Author: chris

You work for Centervale Apparel, a large clothing manufacturing firm. Centervale Apparel has budgeted $9.7 million for new technology initiatives in the coming year but the project requests currently in the queue for next year total about $15 million. Your boss, the executive director of operations, has asked you to put together a proposal for this project to replace legacy order fulfillment technologies by implementing a supply chain management (SCM) system. Your boss wants to ensure this project will be prioritized over other projects on the list and will be implemented in the coming year. Use the following data to prepare a proposal using a balanced scorecard approach to demonstrate the project’s value to Centervale Apparel.

Here is your brief:

Business Problem: The order fulfillment team has been using several legacy technology systems to manage inventory and distribution. The current systems do not work together, requiring redundant information input and processing. Because of the redundant processes, work is duplicated requiring multiple data entry points and sometimes results in inaccurate and irreconcilable data. There is a constant overage or shortage of supply due to the time it takes for data to get from one point to another. This causes unhappy customers and inventory carrying costs that could be avoided.

Project Description: Replace legacy order fulfillment technologies by implementing a SCM system.

Project Cost: The project will cost approximately $1.2 million including infrastructure and resources to complete the implementation and $250,000 annually to support and maintain the new system with a ten-year lifecycle for the system.

Project Benefit: It is estimated that the implementation of a supply chain management system will improve the order fulfillment processing time and reduce inventory-carrying costs. Implementing the SCM system will also enable the retirement of several legacy systems. Estimated annual cost savings are:

• Data entry staff reduced from 10 FTE to 8 FTE = $100,000/yr savings
• Reduction in inventory carrying costs = $300,000/yr savings
• Improved order fulfillment = 10–20% decrease in order to delivery time. This will improve customer satisfaction and retention
• Improved data accuracy
• Legacy system maintenance retirement savings = $100,000/yr

Using the information that details the primary business goals for the coming year, you will need to demonstrate how implementing the SCM system will help achieve the business objectives.

Note: Customers are retail companies who order from this clothing manufacturer. Assume a ten-year lifecycle for the SCM system.

Using the module readings and the University online library resources, research methods of developing proposals by applying the balanced scorecard approach. Select two scholarly resources for use in this assignment. You will use these resources to justify your recommendations.

The proposal should include the following:

• Describe the measureable value. This should include a cost-benefit analysis, such as payback period or ROI that relies on tangible measures of organizational value through cost savings, revenue enhancements, or improvements in the speed, quality, or efficiency of key processes that help achieve competitive advantage (note the difference between tangible and intangible measures in this proposal).
• Evaluate and choose alternatives. Make sure to identify any alternatives to the project implementation and provide a justification for each.
• Complete a risk assessment of all risks associated with implementing the project using an enterprise risk management (ERM) model.
• Describe total cost of ownership and include descriptions of implementation project and ongoing maintenance costs.
• Explain the benefits of the project, which include tangible and intangible benefits.
• Fully justify a recommendation with a compelling proposal that aligns to the business goals.

Write a 6–8-page paper in Word format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention:

By  November 23, 2015, deliver your assignment to the

Provide a detailed description of the HRIS application(s) chosen for the business. What type of HRIS might create a more efficient process for the HR function chosen? This is not a copy/paste of information from a vendor website, but an analysis and business plan to share with your customer. As the owner of your own HR consulting firm, write a 2–4-page paper that includes the following paper headings, which are denoted in all caps.

1. INTRODUCTION: provides sufficient background on the topic and previews major points.
2. HRIS TYPE: Now that you’ve conducted some research in the previous assignment, you should have a good foundation to take the next step in your business plan. You should have a good review of the scenario and have conducted some research on HRIS systems, and now your next step is to choose a type of HRIS. Share the type of system you plan to implement to help your customer. This must be substantiated in this paper to your customer from a theoretical perspective.
3. HRIS VENDOR CHOICE: Now that you have an HRIS type chosen, you need to conduct research to find an HRIS vendor. You want to do a compare and contrast in this section of at least two vendors. Then, choose a vendor. Explain why you chose this vendor over another/others. Include the Web address and proper citations for the vendor applications compared. You must have theory to support your decision.
4. CONCLUSION: The conclusion is logical, flows from the body of the paper, and reviews the major points.

Stage II Assignment

Category	Points	Assignment Expectation
Introduction/Conclusion	10	Introduction provides sufficient background on the topic and previews major points. Conclusion is logical, flows from the body of the paper, and reviews the major points.
Content Theory STAGE II HRIS Type (40 points) HRIS Vendor (40 points)	80	All key elements of assignment are covered in a substantive way. Discussions of topics outlined in project are stated clearly, are supported by specific details (examples or analysis), and are organized logically. The paper links theory to relevant examples of current experience and industry practice and uses the vocabulary of the theory correctly.
Readability	10	Paragraph transitions are present and logical, and flow is maintained throughout the paper. Sentences are complete, clear, and concise. Sentence transitions are present and maintain the flow of thought. Rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation are followed. Spelling and word usage are correct.
Total	100	A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements.

Due Week 7 and worth 250 points

PharmaCARE (We CARE about YOUR health®) is one of the world’s most successful pharmaceutical companies, enjoying a reputation as a caring, ethical and well-run company that produces high-quality products that save millions of lives and enhance the quality of life for millions of others (Note: PharmaCARE is a hypothetical company that you will to compare to a real company as noted in the assignment criteria below). The company offers free and discounted drugs to low-income consumers, has a foundation that sponsors healthcare educational programs and scholarships, and its CEO serves on the PhRMA board. PharmaCARE recently launched a new initiative, We CARE about YOUR world®, pledging its commitment to the environment through recycling, packaging changes and other green initiatives, despite the fact that the company’s lobbying efforts and PAC have successfully defeated environmental laws and regulations, including extension of the Superfund tax, which was created by Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).

Based in New Jersey, PharmaCARE maintains a large manufacturing facility in the African nation of Colberia, where the company has found several “healers” eager to freely share information about indigenous cures and an abundance of Colberians willing to work for $1.00 a day, harvesting plants by walking five (5) miles into and out of the jungle carrying baskets that, when full, weigh up to fifty (50) pounds. Due to the low standard of living in Colberia, much of the population lives in primitive huts with no electricity or running water. PharmaCARE’s executives, however, live in a luxury compound, complete with a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a golf course. PharmaCARE’s extensive activities in Colberia have destroyed habitat and endangered native species.

In preparation for this assignment, use the Internet or Strayer Library to research companies that have recently experienced negative consequences as a result of the company’s corporate activities. Compare the facts and consequences surrounding the companies you have researched to PharmaCare to support your response(s) to the criteria below.

Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you:

1. Describe the key characteristics of a stakeholder and determine all the stakeholders within the PharmaCARE scenario.
2. Analyze the human rights issues presented by PharmaCARE’s treatment of the Colberia’s indigenous population versus that of its executives. Recommend at least three (3) changes PharmaCARE can make to be more ethical going forward.
3. Assess PharmaCARE’s environmental initiative against the backdrop of its anti-environmental lobbying efforts and Colberian activities. Support the position.
4. Decide whether or not PharmaCARE’s actions with respect to the indigenous people of Colberia would be ethical in accordance with each of the following ethical theories:
   1. Utilitarianism
   2. Deontology
   3. Virtue ethics
   4. Ethics of care
   5. Your own moral / ethical compass
5. Compare PharmaCARE’s actions with those of at least one (1) real-world company, whose corporate activities led to ethical, environmental, or workplace safety issues and financial loss. Analyze the similarities and differences between PharmaCARE and the company that you chose.
6. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia is not an acceptable reference and proprietary 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.

In this assignment, you will create a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation that exhibits the different organisms in your current biome.

Include the following in your presentation:

• 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.

Develop a 10–15-slide presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M3_A2.ppt.

In previous scenarios involving RPZ Marketing, you reviewed the background of the business, the beginning of the major changes triggered by its acquisition of another marketing company, and particular issues that have arisen in the three functional areas of Operations, Marketing, and Human Resources. In Unit 7, you will encounter the additional area of Finance and Accounting, and in Unit 9, Information Technology (IT).

For this 4-page paper, select three areas to address, including two of the three already addressed in this course, and one of the two yet to be discussed. For each area that you select, address these three questions:

1. What is the primary purpose of this functional area?
2. How does this functional area support the achievement of organizational goals in any business?
3. What is your assessment of the extent to which this functional area is successfully supporting RPZ’s organizational goals?

For the functional area not yet addressed, simply explain what your chosen area (finance or IT) would need to do to effectively support RPZ’s organizational goals.

Organize your paper according to the following outline:

Introduction

First functional area (Name of function):

• Explain the primary purpose.
• Explain how the purpose of the functional area supports organizational goals.
• Assess the extent to which this function at RPZ Marketing is effectively supporting organization goals.

Second functional area (Name of function):

• Explain the primary purpose.
• Explain how the purpose of the functional area supports organizational goals.
• Assess the extent to which this function at RPZ Marketing is effectively supporting organizational goals.

Third functional area (Name of function):

• Explain what this functional area of RPZ would need to do to effectively support organizational goals.

Conclusion

• Provide your assessment of areas in which RPZ needs to focus the greatest additional attention and resources, based on your understanding of the company’s current situation.

References page

Requirements

• Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• References: References and citations are formatted in consistent style, with a preference for APA (6th edition) style and formatting.
• Number of resources: Minimum of 3 scholarly resources to support the solution identified as most productive for the problem identified.
• Length of paper: Approximately 4 typed double-spaced pages.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 point.

Refer to the Functional Areas of a Business Scoring Guide to ensure that your work meets the grading criteria for this assignment.

Once you have completed your assignment, submit your paper to Turnitin. When you receive the report from Turnitin, correct any citations that you missed or cited incorrectly, then turn your assignment in to your instructor.

Your assignment is due by 11:59 pm Central Time on Sunday.

In the first two written assignments, you selected one vulnerable population in need of a new program or service in your community.  In this project, you will finalize the research that allows you to understand elements that go into designing and launching a community service.  The Final Project will be written using a persuasive tone, such that you would be able to present it in order to gain community and organizational support for your program.  The Final Project must demonstrate an understanding of the reading assignments, class discussions, as well as your research and application of new knowledge.  Your project must contain the following elements:

• A description of the vulnerable population and why they need assistance in your community.
• A description of the health service needs of the vulnerable population you have chosen to serve with your program.
• In order to support the need for the service you propose, cite statistical data obtained from your county health department, state health department, and organizations or agencies who serve the vulnerable population.
• A description of your proposed community service or program; include the specific service(s) provided and one continuum of care level (prevention, treatment, or long-term care). Explain how the selected service(s) and the continuum of care will impact the chosen population.
• Discuss the social and cultural norms of your vulnerable population and how these play a role in the need for the services offered by your program. Describe how the vulnerable population experiences the health care system.  Analyze methods your program can use to overcome social and cultural differences.
• Identify two or more community organizations or agencies with which you can partner in order to implement your program. Explain how these organizations can help you implement the services you offer and the continuum of care offered by the potential partnering agencies. Explain which services these organizations will provide to your clientele that are not covered by your program.
• Analyze at least four potential funding sources for your program, one of which must be from a state funded agency, one of which must be from a federally funded agency and the remaining two can be not-for-profit or for-profit business sources. Explain what factors must be met in order to receive funding from your sources.

Your final project will demonstrate quantitative literacy, which shows your ability to identify and solve problems.  Additionally, you must demonstrate integrative learning, which means you combine your earlier learning from this and other courses, analyze data from multiple perspectives, explore issues to their full extent as is required in the assignment, as well as incorporate your own personal and professional experiences.

Be detailed and convincing in describing the above elements.  For your presentation, you may choose between the following formats:

• An APA formatted Final Paper
• A PowerPoint Presentation

The Final Paper:

• Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• 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 begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
• Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
• Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
• Must use at least six scholarly sources, not including the textbook.
• Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

The PowerPoint Presentation:

• Must be at least 18 slides in length (not including title and reference slides).
• Must include a title slide with the following:
  • Title of presentation
  • Student’s name
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Date submitted
• Must use at least six scholarly sources, not including the textbook.
• Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include a separate reference slide, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include detailed speaker notes for each slide.
• Must be creative, using images and charts. Remember to cite all images taken from an online resource. Creative Commons and Flickr are great websites for open source images.

For tips on creating an excellent presentation, read the following overview.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

1. Produce a ladder diagram that will cause output Y  to go HIGH when switch A and B are closed OR when switch C is closed.  (Hint:  Start with the Boolean equation).
2. Design the ladder diagram for a new Ford truck door/safety belt system.  When the truck door is open and the seat belt is not clicked in, the truck will not start.  If door is closed and seat belt is clicked in, the key will start the ignition.
3. Create a ladder diagram to control a washing machine. This washing machine would have a fill cycle to one level, a 10 second wash cycle, a 10 second rinse cycle and then drain. Include a start button, low level switch, high level switch, an agitator motor, a fill valve and a drain valve.
4. A control system is needed to control a small shopping center parking lot lighting system and the exterior lighting for the building. The design specifications require that the parking lot lighting and the exterior lighting turn on at dusk automatically. The parking lot lighting should automatically turn off at midnight but the building exterior lighting should remain on until dawn when it is turned off automatically. The system should repeat daily and should not require adjustment for the change in the seasons. Locate and specify an appropriate sensor if it is to operate at 120 vac as an input to a PLC. Create the ladder diagram to accomplish the specified control. Paste the sensor specifications into your document.

The case study is due two weeks prior to the end of the internship of athletics. The student must file a five to six page case study that addresses a problem or issue at the Texas AM Commerce athletic football internship work site. A problem is an obstacle to be overcome. An issue is an idea or activity about which there is debate. The student must decide upon a policy that will best address the problem or issue. The case analysis should be written in a narrative format that covers the following:
Situational Analysis: Begin by identifying the problem or issue. Does something stand in the way of mutual interests in reaching a goal, or are there legitimate grounds for debate? Why did the problem or issue arise? Who is concerned? How critical is the situation?
Analysis and Use of Evidence: What quantitative data is available? What is the applicability of the data to the problem or issue at hand? How appropriate is the data in terms of precision or estimation? Is there an adequate accumulation of other evidence to support the idea that there is a legitimate issue or that a real problem exists? There must be definite instances, not just generalizations. What is the balance in terms of the evidence? Considerable support from both sides indicates that there is a real issue. How valid and objective are the evidence? Bias and prejudice must be avoided. What is the thoroughness of reasoning? How important or controversial is a particular point?
Identification and Evaluation of Action Alternatives: What are the possible solutions to the problems? What are the alternatives of action for resolving an issue? Evaluation of action alternatives is accomplished by considering such factors as feasibility, time involved, and the possible contribution in either solving the problem or resolving the issue.
Conclusions and/or Recommendations: Must show a relationship to the analysis. Details of development should be set forth. What is the policy? The policy is essentially the action decision.

TEAM PROJECT: BI Center Design (Revised)

Team Project, teams of 4 (Ideally)

Overall Objective: Design and develop a BI Portal (or BI Center) for your company.

PART A: Requirements Definition and Logical Design

⦁ Based on the materials in the textbook, especially the Case Studies in each Chapter, identify at least 10 business problems the BI Center will be able to solve. Be specific (e.g., reduce the customer churn)
⦁ Develop a logical design (conceptual view) of what will be the key components of the BI Center (e.g., the data, the models, analytical tools, data mining tools, etc)
⦁ More grades will be given to deliverables that specifically utilize the textbook materials (especially the case study). For example, if you select text mining, then you should say that “we will use text mining as used by the US Govt for counterterrorism (Opening Vignette, Chapter 7 “Mining Text for Security and Counter Terrorism”).

Important Note: In this assignment, you should rely heavily on the case studies (especially the Opening Vignettes), in Chapters 3 to 8. Here are the names of these case studies : Chapter 3 “Decision Support System Cure for Health Care”, Chapter 4 “Model based Auctions Serve More Lunches in Chile”, Chapter 5 “Data Mining Goes to Hollywood!”, Chapter 6 “Predicting Gambling Referenda with Neural Networks”, Chapter 7 “Mining Text for Security and Counter Terrorism”, and Chapter 8“DirecTV Thrives with Active Data Warehousing”

PARTB: Develop a Physical Design of the BI Center

⦁ By searching the Internet, select the tools that you will use in the BI Center (e.g., databases, Excel, data mining tools, analytical tools). Select the “free” tools available on the Internet.
⦁ Show the “Architecture” of the BI Center as a bock diagram that shows what are the key components of the center, what do they do (e.g., what type of questions will they answer) and how do they interact with each other to answer the questions.
⦁ Conduct quick cost benefit analysis of the selected tools and identify which “must be selected” for the BI Center. Please use the simple Cost-Benefit analysis approach shown in Exhibit1.
⦁ Develop a simple prototypeof the BI Center with the selected tools. The prototype may support only one or 2 tools for proof of concept. Instead of a prototype, you may choose to develop a gamified design of the center in Powerpoint or hHTML5.
Hints for tool Selection:
⦁ Use expert system tools (e.g., http://www.cs.cofc.edu/~manaris/ai-education-repository/expert-systems-tools.html) and neural network tools (e.g., http://www.sigma-research.com/bookshelf/rtthinks.htm) to model and capture knowledge for your case.
⦁ Explore machine learning tools (e.g. http://www.cs.waikato.ac.nz/ml/weka/index.html) to improve performance for your particular case.
⦁ Use Big Data and any other tools or ideas that may not be even commercialized (e.g., emotion mining, thought computing).
Exhibit1: Simple Cost-Benefit Analysis

Use the well knowncost/benefit model (known as the Portfolio model) that can be used to quickly evaluate a particular tool based on broad estimates. This model, shown in the following figure categorizes each service in terms of costs (low, high) and benefits (low, high). This simple model can be used to quickly analyze a large number of tools and identify the ones that need to be pursued and the ones that need to be avoided. For a project with high potential benefits but high cost, an attempt should be made to reduce the cost (say by outsourcing) to move it to the “must-do” zone. On the other hand, a project with low cost but low benefit should be examined for adding some benefits. In other words, important projects that fall in the “Don’t Care” and “Investigate” zones should be further examined and studied to move them to the “Must Do” zone.

PART C: Solve Some Real Life Problems (this will be expanded later)
Do any three (the fourth can be an extra credit work)
⦁ Use the BI Center developed in Part B to solve some real life problems (each team member should choose one specific BI problem to solve)
⦁ Add advanced intelligent features to the BI Center
⦁ Evaluate some real life decision support systems (you will be given access to one, you will have to choose others)
⦁ Use PowerPoint or HTML5 to build simple games to improve performance resulting from some business decisions.

https://harrisburgu.adobeconnect.com/p2863jl6yow?launcher=false&fcsContent=true&pbMode=normal

Imagine that you are a supervisor in an organization. The human resources manager has been talking to the management team about developing staff through coaching. You are eager to use coaching methods as a tool to further develop your team.

Review performance coaching and conduct academic researchon new methods. In a 2-3 page report, prepared in APA style with at least two references, do the following:

• Describe what is meant by “coaching employees.”
• Create a coaching plan for your team. Be sure to discuss what type of organization you chose and what your team does in that organization.
• Finish your report with an explanation of how you will evaluate whether or not the coaching plan was successful.