Toyota: A Visionary Company?

Toyota is a company that has been in the news a great deal lately. Their mission is essentially to “Produce reliable vehicles and sustainable development of society by employing innovative and high quality products and services.” But does this mission adequately guide the company’s actions? Sometimes a company WANTS to be one thing but the actions take them somewhere else. And when this happens, who gets hurt?

Read the information in the background material, look for more information, and then write a 3 to 4 pages report for your professor and the executives of Toyota Corporation by answering the following questions:

i) Discuss to what degree you believe Toyota is currently proceeding towards what the company identifies as its ‘Global Vision’?

ii) Given Toyota’s quality problems in 2010, do you think Toyota’s current strategic direction is aligned with the needs of their stakeholders? Please explain your reasoning.

iii) Based on your analysis and findings, what would you recommend to the executives of Toyota corporations? Why? Please explain your reasoning.

NOTES:

i) Please note that this is an advance level course so you must show and demonstrate your ability to provide reasoning for your response.

ii) Also please note that your report/assignment will not be accepted without proper citations and references. You must use the sources from the background material together with the sources you find your own.

Case Assignment Instructions:

Step 1: Throughout the course we will be exploring Toyota’s website and contrasting what they say there with what is reported in the business press.

Step 2: Read the required articles about Toyota and conduct additional research as needed.

Step 3: Identify the main stakeholders; pick one or two, e.g., the customers, the employees, the stockholders and determine what their needs and goals are in regard to Toyota.

Step 4: In a three to four page paper, critically analyze whether Toyota’s mission and vision take the needs, goals, and objectives of its stakeholders into account.

Case expectations:

This paper should include:

An introduction stating the thesis of your paper.

A main body discussing:

►Your interpretation of Toyota’s mission and vision.

►Your assessment of the stakeholders and their needs/goals.

►Your critical assessment as to whether Toyota’s mission and vision takes their stakeholders into account.

►Your recommendations to Toyota corporation.

A conclusion concisely stating the main points of your analysis and the conclusions you reached.

Be sure to document your sources and provide in-text citations whenever you use information you obtained from a background reading or other outside source, as well as a separate reference list at the end of the paper. You may use footnotes instead, if you prefer, but you MUST document where you got the information you are using in your papers!

● The following criteria will also be used to assess your paper:

>Precision: Does the paper address the question(s) or task(s)?

>Breadth: Is the full breadth of the subject, i.e., all the keys to the assignment, addressed?

>Depth: Does the paper/report address all elements of the topic in sufficient depth? Does it include and apply the background readings and other background resources? Are they included as references?

>Critical thinking: Are the concepts of this module applied accurately, logically, and relevantly?

>Organization: Is the paper organized in a coherent and systematic manner? Are headings included in all papers greater than 2 pages?

>Clarity: Is the writing clear and the concepts articulated properly? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of response to the questions, or are thoughts conveyed through excessive use of quotations?

Toyota. (2012). Vision and Philosophy. Retrieved August, 2012, from http://www.toyota-global.com/company/vision_philosophy/  

Toyota. (2012) Annual Report 2011.  Retrieved August, 2012 from http://www.toyota-global.com/investors/ir_library/annual/pdf/2011/  

 Watch the following short film, theory of mind.mov, which demonstrates the theory of mind using a juice box experiment.

At around four years of age, a fundamental change occurs in children’s understanding of others’ behaviors or what is also called theory of mind. Using your knowledge from our readings, watch the video to determine which stage both Jacob and Patrick are currently in respectively.

Discuss both Jacob’s and Patrick’s reaction to the “mean monkey.” What stage would Erickson say each child is in? How do these different stages influence their values and attitudes? Do you think it is possible for a child over the age of three to have trouble understanding that his or her beliefs can be false? Explain your reasoning.  

Guided Response:

Your initial post should be at least 250 words in length

The following is a highly educational interactive exercise, which visually demonstrates the impact of various strategic decisions that you can make, under different kinds of industry characteristics. You may play the simulation as many times as you like. Tata Interactive Systems. Economics for Managerial Decision Making. After playing the simulation game, write a 5-6 page paper covering the following questions. Please define each type of market structure (monopoly, oligopoly, monopolistic competition, and perfect competition). Be sure to paraphrase information in your own words, and cite your sources. Describe the competitive advantage/unique resources Quasar Computers possesses in the monopoly market scenario. To this end, describe why intellectual property rights are important in a capitalistic market system. How might a firm hedge against an expiring patent so they can maintain some sort of competitive advantage into the future? In an oligopoly firms try to avoid competing on prices, and probably try to avoid competing in other aspects to the marketing mix (products, promotion, placing). Is this possible in this market? In a monopoly scenario, the firm does not need to worry about generic strategies. However, as firms move through successively more competitive market structures, they need to consider which type of generic strategy to implement. After referring to Porter’s Generic Strategies in the MBA Reference Guide, comment on which strategy you recommend depending on the oligopoly, monopolistic competition, and perfect competition scenarios. Please make sure to justify your answers. Consider the perfect competition scenario. After reading the Porter’s Five Forces that is included in the MBA Reference Guide, rate each of the forces as high-medium-low and justify your rankings. In a perfect competition scenario, is the computer industry attractive? Why, or why not? Here is the link to the simulation: http://info.umuc.edu/mba/public/TIS/economics/market/economics_market_part1.swf

unit 9 assignment

Assignment

Details of complete assignment content, deliverables and rubric
For your Unit 9 assignment, select five of the case studies/questions listed in pages 336-352 of your textbook.
  Answer each question with a full response regarding how you would respond as per the BACB ethical guidelines revised (4th) edition. For each response, include the BACB code number(s) that are relevant, as well as the ethical principle(s) involved, and how you would respond in a manner that complies with the BACB ethical guidelines. Make sure to discuss any ethical, legal or sociocultural issues of importance within each study, and provide details regarding the steps that you would take to ensure that there is no bias in your treatment of a client.

Each response should be 1-2 pages in length.
10-12pages
APA style is required for this assignment.
No abstract is required. However, an introduction and conclusion should be included, along with a title and final reference page.

Textbook Information
Title: Ethics for Behavior Analysts, 2nd Expanded Edition
Author: Bailey, J., & Burch, M.
ISBN: 9780415880305
Publisher: Routledge, Taylor and Francis
eBook or Physical text:
Software:

Your Final Project will be due at the end of Unit 9.

Unit 9 Assignment Rubric:

Grading Criteria Unit 9 Assignment Professional Plan	% – Points	Points Earned
Content
Student provides a response fully answering how they would respond as per the BABC ethical guidelines for at least five of the questions from the case study examples listed on pages 336–352.	0–40
Student provides the proper BACB code number(s) that are relevant to the case as well as the ethical principles involved (5 pts. each)	0–25
Student discusses any legal or sociocultural issues of importance within each study	0–20
Student discusses steps that they would take to ensure that there is no bias in their treatment	0–15
Writing
Style and Mechanics: Clear and logical organization; paragraphs and sentences are well developed. Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Meets length requirements.	0–10
APA Style: Formatted correctly using APA style. Provides references to support conclusions. Paraphrased correctly and accurately; direct quotes used minimally.	0–10
Total	120
An explanation of the points earned, as well as where the assignment could be strengthened will be included with your grade.

Power of Love and Relationships

For this assignment, please address each of the items below:

1. Describe the factors of attraction. What attracts us to one another? Why are we less likely to befriend someone from another culture than someone from a similar background with a similar physical aesthetic? Be sure to identify and describe all six factors in attraction.

2. Discuss the human need to build bonds and relationships. Do we have an innate need to belong? If so, why? How is this need attached to our emotions, our social bonds, and our fear of deprivation?

3. Explain the three types of love: companionate, passionate, and compassionate.  What are the differences and similarities among them? What is an example of each type? How does Sternberg’s Triangular Theory of Love distinguish romantic love, from empty love or infatuation? Please thoroughly address each of the components in Figure 12.1.

Include an introduction, thesis statement, and conclusion. Your completed assignment must be three to four pages in length (excluding title and reference pages).  It must include a minimum of two to three references, formatted according to APA guidelines, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.