming upstream–downstream   divisions of labor.

 

creating economies of scale in   tangible assets.

 

Question 29

Barton & Green is an MNC based in the U.S. that makes a wide range of software development products. Executives at the firm are considering the idea of outsourcing the company’s IT infrastructure. Which of the following questions is the most relevant to Barton & Green’s decision to outsource its IT infrastructure to TMC Enterprises, a firm in India?

Question options:

  

Which type of operating system is   primarily used by TMC Enterprises?

 

What is the financial health of   TMC Enterprises?

 

Which other firms have outsourced   their processes to TMC Enterprises?

 

What is the attitude of U.S.   consumers about TMC Enterprises?

 

Question 30

Overlooking cultural differences in cross-border alliances can create a negative impact when target country:

Question options:

  

is technologically superior to the   host country.

 

and host country equally   participate in decision making.

 

has conflicting practices and   systems.

 

has similar views on   organizational formality.

 

Question 31

According to David Lei, the single greatest impediment managers face when seeking to learn or renew sources of competitive advantage is that:

Question options:

  

good venture partners are hard to   find.

 

partners can become competitors.

 

technologies change very rapidly.

 

governments can be fickle.

 

Question 32

Which of the following primarily determines the extent of control exercised over an IJV by its parent company?

Question options:

  

Policies of the smaller firm

 

Staffing choices for top IJV   positions

 

Cultural background

 

IJV industry

 

Question 33

Which of the following is true with regard to the global geographic structure?

Question options:

  

In a geographic structure,   problems of coordination across different regions are virtually nonexistent.

 

The geographic structure is not an   adequate structure for consolidating regional expertise.

 

With the geographic structure, the   focus is on importing.

 

Marketing-oriented companies are   most likely to opt for this structure.

 

Question 34

Which of the following indicates a need for change in organizational design?

Question options:

  

New management with different   goals and strategies

 

Seamless innovation

 

Low turnover

 

A decrease in overseas customer   complaints

 

Question 35

Which of the following types of alliances can be formed between a company and a foreign government?

Question options:

  

Equity strategic alliance

 

Non-equity strategic alliance

 

Global strategic alliance

 

International joint venture

 

Question 36

Which of the following is a competitive aspect of strategic alliances? Answer: C

Question options:

  

Sharing resources to limit   investment risk when entering new markets or uncertain technological fields

 

Lowering exit barriers in mature   industries, therefore, assisting short-term corporate restructurings

 

Accelerating diffusion of industry   standards and new technologies to create barriers to entry

 

Creating a critical mass to   develop new technologies to protect domestic, strategic industries

 

Question 37

NextLinx Corporation provides a wide range of strategic implementation services for small- and medium-sized organizations. It allows all trading partners to collaborate in a single online location, using the same information and processes. Therefore, NextLinx is an example of a(n):

Question options:

  

outsourcing company.

 

knowledge management firm.

 

e-commerce enabler.

 

IJV controller.

 

Question 38

Trout Corp., Kirgo Ltd., and Sturgeon Inc., three of the leading construction companies in the U.S., have decided to join hands and create a new cement manufacturing company. According to their agreement, Trout Corp. will have 50 percent equity, Kirgo Ltd. will have 20 percent equity, and Sturgeon Inc. will have 30 percent equity. In this given scenario, Sturgeon Inc. is referred to as a(n):

Question options:

  

franchisor.

 

majority JV partner.

 

minority JV partner.

 

sole proprietor.

 

Question 39

Papillion Inc. is a small American high-technology firm that has been successfully competing in the international business arena from its inception two years ago. Instead of internationalizing slowly, Papillion embarked upon an ambitious plan to leverage niche market opportunities worldwide—right from the beginning. Papillion Inc. exemplifies the __________ phenomenon.

Question options:

  

insourcing

 

outsourcing

 

subordinateship

 

born-global

 

Question 40

Nimbus Inc. is a hybrid organization. The organizational structure of
the company has been developed to combine geographic support for both
global integration and local responsiveness. Nimbus is not a
hierarchical organization and uses cross-functional teams to quickly
adapt to the dynamic business environment.
 

If the above information is
true, which of the following can be fittingly inferred?

Question options:

  

Nimbus has only a few SBUs.

 

Nimbus is a born global.

 

Nimbus does not favor   standardization of its products.

 

Nimbus has a matrix structure.

The evaluation of performance should be a process that assists in achieving individual and organizational goals and serves as a catalyst for overcoming challenges. The assignment connects the dots between the initial position questionnaire, the resulting job analysis, the job design, and finally, the intent of the performance appraisal process.

For this assignment, you will

Evaluate the importance of the initial position questionnaire/interview, the resulting job analysis, the job design, and the performance appraisal process.

Explain how each step is connected and why each is important to the next, ensuring consistency in employee job performance.

Explain the elements that you consider to be important and appropriate for an appraisal system for an individual and the organization based on your evaluation.

Support your decisions with examples and scholarly resources.

The Performance Appraisal System paper

Must be three to four double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA Style (Links to an external site.) resource.

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 three scholarly sources in addition to the course text.

Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper (Links to an external site.) guide.

Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. 

 

Prior to beginning work on this assignment,

Read

• Chapter 9: Managing the Marketing Effect, Sections 9.1 and 9.2 of the course text, Principles of Marketing

Watch

• How to Use SWOT Analysis (Links to an external site.)
• The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy (Links to an external site.)

This week, you will be creating components of your capstone marketing plan assignment. You will then finish your plan in Week 5.

Using the company you selected for your marketing manager internship, you will complete a situation analysis with the goal of identifying a new product/service to develop your marketing plan against.

+Describe the selected company and it’s brand. Include a brief history of the company.

+List the core products and services the company offers.

+Identify the key current competitors.

+Complete a SWOT Analysis

+Propose the product or service line you want to develop a marketing plan for.

+Justify your proposal with a SWOT-based argument for why it warrants marketing investment.

+Describe the core product, extended product, and the product concept.

+Explain how you plan to achieve competitive differentiation through creating customer value in four areas: branding, packaging, support, and quality

 

The Marketing Plan: Product Identification and SWOT Analysis paper

• Must be three to four double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA Style (Links to an external site.) as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA Formatting for Microsoft Word (Links to an external site.) resource.
• Must include a separate title page with the following:
  • Title of paper in bold font
    • Space should be between title and the rest of the information on the title page.
  • Student’s name
  • Name of institution (Ashford University)
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Due date
• Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice (Links to an external site.) resource for additional guidance.
• Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
  • For assistance on writing Introductions & Conclusions (Links to an external site.) as well as Writing a Thesis Statement (Links to an external site.), refer to the Writing Center resources.
• Must use at least one scholarly orcredible sources in addition to the course text.
  • The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources (Links to an external site.) table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
  • To assist you in completing the research required for this assignment, view this Ashford University Library Quick ‘n’ Dirty (Links to an external site.) tutorial, which introduces the Ashford University Library and the research process, and provides some library search tips.
• Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper (Links to an external site.) guide.
• Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References List (Links to an external site.) resource in the Writing Center for specifications.

 

 

Racial and Ethnic Identity – Non-Affinity Group

Choose one of the remaining three stories from “Section II: Race and Ethnicity” in the Culture and Identity text. Do not select the story you used in the previous Unit 2 discussion. Each story presents a countertransference section:

• Summarize the discussion of countertransference for the selected story.
• Given your particular racial and ethnic identity, what countertransference issues must you be alert to when working with this population?

Response Guidelines

Respond to the posts of at least two learners. What was most surprising in their consideration of countertransference?

Learning Components

This activity will help you achieve the following learning components:

• Discuss the impact of countertransference.

Resources

• Discussion Participation Scoring Guide.D

Explain briefly the development plan of competitive strategies in term of there goal compare the ratios using swot anaylsis?

Unit 5 DiscussionDiscussion Topic

Refer to the Discussion Board rubric in Course Resources for detailed requirements. Discussion responses should be on topic, original, and contribute to the quality of the Discussion by making frequent informed references to course materials. Your initial response should be at least 250 words of content; subsequent responses to your classmates or instructor should be at least 75 words. Make two or more responses to classmates that are thoughtful and advance the Discussion. Be sure to cite any sources you use in APA formatting.

Topic 1: Chapter 9: “Case Study – Performance Review”

The performance review program at Valley Urgent Care was developed some years ago and has generally served the organization well. The supervisors took the responsibility to conduct timely, meaningful reviews very seriously. The review process consisted of ratings on the following skills and competencies:

• Customer service

• Clinical abilities

• Communications with patients and fellow employees

• Attendance

• Work attitude

However, the employees and supervisors have commented that the review process lacked relevance and was in need of updating. They indicated that there were not enough evaluation categories to adequately evaluate the complexity and variety of jobs at Valley Urgent Care. Additional categories that were suggested included computer skills, compliance with HIPAA, willingness to take on additional duties, and leadership.

Respond to Linda Bell Robinson :: What are the advantages of having government courts? What are the disadvantages?

 

• magine a vendor responded to your request for a HRIS proposal. What are the indirect/direct costs and benefits of the HRIS?
• What is the cost of implementation (include dollar estimates)?
• Does the cost justify the HRIS investment? Explain

 

Read the Following Case Scenario

A recent survey was taken among employees at Biotech Health and Life Products (Biotech).  The results were alarming, as it appeared the leadership has been less effective than in the past.  Some of the common complaints seemed to focus on the lack of vision, a breakdown in communication and a lack of connection with staff. 

You have read the results and as Vice President of Biotech, you completely agree with employees.   Leadership is the cornerstone to success in any organization and to permit poor leadership can only spell trouble. It occurred to you that the place to start change was staring you in the face – the new management hires planned for Warehouse Operations in Detroit and Brisbane.  Mumbling to yourself “but what do I want them to look like?” you decide that you must write a memo to HR Director, Jennifer Dion to make sure the “right” description of a leader is asked for in the soon-to-be released job description.  Scrambling around on the desk, you find the old job announcement so that you can make some changes.  It reads, “Biotech is looking for experienced warehouse managers who focus on keeping the distribution speed high and shipping costs low.  Manager must be able to motivate employees to keep distribution, packing, and shipping moving smoothly and efficiently.  Must be someone who can handle a fast-paced environment, is used to meeting deadlines, is driven and results-oriented.  Goal oriented and policy adherence critical to succeed in the department.”

Instructions

You will act as the Vice President of Biotech.  Write a memorandum to the HR Director, Jennifer Dion that explains the need for a new job announcement for managers at Biotech.  The memorandum will explain how the business environment has changed the view of the leader and defines the vision you have based on synthesizing the course material about leadership theory and definition of a leader in today’s business environment opposed to leaders hired in the past. 

In writing the memorandum, use the course material from week 1 (you may also use course material from week 2) to support the reasoning and conclusions made.  You will also use the Company Profile .  Answer the following:

• Explain how the existing job announcement for new hires was effective in the past based on the theories and view of leadership through the 1990’s.
• Explain why the leader of today would no longer fit the definition set out in the old announcement.
• Describe what a leader looks like today and what theories and leadership definitions support this description.

Memorandum Set Up

A memo is left justified with no indentations of paragraphs.  A memo is single-spaced with a double space between paragraphs to make the memo easy to read. 

 In business, writing must be concise, easy to read and free of writing and grammatical errors.

You are required to use in-text citations with an associated reference list. 

Use headings for each element.   It is suggested that you set up the memo with all of the required headings and then fill in each section of the memo.

Use a memo format:

To:

From:

Date:

Subject:

Remember, you are sending this memo to the HR Director so this is a formal memo.  Proof the memo carefully for typos, grammatical errors and ensure the memo conveys the points you are to address.  Why?  Because your work products is a reflection of who you are – it is your brand!  A good brand can lead to future opportunities in an organization such as a promotion.  

Make sure the memo is audience appropriate, concise, coherent, readable, uses appropriate terminology, is professional, provides a factual tone (no opinion and no recommendations), and is visually appealing. 

Memorandum Requirements

You are sending this memo to the HR Director, Jennifer Dion.  Read the memo to ensure all required elements are present.  You also need to use facts from the case scenario and course material to support the ideas and reasoning put forth. 

The language in the announcement has to be just right so that Biotech attracts the best candidates.  Therefore, it is important to help Jennifer capture the essence of a leader at Biotech.

• Make suggestions about language that should appear in the job announcement that supports the definition and characteristics you derived for the leader of today. 
• Provide an explanation so Jennifer knows why the specified language is important to convey the definition and characteristics of a leader;
• Make suggestions about language that would not be in the job announcement for this leader;
• Provide an explanation why the specific language should not be in the job announcement.
• Not just anything is acceptable so make sure to read the course material and make wise selections in creating this memo.

The following items are required in writing the memo.  Check off to ensure compliance to the following requirements.

• Use the grading rubric while completing the project to ensure all requirements are met that will lead to the highest possible grade.  
• Third person writing is required.  Third person means that there are no words such as “I, me, my, we, or us” (first person writing), nor is there use of “you or your” (second person writing).  
• Contractions are not used in business writing, so do not use them. 
• Students will not use direct quotation marks but will instead paraphrase.  What this means is that you will put the ideas of an author or article into your own words rather than lifting directly from a source document.  You may not use more than four consecutive words from a source document (including the case scenario) or change words in a passage as doing so would require direct quotation marks.  Use a passage from a source document by putting into your own words (paraphrase) and attribute the passage to the source document.  Changing words from a passage does not exclude the passage from having to have quotation marks. If direct quotes are presented, they will not be included in the grading.
• Use in-text citations and provide a reference list that contain a reference associated with each in-text citation. 
• Provide the page or paragraph number in every in-text citation presented.  Refer to this link for more guidance on how to do this:

 https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_electronic_sources.html