Assignment Steps

Resources: Tutorial help on Excel^® and Word functions can be found on the Microsoft^® Office website. There are also additional tutorials via the web offering support for Office products.

Scenario: Imagine you are a business consultant to a firm of your choice. You have been asked to analyze, advise, and create recommendations on how the firm can ensure its future success in its current market.

Work with your instructor to choose a firm that matches the following criteria: a publicly-traded company operating in the U.S. market. Note: A publicly-traded company is a private-sector firm owned by its shareholders/stock holders.

Prepare a minimum 10 Power-Point Slide analysis of economic data and business data to explain how the core economic principles impact the sustainability of the firm and what actions the firm can take to ensure success.

Address the following:

• Identify the market structure your chosen firm operates in, analyze your chosen firm’s current market share, and identify the firm’s local/global competitors. Analyze the barriers to entry in this market to illustrate the potential for new competition and its impact on your firm’s future in the market. Hints: Be sure you review the barriers to entry discussed in the course text. You might consider presenting the data graphically.
• Identify and explain trends in current macroeconomic indicators for last three years including:
  • Current stage of the business cycle.
  • Real gross domestic product (GDP).
  • Inflation as measured by the consumer price index (CPI).
  • Unemployment rate.
  • Federal funds rate.
  • Current rate for borrowing funds such as the so-called “prime rate.” Note: A requirement of the Week 1 Influence of Economics on Household Decision Making report was to gather data on the CPI, GDP, and interest rates, so you should consider reviewing the feedback you received on the Week 1 report.
• Evaluate trends in demand over last three years and explain their impact on the industry and the firm. Include quarterly (last two quarters) and annual sales (last three years) figures for the product your firm sells. Create business strategies by analyzing information and data related to the demand for and supply of your firm’s product(s) to support your recommendation for the firm’s actions. Remember to include a graphical representation of the data and information used in your analysis.
• Examine available, current data and information, such as pricing and the availability of substitutes, and explain how you could determine the price elasticity of demand for your firm’s product. Assess how the price elasticity of demand impacts the firm’s pricing decisions and revenue growth.
• Apply the concepts of variable and fixed costs to your firm for informing its output decisions. For instance, analyze how different kinds of costs (labor, research and development, raw materials) affect the firm’s level of output.
• Based on the data gathered and analysis performed for this report write a conclusion in which you:
  • Create business strategies, including price and non-price strategies, based on your market structure to ensure the market share and potential market expansions and explore global opportunities for your business in a dynamic business environment and provide recommendations.
  • Develop a recommendation for how the firm can manage its future production by synthesizing the macroeconomic and microeconomic data presented.
  • Propose how the firm’s position within the market and among its competitors will allow it to take your recommended action.
  • Recommend strategies for the firm to sustain its success going forward by evaluating the findings from demand trends, price elasticity, current stage of the business cycle, and government policies.

Cite a minimum of three peer-reviewed references and a minimum of two government economic data sources/references.

http://library.ashford.edu/EzProxy.aspx?url=http://search.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cpid&custid=s8856897&db=a9h&AN=25353964&site=ehost-live

Methodological Issues Article Review

Read the following articles, which can be accessed through the ProQuest database in the Ashford University Library:

• Evidence-based practice in psychology: Implications for research and research training.
• Practice-based evidence: Back to the future.
• Psychological treatments: Putting evidence into practice and practice into evidence.

Write a three- to four-page article review in which you discuss methodological issues unique to psychological research and analyze basic applied psychological research relevant to the treatment of mental disorders. In your paper, you will discuss the topics of evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence and their roles in providing practitioners useful information for making decisions about appropriate mental health treatments.

In the body of your paper:

1. Discuss the methodological issues and challenges that are unique to psychological research investigating effective treatments for psychological disorders.
2. Explain the concepts of evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence and identify controversies associated with these concepts.
3. Select one treatment modality associated with a disorder in the DSM-5 and present at least one example of pertinent, applied psychological research investigating the efficacy of the treatment modality. Discuss the findings of the research. Locate at least one peer-reviewed article that contains a research study on a treatment modality to fulfill this requirement. You may not use any of the course materials.
4. Take the point of view of Bauer (2007) to analyze the article(s) you selected in #3. Using this author’s arguments from his Evidence-Based Practice in Psychology: Implications for Research and Research Training article, what would be his evaluation of the article(s) you selected?
5. Take the point of view of Brendtro, Mitchell, & Doncaster (2011) and analyze the article(s) you selected in #3. Using these authors’ arguments from their Practice-Based Evidence: Back to the Future article, what would be their evaluation of the article(s) you selected?
6. Discuss ways in which an evidence-based practice model might provide practitioners useful information for making decisions about the degree to which the treatment modality you selected in #3 is an appropriate treatment for the disorder you specified.
7. Conclude your paper with a discussion of your opinion of the utility of evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence for practitioners needing to identity effective treatments for psychological disorders.
8. Utilize a minimum of two additional peer-reviewed journal articles published within the last five years (not including the course text or any of the course materials). At least one article must be used to satisfy the requirement in #3, and at least one article must also be included to support your arguments. All sources must be documented in APA style, as outlined by the Ashford Writing Center.

Writing the Methodological Issues Article Review

The Assignment:

1. Must be three to five double-spaced pages in length, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
2. Must include a title page with the following:
   • Title of paper
   • Student’s name
   • Course name and number
   • Instructor’s name
   • Date submitted
3. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement. (Refer to the Ashford Writing Center Thesis Generator (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. ).
4. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
5. Must end with a conclusion that summarizes your opinion of the utility of evidence-based practice and practice-based evidence for practitioners needing to identity effective treatments for psychological disorders.
6. Must utilize each of the three required articles: Bauer (2007); Brendtro, Mitchell, & Doncaster (2011) and Dozois (2013).
7. Must utilize a minimum of two additional peer-reviewed sources published within the last five years (not including the course text).
8. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
9. Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Assignment 2: Using Motivation to Improve Performance

Due Week 6 and worth 220 points

Motivation is a complex subject, but its understanding and application is central to the success of management and the organization. Imagine that the CEO of your organization (current or past) has tasked you with recommending actions to promote employee’s involvement. This is a very important task. We recommend you start by drafting an outline of you potential ideas. Thereafter, you can explain in detail your proposal to the CEO. The outline should not be a reiteration of motivation theory, but should provide succinct points that cover the key topics of motivation and provides a road map that management can implement to improve motivation within the organization.

HINT: Review Chapter 8, page 242. Also, you might want to think about a specific job or unit you worked previously.

Write a four to five (4-5) pages paper in which you:

1. Create a one (1) page outline in which you select topics and subtopics around your recommendations to improve the employee’s involvement.
2. Explain three (3) of the most critical topics you have included in your outline, and propose a potential course of implementation. (3-4 pages)
3. Use at least two (2) quality academic resources you have located using the Strayer Library resources / databases in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia does not qualify as an academic resource, and neither do web-based blogs.
4. Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
   1. Typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
   2. 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 is not included in the required page length.
   3. Include a reference page. Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Analyze the relationship between the basic organizational behavior models of individual, group, and organizational processes, and the productivity of an organization.
• Explain the variety of motivational theories and job design considerations.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in leadership and organizational behavior.
• Write clearly and concisely about leadership and organizational behavior using proper writing mechanics.

HAVE IN MIND CULTURLA DIVERSITY , MINORITIES AND THEIR CHALENGE… you will read a text written by a minority writer and explore the text’s issues, events, or narrators/characters. You are encouraged to choose a work or author that is new to you.

Comparative Paper

The comparative paper should be a minimum of 5 pages (12 pt font, 1” margins, double spaced, no space between paragraphs). The header (name/date/assignment/title) should be no more than four singlespaced lines.

This paper requires you to engage in a comparative practice, which requires four steps: selection, description, comparison, and theorization. This will not require a formal thesis.

Selection requires picking two sources of data from two different religions. Our sources of data will come from texts, which will be your A and your B. You will also have to do a close reading of A and B to identify an element that appears in both texts. This element should be a concrete thing, idea, or theme (e.g. “ark,” “creation of animals,” “anger of the gods”) or one of the comparative terms we’ve discussed (e.g., “myth and ritual,” “creation myth,” “sacred,” “profane”). This element, your C, is the comparative framework.

Description begins with a close re-reading of A and B, paying attention to how the C appears, what role it plays, specific language used in discussing it, and any other relevant detail. You will want to take detailed notes when you are doing this.

Comparison requires identifying what is the same and different in your A and B with regard to your C. This can be how C is described, what role C plays, why C is important, etc.

Theorization takes the data from your comparison and hypothesizes about what the differences say about each religion and what the similarities might suggest about religion in general.

Your paper will thus include these elements: 1. Selection: (1-2 sentences max) a. Which texts are you using and what is your comparative framework? (i.e. what is your A, B, and C; 1-2 sentences). b. Why is your C relevant to A and B? (i.e., why is C important to A and B) 2. Description: (1 page) a. What is your “data” for C? (how does C appear in each text? What role does C play in each text? This is where you can do summary.) 3. Comparison a. What is the same about C in A and B? (i.e., in both A and B, C is/does this thing) b. What is different about C in A and B? (i.e., in text A, C also is/does this; in text B, C also is/does this) 4. Theorization (this is where you’ll do analysis and argumentation) a. What do the differences suggest about religion A and religion B? (i.e., since C does this in A, we can hypothesize that religion A is/does this; since C does this in B, we can hypothesize that religion B is/does this). b. What do the similarities suggest about religion in general? (since C is/does this in both A and B, we can hypothesize that in all religions, C is/does this)

You not waste space with a flowery introduction. Your first sentence(s) should answer the selection question (i.e. 1a).

Also, while your paper does not require a formal thesis, it must still be written as a paper. With the exception with the selection questions, you should not simply create a list answering the questions above one-by-one.

You may summarize the text in your description, but do quote directly from the texts where necessary for analysis. You should be using the translations/editions we’ve used in class.

Scripture should be cited parenthetically by book, chapter, and verse(s). E.g. “In the beginning” (Genesis 1:1). Enuma Elish and Epic of Gilgamesh should be cited by tablet number and line number. E.g., “There father Anu swore an oath” (Gilgamesh XI.15); “With a clean festal robe she made his face shine” (Enuma Elish V.82).

Your paper will be graded on the following criteria: • Adherence to proper spelling/grammar conventions • Meeting formal guidelines of paper (including rules about style and formatting) • Accuracy/creativity of description/comparison:

o The best papers will identify interesting elements in each text that go beyond a mere surface reading

o Is your description/comparison/analysis supported by what is specifically said in the text or does it come out of assumptions made (but not supported by) the texts? • Logical coherence of theorization from comparison.

o Your theorization does not have to be ground-breaking, but it does need to make sense. You will have to make an argument that is supported by your data for your theorization.

><><><><><><><><><><

Please refer back to the guidelines of the “comparative paper above” assignment. Your paper must include something from Islam as your “A,” but you may choose either Christian, Jewish or Near Eastern Texts as your “B.” You may use either the Qur’an or material from F.E. Peters’ Reader on Classical Islam for your A; you should likewise choose something from a specific text for your B. For example you may do a comparison of the Qur’an and the Gospel of Mark with “apocalypticism” as your C, but you may not chose the Qur’an and Christianity with apocalypticism as your C.

You are free to choose for your C anything that appears in both your A and your B. You may choose a person as your C, but only if you’re looking at later commentary on that person for your A and B. For example, if you chose Moses, your B should not come from Exodus. A proper comparison for Moses would be Qur’an as A and (for example) Gospel According to Matthew as B. Here are some other suggestions for your C:

Charismatic Authority (Muhammad as “A,” and Jesus in a specific gospel) Apocalypticism (Qur’an as A – though you will need to pick specific suras; Galatians, Thessalonians, Mark, Daniel, or 1 Enoch as your B) Monotheism (Qur’an as A; Abrahamic/Mosaic covenant, reforms of Josiah, or Ezra/Nehemiah as B) Travel/Pilgrimage (Hajj, Hijra, Miraj as A; Exodus as B) Abraham (Qur’an as A; Romans or Galatians as B) Prophets (could do either general commentary about “prophets” in Qur’an and Gospel According to Matthew/Luke, or a comparison of two specific prophets – for example, Jesus in Qur’an as A; John the Baptist in Gospel According to Luke as B)

If you have any doubts about your comparison, please check with me