400-500 words that respond to the following question.

“Social Security should serve as a foundation for employee retirement programs. Therefore, Congress should explore more extensive revisions to the program to ensure that the next generation of retirees will receive the benefit.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain your response

in 300 words,

1. What is the relationship between equality and liberty? Does fairness demand economic sameness?

32. What is empirical research ? 37. Which research positions require a college degree and which ones only require high school diploma ? 41. What’s the difference between open-ended versus closed-ended questions. Which type is the most difficult to tabulate? 42. Which are double-barreled questions?

If you are to be responsible in Supply Chain and Logistics management for a company in the health industry such as in Healthcare/Hospital environment or in pharmaceuticals, or in any sensitive industry during this pandemic, what precautious security measures and risk management, changes and approaches and time management would you take dealing and working with your suppliers/vendors (and their contracts), your manufactures and material handling, your logistics, your distribution centers and warehouses (and inventory) along with your employees, all the way to your end users and consumers?

To Do or Not To Do (An Entrepreneurial Case Study)

Dave was the chief real estate appraiser for a large financial institution (Bank A) that had just been bought by another large financial institution (Bank B). The “buying institution” did not need another chief appraiser and gave Dave a severance package with their blessings for his success in the future. The local chief lending officer of Bank B indicated that, if Dave went into business on his own, he (Dave) would receive considerable work from the new merger. Dave considered going into business on his own but was also approached by another financial institution (Bank C) in the same city to join their appraisal staff. Personnel at Bank C knew Dave for over thirty years and trusted his work. While a salary had not been solidified at Bank C, likely it would have been $60,000 plus or minus a few percentage points plus the usual fringe benefits of vacation time, sick time, a partial contribution of a retirement plan and some future stock options. It looked like a pretty good deal for Dave and the offer of employment was firm after three meetings between Dave and Bank C. Guaranteed, so to speak. But, Dave knew, to be an entrepreneur, you have to have an acceptance of no guarantees. But Dave was not sure if he really wanted to go corporate again. He did realize the benefits of being corporate but he wanted it to be “his” corporation which he had been considering even before Bank A was purchased by Bank B. What he had not considered was an offer by Bank C. Dave now had a choice between joining an established corporation as a staff appraiser or forming his own company. He was basically making a choice between being “on staff” or an entrepreneur. He knew that being an entrepreneur meant that he would need to have a tolerance for risk taking. Financially, Dave was personally OK with either option but liked the freedom of working on his own schedule, which would be the entrepreneurial route. But, there are downsides to the entrepreneurial route as opposed to the corporate offering he had received. Dave prepared a 2 “decision table” to assist him in making a quantitative decision. He realized that, whatever the quantitative decision table results were, his own personal feelings would likely be what he did unless there had been an overwhelming indication from the decision table. Entrepreneurs have to make tough decisions. Dave had to structure his decision table such that it would be free from his own biases so he met with two other company owners, in separate luncheons, and asked them about their positive and negative factors in owning their own business. Dave knew these two other appraisers since he worked with them before going corporate and the other two appraisers had no problem knowing Dave may soon be one of their competitors. Dave prepared the following decision table, based on these meetings.

DAVE’S DECISION TABLE

No. Factors Become an entrepreneur Accept the corporate position

1 Possibility of failure-an entrepreneurial negative X

2 Income potential limitless-entrepreneurial positive X

3 Giving up corporate opportunity. X

4 Extended work hours-if a negative factor X

5 Responsible for own health insurance X

6. Responsible for own FICA X

7 Current availability of equipment X

8 Current availability of potential clients X

9 Acceptance of uncertainty X

10 Desire to be his “own boss” X

11 Freedom to choose assignments X

12. Freedom to pursue other income sources X

13 Potential “Corporate Power” in future X

14 Stability of fixed guaranteed income X

15 Having income when there is no work    X

16. Potential for personal expansion X

17. Office location X

18. Entrepreneurial business structure X

19. Potential entrepreneurial start-up partners X

20 Personal confidence in ability X

...................... Dave felt that the ability to pursue other income sources to be important which include teaching real estate courses through one of the largest real estate schools in the state located in Orlando. If he had been a staff corporate appraiser, these assignments would not be available to him. As an entrepreneur. Dave could take on these other income assignments. The successful entrepreneur will make himself or herself available to diversity of income streams. 4 Dave did not consider the “Corporate Power” structure as being particularly attractive to him but it would lead to deciding on the corporate position if it had been. Stability of fixed income and having income when there is no work is definitely an advantage in the corporate world. When there are no assignments, as an entrepreneur, there is no income. Generally, when there is no work in the corporate world, there is still a payday especially if the bank (like Bank C) does their own internal appraising for loans from their own customers. It is like a guaranteed income. The successful entrepreneur has to have a high degree of acceptance of uncertainty. The potential for personal expansion does not mean Dave would be trying to expand his business rather his personal expansion factor would be he would be expanding his experience to being appraiser, review appraiser, bookkeeper, marketing director, public relations director, and many other jobs. The successful entrepreneur is a self-starter. He liked the idea of not having to be the human resources director since the business would include only him. At least at the onset of the entrepreneurship. A corporate office location is nice but not necessary for entrepreneurship. In the real estate sales or appraisal business, the professional goes to the client’s property as opposed to the client coming to the professional’s office. Dave had enough equipment and room in his own home for his office so this was a positive for the entrepreneurial decision. Selecting an appropriate entrepreneurial business structure was important but Dave knew how to form a corporation and that would be the least of his concerns at start-up. Finally, Dave had a high degree of personal confidence in his professional abilities and this is perhaps one of the foremost considerations in going into business for one’s self as an entrepreneur. If you are not confident that you can be successful, with the skills you already possess—not those you plan to learn---you are destined to fail as an entrepreneur. Dave made his decision after carefully considering his decision table, speaking with other entrepreneurs, and having faith in himself. While it appears that most of the choices in the above decision table favor entrepreneurship, some are not as important as others in the corporate position. An example is health insurance and almost guaranteed income. So, Dave did not make a decision based solely on quantitative, but rather both quantitative and qualitative decision making criteria. Given all the factors, Dave had to decide which were the most important. Dave’s decision was to open his own business and become an entrepreneur. 5 Please prepare a paper addressing the following questions. While specific answers to each question are not required, these questions are a guide to the elements in your paper. They should all be considered.

1: Was Dave’s decision table a legitimate way to make an entrepreneurial decision?

2: Do you think the factors adequately relate to a decision between being an entrepreneur or accepting the corporate position?

3: What factors do you think should not have been included? Why?

4: What additional factors do you think should have been included? Why?

5: Do you think a decision making table is a valuable tool? If not, why not?

6: What would you have decided if you were Dave given only the information in the decision making table?

7: What are some characteristics possessed by entrepreneurs which were included in this case study?

LabPharma is a small medical organization that has designed an innovative insulin delivery system that uses transdermal patches. This technology has been through extensive clinical trials and has been shown to be most effective for treating gestational diabetes. LabPharma has come to know of a company in the process of developing a similar patch. Even though LabPharma is significantly ahead of development than its competitor, it is considering patenting its system.

1. Discuss the pros and cons for LabPharma for patenting their transdermal insulin delivery system.
2. Should the company apply for a patent?

To meet rising demands for health care, a new form of clinics has begun to emerge: clinics run by nurse practitioners says the New York Times.

• About 250 health clinics across America are now completely run by nurse practitioners.
• These nurses require a master's degree that includes two or three years of advanced training in treating and diagnosing diseases.
• A new proposal endorsed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing for 2015 would require nurse practitioners to have a doctorate of nursing practice.

Many of these nurse practitioners are limited in what they can and can't do based on state law. In some states, nurse practitioners are completely free to treat patients and give prescriptions. However, some states won't allow these clinics without at least one trained physician.

These clinics staffed with nurse practitioners offer an avenue for alleviating some of the strain being put on primary care physicians. Indeed, the Affordable Care Act will bring 32 million uninsured people into the health system and there aren't enough primary care physicians to cover them. Furthermore, physicians are poorly distributed, many of them opting to work in urban areas rather than rural towns.

Some critics of having nurse practitioners run clinics argue that the quality of care is compromised for patients.

• However, data has shown nurse practitioners provide good quality care.
• One-hundred and eighteen published studies over 18 years found that nurse practitioner-led clinics were at the least equivalent, if not better, when compared to doctor-led clinics.

Moreover, nurse-led clinics are cheaper than traditional doctor-led practices. Furthermore, these clinics are small and don't need a variety of practitioners to keep the clinic at full capacity. Finally, nurse practitioner-led clinics provide patients with an alternative to the emergency room, which results in large savings.

Question:

Discuss your position and analyze how this problem could become a major problem and affect more Americans in the future.

MGMT 440-03: INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT

[Assignment to Replace the Group Project]

Case: Subway’s Franchising Challenges in China

Subway, the sandwich and salad fast-food chain, operates the largest number of restaurants worldwide—more than 44,000 stores in 110 countries. Subway generates more than $19 billion in annual revenues and has more than 25 million Facebook fans.

The franchising chain opened its first international restaurant in Bahrain in 1984. Since then, Subway (www.subway.com) has expanded worldwide and generates about one-fifth of its annual revenues internationally. The firm expects foreign markets to contribute much of its future growth.

Subway is one of the most successful fast-food chains in China. Fish and tuna salad sandwiches are the top sellers. By 2006, Subway had opened about 40 stores in China. The franchise had its share of initial setbacks. Subway’s master franchisee in Beijing, Jim Bryant, lost money to a scheming partner and had to teach the franchising concept to a country that had never heard of it. Until recently, there was no word in Chinese for franchise.

Cultural problems are still an ongoing challenge. After Bryant opened his first Subway shop, customers stood outside and watched for a few days. When they finally tried to buy a sandwich, many were confused so Bryant printed signs explaining how to order. Some didn’t believe the tuna salad was made from fish because they could not see the head or tail. Others didn’t like the idea of touching their food, so they would gradually peel off the paper wrapping and eat the sandwich like a banana. To make matters worse, few customers liked sandwiches. Subway has had to create menu items that suit local tastes, such as Roasted Duck Sub.

Subway—or Sai Bei Wei (Mandarin for “tastes better than ­others”)—has forged ahead. Bryant has recruited numerous committed franchisees that he monitors closely to maintain quality. He recruited local entrepreneurs, trained them to become franchisees, and served as liaison between them and Subway headquarters. For this work, he received half of their $10,000 initial fee and one-third of their 8 percent royalty fees. Today, there are about 500 Subway stores in China.

Other multinational franchisors still face significant challenges in China, particularly in dealing with the ambiguous legal environment, finding appropriate partners, and identifying the most suitable marketing, financing, and logistics strategies. Famous brands such as A&W, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Rainforest Cafe have all experienced these issues.

Why China for Franchising?

Franchising is an advanced form of licensing. On the surface, franchising in China is attractive because of its huge market, long-term growth potential, and dramatic rise in disposable income among its rapidly expanding urban population. Fast-food sales in China are around $150 billion per year. China’s urban population, the target market for casual dining has expanded rapidly, a trend expected to continue. Increasingly hectic lifestyles have led to an increase in meals the Chinese eat outside the home. Surveys reveal that Chinese consumers are interested in sampling non-Chinese foods.

Market researchers have identified several major benefits to franchising in China.

• A win–win proposition. Franchising in China combines the Western expertise of franchisors with the local market knowledge of franchisees. Many Chinese have strong entrepreneurial instincts and are eager to launch their own businesses.
• Minimal entry costs. Because much of the cost of launching a restaurant is borne by local entrepreneurs, franchising minimizes the costs to franchisors of entering the market.
• Rapid expansion. By leveraging the resources of numerous local entrepreneurs, the franchisor can get set up quickly. Franchising is superior to other entry strategies for rapidly establishing many outlets throughout any new market.
• Brand consistency. Because franchisors are required to adhere strictly to company operating procedures and policies, brand consistency is easier to maintain.
• Circumvention of legal constraints. Franchising allows the focal firm to avoid trade barriers associated with exporting and FDI, common in China.

Challenges of Franchising in China

China’s market also poses many challenges for franchisors.

• Knowledge gap Despite the likely pool of potential franchisees, Chinese entrepreneurs may have limited knowledge about how to start and operate a franchise business. There is still much confusion about franchising among lawmakers, entrepreneurs, and consumers. Focal firms must educate government officials, potential franchisees, and creditors on the basics of franchising, a process that consumes energy, time, and money.
• Ambiguous legal environment Franchisors need to examine China’s legal system closely regarding contracts and intellectual property rights. China’s legal system on franchising is evolving and has loopholes and ambiguities. Some critical elements are not covered. The situation has led to diverse interpretations of the legality of franchising in China. Franchisors must be vigilant about protecting trademarks. A local imitator can quickly dilute or damage a trademark a focal firm has built up through much expense and effort. Branding is important to franchising success, but consumers become confused if several similar brands are present. Chinese imitators have launched restaurants that use similar logos and menus and even accept coupons from Subway when consumers mix up the two stores.
• Escalating start-up costs Ordinarily, entry through franchising is cost effective. However, various challenges, combined with linguistic and cultural barriers, can increase the up-front investment and resource demands of new entrants in China and delay profitability. The franchisor may have to invest in store equipment and lease it to the franchisee, at least until the franchisee can afford to buy it. Franchisors must be patient. McDonald’s has been in China since the early 1990s and has devoted substantial resources to building its brand, but few firms have its resources.

Perhaps the biggest challenge of launching franchises in China is finding the right partners. It is paradoxical that entrepreneurs with the capital to start a restaurant often lack the franchising business experience or entrepreneurial drive, whereas entrepreneurs with sufficient drive and expertise often lack the start-up capital. Subway’s franchise fee of $10,000 is equivalent to two years’ salary for the average Chinese. The banking system in China is still developing. Capital sources for small businesses are limited. Entrepreneurs often borrow funds from family members and friends to launch business ventures. Fortunately, Chinese banks are increasingly open to franchising. The Bank of China established a comprehensive credit line of $12 million for Kodak franchisees.

Availability and financing of suitable real estate are major considerations as well, particularly for initial showcase stores where location is critical. According to established Chinese law, local and foreign investors are allowed to develop, use, and administer real estate. But in many cases, the Chinese government owns real estate that is not available for individuals to purchase. Private property laws are underdeveloped, and franchisees occasionally risk eviction. Fortunately, a growing number of malls and shopping centers are good locations for franchised restaurants.

The Chinese authorities maintain restrictions on the repatriation of profits to the home country. Strict rules discourage repatriation of the initial investment, making this capital illiquid. To avoid this problem, firms make initial capital investments in stages to minimize the risk of not being able to withdraw overinvested funds. Fortunately, China is gradually relaxing its restrictions, and franchisors have been reinvesting their profits back into China to continue to fund the growth of their operations. Reinvesting profits also provides a natural hedge against exchange rate fluctuations.

Learning from the Success of Others

Experience has shown that new entrants to China often benefit from establishing a presence in Hong Kong and then moving inland to the southern provinces. Before it was absorbed by mainland China, Hong Kong was one of the world’s leading capitalist economies. It is an excellent pro-business location to gain experience for doing business in China. In other cases, franchisors have launched stores in smaller Chinese cities, gaining experience there before expanding into more costly, competitive urban environments such as Beijing and Shanghai.

Franchisors typically must adapt offerings to suit local tastes. Appropriate suppliers and business infrastructure are often lacking. Franchisors spend much money to develop supplier and distribution networks. They also may need to build logistical infrastructure to move inputs from suppliers to individual stores. McDonald’s has replicated its supply chain, bringing its key suppliers, such as potato supplier Simplot, to China. There is no one best approach in China. For instance, TGI Friday’s imports roughly three-quarters of its food supplies, which helps maintain quality, but heavy importing is expensive and exposes profitability to exchange rate fluctuations.

Assignment Questions:

1. Subway brings to China various intellectual property in the form of trademarks, patents, and an entire business system.

1.1. What are the specific threats to Subway’s intellectual ­property in China? (20 points)

1.2. What can Subway do to protect its intellectual ­property in China? (20 points)

2. Franchising has both advantages and disadvantages.

2.1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of franchising in China from Jim Bryant’s perspective? (25 points)

2.2. What can Bryant do to overcome the disadvantages? (25 points)

4. Grammar, spelling, and organization (10 points).

Grading Criteria:

1. Clarity and specificity of arguments. You should clearly answer whether Rob Parson should be promoted or not.

2. Soundness of arguments presented.

3. Quality of writing.

4. Grammar and spelling.

NOTE #2: DUE DATE: APRIL 17, 2020.

Theresa Campana owns The Olentangy Group (named after a local river)—a manufacturer’s rep agency. The Olentangy Group sells similar products for noncompeting producers in the technology industry. She is deciding whether to add a new product line—serving another producer. She is very concerned because, although she wants more lines, she feels that something is wrong with her latest candidate.

Theresa graduated from a large Midwestern university in 2006 with a B.S. in business. She worked selling cell phones for a year. Then Theresa decided to go into business for herself and formed The Olentangy Group. Looking for opportunities, Theresa placed several ads in her local newspaper in Columbus, Ohio, announcing that she was interested in becoming a sales representative in the area. She was quite pleased to receive a number of responses. Eventually, she became the sales representative in the Columbus area for three local computer software producers: Accto Company, which produces accounting-related software; Saleco, Inc., a producer of sales management software; and Invo, Inc., a producer of inventory control software. All of these companies were relatively small and were represented in other areas by other sales representatives like Theresa. The companies often sent her leads when customers from her area expressed interest at a trade show or through the company’s website.

Theresa’s main job was to call on possible customers. Once she made a sale, she would fax the signed license agreement to the respective producer, who would then UPS the programs directly to the customer or, more often, provide a key code for a website download. The producer would bill the customer, and Theresa would receive a commission varying from 5 to 10 percent of the dollar value of the sale. Theresa was expected to pay her own expenses. And the producers would handle any user questions, either by using 800 numbers for out-of-town calls or by e-mail queries to a technical support group.

Theresa called on anyone in the Columbus area who might use the products she sold. At first, her job was relatively easy, and sales came quickly because she had little competition. Many national companies offer similar products, but at that time they were not well represented in the Columbus area. Most small businesses needed someone to demonstrate what the software could do.

In 2008, Theresa sold $250,000 worth of Accto software, earning a 10 percent commission; $100,000 worth of Saleco software, also earning a 10 percent commission; and $200,000 worth of Invo software, earning a 7 percent commission. She was encouraged with her progress and looked forward to expanding sales in the future. She was especially optimistic because she had achieved these sales volumes without overtaxing herself. In fact, she felt she was operating at about 60 percent of her capacity and could easily take on new lines. So she began looking for other products she could sell in the Columbus area.

A local software company has recently approached Theresa about selling its newly developed software, which is basically a network security product. It is designed to secretly track all of the keystrokes and mouse clicks of each employee as he or she uses the computer—so that an employer can identify inappropriate uses of its computers or confidential data. Theresa isn’t too enthusiastic about this offer because the commission is only 2 percent on potential annual sales of about $150,000—and she also doesn’t like the idea of selling a product that might undermine the privacy of employees who are not doing anything wrong.

Now Theresa is faced with another decision. The owner of the MetalCoat Company, also in Columbus, has made what looks like an attractive offer. She called on MetalCoat to see if the firm might be interested in buying her accounting software. The owner didn’t want the software, but he was very impressed with Theresa. After two long discussions, he asked if she would like to help MetalCoat solve its current problem. MetalCoat is having trouble with marketing, and the owner would like Theresa to take over the whole marketing effort.

MetalCoat produces solvents used to make coatings for metal products. It sells mainly to industrial customers in the Page 637mid-Ohio area and faces many competitors selling essentially the same products and charging the same low prices.

MetalCoat is a small manufacturer. Last year’s sales were $500,000. It could handle at least four times this sales volume with ease and is willing to expand to increase sales—its main objective in the short run. MetalCoat’s owner is offering Theresa a 12 percent commission on all sales if she will take charge of its pricing, advertising, and sales efforts. Theresa is flattered by the offer, but she is a little worried because it is a different type of product and she would have to learn a lot about it. The job also might require a great deal more traveling than she is doing now. For one thing, she would have to call on new potential customers in mid-Ohio, and she might have to travel up to 200 miles around Columbus to expand the solvent business. Further, she realizes that she is being asked to do more than just sell. But she did have marketing courses in college and thinks the new opportunity might be challenging.

Evaluate Theresa Campana’s current strategy and how the proposed solvent line fits in with what she is doing now. What should she do? Why?

Psalm 139
1 O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. 2 You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away. 3 You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. 4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. 5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!

7 I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! 8 If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. 9 If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, 10 even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. 11 I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—12 but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. 17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! 18 I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

19 O God, if only you would destroy the wicked! Get out of my life, you murderers! 20 They blaspheme you; your enemies misuse your name. 21 O Lord, shouldn't I hate those who hate you? Shouldn't I despise those who oppose you? 22 Yes, I hate them with total hatred,
for your enemies are my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

1. What is your favorite verse in Psalm 139 and why?
2. What have you felt God saying to you during the last few weeks?

Please do not include Covid-19 virus, It has nothing to do with this question.

86). How do changes in the original scope impact the budget and do they always? If they don't always please explain why.

What is a responsibility assignment matrix (RAM)? Describe how you might use a responsibility assignment matrix to manage the resources assigned to your project.

The assignment is to answer the question provided above in essay form. This is to be in narrative form. Bullet points should not to be used. The paper should be at least 1.5 - 2 pages in length, Times New Roman 12-pt font, double-spaced, 1 inch margins and utilizing at least one outside scholarly or professional source related to project management. This does not mean blogs or websites. This source should be a published article in a scholarly journal (Journal of Project Management) or a professional journal (such as PMI's Project Management Journal). This source should provide substance and not just be mentioned briefly to fulfill this criteria. The textbook should also be utilized. Do not use quotes. Do not insert excess line spacing. APA formatting and citation should be used.

The president of Hill​ Enterprises, Terri​ Hill, projects the​ firm's aggregate demand requirements over the next 8 months as​ follows:

Her operations manager is considering a new​ plan, which begins in January with

200 units of inventory on hand. Stockout cost of lost sales is

​$125 per unit. Inventory holding cost is

​$20 per unit per month. Ignore any​ idle-time costs. The plan is called plan A.

Plan​ A: Vary the workforce level to execute a strategy that produces the quantity demanded in the prior month. The December demand and rate of production are both

1,600 units per month. The cost of hiring additional workers is $50 per unit. The cost of laying off workers is

​$80 per unit. Evaluate this plan.

​(Enter all responses as whole numbers​.)

​Note: Both hiring and layoff costs are incurred in the month of the change. For​ example, going from

1,600 in January to

1,400 in February incurs a cost of layoff for

200 units in February.