Strategic Management In your recently confirmed role as Strategy Consultant for a new client organisation, you have to report to the board upon your findings to date. From this basis you are then required to make justified proposals for change to potentially boost shareholder value. The organisation choose is Oldtown Group, www.oldtown.com.my REPORT STRUCTURE - TITLE PAGE - TERM OF REFERENCE - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (150 words) - What is the report finding and proposal with existing resources? - INTROUDCTION - BODY - CONCLUSIONS - REFERENCES - APPENDIX The tasks to be completed in your report are:- TASK 1 : INTRODUCTION (10 marks) - Produce a background statement to provide a corporate profile of your client. - This is essential to set the context for this assignment. - The client profile will include product and market relationships, competitive positioning, scope and scale of the business, number of employees, key financial results for the past 3 years and significant milestones achieved. TASK 2: STRATEGIC ANALAYSIA (20marks) - Submit a carefully evaluated environmental analysis using established conventions the summarise this into SWOT analysis. Propose your strategic direction for the business over the next 3 years. - External and Internal Environmental Analysis is required using established conventions to derive a SWOT Analysis which can be actioned and prioritised. - Task 2 should be concluded with the future strategic direction for the next 3 years justified through the SWOT Analysis. TASK 3 : STRATEGIC PURPOSE (20marks) - Re-evaluate the client’s Vision and Mission statements as well as their current Core Values. Justify and changes required arising from you proposed strategic direction to ensure alignment with these statements of strategic intent. - You are required to evaluate the adequacy and relevance of current statements of strategic intent against backcloth of emergent change for intended strategic direction. Where these do not exist, then they should be created. - Dedication to Vision, Mission and Core Values is expected. TASK 4 : STRATEGIC OPTION FOR GROWTH (20 marks) - Using authoritative methodologies, provide a own framework for growth within which your proposed strategic direction can be placed. - Set growth targets over the next 3 years. - You must select classical models and frameworks from Ansoff, Porter, Mintzberg or a combination of these to provide a solid framework with which to place the new proposed strategic direction. - Close reference to the literature is expected. - Tangible, realistic growth targets on revenue and profit loss will be expected. TASK 5 :STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION (20 marks) - Propose how needed changes will be achieved together with a plan of Implementation. - Strategy Implementation and Control is the theme of Task 5. Established theoretical contributions should be examined for application. - Process, Measurement and Monitoring systems for performance management will be expected as well as a GANTT chart to show how change can be planned for implementation over a 3 year planning horizon. TASK 6 : ESSENTIAL CONDITIONS (10marks) - Critically assess the essential conditions which must prevail for your proposals to achieve the desired outcomes. - Until now, all which has been prepared is based upon forecasted ambitions from the consultant for the clients business. - Now the essential conditions which must prevail to ensure valued outcomes are achieved must be highlighted internally, externally and interactively with customers/ stakeholders.
22 November, 2015
M8A1: Term Paper In this module, you will prepare and submit the term paper whose topic and outline were approved by your instructor in Module 2. Your outline is likely to have been modified by the discovery of additional research on your topic during this course. This paper is an opportunity for you to personalize the concepts you have learned in this course. ________________________________________ You are strongly encouraged to use the following outline in your term project report: Title: The title is a concise statement of the subject of the paper. Abstract: The abstract is an "executive overview" of your paper. It should summarize the work in 50 to 100 words and enable your manager grasp the essence of your project. Table of Contents: The table of contents lists each section of your paper and its corresponding page number. The list should include: 1. Tables and Figures (in case you have more than two) 2. Appendices (if there are any) 3. A reference section listing the sources used Introduction: The introduction should state the purpose of the paper in succinct, declarative sentences. Convince your reader that the study will have practical value and meaning for you and it will be based on the concepts studied in the course. Background and Significance: The background and significance section provides further justification for your study. If your project examines a topic drawn from your workplace, you should include a description of your work environment, your position in the organization, and how your position fits into the organization, both vertically and horizontally. You should also explain the applicable concepts from the course. If your project is focused on a particular organization, explain how these concepts apply to that organization. What is the organization doing well in? Could it benefit by adopting some of the concepts that you have studied? Discussion, Implications, and Recommendations: In this section, you should provide a thorough discussion of your findings and the implications of your study. Be sure to include only the pertinent implications. You should also recommend an action plan. This plan will vary depending upon the type of project you have selected. For example, the action plan may be personal, or one which you could follow in your present position. It can also be about a position which would enable you to put the plan into action. If your project is a literature review, then your recommendations may be focused on the issues that need further research. Be sure that the recommendations are realistic in terms of the appropriate concepts and, if applicable, the organization you have studied. References: You cannot use your textbook as your primary source of information. You must draw on other sources such as websites, business journals, organizations, and interviews with individuals. Be sure that you support the information presented with appropriate references. It is important that all references and quotes are cited correctly. All sources, including websites must be referenced in the Bibliography or References list. You must follow APA guidelines for style and form. Appendices: Include a separate sheet and title for each appendix. More Key Points: Keep in mind that all accepted rules of English composition apply to your term paper.Your work should be submitted in a Word document, 15 pages in length, typed in double-space, in 10- or 12-point Arial or Times New Roman font. The page margins on the top, bottom, left side, and right side should be 1 inch each. Remember, the length of the paper is not the primary measure of the quality of the paper. Submit the Word document to the appropriate dropbox. See the Course Calendar for due dates. ________________________________________ Evaluation Criteria Review the SBT Individual Project Rubric located in the "Start Here" section of the course for more information on grading criteria. Keep the following points in mind: The information is balanced and relevant to the topic and the arguments display an understanding of course concepts. The central argument is supported by pertinent examples and references from external research.
22 November, 2015
Unlimited source of energy Paper details: Information Needed for Assignment: Homeostasis refers to the resistance to change (Alcorn, 2003). It is a desire to maintain status quo. There are many reasons for technological homeostasis. One reason is the fear of the unknown. Human beings tend to avoid change to avoid the unknown. A second reason is anxiety and adjustment. Fortunately, humans have a large supply of defense mechanisms to deal with anxiety. One of those is resistance. A third reason is psychophysiological restructuring. Our brain stores knowledge along certain paths. As we age, those paths become more rigid allowing for less restructuring thus less adapting to new concepts or technology. Finally, specialization, breaking up the labor among a large number of people allows each person to become an expert in their part of the labor, spurs a separation of understanding. It creates a separation between those who understand the science and those who don’t understand it (the general public). Paper Prompt: Suppose tomorrow, scientist creates a new unlimited source of energy. This energy uses natural resources with byproducts that are organic and reusable. What resistant factors would be present in society? Explain your stance. Citation: Alcorn, P.A. (2003). Social issues in technology: A format for investigation (4th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Publishing. Criteria: Essay is to be 250 - 500 words. Essay uses two or three reasons for resistance to new technology Essay clearly applies reasons society may be resistant to this technology. Essay is to be APA 6th edition formatting including a title page, reference page, double spaced, in-text citations. NO abstract is required. Essay is college level writing.
21 November, 2015
Department of Criminology: BA Security and Risk Management : Select ONE of the following essay topics: Critically evaluate concepts relating to: 1) Team work; OR 2) Leadership and management. Make reference to your own work experiences when engaging with these topics. Please note that for this particular assessment – because it is a reflective account - it is appropriate for you to write in the first person (for example, using personal pronouns such as ‘I’ and ‘my’). Depending on which topic you select, aim to cover the following points in your reflective account: 1) For the TEAM WORK option: ? Explore, critically, theories surrounding teams and effective team working. ? Identify, with reference to at least one example from current or recent experience, the principles and theories that, in your opinion, underpin effective team working. ? Demonstrate, with reference to at least one example, an awareness of your own team role(s). ? Describe, with reference to examples, one or more team context in which you currently work or have worked in the past. ? Reflect, critically, on your strengths and weaknesses as a team member. ? Although this is a reflective account, it remains an academic assessment; therefore, your account should be well-structured with an introduction, main body and conclusion, and your arguments should be effectively and clearly articulated. The writing should be accurate, proof-read, with appropriate references and reference list. *** 2) For the LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT option: ? Explore, critically, arguments surrounding distinctions between leadership and management. ? Demonstrate a strong understanding of key concepts relating to leadership and management. ? Demonstrate, with reference to at least one example, an awareness of your own leadership style ? Describe, with reference to examples, one or more management context in which you currently work or have worked in the past. ? Reflect, critically, on your strengths and weaknesses as a manager. ? Although this is a reflective account, it remains an academic assessment; therefore, your account should be well-structured with an introduction, main body and conclusion, and your arguments should be effectively and clearly articulated. The writing should be accurate, proof-read, with appropriate references and reference list.
21 November, 2015
Religion and Psychology-Freud argues that religious ideas are illusions, that is, fulfillments of infantile wishes. Do you agree with him? Why or why not? Order Description the topic is that Freud argues that religious ideas are illusions, that is, fulfillments of infantile wishes. Do you agree with him? Why or why not? Your essay is to be typed and double-spaced. use standard font, e.g., 12 pt. Papers that exceed the maximum word limit will be penalized. Your essay is to be typed and double-spaced. Please use standard font, e.g., 12 pt. Papers that exceed the maximum word limit will be penalized. Essay topics will be posted on the Course Content page four weeks prior to when the essay is due. You will be asked to choose one of a selection of essay topics based specifically on the course material. The following description of plagiarism is adapted from a handout written by Professor Malcolm Woodland of the Department of English at the University of Toronto. The example he uses comes from English Literature but is applicable to all academic work. There are no "grey areas" in plagiarism. You've either been honest in your work or you haven't. If for any reason you decide to consult some published material on the work you are discussing in your essay, you MUST indicate exactly how this work has influenced your essay. This process involves two simple steps: First, you must include in your list of "Works Cited" an entry for every publication you refer to in the course of your essay. Then, you must ensure that every quotation or paraphrase from each such work is followed by a parenthetical reference to the relevant publication in your list of "Works Cited." While general knowledge does not need to be referenced (e.g., Canada is in the northern hemisphere) there is no such thing as a book or article that has influenced you in a "general way," but to which you make no reference in your essay. If the work in question has influenced your essay, it will be appropriately acknowledged therein through referenced quotations and/or paraphrases. Such use of secondary material is not a sign of weakness or of a lack of originality, but rather demonstrates good research skills and a willingness to learn as much as possible about the topic. It shows a realization that scholarship is a conversation among writers interested in the same subjects, and indicates your eagerness to participate in that conversation on an equal footing with more experienced critics. Failure to indicate how you have used such material, on the other hand, contravenes the academic guidelines of the university and will be punished in accordance with those guidelines. The following examples of plagiarism all involve the misuse of published material. It goes without saying that the submission of work that makes unacknowledged use of unpublished material written by any person other than yourself (i.e. a friend or a person to whom you have paid money for such work) also constitutes plagiarism. Plagiarism: Seven Methods Here is a sentence from a critic who has written a book about Flannery O' Connor. The book is by Richard Giannone; the title is Flannery O'Connor and the Mystery of Love. Throughout her contriving, the grandmother couches self-interest in a language of morals that shifts responsibility onto others. Now, here are seven different ways in which a student might plagiarize this passage: Method #1 A student has written the following two sentences as part of an essay. The essay does not contain a list of "Works Cited": The grandmother seems at first to be a thoroughly unpleasant character. Throughout her contriving, the grandmother couches self-interest in a language of morals that shifts responsibility onto others. This is plagiarism, since the author's words have been copied exactly from the source, and at no time is the author of that source acknowledged. Method #2 This time, the student has written the same two sentences shown in method #1, but has included an entry for the source of the second sentence in his/her list of "Works Cited" (normally, this list would be placed at the very end of the paper): The grandmother seems at first to be a thoroughly unpleasant character. Throughout her contriving, the grandmother couches self-interest in a language of morals that shifts responsibility onto others. Works Cited Giannone, Richard. Flannery O'Connor and the Mystery of Love. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1989. The student has still committed plagiarism, since the reader has no idea that the second sentence in the given passage has come from this source. You must separate all quotations from your own text by placing the quoted material within quotation marks or, in the case of longer quotations, by indenting the entire quotation; and it is essential that the quotation be followed by a parenthetical reference to the source of the quotation. Listing a work in your "Works Cited" to which you make no direct reference in your essay is tantamount to placing a 36-point boldface banner at the end of the essay that reads "This essay contains plagiarized material." You should never list a work in your "Works Cited" if you have not referred to it in the course of the essay. Method #3: The student has indicated the source and page number of the quotation in a parenthetical reference after the borrowed sentence, and given the details about the source in the list of "Works Cited": The grandmother seems at first to be a thoroughly unpleasant character. Throughout her contriving, the grandmother couches self-interest in a language of morals that shifts responsibility onto others (Giannone, 48). Works Cited Giannone, Richard. Flannery O'Connor and the Mystery of Love. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1989. The student has still plagiarized the passage, since s/he has failed to place quotation marks around the sentence. The student is thus falsely claiming these words to be his/her own paraphrase of the source. Method #4 This student has provided what she claims to be a paraphrase of the passage, and given a parenthetical reference to the source listed in the "Works Cited": The grandmother seems at first to be a thoroughly unpleasant character. For example, she disguises personal wants in a language of ethics that redirects accountability onto others (Giannone, 48). Works Cited Giannone, Richard. Flannery O'Connor and the Mystery of Love. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1989. This is plagiarism, because the paraphrase is not a true paraphrase; it follows the exact sentence structure of the original sentence, and does not represent the student's own interpretation of what the critic in question is saying. The student has done no original thinking. Method #5 Again, the student has provided what s/he claims to be a paraphrase of the passage, and given a parenthetical reference to the source listed in the "Works Cited": The grandmother seems at first to be a thoroughly unpleasant character. For example, she uses a language of morals in which to couch self-interest, and thereby shifts responsibility onto others throughout her contriving (Giannone, 48). Works Cited Giannone, Richard. Flannery O'Connor and the Mystery of Love. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1989. This sample is still not a true paraphrase; the student has merely rearranged the structure of the original sentence. The student has done no original thinking or writing. Method #6 Here's another paraphrase, and this time the student has really used his/her own words and sentence structure: The grandmother seems at first to be a thoroughly unpleasant character. She is extremely manipulative, and, rather than expressing her desires honestly as desires, she transforms them into a series of moral imperatives which others ignore at the risk of being found wanting. However, the student failed to include a parenthetical reference to Giannone's book (which s/he also failed to include in the list of "Works Cited"). Method #7 Same paraphrase as above, but with one difference: The grandmother seems at first to be a thoroughly unpleasant character. She is extremely manipulative, and, rather than expressing her desires honestly as desires, she transforms them into a series of moral imperatives which others ignore at the risk of being found wanting. Works Cited Giannone, Richard. Flannery O'Connor and the Mystery of Love. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1989. Unfortunately, the list of "Works Cited" does not save the student from the charge of plagiarism, since there is no parenthetical reference to indicate that the second sentence of the passage in question is a paraphrase. And, of course, any dishonest paraphrase (as in versions 4 and 5) without both a parenthetical reference and an entry for the source in the "Works Cited" would similarly constitute a case of plagiarism. How to Cite Sources Method #1: Direct Quotation Here's an example of an appropriate use of direct quotation: The grandmother seems at first to be a thoroughly unpleasant character. For example, Richard Giannone notes that "Throughout her contriving, the grandmother couches self-interest in a language of morals that shifts responsibility onto others" (Giannone, 48). Works Cited Giannone, Richard. Flannery O'Connor and the Mystery of Love. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1989. Note that the student has introduced the quotation with a short phrase of her own. You should always weave the quotation into the structure of your own sentence. Simply dropping in quotations without any preparation or introduction results in a disjointed and clumsy prose style, as in the following example: The grandmother seems at first to be a thoroughly unpleasant character. "Throughout her contriving, the grandmother couches self-interest in a language of morals that shifts responsibility onto others" (Giannone, 48). Works Cited Giannone, Richard. Flannery O'Connor and the Mystery of Love. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1989. This isn't plagiarism, but it's not good writing, either. Method #2: Paraphrase Here's an appropriate use of paraphrase: The grandmother seems at first to be a thoroughly unpleasant character. As Giannone suggests, she is extremely manipulative, and, rather than expressing her desires honestly as desires, she transforms them into a series of moral imperatives which others ignore at the risk of being found wanting (Giannone, 48). Works Cited Giannone, Richard. Flannery O'Connor and the Mystery of Love. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1989. Note that the reference to Giannone in the student's own sentence lets the reader know, in the absence of quotation marks, exactly which ideas are Giannone's and which are the student's.
21 November, 2015
