Purpose:

To apply what you have learned in this course to a test case, considering what makes something a religion.

Process:

You will be placed in (or select) a group and use the group discussion board. The discussion will be focused on one or another movement that may or may not be considered a religion. Each of you will locate, read and view online resources (essays, videos) presenting alternative viewpoints and arguments (pro and con) regarding the status of that movement to help you determine is it is or is not a religion.

Groups will discuss and debate the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments and then each group member will compose and post a summary of the group discussion. The best summary for each group may appear on the main class discussion board. Then you can read the summaries and conclusions the other groups came to about other debatable movements.

Pay special attention to due dates for each part of the process: initial post due by…, replies due by…, summary post due by…, rating due by… (specific dates will be posted as an announcement in the course site and/or sent via email).

Find your assigned group in the “group discussion” or “People” section of the course site, then choosing the “Is it a Religion (Links to an external site.)” tab at the top.

Be sure to check the announcements in your group space for any group specific information.

Directions

Step 1: Research and initial post

Individually, each student is to seek out resources to familiarize themselves with the arguments on both sides of the debate:

• Use the internet and Googlesearch for < is ________ a religion > (fill in the blank with the movement you are assigned – do not use the < >)
• Identify and read(or view video/listen to audio) at least two sources:

1. one pro (“yes, it is a religion”)
2. one con (“no, it is not a religion”)
3. may review more than one for each position and/or a more middle of the road (“it depends”) argument

Consider the reliability, credibility and authority of the author of the sources you read/view (an argument that sounds strong may be weak if the person who is making it does not really know what they are talking about – avoid uninformed bias and self-serving agendas. For instance, a Christian source might argue that Secular Humanism is a religion because they do not want it being taught in the public schools [religious worldviews cannot be taught in public schools])

• Come to your own conclusion, based on the sources you read/view
• Post to your group discussion boardyour conclusion (answer to the question) and a summary of both the pro and con arguments from the sources you read/viewed, noting which arguments most helped you arrive at your conclusion and why. Be sure to include URL links (copy and paste from your browser address line) to the sources you are referencing so your group mates can check them out for themselves and make clear which of the sources are “pro” and which are “con”.

Hello,

Here are the instructions for this assignment:

This assignment consists of two activities. The first activity is to discover the differences between court systems. For that activity, follow the directions in the Discover section and answer the questions. Your answers will be submitted as a document. The second activity in this assignment is completing the form to file a claim in federal court. Follow the directions in the File a Claim section, and submit the completed document.

Discover section:

Courts are divided into federal courts and state courts. The United States Courts’ website (Links to an external site.) contains information about the federal judiciary. Follow the link, and look specifically at the section comparing federal courts and state courts. (Links to an external site.) As you read the comparison chart, answer the following:

• Which court system was specifically established in the United States Constitution?
• Where can people go if they are not satisfied with the decision in a state trial?
• Where can people go if they are not satisfied with the decision in a federal trial?
• What system of government does the United States have that causes it to have two court systems?
• Which system conducts most of the criminal trials?
• When might a case move from the state court system to the federal court system?

Answer the questions and, submit them as a document. Save your assignment using a naming convention that includes your first and last name and the activity number (or description). Do not add punctuation or special characters.

File A Claim section:

Go to the Complaint for a Civil Case (Links to an external site.) section of the United States Courts’ website, (Links to an external site.) and do the following:

• Select the DOCX document and download it.
• Complete the form using the information and the directions provided in the Case Data Document Section.
• Once completed, save the Complaint for a Civil Case form using the naming convention described below.
• Upload the completed form.

The purpose of this activity is to allow you to see the legal terminology in use. It is also an introduction to legal documents and how they are structured.

Submit your saved application as a document. Save your assignment using a naming convention that includes your first and last name and the activity number (or description). Do not add punctuation or special characters.

Access Case Data to continue.

Case Data section:

Abe Chevy, a resident of South Florida, drove onto I-95 heading north to

visit his mother in Atlanta. After crossing over to I75N heading toward

Atlanta, he passed a sign that said, “Macon 25 miles.” At that point,

he started to think about breakfast for some reason. He looked up and

saw bright lights shining in his rearview mirror. Before he could react,

a fourteen wheeler slammed into the back of his Lincoln SUV causing

property damage and personal injuries. The driver of the truck worked

for a company registered in Georgia. Abe was rushed to the hospital. He

underwent five hours of surgery to remove his spleen. The bill for his

personal injuries amounted to $100,000 and property damage was an

additional $80,000. Abe consulted his attorney to determine what he

should do. He indicated to the attorney that he wants to file a lawsuit

against the Georgia state trucking Company in the Florida District Court

rather than in the State of Georgia.
Explain the basis of the

lawsuit and the theory if any that Abe could potentially, in a state

other than the state where the accident occurred and one of the parties

to the suit resided.

Research two (2) manufacturing or two (2) service companies that manage inventory and complete this assignment.

Write a five to seven (5-7) page paper in which you:

1. Determine the types of inventories these companies currently manage and describe their essential inventory characteristics.
2. Analyze how each of their goods and service design concepts are integrated.
3. Evaluate the role their inventory plays in the company’s performance, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
4. Compare and contrast the four (4) different types of layouts found with each company; explain the importance of the layouts to the company’s manufacturing or service operations.
5. Determine at least two (2) metrics to evaluate supply chain performance of the companies; suggest improvements to the design and operations of their supply chains based on those metrics.
6. Suggest ways to improve the inventory management for each of the companies without affecting operations and the customer benefit package. Provide a rationale to support the suggestion.
7. 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:

• This course requires use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The format may be different than other Strayer University courses. Please take a moment to review the SWS documentation for details (more information and an example is included in the Strayer Writing Standards left menu link).
• 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:

• Evaluate the processes used in designing and producing goods and services.
• Determine four layout patterns and when they should be used.
• Utilize the concept of supply chain management.
• Employ the concept of capacity management.
• Evaluate the management of inventories and resources.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in operations management.
• Write clearly and concisely about operations management using proper writing mechanics

There are two assignments:

Assignment-1: Write a paper to discuss recent information security issues faced by organizations. In your paper you should address a minimum of five specific threats to information assets.

The requirements for the paper are:

1. The paper should include a minimum of five peer-reviewed scholarly references published since 2015.

2. Do not put irrelevant references and do not copy and paste information from the internet by using article spinners. References should match the content of the paper and it should be peer-reviewed.

3. The paper should be a minimum of 2000 words.

4. Citations and references should be in APA format.

Assignment-2:Write a paper in which you analyze five specific countermeasures for the threats you discussed in Assignment-1.

The requirements for the paper are:

1. The paper should include a minimum of five peer-reviewed scholarly references published since 2015

2. Do not put irrelevant references and do not copy and paste information from the internet by using article spinners. References should match the content of the paper and it should be peer-reviewed.

3. The paper should be a minimum of 2000 words.

4. Citations and references should be in APA format.

Strategic Planning

Discuss the elements of strategic management and explain why it is crucial to an organization’s survival. Excluding the examples from the textbook, give an example of a company that failed as a result of poor strategic management. Explain the difference between a strategy and a business model. Please discuss in 200-250 words.

WEEKLY LECTURE:

Analyzing the Industry

An industry is a group of organizations producing products that are close substitutes for each other (Abraham, 2012, p. 22). As organizations compete for market share, their competitive strategies influence each other as each organization pursues strategic competitiveness and profitability. We need to consider the specific strategies that organizations put into place to gain an edge in industry. Let’s review a few of them.

The Five Forces Model of Competition

To determine the intensity or strength of competition, it is necessary to review Porter’s Five Forces Model of Competition which asserts that these forces ultimately determine the profitability of the industry:

• Rivalry among existing competitors
• Bargaining power of buyers
• Bargaining power of suppliers
• Threat of new entrants
• Threat of substitutes (Abraham, 2012, p. 22).

For a real life example of how these five competitive forces affect the profitability of a new entrant to the market, you may find the following article about Tesla’s role in the market and surprising success useful: Tesla’s Success So Far Has Some Analysts Eating Crow (Links to an external site.).

Strategic Groups

There are organizations within industries that employ similar strategies for strategic competitiveness. These organizations are generally classified as strategic groups (Abraham, 2012, p. 129). Membership in a particular strategic group is determined by the organization’s strategy, which may include the:

• Extent of technological leadership
• Degree of product quality
• Pricing policies
• Choice of distribution channels
• Degree and type of customer service

Strategic groups are useful in analyzing the competitive structure of an industry and assessing the organization’s competition.

For an interesting discussion on growing companies trying to gain a competitive edge, you may find the following article on customer service helpful: A Big Strategic Mistake Fast Growing Companies Make (Links to an external site.).

Analyzing the Competition

Competitor analysis enables the organization to focus its attention on those organizations with which it will directly compete as the analysis focuses on how competitors might be expected to respond to an organization’s strategic moves. The process involves developing answers to a series of questions about competitors such as:

• Future objectives
• Current strategy
• Assumptions about the industry
• Capabilities

Competitor analysis is critical because it helps an organization understand competitors’ intentions and the strategic implications resulting from them.

For students interested in marketing, you may find the following video interesting as it contains an in-depth discussion of online competitive analysis geared toward direct marketers: 10 Competitive Analysis Tools for Direct Marketers (Links to an external site.)

Analyzing The General Environment

Industry and competition are not the only concerns of managers, as we should also consider the general environment that impacts organizations. The general environment is composed of trends in the broader society that can indirectly influence an industry and the organizations within the industry (Abraham, 2012, p. 152). The trends of the general environment include:

• The economic trend represents the general economic health of the country or region in which the organization operates. For example, in the last few years, the weakened U.S. economy has had a devastating effect on small businesses. Nevertheless, there is still tremendous vitality in the small business sector of the economy.
• The regulatory/legislative trend includes federal, state, and local government regulations designed to influence company behavior. For example, government regulations influence organizations such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
• The political trend includes the power, actions, and activities that people take to redress perceived inequities.
• (Links to an external site.)The demographic trend is concerned with a population’s size, age structure, geographic distribution, ethnic mix, and income distribution. For example, changes in a nation’s life expectancy directly impact the development of products targeted to an older population.
• The attitude/lifestyle trend is concerned with how consumers live and their patterns of living such as consumer choice and consumption.
• The sociocultural trend is concerned with different societies’ social attitudes and cultural values. For example, managers should take into account an employee’s need to telecommute when trying to balance work and family life.
• The technological dimension includes scientific and technological advancements in a specific industry as well as in society at large.
• The challenge for managers is to assess all seven trends, focusing the primary effort on those elements in each trend that have the greatest potential impact on the organization.

For further information on general environments, please view Episode 146: The General Environment: What It Is and How to Evaluate It (Links to an external site.).

SWOT Analysis

When analyzing external and internal influences on an organization, the SWOT (strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats) is helpful as it summarizes the external and internal analysis in the same management tool (Abraham, 2012, p. 152).

• Strengths are positive internal characteristics organizations can exploit to achieve strategic performance goals.
• Weaknesses are internal characteristics that may inhibit or restrict the organization’s performance.
• Opportunities are characteristics of the external environment that have the potential to help the organization achieve or exceed its strategic goals.
• Threats are characteristics of the external environment that may prevent the organization from achieving its strategic goals.

The SWOT analysis can be seen as a summary of a more detailed and extensive analysis process throughout businesses’ external and internal environments. It is also used to achieve a quick first glance at environmental factors. For a helpful presentation on SWOT, consider the following video: How to Perform a SWOT Analysis (Links to an external site.).

Analyzing the Internal Organization

The Context of Internal Analysis

When managers analyze their internal environment, they should not focus only on the traditional sources of competitive advantage such as labor costs but should focus on resources and capabilities that make the organization unique. An organization’s resources are the source of its capabilities, some of which can lead to core competencies that enable an organization to perform value-creating activities better than its competitors or that its competitors cannot imitate.

Core Competencies

Core competencies emerge over time and are the resources and capabilities that are a source of competitive advantage for the organization over its competitors (Abraham, 2012, p. 158). Core competencies are the activities the organization performs better than competitors and through which the organization adds unique value to its goods or services.

Protector & Gamble is an excellent example of turning an acquisition into a competency. For a brief discussion of Protector & Gamble’s strategy, visit Preview: How P&G Turned Acquisition Into a Core Competency (Links to an external site.).

Value Chain Analysis

The value chain is a framework that the organization uses to understand its cost position and to identify the multiple means that might be used to facilitate the implementation of its business-level strategy (Abraham, 2012, p. 165). Managers should use value chain analysis to develop new ways to combine capabilities and resources to create value that are difficult for competitors to duplicate; thus, creating a competitive advantage.

The Forbes website provides valuable information on designing a value chain analysis: How to Design the Value Chain You Need (Links to an external site.).

References:

Abraham, S. C. (2012). Strategic management for organizations. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

Alanis Business Academy. (2013, December 9). Episode 146: The general environment: What it is and how to evaluate it (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from

Ballowe, T. (n.d.). How to perform a SWOT analysis (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from https://onstrategyhq.com/resources/video-how-to-pe…

Harvard Business Review. (2013, February 7). Preview: How P&G turned acquisition into a core competency (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from

Hennerberg, G. (2013, July 25). 10 competitive analysis tools for direct marketers (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from

Hopkins, M. S. (2010, March 25). How to design the value chain you need (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/2010/03/25/value-chain-supp…

Mourdoukoutas, P. (2014, April 11). A big strategic mistake fast growing companies make (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/20…

Welsh, J. (2013, August 9). Tesla’s success so far has some analysts eating crow (Links to an external site.). Retrieved from http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2013/08/09/teslas-s…