Author: chris

Organizational Learning II – Chapters 4 & 5
According to Argyris and Schon, contemporary organizations are information-based, which implies that knowledge is a crucial prerequisite for success, therefore it has become important to apply essential organizational learning concepts in practice. One application type refers to Knowledge in Learning Resource Centers, which must be arranged because it can facilitate learning outcomes in a particular community and organization. Moreover, the perception of Learning Resource Centers as fundamental educational facilities requires a thorough understanding of organizing knowledge in a proper manner. The appropriate arrangement of knowledge in these centers can guarantee a better, enhancing learning environment so that learners can have a viable opportunity to benefit from various learning resources that are available at the organizational context. In fact, knowledge organization systems foster self-learning opportunities in the respective centers so that individuals can initiate adequate searching and exploration activities. The spirit of exploration is leading in constructing knowledge organization systems.
Knowledge in Learning Resource Centers reflects the idea of participatory learning. The knowledge base available in these centers provides members with virtual access to various resources. Learners can access relevant books, journals and websites so that they can optimize the outcomes of their learning. The centers serve as an enhanced source of information and knowledge for learners and other stakeholders in the field of education. Information and communication development opportunities emerge as significant challenges in today’s learning organizations. The necessity to convey information resources’ extensive diversity prompts the establishment and adequate arrangement of Learning Resource Centers.
It is important to arrange knowledge in Learning Resource Centers to ensure access to a wide range of sources are enable and designed in a systematic manner. These centers are often associated with various learning and teaching purposes and are focused on the goal of fostering new forms of knowledge and experiences, as well as developing relevant learning methods. Learning Resource Centers are advantageous in that they solidify the connection between learning resources and teaching methods. In addition, teachers have changed their traditional role into that of being leaders and facilitators of extensive learning processes. The centers apparently focus on amalgamation of different resources, information and communication technologies.
Planning learning activities is an important dimension of organizational learning programs provided in the contemporary business environment. Knowledge is arranged in such a way to establish proper balance between non-printed materials and other learning materials that support the respective curriculum. In terms of exploring the specific learning environment in Learning Resource Centers, it appears that professionals in the field focus on the nature of self-learning auditoriums and group-learning auditoriums. Self-learning auditoriums indicate the purpose of facilitating all types of information resources. The presentation of these resources should be appealing and corresponding to the learning needs and expectations of students of all grades. Knowledge in this learning segment is associated with arranging reception and visitors’ area as well as with cataloguing and borrowing activities. In addition, the respective centers have the following areas presented accordingly: reading, self-learning, electronic learning and catalogues.
Group-learning auditoriums indicate the importance of using different equipments for learning purposes. For instance, projectors are available so that individuals can complete their learning presentations with the latest technologies arranged in Learning Resource Centers. The environment in group-learning auditoriums enhances group and cooperative learning, and thus the production of educational materials is facilitated. The most significant element of these centers is that of proper organizational resources provided to those who wish to expand their learning horizons.

Suppose the world consists of only one pair of open economies, country A and country B, and these countries only trade with each other. Country A only produces food whose output is measured in standard units, where one unit of YA is equal to 1,000 kilograms of food. Country B only produces clothing in standard units, where one unit of YB is equal to 100 kilograms of clothing. The table below provides some selected information about the economies of these countries. Keep your answers to at least 4 decimal places.

Country A Country B
Production function: YA = 3xK0.50L0.50
Capital stock: K = 1000
Labour supply: L = 1000 Production function: YB = K0.50L0.50
Capital stock: K = 900
Labour supply: L = 900
Consumption function: C = 500 + 0.70(Y-T) Consumption function: C = 150 + 0.65(Y-T)
Investment function: I = 400 – 25r Investment function: I = 200 – 50r
Gov’t sector: G = 500 & T = 501 Gov’t sector: G = 110 & T = 110
Net export function: NX = 850 – 925ε
Monetary sector:
Real money demand = = 0.65Y – 200r
Nominal price level = 1.2 Monetary sector:
Real money demand = = 0.9Y – 200r
Nominal price level = 1.04

Use the long-run classical model of an open economy to answer the following questions. Both countries have perfect financial capital mobility and no risk premium.
Hint: Since there are only two open economies, both are large open economies.

a) Determine the long-run equilibrium level of food and clothing production. (4 points)

b) Suppose absolute purchasing power parity holds for these countries. For each country, determine the long-run equilibrium levels of:
• The trade balance;
• The domestic nominal money supply;
• The real exchange rate (in the usual orientation # of foreign per domestic, εFC/DC);
• The nominal exchange rate (in the usual orientation of # of foreign currency per domestic currency);
• The domestic real rate of interest (in percentage points, so if r = 3, this is interpreted as 3%);
• The real wage rate of labour and real rental rate of capital;
• The unemployment rate; and
• Output per worker.

Support your answer with one set of diagrams, one for the (Country A) loanable funds market and one for the (Country A) foreign exchange market. Which country has a better standard of living? (11 points)
c) Suppose the government of country A decides to it would like to move to balanced trade by altering the level of government spending on goods & services. Is this possible? If so, redo parts (a) and (b). Explain in words which country has a better standard of living & why. (15 points)

CREATE A WRITTEN SAMPLE FOR YOUR PITCH FOR THE COMMUNICATION PROPOSAL AND PRESENTATION DUE IN WEEK 5.
the website will be provided after the writer is assigned
Access the Virtual Organization: Smith Systems Consulting.
Create a written sample for your pitch for the Communication Proposal and Presentation due in Week Five.
Decide the type of messages the chosen affiliate might need to communicate to Smith Systems Consulting.
Evaluate the potential needs of one of Smith Systems Consulting’s current clients and explain how the new communication division could provide cutting-edge technology to enhance the client’s business.
Submit your written sample as a Microsoft® Word document.

Your task is to design the network for this new building with the following criteria:
• Student-accessed computers should be on separate network from the staff-accessed computers.
• The whole building will share one Internet access connection (T-1 link from Verizon). This connection will come into the Server Room on the first floor.
• Security is very important for UMUC as we have to protect students and employee’s data as well as any intellectual property that UMUC has on the servers and computers.
• The network has been assigned the 10.11.0.0/16 network address for all computers and devices. For Internet routing use 151.1.1.1 IP address.
• The network should use physical cable (not wireless), but do provide wireless access in the Student Lobby area.
Submission should include (in no more than ten pages, excluding diagrams and references):
Network Addressing:
1. Define the subnet (based on: rooms, floor, department, or other criteria).
2. For each subnet, explain which devices/groups/users/rooms will be on this subnet, define the network address, subnet mask, and available IP addresses to be used by computers or devices.
Physical Network Design:
1. Define the topology that will be used.
2. Select the appropriate network media to use.
3. Select the appropriate network connecting devices to use.
4. Physical layout of the computers on the floor plan.
5. List of additional servers or network devices needed to implement the network.
6. Justifications for your network design (number 1 – 5 above)
You will be evaluated on your ability to
o Implement appropriate IP addressing scheme
o select and justify appropriate cable media that includes the length of each cable segment and number of nodes on each segment
o select and justify appropriate topology such as star, bus, or ring for your network
o select and justify of your selected network equipments
o select and justify appropriate network services to meet network requirements
o select and justify security implementation for the network
o use proper grammar, formatting, network terminology, and reference citations

As we all know, the development and implementation of public policy impacts every aspect of public administration. Consider a scenario where your city has recently experienced an increase in gang-related crime and consider policies to address the problem.

First, explore the concept of federalism, the separation of powers, and theories related to influencing and developing policies (consider a variety of theories). Explore advantages and disadvantages of policies at the federal, state and local levels. Other concepts that may be explored in this section can include public value and the legitimacy of government.

Explain how you go about analyzing the problem, and a variety of policy instruments (such as authority tools, inducements and sanctions, etc.) that could be used to impact the problem.

Describe the types of evaluation tools available to evaluate the policy, and how implementation departments and budgets may be impacted.

Describe the variable used to segment consumer markets. What type of market segmentation strategy is Marriott following? For each, relate specific examples of hotel services tailored to various target markets.
(The following link: http://www.marriott.com/marriott/brands.mi offers a brief description of 6 brands of various Marriott hotels catering to different types of customers.)
2. Is Marriott’s portfolio of brands an advantage or disadvantage? Assess the pros and cons of operating in so many segments of the market.
3. What kind of positioning strategy should the company adopt for the JW Marriot Hotel?
4. Draw a perceptual map for any one of the six brands of Marriott.
The course Learning Outcome (CLO) this report helps to test is as follows:
Apply market segmentation and target marketing strategies considering the different stages of product life cycle for the purpose of ensuring updated product offerings to the right customers and to counter the competition
Important: Please provide in text citation as well as bibliography (APA style). please make sure you answer each question separately.

Leveraging the Web for Customer Engagement: A Case Study of BT’s Debatescape

You are a middle management administrator, It has been brought to your attention that one of the employees you supervise has come to work smelling of alcohol. You know this employee has had some major personal problems, a recent divorce and a declaration of bankruptcy. You have had two client complaints regarding the employee not showing up on time for appointments. Other than these two incidents, the employee has been conscientious. His/her employee evaluations have been above average.
1.Describe the agency policies regarding employee conduct.
2.Identify the important issues you have to consider for both the agency, staff, employee and clients?
3.What are the ethical considerations both professional and personal?
4.What steps would you take to address this problem with your boss and your employee?
5.What resources are available for assistance for you and the employee?
NOTE:
Student teams will submit to the instructor a one page outline of the presentation. This will include:
• Topic
• Brief Statement about the Case Scenario/Role Play (no analysis)
• What aspects of the topic will be addressed in a brief lecture following the case
• What references were used in preparing the presentation

Nine months ago, the executives running your design firm decided to start using teams. Before that, all of the work was done on an individual basis. Ron the marketing guy would run some consumer surveys to try to identify new fads. He would pass this information on to the Susie in the art department, who would come up with some sketches of new products based on the surveys. She would then pass this on to production, where Maury would look at the sketches and see what kind of materials would have to be ordered so that Sharon could have a chance to work up some prototypes. Finally, about five months later, Marcus in sales would have some samples that he could take around to potential customers. But after switching to one team, where all these people could work together and share their ideas at each step of the process, that time was cut down just six weeks.
The executives of your company were thrilled with these results, and no doubt, they patted themselves on the back for coming up with the brilliant idea of using teams. There is, though, just one thing that they didn’t take into consideration – the team members hate each other! Marcus thinks that Ron talks too much and dominates every single team meeting. Maury, who hates sports, thinks that Susie wastes all of her time following the University of Michigan football team. Susie, meanwhile, hates it that Sharon won’t stop it with stories about her kids. As for Marcus, nobody can quite figure him out, but almost everyone on the team thinks that he is racist.
With all of these negative emotions floating around, your project team has become stagnant. The meetings are uncomfortable, to say the least, and the interaction between the members has become toxic. It’s been virtually impossible to get people to share ideas, reflect on others’ ideas, or even just look each other in the eyes. Most meetings, it’s plainly obvious that the only reason people are in the meetings is because they have to be.
A few weeks ago, Ron and Maury went to senior managers and asked what they would need to do to not work in teams anymore. The managers, in turn, told them to tell everyone else that, in effect, their stuck with what they got. The mangers are unwilling to give up the gains in productivity and speed, so the team is just going to have to learn how to work together.
So here you sit, a dysfunctional team, with a directive from your bosses to learn how to get along. How do you do it?
Questions
1. What is the problem? Identify and summarize the problem recognizing the embedded and implicit aspects.
2. What are the decision criteria that should be used in this situation, and how should they be weighted?
3. Under what conditions do you think it is acceptable to do nothing?
4. What is the conclusion or decision? Make sure to include consequences of the decision.

This is a solution to Florida’s TANF Goal #4 that is related to two parent families raising their children. However, this solution must be tied back to the first paper that was about Black Men and youth in the State of Florida.