What is the main difference between the duties of the nurse and the physician

What is the main difference between the duties of the nurse and the physician? The nurse is expected to do paperwork, and the physician

is expected to interact with the patient. The nurse is expected to tend to the patient’s physical, mental, and emotional needs, whereas

the physician’s role is to be responsible for the correct diagnosis and treatment recommendations for the patient. The nurse is expected

to help with diagnosis and medication recommendations, and the physician is expected to sign off on them. The nurse is expected to know

the details of billing, and the physician is expected to know the details of biology.
2)What is the main limiting factor in the medical model? It does not consider all physical, mental, and social aspects necessary for

optimal health. It focuses on diagnosis. It focuses on treatment. It tries to relieve symptoms and cure disease.
3)What was the main foundation behind employer-based health insurance in US history? Worker’s compensation insurance was put into place in

the US in the early 1900s. This type of health insurance started during World War II to prevent inflation, then became protected by laws.

Establishing health insurance accessible to all was needed for patients to afford climbing healthcare costs. Medicare was necessary in

order to address the health needs of older Americans, so it was put into place.
4)Why do analysts use “average life expectancy” as a metric to assess a country’s health? Because it is the best measure for comparing

healthcare cost. Because it is the only reliable measure of access to care. Because it is the only reliable measure of health equity. It

reflects not only the general health of the population, but the efficacy of the country’s healthcare system.
5)Which subsystem in the US healthcare system represents social justice The safety net subsystem, which allows low-income people to access

care. The military subsystem, which provides healthcare for current and former members of the US military. The managed care subsystem,

which calculates risk based on the pool of members it has. The long-term care system, which accepts public insurance.
7)Chiropractic care is a holistic approach, but the US healthcare system is not holistic. What is the main approach the US healthcare

system has taken to chiropractic care, given this situation? Chiropractic care is not recommended by physicians. Chiropractic care is not

used as a holistic health approach, and is seen as only helping neck and back pain. Chiropractic care can be covered by health insurance.

Chiropractic care is usually not taught in medical schools.
8)What is the main problem with a patient first going to specialty care for a problem rather than first going to primary care? It will

cost the patient more money. The specialist will try to get the patient to use services in his or her clinic, not services the patient

really needs. If the patient diagnoses himself or herself incorrectly, he or she might see the wrong specialty practitioner and get low

quality care. The medical records the patient has at the specialist won’t relate to the patient’s primary care medical record.
9)What type of intervention would work best to prevent patients from dying of medical errors? A policy intervention, because it would

apply to all facilities in the US or in a state. A healthcare intervention, because it would requirehealthcare facilities to change their

procedures. An individual intervention, where providers are taught patient safety practices. A community level intervention, where the

community holds the healthcare facility to higher standards.
10)What is the most powerful way that organizations try to influence the US healthcare system? They stage public protests and media

events. They provide information to patients about the issues to persuade the patients to agree. They publish articles in the media about

their positions on healthcare. They send lobbyists to Congress to get laws made that are favorable to them.
11)What is the main reason that the objective of an IDS is to deliver a range of services? The IDS can make more money that way by having

to advertise less. The IDS can make more money that way by minimizing cost to deliver services, and by making it easier to contract with

managed care. The IDS can make more money that way by hiring the cheapest staff. The IDS can improve customer ratings this way because

they have easy access to a range of services.
13)Why is it important for health providers who do not work in the US to learn about the US healthcare system? US healthcare is a model

system for the world. The US healthcare system is unique, unlike any other country’s health system in the world, and therefore requires

separate study. The US healthcare system uses subsystems to cover different healthcare activities, rather than one big system. Many

healthcare providers train in the US.
14)What is the main sign of a healthcare disparity? Some groups of people receive more or better healthcare than other groups. Some

providers are not as qualified for their jobs as others. Some states have more hospitals than others. Some hospitals have higher error

rates than others.
15)What is the main problem with having very few health insurers in a region? All the insurers to choose from may not be of high quality.

The insurers may not consider the local issues and culture of the population they are insuring. There is no competition, so the prices for

insurance are high Some insurers may only operate in one state.
16)How can a person use a professional society to gain leadership skills if the person does not have that opportunity in his or her job at

work? By offering to help collect membership dues. By volunteering for charitable events. By participating in research conferences put on

by the society. By volunteering to serve on committees.
17)What is the main problem with the high level of use of technology in the US healthcare system? The technology is regulated, but the

regulations are not effective. The high cost of technology diverts funding away from more efficient healthcare. This causes “medical

tourism”, or people coming from other countries to use healthcare in the US. Clinicians in the US must be highly trained to use this

technology, and that increases healthcare costs.
19)What does the phrase “the government subsidizes the private healthcare sector” mean? The government does not regulate the health sector

as much as it should. The government determines what healthcare services are available in the private sector. Money from the government is

paid to private healthcare organizations. The government sets accreditation standards for all healthcare facilities.
20)Why are there so many more psychologists compared to podiatrists, optometrists and chiropractors in the US healthcare system?

Psychology-related positions pay more than the others. There are more needs for psychologists in the US, as they treat mental illness and

mental illness is very common. Psychology-related positions are easier than those in the other fields. It is easier to get into schools

that teach psychology than schools that teach the other fields.
21)Between 1869 and 1910, what was the main criticism of medical training in the US? Medical training was inconsistent from school to

school. Medical training was racist. Medical training was different in the US compared to Europe. Medical training was not open to women.
22)If a person believes 100% in social justice, what is the best way they believe to distribute healthcare? By having charities pay for

healthcare. By having religious organizations pay for healthcare. By having laws that govern healthcare access. By providing a package

(set of services) of healthcare to every individual in the country which is paid for by the government through taxes.
23)Which healthcare subsystem would be the right one to call in when there is a natural disaster? The managed care subsystem, because it

has a lot of money and will be able to save a lot of money if the effects of the disaster are minimized. The military subsystem, so it can

help with the natural disaster fallout. The public health subsystem, so it can help people prevent disease spread in the aftermath of the

disaster. The safety net system, as many people will be without insurance after the disaster.
25)When someone says, “The US has a hole in its healthcare safety net”, what does that mean? Low income, uninsured and other types of

people who use the US safety net subsystem often find barriers to access. There are problems with the quality of emergency room care in

the US. Middle-class people have trouble paying for health insurance. Many insurance plans do not cover substance abuse services

adequately, leading people to end up homeless.
26)If you were interested a health-related position that does mainly research and statistics, which would be the best choice for you?

Pursuing a career in psychology, including getting a doctoral degree in psychology. Pursuing a career in public health, including getting

a masters of public health (MPH). Pursuing a career in social work, including getting a master of social work. Pursuing a career in

nursing, including getting a master of science in nursing.
27)What was the main reason hospitals started being built in urban areas after the Civil War? Because people in the rural area could

easily locate hospitals in main cities. Because cities were proud to have a hospital as part of their resources. Because religious

organizations felt these services should be put in cities. To be near where the population was now living.
28)What does the US healthcare system expect the patient to be accountable for? Paying for their health care bill. Safeguarding their own

health, and using healthcare resources wisely. Selecting the appropriate specialty care.
Selecting the best health insurance for themselves.
29)What is market justice not designed to do? Have a mechanism to address social problems, such as crime, homelessness, and teen

pregnancy. Have a mechanism to prevent prices from getting too high. Have a mechanism to control misinformation and false advertising.

Have a mechanism to ensure healthcare safety and quality.

POSTED ONMARCH 5, 2018
Strategic Marketing Assessment
Assessment Overview:-
• 2,500 words excluding tables, charts, diagrams, and bibliography.
• Good report writing style with analysis.
• Research reliable information sources
–BBC, Financial Times, Economist, Google Books, Industry reports, journal papers.
–Analyze the current picture and evaluate options.

Assessment Structure:-

• Follow the tasks to structure the report:
Task 1 then task 2 and task 3
• Investigate a given organization –Samsung to analyze its current position, evaluate the strategic options available, and recommend the strategic route for its mobile business.
• Analyze, evaluate and recommend

Some Analytical considerations:-
• Apply the framework to Samsung’s situation
•For example, what Five forces, or VRIO issues are relevant for Samsung and how?

– Which strategic resources should be most important for Samsung in the next few years and why?
– What sort of competitive advantage this firm has?
– What sort of competitive advantage should this firm seek? Same or different?
– Which strategies are currently used and should the firm continue or change in some way vis-à-vis competitors in different markets?

Assessment Tasks:-

Task 1 -1. Analyze the current position of the organization in relation to its competitors using the five forces framework.
–Five forces:-
•Understand the framework.
•Collect relevant data for different forces –be specific.
•Write the five forces analysis.
•Identify the threats and any opportunities based on your analysis.
•Important to consider few products and some key markets –US, UK, Europe, Far East Asia.

Task 2 -Evaluate the strategic options now available to the organization.

–Assess the resource position of the firm:-
•Threshold resources & capabilities.
•Distinctive resources & capabilities.
•Analyze the distinctive resources & capabilities for their VRIO potential .
•Assess if some individual resources can provided sustained competitive advantage or some resources combined will result in sustained advantage?
–Assess the change readiness of the firm:-
•Forces pushing for change vs. forces pushing against change.
______________________________________________________________

Compare different strategic options for each of the following and discuss their advantages or disadvantages for Samsung:-

– Corporate strategic directions –should the firm continue with same or new products ? In same markets? Or firm should diversify in other business areas?

– Business strategies for existing and new product lines:-
•How to best utilize strategic resources and market position
•Innovation –how and which product areas?
– Internationalization approach:-
•International strategy -Which countries currently? Which additional countries to explore? What products can be more suitable for different countries?
_________________________________________________________

– Analyze how much successful against competitors with existing strategies.
– Analyze which strategic options are needed to be successful in medium and longer time frame to sustain or achieve competitive advantage?
– Compare strategy options for their advantages and limitations.
– Use evaluation techniques to compare options .

Task 3-Recommendthestrategicrouteforwardandthemethodsforimplementationofyourchosenoptions.
– Basedonyourevaluationofstrategicroutesintask2,recommendthestrategicroutebestsuitedtoprovideSamsungwithbestcompetitiveperformanceintermsofcorporatedirection,businessstrategyandinternationalization.
– Alsorecommendclearlyhowtoimplementthestrategicrouteinshortandmediumtermtimeframes–organizationalstructureandrelatedactions.

POSTED ONMARCH 5, 2018
App for Cars

App for Cars
Senior Capstone Formal Problem Statement Readings
Taken from http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Problem-Statement

1. Don’t forget a thesis statement.
The thesis statement is a single sentence that summarizes your entire argument, boiling it down to its bare essentials. A good thesis statement

identifies both the problem and the solution as succinctly and clearly as possible.

2. Explain your problem.
In the words of the inventor Charles Kettering, “A problem well-stated is a problem half-solved.”[1]One of the most important goals (if not the

most important goal) of any problem statement is to articulate the problem being addressed to the reader in a way that’s clear, straightforward, and

easy to understand. Succinctly summarize the problem you intend to solve — this cuts to the heart of the issue immediately and positions the most

important information in the problem statement near the top, where it’s most visible

3. Propose a solution.
When you’ve explained what the problem is and why it’s so important, proceed to explain how you propose to deal with it. As with the initial

statement of your problem, your explanation of your solution should be written to be as clear and concise as possible.

4. Explain the benefits of the solution.
Again, now that you’ve told your readers what should be done about the problem, it’s a very good idea to explain why this solution is a good

idea.

5. Conclude by summarizing the problem and solution.
All that’s left to do is to conclude with a summary of your main arguments that allows you transition easily into the main body of your

proposal. There’s no need to make this conclusion any longer than it needs to be — try to state, in just a few sentences, the basic gist of what you’ve

described in your problem statement and the approach you intend to take in the body of the article.

6. Be concise.
If there’s one thing to keep in mind when writing problem statements, it’s this. Problem statements shouldn’t be any longer than they need to be

to accomplish their task of laying out the problem and its solution for the reader. No sentence should be wasted. Any sentence that doesn’t directly

contribute to the problem statement’s goals should be removed. Use clear, direct language. Don’t get bogged down in minor details — problem statements

should deal only with the essentials of your problem and solution.

7. Don’t use jargon without defining it.
Your problem statement should be written so that it’s as easy for your audience to understand as possible. Never make the assumption that your

audience automatically has all of the technical knowledge that you do or you risk alienating them and losing readers as soon as they encounter terms and

information they’re not familiar with.

8. Remember the “five Ws”.
Problem statements should be as informative as possible in as few words as possible, but shouldn’t delve into minute details. If you’re ever in

doubt of what to include in your problem statement, a smart idea is to try to answer the five Ws (who, what, where, when, and why), plus how. Addressing

the five Ws gives your reader a good baseline level of knowledge to understand the problem and solution without treading into unnecessary levels of

detail.

9. Use a formal voice.
Use a formal, dignified writing style (the same as the style hopefully used for the body of the document) in the problem statement. Keep your

writing clear, plain, and direct. Don’t attempt to win your reader over by taking a friendly or casual tone in your problem statement. Don’t use humor

or jokes. Don’t include pointless asides or anecdotes. Don’t use slang or colloquialisms. Good problem statements know that they have a job to

accomplish and don’t waste any time or ink on unnecessary content.

10. Always proofread for errors.
This is a must for all forms of serious writing — no first draft has ever existed that couldn’t have benefited from the careful eye of a good

proofreader. When you finish your problem statement, give it a quick read. Does it seem to “flow” properly? Does it present its ideas coherently? Does

it seem to be logically organized? If not, make these changes now. When you’re finally satisfied with the structure of your problem statement, double-

check it for spelling, grammar, and formatting errors.

POSTED ONMARCH 5, 2018
Arts of Africa, Asia, and the Pacific
Arts of Africa, Asia, and the Pacific and Americas
1. Chinese scholars were expected to write poetry and _______ during their education.
A. learn to paint B. master monochrome ink C. practice calligraphy D. teach religion
2. One of the greatest African arts is the
A. portrait head.B. fertility sculpture.C. masquerade.D. kachinadol
3. _______ greatest exports were writing, urban planning, administration, and philosophy.
A. China’s B. Incan culture’s C. Japan’s D. Peru’s
4. The most original genius of Incan art can be seen in their
A. stonework.B. jewelry making.C. architecture.D. goldsmithing.
5. _______ was/were a great Persian artistic tradition.
A. Linear drawings B. Portrait paintings C. Illustrated books D. Wooden furniture
6. A distinctive aspect of an illustration from the hand scroll The Tale of Genji is the
A. portrayal of extreme emotion in the figures.
B. use of a nearly empty background where figures float in space.
C. removal of the roof to show an interior space.
D. raw, untrained hand of the scholar-painter.
7. One similarity between the feather cloaks of Hawaii and the meeting houses of the Maori people of New Zealand is that both
A. embody ideas about the order of society and the protective powers of the gods.
B. deny the existence of an afterlife.
C. commemorate important war victories.
D. represent human control over natural forces.
8. The spread of Buddhism followed a path from
A. India to China and then to Japan. B. China to India and eventually to Japan.
C. Japan to Korea and on to India. D. India to Pakistan and on to the West
9. One of the specialties of Persian artists was to create mosaics from

A. glazed blue tile. B. feathers. C. stained glass. D. stone.
10. _______ patterns are common in Aboriginal art.

A. Linear B. Architectural C. Sewing D. Printing

11. In the Tolai spirit society, the dukduk are

A. male spirits who punish lawbreakers.B. evil spirits that hinder progress to the afterlife.
C. female spirits who have lost children.D. animal spirits that cause mischief.

12. A ritual wine vessel in ancient China used by the elite was known as a
A. jia. B. Shang vase. C. Zhou vase. D. neolithic creation.

13. The Yucatán Peninsula was home to the civilization of the Maya. All of the following have been acknowledged as accomplishments of

the Mayan culture except

A. an advanced writing system. B. astronomy. C. oil painting. D. biology.
14. _______ was highly prized in Mesoamerica.
A. Weaving B. Rug creation C. Feather work D. Beadwork
15. In the tumbaga pendant depicting a ruler, birds unfold like wings on either side of his head, representing
A. this ruler’s identification with caged birds.B. the belief that rulers could fly.
C. conflicts in the Tairona culture that eventually led to its ruin.
D. spirit alter egos that give access to the other world
16. Indian architects worked with _______ construction techniques.
A. stone and wood B. skeleton C. concrete D. post-and-lintel
17. One Mesoamerican culture is often called the “mother culture” because it seemed to have institutionalized the features that mark

later civilizations in the region. To which culture does this term refer?
A. The Maya B. The Olmec C. The Azte D. The Inca
18. The Tairona ornament made of tumbaga was fashioned using the technique of
A. clay coiling.B. wood carving.C. lost-wax casting.D. stone carving.
19. Cultural exchange between Islam and Byzantium is exemplified by the ________ in the Great Mosque at Córdoba, Spain.
A. mosaics B. iwan C. muqarnasD. textiles

20. Tattooing was considered sacred by the

A. Aztec people.
B. Lakotas.
C. Marquesans.
D. Plains Indians.

POSTED ONMARCH 5, 2018
Turning the Tide

For “Turning the Tide” assignment, you have been assigned a specific country, and all your report will focus on this country. Each report should be 2-3

pages long and will be related to the topic being covered that week. The Turning the Tide assignment will be on:
You will use the GBD data visualization tools(https://vizhub.healthdata.org/gbd-compare/) to identify temporal trend in DALY (1990 vs 2015) associated with

the aforementioned topics. You will look at the historical trend and explore what might have contributed to the observed trend in DALY associated with the

specific risk factor or disease outlined above. You will compare your country’s DALYs to that of China and discuss the similarity/differences. China is

chosen as a reference country because China has managed to make significant stride over the past few decades in addressing these issues. Finally, you will

come up with set of policy recommendations or changes that you think will contribute to additional improvements and lead to reduction in DALYs related to

these risk factors/diseases in the country you are assigned. Your report (2-3 page) should include:
• Abstract/Summaray – Clearly summarizes the intro, results, and discussion/conclusion in short (≤100 words)
• Introduction- what does your topic mean/ how it is impacting health/ what it means to you? What are the underlying causes?
• Results- Use the data visualization tools outlined in the syllabus (GBD compare, gapminderetc) to describe how the identified risk factor is

impacting the population, how are DALYs affected by the specific risk factor, and how they compare with the neighboring countries/ Distinct trends

observed?
• Discussion/Conclusion-Interpreting the results/ potential reasons behind the distinct trends or how the results compares to China/ neighboring

countries? Is the country doing better or worse? Policy recommendations so your country does better in the future.
• Brief background (what is the main problem under consideration? Why should we care?)
• Results/Discussion (What did you observed? What is your main finding? What does it mean in the larger context?).
• How does your country compare to China or any neighbouring country of your choice?
• What do you think should be done to further reduce the DALY associated with the specific risk factor or the disease?
• Conclusion (What is the punchline?)
• References (5-10)
• Appendix

POSTED ONMARCH 5, 2018
Case Study
You are the leader of a team providing care for 6 clients. Your team includes yourself (an RN, an LPN/LVN, and a newly hired UAP/CNA who is

undergoing orientation for the unit. The client are as follows:
1. Mr. C a 68-year old with unstable angina who needs teaching for a cardiac catheterization scheduled this morning.
2. Ms.J , a 45 year old, experiencing chest pain scheduled for a graded exercise test later today.
3. Mr. R, a 75 year old who had a left hemisphere stroke 4 days ago.
4. Ms. S, an 83 year old with heart disease, a history of Myocardial infarction and mild dementia.
5. Ms. B a 93 year old newly admitted from a long-term care facility with decreased urine output, altered level of consciousness and elevated

temperature of 99.5F (37.5C)
6. Mr.L a 59 year old with mild shortness of breath and chronic emphysema.

You will be provided with a case study for the Delegation Assignment.

Approach this assignment as if you are the RN tasked with delegating the care of the patients listed in the scenario. Think for a minute about

your personal strengths and challenges regarding delegation (as a new nurse).

Please address the following delegation issues with regard to the case study

Explain how the Principles of Delegation would guide your delegation of care for the patients identified in the case study.
Provide support/rationales for your decisions about delegating the care of these patients (include citations**)
Identify what you perceive as the barriers (actual/potential) to your ability to effectively delegate.
Identify the tasks/responsibilities that would be the easiest to delegate/ and why?

As you write, focus on the delegation principles/process from the lens of nursing leadership/management. Keep patient diagnosis/descriptions

brief (you may refer to them as Ms. A or Mr. R …). You don’t have to speak to each individual patient description- find 4 from the group listed

in your case study that best exemplifies the need to delegate.

As always, please reach out as needed.

Cover Page- (APA format), Headings (APA format), Reference Page (APA format), APA (6th edition)

Assignment Criteria:
Develop a scholarly paper that addresses the following criteria:
1. The student will be assigned a case study.
2. Using the delegation 5 rights, the student will write about the rules of delegation and barriers to delegation.
3. The scholarly paper should be in narrative format, 3 to 4 pages excluding the title and reference page.
4. Include an introductory paragraph, purpose statement, and a conclusion.
5. Include level 1 and 2 headings to organize the paper.
6. Write the paper in third person, not first person (meaning do not use ‘we’ or ‘I’) and in a scholarly manner. To clarify: I, we, you, me,

our may not be used. In addition, describing yourself as the researcher or the author should not be used.
7. Include a minimum of 3 professional peer-reviewed scholarly journal references to support the paper (review in Ulrich Periodical Directory)

and be less than five (5) years old.
8. APA format is required (attention to spelling/grammar, a title page, a reference page, and in-text citations).
9. Submit the assignment to Turnitin Direct prior to the final submission, review the originality report, and make any needed changes.
10. Submit to the Assignment Drop Box by the posted due date.

POSTED ONMARCH 5, 2018
Fashion’s Hidden Cost in Bangladesh’s Garment Industry
Imagine you are a senior business executive with a multinational corporation that sells garments that are manufactured in Bangladeshi factories.

First, CHOOSE ONE COMPANY that you represent. Here are some to choose from: Children’s Place, Walt Disney Company, Walmart, Joe Fresh (Loblaw),

Tommy Hilfiger (PVH), Calvin Klein (PVH), H&M, Benetton, J.C. Penney, Nike, Cato Fashions, Target, American Eagle. Find out if your company has a

corporate or social responsibility page (all the above do). Check to see if it has an official policy on factory safety or working conditions. Look

at any statements it issued after the 2013 building collapse in Bangladesh which killed over a thousand workers who were engaged in making apparel

for multinational corporations (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Savar_building_collapse). Look through the web to find out what the history of

apparel manufacturing and trade has been, and where Bangladesh fits into that.

PART A

Answer the following questions based on your research:

1) Which country is the leader in apparel exports?

2) What is the value of apparel exports from Bangladesh? What is the importance of apparel export in Bangladesh’s economy?

3) How many workers does the industry employ? What percentage of these workers are women? Why do women dominate this industry? How much do they

earn? What is the minimum wage in Bangladesh? Can workers organize in unions? What hurdles do they face when they try to unionize?

4) Which countries have the lowest labor costs in the apparel industry? Bangladesh? Cambodia? China? Vietnam? Mexico?

5) What is the global supply chain that your company employs? Where do its products come from? Who makes them? Under what conditions?

PART B

Compose a formal corporate document outlining what your company should do in the wake of the recent building collapse in Bangladesh. The document

should be written to address the stakeholders of the company. Make sure it identifies the problems and includes feasible recommendations based on

data. Cite your sources. The document should be 1000 words long. Include a word count for this part.

POSTED ONMARCH 5, 2018
Phase 4 Individual project
Phase 4 Individual project
Now that you know what you are buying, the requirements, and the types of contracts, you are ready to put the contracts out for bid. Continue to develop your procurement plan and align it with the rest of the project plan by deciding which bidding methods you will use for each of the following contracts:
•Hiring technicians to install and configure the software for your environment
•Hiring a training entity to teach the student PMs the mechanics of using the new tool
•Buying a new server and software to run the tool and house the project database
•Hiring tool usage experts to transfer knowledge to the student PMs about the use of the tool on the job for the first 60 days after going live
•Planning for the removal and disposal of scheduling tool software and hardware that are no longer to be used

Assignment Guidelines
•For each of the contracts above, address the following questions: ◦Which bidding method will you use? Why?
◦Were there other possible bidding methods that you considered for this contract? Explain.
◦How does this procurement task of bid selection integrate with the rest of the project for ADC?
◦Once you have selected the ideal bidding method and a bidder has been accepted, how will you ensure that the quality of the final product will be measured effectively?
◦What challenges will you need to overcome when measuring and ensuring quality? Why? ◾How will you overcome these challenges?

•Compile your responses for the above questions into a PowerPoint presentation of 8–12 slides with 150–200 words of speaker notes per slide. ◦Include additional title and reference slides.

•Be sure to reference all sources using APA style.

POSTED ONMARCH 5, 2018
Business Evaluation Memo #3

.
This week we peel away the outside layers and look inside the organization with an assessment of United Airline’s internal environment.
Remember, the goal is to:
• First – locate, convey, and explain the KEY information critical to understanding these elements of the organization
• Next – assess those findings and make a definitive and evaluative determination as to their strategic impact on UAL as an organization.
The applicable elements to consider in the preparation of the internal environmental evaluation include the following:
• organizational culture / human resource management processes
• financial management
• marketing efforts
• organizational structure

• Analyze the culture / human resource management processes at United Airlines
• Is it strong or weak?
• Does it help the company or is it a liability?
• What role does the culture play in creating (and/or sustaining) the competitive advantage(s)?
• Are they effective at acquiring, growing, and retaining talent?
• Are there practices in place (potentially connected to the culture) that help to build an effective organizational team – or is the organization

nothing more than a collection of employees?
• Analyze the marketing practices and management of United Airlines
• Do they understand (well) their customers – worldwide?
• What trends do they need to be aware of – and do they market (well) to those trends?
• How effective has their ‘crisis communication’ been?
• Are their marketing practices in line with the rest of their approach to operational approach?
• Analyze the structure of United Airlines
• In its current form, understanding the need for strategy/structure connectivity
• Is it effective in supporting the strategic initiatives?
• Should any changes be made to the structure – given their current strategy – to create a better strategy/structure connection?
• Analyze the financial situation of United Airlines
• Compute the applicable key financial ratios for United Airlines and compare the results to either (both) industry standards and their competitors

• Liquidity and profitability • Quick ratio
• ROI • Gross profit
• Debt to equity • Operating expense ratio
• Inventory turnover ratio • Earnings per share (EPS)

• How effective is United Airlines comparatively?
• Are there any changes to United Airlines’ financial management practices that would help to better manage the financial position of United

Airlines?
Perform a VRIN test on these internal elements of United Airlines’ operations
• In your opinion, and based on your analysis so far, what is/are UAL’s competitive advantage(s)?
• How/what would you describe United Airlines’ current business model to
Think through the answers to these questions – and then logically organize your researched findings, your support, your evaluations, and your conclusions.
Summarize and transmit your findings in a memo to the CEO

Business Evaluation Memo #4
This week we move away from the very narrow ‘deep dives’ we have taken in the weeks past, into the specific segments of the organization, and work to look

across what we have found and look for recurring themes, key factors that can cause issues – good and bad – for United Airliines, and determine in a

systemic context what all that means!
Remember that systems theory, and systems thinking, is at the heart of our whole view of organizations. We view organizations as socio-technical systems,

and as such where the individual elements of the organization are important it is the interdependence between these elements – and their connections (or

not) to each other – that really make up the organization.
To that end, what we’re doing now is working to look at the individual elements of UAL as that system – and then assess the system in its entirety.
Consider these questions – and prepare a memo to top management providing the answers – and your supporting analysis.
In MGT 670, we explored the elements necessary for an effective strategic plan … not just one that looked good on paper, but one that could be executed

well. In that exploration process, there we re two key questions we worked to answer for the organizations we evaluated – because we knew that bounding the

strategic decision environment (to avoid being ‘trapped in the middle’ as Porter noted) was critical – not just for creating an effective plan … but

importantly to execute any plan created.
Based on your research to date – currently – Who IS United Airlines?
•
• Who are they NOT?
What have the attempted to do – strategically – to get themselves where we find them today?
•
• What has been successful in these attempts?
• What has not been successful in these attempts?
What do you think/believe that the UAL top management has intended to accomplish with the strategic decisions/actions they have made across the last

decade?
•
• What might have been their motivation for taking the actions they have taken?
• What might have been the competitive advantage they were attempting to achieve?
Based on your research thus far, and using Teti, Yang Bloom, Rivkin &Sadun’s (2017) four approaches to decision making, which approach do you think UAL’s

top management team has used thus far?
•
• Which might be a better/the best approach as they think to move the organization and its strategy forward into the future?
Martin (2017) noted that strategic choices often – or should – cascade from one another. Using his framework, and your research on UAL to date, identify:
•
• first how United has failed in the use/application of these stages
• and then how they might positively and proactively use these failures/lessons learned to make better decisions and provide some potential answers

to these questions as possible strategic recommendations
•
• Use the table below to help structure your thoughts/answers to these questions.
Martin (2017)’s Framework Stage How United has Applied – or Failed to Apply – that Stage Possible Strategic Answers/Applications of the Stage

The questions posed by Trevor &Varcoe (2016) on the need for strategy/structure connections and Leinwand&Mainardi (2016) on the connections between

strategy and execution may provide some guidance. (Note – you do not need to prepare answers to these questions specifically – they should help to provide

some guidance in your thinking)
Trevor &Varcoe (2016) note the need to answer the following questions on the strategy/structure connections in an organization.
1.
1.
1.
1. How well does your business strategy support the fulfillment of your company’s purpose?
2. How well does your organization support the achievement of your business strategy?
Leinwand&Mainardi (2016) identify four steps in the Strategy and Execution
1.
1.
1.
1. Commit to a clear identity that is defined by how you create value for customers, by the differentiating capabilities that enable you to do so
2. Translate the strategic into the everyday by designing and building your own bespoke capabilities that set you apart from competitors.
3. Put your culture to work, instead of trying to change it or reorganizing it, in order to change employees’ behaviors.
4. Cut costs to reinvest in what makes you distinctive.
5. Instead of reacting to change, create the change you want to see by continuously advancing what you’re already great at and gaining privileged

access to your customers.

POSTED ONMARCH 5, 2018
If On a Winter’s Night A Traveler
4 separate days (labeled) of journal entries (thoughts and ideas) from reading the text in addition a 250 word reflection (conclusion) about

what you discovered about the humanities from the text keeping in mind and using the subject list.
Day 1 reading: Chapters 1-4
Day 2 & 3 reading: Chapters 5-7
Day 4 reading: read to the end
Subject List: What social and political concerns of human intellectual development that shaped our Western Culture today can you identify in

the texts? How does the text add to the history and development of our Western Culture? What role does the text play in shaping the Western

mind? What basic concepts of Western ideology can you identify? How does the text contribute to our current cultural climate? What are the

differences in the social and cultural ideology of the text compared to our current social and cultural ideology?