Why are merger and acquisition strategies popular in many firms competing in the global economy. How would these strategies impact a firm's performance. As a manager how could you use these strategies to spread the risk of an uncertain environment? Explain.

A manager must decide which type of machine to buy, A, B, or C. Machine costs (per individual machine) are as follows:

Product forecasts and processing times on the machines are as follows:

a. Assume that only purchasing costs are being considered. Compute the total processing time required for each machine type to meet demand, how many of each machine type would be needed, and the resulting total purchasing cost for each machine type. The machines will operate 8 hours a day, 230 days a year. (Enter total processing times as whole numbers. Round up machine quantities to the next higher whole number. Compute total purchasing costs using these rounded machine quantities. Enter the resulting total purchasing cost as a whole number. Omit the "$" sign.)

b. Consider this additional information: The machines differ in terms of hourly operating costs: The A machines have an hourly operating cost of $10 each, B machines have an hourly operating cost of $14 each, and C machines have an hourly operating cost of $11 each. What would be the total cost associated with each machine option, including both the initial purchasing cost and the annual operating cost incurred to satisfy demand?(Use rounded machine quantities from Part a. Do not round any other intermediate calculations. Round your final answers to the nearest whole number. Omit the "$" sign.)

Do a BCG Matrix for Levi Strauss and Co

Place your company/product in the appropriate quadrant on the matrix

Identify competitive products/brands and also place them in appropriate quadrants on the BCG matrix.

please include supported evidence of websites used

Marijuana is legal in California. It's also legal in Colorado. It's not legal at the federal level.

Assume that a party in Colorado wants to buy some marijuana from a party in California. They enter into a purchase contract for a ton of California's finest. At some point a dispute arises over the contract and one party decides to take the other party to federal court under diversity jurisdiction.

How will the court proceed/decide?

Name and discuss at least three principles of communication (as discussed in the textbook). Explain detailed elements of each of the principles you have chosen. Also, respond to the following question: Do you think communication is essential in business for people oriented and technical career success? 150 words

Communication Principles

A more sophisticated understanding of how communication operates begins with some fundamental principles.

Communication Is Unavoidable A fundamental axiom of communication is “One cannot not communicate.”¹⁷ As you will learn in Chapter 4, facial expression, posture, gesture, clothing, and a host of other behaviors offer cues about our attitudes. The notion that we are always communicating means we send messages even by our absence. Failing to show up at an event or leaving the room suggests meaning to others. Because communication is unavoidable, it is essential to consider the unintentional messages you send.

Communication Is Strategic Almost all communication is aimed at achieving goals. On the job, the most obvious type is instrumental communication, or messages aimed at accomplishing the task at hand. Your manager is communicating instrumentally when she says, “I need that report by noon,” and you are pursuing instrumental goals when you ask, “How long does the report need to be?” People are not always direct in their communication about instrumental goals. Saying, “Wow—look at the time!” could be an implicit message designed to accomplish the task of ending a conversation. Furthermore, in a negotiation, your “final offer” may actually be a bargaining ploy to get a better deal.

A second set of goals involves relational communication, or messages that shape and reflect the way people regard one another. Building positive relationships is not just about being sociable; a positive climate in the workplace also helps us accomplish instrumental goals. Conversely, a negative relationship can make it difficult, or even impossible, to accomplish the task at hand.

Virtually all messages contain both instrumental and relational dimensions. When a customer service representative asks, “How can I help you?” the instrumental nature of this question is obvious. But the way the question is asked shapes the tenor of the relationship between the rep and the customer—rushed or deliberate, sincere or phony, friendly or unfriendly.¹⁸

A third, less obvious reason we communicate involves identity management, which is the practice of presenting yourself in ways that produce a preferred image and distinctive sense of self. To understand this concept, list 10 words or phrases that describe the way you would like others to see you on the job. Your list probably includes terms such as competent, trustworthy, and efficient. (Be sure to complete your own list before reading on.) Taken together, the attributes on this list (and many others) make up the professional identity you want to create. Next, think about the ways you communicate, both verbally and nonverbally, to get others to accept your identity. If being calm under pressure is part 7of your preferred identity, what do you say or do to project that quality? If you want others to see you as knowledgeable, how do you communicate to create that impression?

As these examples show, communication is often strategic; in other words, we intentionally craft messages for the purpose of achieving instrumental, relational, and identity goals. However, we do not always realize that we are being strategic in our communication. Think about the last time you met a new person. You probably did not have the following thoughts running through your mind: “Must look confident and friendly! Firm handshake! Direct eye contact! Remember to smile!” While many of these behaviors are performed subconsciously, crafting a thoughtful strategy to achieve your goals can boost the odds you will succeed.

The authors of this book suggest a variety of communication strategies you can use to achieve your goals and the goals of the organizations with which you are involved. Many of these strategies focus on specific work-related contexts, such as interviews, meetings, and presentations. Others will be useful in almost every professional context where you want to enhance your professional identity, manage relationships, and get the job done most effectively.

At first, the notion of strategic communication might seem unethical. In reality, communicating purposefully is not necessarily dishonest. For example, organizational spokespersons must be strategic in how they phrase their messages when communicating with the public during a crisis event. If family members are grieving over the loss of a loved one due to a workplace accident, a spokesperson may strategically choose to acknowledge that they are hurting, rather than saying, “I know how you feel.” The guidelines on pp. 22–24 show that it is possible to be strategic while still respecting others’ rights and needs.

Communication Is Irreversible At one time or another, everyone has wished they could take back words they regretted uttering. Unfortunately, this is not possible. Our words and deeds are recorded in others’ memories, and we cannot erase them. As the old saying goes, people may forgive, but they do not forget. In fact, the more vigorously you try to erase an act, the more vividly it may stand out.

Communication Is a Process It is not accurate to talk about an “act” of communication, as if sending or receiving a message were an isolated event. Rather, every communication event needs to be examined as part of its communication context. As an example, suppose your boss responds to your request for a raise by saying, “I was going to ask you to take a cut in pay!” How would you react? The answer probably depends on several factors: Is your boss a joker or a serious person? How does the comment fit into the history of your relationship—have your boss’s remarks been critical or supportive in the past? How does the message fit with ones you have received from other people? What kind of mood are you in today? All these questions show that the meaning of a message depends in part on what has happened before the message. Each message is part of a process: It does not occur in isolation.

Communication Is Not a Panacea Panacea comes from the Greek word panakeia, meaning “all-healing.” Just as alchemists during the Renaissance believed there was an elixir that would give eternal life, some individuals today believe that communication is a cure-all for all problems. Although communication can certainly smooth out the bumps and straighten the road to success, misunderstandings and ill feelings may still occur.¹⁹ Even effective communication cannot solve all problems. In some situations, the parties may understand one another perfectly yet still disagree. These limitations are important to understand as you begin to study communication on the job. Boosting your communication skills may increase your effectiveness, but improvements in those skills will not be a remedy for every situation that you encounter.

Identify McDonald's competitive advantage in its primary industry. (its primary industry is the one in which it has the most sales).
Evaluate McDonald's against the four generic building blocks of competitive advantage:
-efficiency
-quality
-innovation and
-responsiveness to customers.
(preferably typed)

What are the Federal requirements for social services staffing in Medicare/Medicaid certified nursing homes, and do all social services staff have to be licensed social workers?   How do those requirements differ from state social services requirements, especially in the state of MD, and what proposed changes may take place in 2021 affecting social services staffing?

Identify and describe 2 key roles of social services staff in nursing homes, and how will the importance of social workers grow with the new Federal Long-Term Care Survey? Do you see any new roles for social workers with the onset of the temporary COVID 19 requirements?

What are resident and family councils, are they present in all types of long-term care communities, and how do they help to promote communication with administration as well as support resident rights?

Consider the following two statements:

1) Unions served a useful purpose in the past but have outlived their usefulness.

2) Unions are needed today as much as they have been in the past. Without unions, wages and working conditions of the average employee would deteriorate.

Chose one of the statements and write a one page paper in support of the position.

In your opinion, what type of disciplinary action, if any would be appropriate in each of the following situations? Justify your position. Post your answers here.

An employee:

1) Is arrested for possession of illegal drugs.

2) Is arrested for shoplifting.

3) Is arrested for DUI.

4) Refuses to attend a management training program.

5) Intentionally punches another employee's time card.

6) Fails to use safety devices.

7) Uses abusive language with a supervisor.

Select ONE of the following 2 options to complete

-Conduct an indepth interview on a selected product or service with 5 people asking at least 5 developed questions to each person. ( More questions may emerge as each interview progresses). Summarize your results.

Indicate whether you think the following situations describe a legal or an illegal dismissal.  Provide the reasoning or explanation for your answer.

1. An employee is fired because he or she refuses to do something the employer requests that the employee believes is unethical.

     a. Legal or illegal?

     b. Why?

2. An employee is fired because he or she refuses to do something the employer requests that the employee believes is illegal.

3. An employee is fired for writing a letter to the newspaper complaining about the employer’s merchandise return policies and general treatment of customers.

     a. Legal or illegal?

     b. Why?

4. An employee is fired for telephoning the health department about the employer’s food storage and preparation practices.

     a. Legal or illegal?

     b. Why?

1. Select a retail business from the list below. The business must sell products, not services.
   -   A camping supply store
   -   A candy business
   -   A high-end children's clothing store which only uses natural fibers
   -   Deli / sandwich shop
2. Describe the business and the product(s) you plan to sell.
3. Using Porter's Five Forces Model - analyze your business (use the Detroit metropolitan area as your local market).
   Provide an analysis on all 5 Porter's forces with respect to your business   
   a. Provide an analysis of each power and what it means relative to your business
   b. Explain how each "power" ranks for this business - high / med / low / etc.
4. Using Porter's 3 generic business strategies, choose a business focus
   a. Identify where your products /business align
   b. Describe why you would align that way?
5. Research CRM Capabilities
   a. List 3 capabilities / techniques that you will use for your business.
   b. Provide a description and comparison of each and why they would work for your business

how has leaders choice in 21st century impacted the organization. give an example and reference to support your answer.

9. The price of an item depends on the order quantity:

It costs $40 to place each order. Annual demand is 3,000 units. Carrying cost is 25 percent of the material price.

What is the optimal order quantity, and what would be its annual total cost? Go to at least two decimal places for your intermediate calculations. Round your answers to the nearest whole number.

Define reliability, validity, utility and selection ratio. Use these to describe three selection tools that you would recommend in human resource management, also one selection tool that you would not recommend.