PM DF#6

Explain why there are no purely mechanistic problems on projects. Why do all problems on projects have a human element? Explain a time when you experienced a project problem due to a human element, and how the problem may have been alleviated using good project management controls.

Outsourcing Virtual Desktop Business Proposal

You are a member of the IT department at a company that is really going through some tough financial times. The leadership within that company has decided to pursue the idea of outsourcing a virtual desktop solution that would allow much more flexibility and secure desktop delivery. You know that there are multiple virtual desktop solutions out there, but aren’t sure which one is the best solution for this company.

Analyze all the costs and benefits of moving to a virtual desktop solution, and propose a minimum of four benefits of the new system over the existing one. Compare and contrast reasons why the company should choose the system you are recommending over keeping the existing system.

Using all of your knowledge up to this point and any external sources necessary, create a written proposal explaining why the organization needs to adopt a virtual desktop solution.

Your proposal must be a minimum of two pages, double-spaced. Support your argument with at least three credible, outside sources. The CSU-Global Library is a good place to find these sources. You may want to review the assignment criteria found in the Rubric. 

WORLD CULTURES

• Assignment 1: Essay
    Due Week 4 and worth 100 points
  Choose  one (1) of the three (3) reading selections from the list of topic  choices below. The focus is on brief but important primary source  material written by major authors. Read the selections  as identified  with each topic below. Write a three to four (3-4) paragraph essay (250  words minimum) which analyzes the “surprise ending” of the reading  selection. 
  Topic Choices
   
• Reading selection from  Descartes’ Discourse on the Method (Part IV). Descartes begins with a   proof of one basic conclusion and ends with a proof of something much  grander. Remember to focus on the surprise and point of realization, not  the details of the philosophical argument. Read Part IV of the  Discourse on the Method located at http://www.earlymoderntexts.com/assets/pdfs/descartes1637.pdf(then scroll down to Part 4, pp. 14-18). This is only four or five (4 or 5) pages of the larger work.
   
• Reading  selection of Swift’s A Modest Proposal. It is essential to recognize  the genre of this work, as discussed in our class text, which you should  consult and cite. Swift promotes a radical solution, but subtle options  are mentioned. You are looking for surprise and a point of realization.  Read and focus on A Modest Proposal located at http://www.victorianweb.org/previctorian/swift/modest.html. 

   

• Two  (2) reading selections from Voltaire’s Candide. Consider how these  readings start and end in terms of the action and the beliefs. You are  looking for surprise and a point of realization. These selections can be  found on pp. 840-841 in the textbook. In addition, consult the class  text at pp. 824-825.
• For the reading selection you choose:
   

1. Clearly  state in your own words the “surprise ending” in the reading you  selected. Clearly identify the point in the reading when you realized  that there were elements in the reading that surprised you. Not all of  the surprises come at the end.
2. Evaluate how successful the  author was in convincing you to accept the validity of the “surprise  ending” that was different from what you expected. 
3. 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  Style format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.  (Note: Students can find APA style materials located in the Additional  Resources section of their Student Center within their course shell for  reference)
• 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.
• Use the source(s)  identified above for the topic you choose, focusing on the main primary  source of that author. You may use additional sources also if they are  of good academic quality for college papers (Wikipedia and similar  websites do not qualify). Use proper APA style in-text citing and also a  matching APA style References list at the end.  
• The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:
   
• Explain how key social, cultural, and artistic contributions contribute to historical changes.
• Explain the importance of situating a society’s cultural and artistic expressions within a historical context. 
• Examine  the influences of intellectual, religious, political, and  socio-economic forces on social, cultural, and artistic expressions. 
• Identify major historical developments in world cultures from the Renaissance to the contemporary period. 
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in the study of world cultures.
• Write clearly and concisely about world cultures using proper writing mechanics.

Operations Management

Assignment 1: LensCrafters Case Study Due Week 4 and worth 250 points 
 This assignment requires student complete an analysis of the LensCrafters case from Chapter 6 of the text. Write a six to seven (6-7) page paper in which you:   

1. Evaluate  LensCrafters’ operations strategy and explain how the organization  seeks to gain a competitive advantage in terms of sustainability.
2. Analyze  how operation management activities affect the customer experience.  Select two (2) operation management challenges and provide the solutions  for confronting them.
3. Examine LensCrafters’ value chain and  evaluate its effectiveness to operations in terms of quality, value  creation, and customer satisfaction. 
4. Determine the different  types of performance measurements that can be used to measure  LensCrafters’ service-delivery system design. Select at least two (2)  types that can be applied and provide justifications for the selection. 
5. Examine  the different types of technologies applied to LensCrafters’ service  operations and evaluate how the technologies strengthen the value chain.
6. Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality 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.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:   

• Apply the concept of operations management. 
• Compare and contrast the difference between a supply chain and a value chain.
• Analyze the types of measures used for decision making. 
• Analyze the five key competitive priorities and their relationship to operations strategy.
• Analyze different types of technology and their role in manufacturing and service operations.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in operations management. 
• Write clearly and concisely about operations management using proper writing mechanics.

Challenges In Implementing A Global Alliance

What Are The Challenges In Implementing A Global Alliance. Once An Alliance Is Reached, What Steps Are Involved In Strategic Implementation Of The Venture?

Answer the above questions, using the below/attached references.  Must be at least 300 words in APA format.

References

(1) Goussak, Gregory W. (2012).  CULTURAL PLURALISM: A CRITICAL NEEDS PLAN FOR GENERAL MOTORS.  Global Conference on Business & Finance proceedings, 7(1), 249-255.  

(2) Damanpour, F., Devece, C., Chen, C. C., & Pothukuchi, V. (2012). Organizational culture and partner interaction in the management of international joint ventures in India. Asia Pacific Journal of Management, 29(2), 453-478. 

(3) Jakada, B. A. (2014). Building global strategic alliances and coalitions for foreign investment opportunities. International Journal of Global Business, 7(1), 77-94. 

(4) Luvison, D., & de Man, A. (2015). Firm performance and alliance capability: The mediating role of culture. Management Decision, 53(7), 1581-1600. 

Project Management

Most students intuitively know more about project management than they realize. Through experiences at work, school, or in the community, almost every adult has either participated in and/or managed a project at one time or another.

Apply the concepts learned in chapter 1 and describe a project you have either participated in and/or managed.
A quality response will apply the components of the definition of a project; describe progress through the project life cycle; and reference quality of managing the scope, time and cost (the three project objectives).

Assignment 1-1

What are the most important things you have learned thus far in your academic and professional careers through this bachelor in health administration class ? 

What accomplishments are you looking to achieve during this capstone project class that you can integrate into your professional careers?

Discussion : Principles Of Marketing

Aligns with Chapter Learning Objectives 1-1 and 1-5 and Course Learning Objectives CO1, CO11, and CO12

I welcome all of you to the exciting, changing, advancing world of marketing.  Marketing is a passion of my mine and I hope to convey that energy and enthusiasm to each of you.  I hope by the conclusion of this semester you will look at the “term” marketing in an entirely different light. Marketing is so much more than advertising. Marketing involves the four “P’s,” which are product, placement (distribution), price and promotion. Only one part of promotion is actually advertising.  

At the conclusion of your reading from Chapter 1, please refer to 2-1 p14, “The Nature of Strategic Planning.”  Strategic planning is the managerial process of creating and maintaining a fit between the organization’s objectives and resources and the evolving market opportunities. The goal of strategic planning is long-run profitability and growth. Thus, strategic decisions require long-term commitments of resources.

A strategic error can threaten a firm’s survival. On the other hand, a good strategic plan can help protect and grow the firm’s resources.  Read on page 14 about March of Dimes, Disney, Nvidia, and Target in the short excerpt.  These company’s decisions have or will affect their future.

Strategic marketing management addresses two questions (1) What is the organization’s main activity at a particular time? (2) How will it reach its goals?

Here is a link to current marketing strategies.  http://adage.com/lp/top15/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.    (Links to external site).

APA Reference for this source:

Neff, J. (2015). Top Ad Campaigns of the 20th Century. AdAge. Retrieved from http://adage.com/lp/top15/   

(Remember in Reference section, all hyperlinks should be removed and all formatting should be black, without an underline. You do not need to worry about the five space indention on the second and subsequent lines in the Reference section for a citation, as the discussion template does not make that possible.)

Become familiar with the top 15 marketing strategies implemented. These include UNICEF: Tap Project; Chipotle: Back to the Start; Budweiser: Whassup;  Metro Trains: Dumb Ways to Die; Dos Equis: Most Interesting Man in the World; American Legacy: Truth; P&G: Thank You, Mom;  Apple: Get a Mac;  American Express: Small Business Saturday; Burger King: Subservient Chicken; Red Bull: Stratos;  Old Spice: The Man Your Man Could Smell Like; The Hire: BMW Films; Nike+; and Dove: Campaign for Real Beauty.

For this discussion,  (3 parts)

(1) Define the term marketing (in its own paragraph and properly referenced)

(2) Define strategic planning (in its own paragraph and properly referenced)

(3) Choose one of the companies from 2-1 (p14) or one of these 15 companies and discuss what the company did, what you think they did right, why it worked (was judged such a success), or maybe what you think they didn’t consider or do right. You analysis should address the two strategic marketing questions identified above (bold/underlined) and apply/explain. (There is no wrong or right answer as far as your opinion, but your score is based on your development of the topic and professional essay.  This part should be in its own paragraph(s) and  have in-text referencing).

This discussion will help you to start on the journey to identify and utilize marketing principles and to gain awareness of some of the basics involved with strategic planning and positioning. Being more informed on top strategies in the marketplace, will help you with developing your ideas for your own marketing strategy to be determined for a company of your choice, by the conclusion of the semester.

General Requirements:

Your discussion needs to be around 250-300 words (can be longer if desired) and should include marketing terminology and analysis. You should properly reference “in-text” citing with APA in-text referencing, with reference section at the end of your essay.  Support your rationale, give examples, compare and contrast.

Porter's 5 Forces

3 Page Essay summarizing Porter's 5 forces- APA style with Cover and Reference page. Cover and Reference Pages aren't included in the 3 page requirement

Exploring Interests To Identify Research Problems

The most important task in preparing to write a dissertation is identifying a current problem that is of interest to you. Conducting research can be a daunting task; however, conducting research on a topic or area that is of interest to the researcher can be motivating and make the research process easier. In this assignment, you will conduct research to identify a current problem in your dissertation topic or area of interest.

Using the module readings and the Argosy University online library resources, address the following:

• Research at least five articles in appropriate trade journals or academic peer-reviewed journals to find a current problem in your dissertation topic or area of interest.
• Describe the problem.
• Discuss why you are interested in this topic.
• Explain why addressing this problem might aid the field of study both practically (actual organizational setting) and academically.
• Identify professional organizations that might assist your research efforts in your topic or area or perhaps be interested in your dissertation study findings.

Write a 2–3-page paper in Word format. Note: The title page, references, and appendices are not included in the page count.

Write your responses in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrate ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; display accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.