Respond to the following in a minimum of 175 words: In any given day, you may use several different communication models without realizing it. Think about your week. Pick a day in which you communicated with several people. What model did you use in each interaction? Could you have used a different model in that situation? Why or why not? Consider other conversations you’ve had this week. As you think about your day, which model do you find you use most often? Why do you think that is?

Discuss the ways in which business to business buying behavior differs from consumer purchasing. Consider in your discussion the purchasing decision as well and ways to measure customer satisfaction and loyalty.

How would you respond to this post?

Just in time (JIT) inventory management is a form of a lean manufacturing strategy for increased efficiency. JIT is an ordering process where the materials are received to manufacturing as they are needed for production (Vonderembse, & White, 2013). By operating under the JIT inventory management practices, the company operates with lower inventory levels and little or no safety stock. Lower inventory levels promote efficiency, lower costs, and less waste. Companies that use JIT process in real time and only produce products which have been planned and ordered by customers. JIT inventory management can be used by large or small companies to provide products with excess waste and improve the process flow. JIT works best for industries with strong economies of scale and even stronger leverage with multiple suppliers supporting their industry. This is why it works so well for manufacturing-based businesses. JIT inventory practices would not be appropriate for smaller scale service-based companies that cannot predict customer orders or forecast plan easily. These companies many include a consulting business, auto dealerships, and bakeries. Some other companies that may not fair well with JIT inventory are companies that are seasonal in nature. Companies such as tax services, lawn services, and florists cannot always predict business levels from previous data due to seasonal changes and unforeseen circumstances. These companies have in common that they are cyclical and the demand for product is not regular in nature.

How would you respond to this post?

Scheduling is an essential task for any service line. Coordination is needed to plan for an effective schedule to ensure products and services are delivered to meet the consumer demand (Vonderembse & White, 2013). In order to create the right schedule, management must consider the expected turnaround time of a product and the number of goods that need to be produced. Restaurants may utilize the method known as chase demand to schedule the most number of workers based on the busiest hours using the historical pattern (Vonderembse & White, 2013). This approach will allow people who may want to work a part-time position to staff the busiest hours and then not have too many employees idle during the rest of the shift. Furthermore, restaurants may install technology, such as self-checkout lanes to reduce the need of labor and re-allocate its staff to perform higher critical-thinking tasks (Nassauer, 2020). Additionally, restaurants and airlines use reservations to know the demand in advance. Airlines can offer the lowest fares for those that are willing to book farthest in advance (Vonderembse & White, 2013). This allows companies to prepare adequately in time whereas hospitals cannot respond to an on-demand approach and adjust capacity easily. However, the hospital may cross-train employees to improve flexibility in scheduling to rotate among existing pool of resources.

How would you respond to this post?

In Chapter 11 of Operations Management, Authors Vonderembse & White (2013), share with the readers many facts on the inventory production system known as Just-in-Time (JIT). This system is widely used in assembly line work, where the many tasks are accomplished in a continuous flow and the inventory is kept at a minimum with little or no waste. Lean process is part of the JIT process where the many steps of production are reviewed and combined or eliminated with results of production times being faster with same turnout of a quality product for the customer. The components of JIT are generating flow, simplified process flow, uncovering problems in inventory, emphasis on quality, and eliminating waste the best a company structure can do so. The steps are to be precise and conducted in a fast turnaround time as customers expect the product in a timely manner for the supply and demand of product has a direct correlation on how much a customer purchases of a product.

The process is commonly see in the automotive industry as they are production line structured. I have seen the process in replacement parts also, the packaging of small parts in the plastic bags then in placed in box of item, motors, book shelves, TV Stands are all examples of JIT. Other business I have seen with this structure are also production lines in baking/dry goods – General Mills, Amazon, and yes even the coffee maker Starbucks are in the JIT – lean business operations.    As for business this would be totally inappropriate, I think of the emergency hospital visit. A hospital has to have the right amount of people and technology (machines) for assistance of an ill person, the personal touch needed for each case cannot be rushed, as a critical diagnosis may be overlooked.   Stock of medications/supplies are needed for more than a week or two, as a disaster in area (such as a tornado) may result in a large number of people in the hospital at one time Yes there is a process in place at the hospital to assist the most people as they can; however, in JIT system, it is not about the person’s well-being, it’s about the numbers while maintaining quality.

choose one of the most dominant InfoSec management models, including national and international standards-based models. What makes this model one of the most dominant? What should be taken into consideration when selecting the most appropriate model or framework for an organization?

how is the continuity of government is ensured at the local level (plans? black helicopters? Act of God?)

Background:  What is perceived to be ethical by some people may be easily considered unethical by others. There is not always a right-wrong, yes-no, black-white answer when making decisions. Within organizations, a code of ethics can serve as an ethical guide for employee behavior; however, such codes are often general in their ethical prescriptions. On the other hand, individuals are often left to make ethical decisions simply based on what they perceive to be morally right.

Scenario 1:  Jennie was recently hired to work as a receptionist for the front lobby. As receptionist, she is responsible for making copies for the associates. Her son, Bruce, comes in and needs some copies for a school project. He brought his own paper and needs 300 copies for his class. If he doesn’t bring the copies with him, he will fail the project. The company copier does not require a security key nor do they keep track of copies made by departments.

Steps for Making Ethical Decisions:

1. Identify the ethical issue or problem. Note: This should be from the point of view of the person experiencing the dilemma and should be worded as an either/or question. See further explanation below.
2. List the facts that have the most bearing on the decision.
3. Identify anyone who might be affected by the decision and how.
4. Explain what each affected person would want the person with the dilemma to do about the issue.
5. List three alternative actions and identify the best and worst case scenario for each alternative, anyone who may be negatively impacted by the choice, and any values that would be compromised by selecting the choice.
6. Determine a course of action.

NOTE: A dilemma state consists of one either/or sentence. Example: Should I kill myself or go bowling? (from a country song lyric. So for this scenerio, the dilemma sentence would be something like:

Should Jennie assist her son and secretly use company resources to make copies her son needs for his project, or should she direct him to determine another way to secure copies for his assignment, knowing that it puts him at risk of failure?

The problem this company is experiencing is that XYZ Uniform business grows too fast than the owner’s expectation. XYZ Uniform’s demand has been historically high from all sale departments, and the owner personally believes that this high demand will last at least 5 years. However, the demand is too high to meet without hiring new employees, so the owner wants to hire 100 employees to meet the demand. The owner wants you to suggest the new organizational structure with new blood (100 new employees) to meet the high demand and to ensure XYZ Uniform’s long-term success.

Question 1. Please list and explain three recommendations in which you can improve the way the current structure operates to meet the high demand and to ensure XYZ Uniform’s long-term success.

Question 2. Which type of organizational structures is the most appropriate to adapt your three recommendations from Question 1? Please draw an organizational chart, which reflects your recommendations, and explain your rationale.

"Union leaders must also be change partners…”. What does the statement mean to you? Would Kurt Lewin’s Change Model help union leaders? Why or why not?

Kindly check Case Below and if possible to answer the question at the end of the case.

Beckett Organics
John Beckett enjoys vegetables, so much so that he has given up his full-time job as a lawyer to concentrate on growing and marketing organic vegetables. He started growing vegetables 20 years ago in his back garden and eventually became fully self-sufficient in supplying vegetables for the family. Partly bored with his legal job and tempted by an attractive severance package, John decided he would try to establish his own vegetable supply business. Eighteen months ago he looked around for two fields to lease in which he could grow organic vegetables.
Organic products including vegetables, is a growth market in the UK. Growers must adhere to strict guidelines in order to gain organic certification. Increasing awareness of the problems associated with many pesticides and fertilizers, coupled with an increased interest in healthy eating habits and ‘wholesome’ food, has meant that many consumers are now either purchasing or interested in purchasing organic vegetables. This is true not only of household customers, but in addition, many restaurants are using the lure of organic produce to give them a distinctive edge in the market place. All this has meant that many of the larger supermarkets in the UK have begun to stock more and more organic produce from what was a relatively specialized market in the 1990s; the market has grown to where overall organic produce accounts for some 12% of the total UK grocery market and in worldwide terms as of January 2010 it accounts for approximately 3% of all food sales. The market for organic vegetables has grown more rapidly than other organic products and it is estimated that by 2018 some 40% of all vegetables marketed in the UK will be organic. This growth has been sustained at a rate of around 20% per year in developed countries. However, organic yields are between 10% and 20% lower than conventional agriculture, with crops like potatoes some 40% lower. Unsurprisingly, this makes organic produce on average around 40% more expensive than non-organic produce.
Organic vegetables offer several advantages over their non-organic counterparts:
• They are generally tastier, and because they are not treated in the same way, are usually fresher than non- organic products.
• They are good for a healthy lifestyle as they contain no pesticides and chemicals.
• The fact that no pesticides or herbicides are used in their production means that they are much ‘greener’. For example, they help to reduce the problems associated with nitrates in the soil and water supplies.
• On the downside, organic vegetables are generally less uniform, and as far as some consumers are concerned, are less attractive in appearance. This lack of uniformity has also been a problem in the past with supermarket buyers who have traditionally looked for uniformity in fresh products to aid merchandising and marketing in retail outlets.
• Generally, organic vegetables are more expensive than their non-organic counterparts Currently, on average they are somewhere in the region of 40% more expensive.
In the UK, anyone wishing to claim that their produce is organic, and market it in this way, needs to obtain the approval of the Soil Association, which checks the organic credentials of a supplier. For example, in this case, they check the conditions under which the produce is grown and how the seeds used.
Two interesting developments are taking place in the organic produce market. One is the growth of home supplies. This is where the producer supplies direct to the householder. There are a variety of ways of doing this. Some smaller growers use mail-shots and leafleting to build up a client base. They then deliver locally to customers who order from a list. Very often the supplier will simply make up a box of a pre-determined value or weight containing a selection of vegetables which are in season and ready for picking. Other suppliers are using a similar system, but take their orders via the Internet. This is particularly suitable for this type of product as customers can check on a regular basis what is available and order from home. The produce is then delivered at a pre-arranged time.
The second development in the organic produce market is the growth of farmers’ markets. These markets are usually run by local authorities, often on Saturdays or Sundays. Local and other producers attend these markets, paying a small fee for a stall and then sell their produce direct to the consumer. These farmers’ markets partly
came about as a result of the frustration felt by many farmers and growers at the way they were being treated by retailers and at the margins they were receiving. In addition, such markets have been successful because consumers feel they are getting fresh produce at lower prices than they might be able to obtain through supermarkets.
Despite the growth in the market for organic vegetables, after 18 months in his business, John is worried. Quite simply, his business has not been as successful as he envisaged it would be, and as a result he is not earning enough to make a living. The real worry is that he is not sure why this is the case. His produce, he believes, is as good as anything in the business. He is a very good grower and the land he has leased is perfect for the range of produce he wishes to grow. Starting with organic potatoes he now produces a range of organic vegetables including beans, sprouts, carrots, lettuce and his latest venture organic tomatoes and corn grown in poly-tunnels. Although customers he currently supplies are very loyal to John, indeed many are friends and acquaintances he has known over the years when he grew vegetables in his back garden, there are simply not enough of them. As a result, his turnover which increased rapidly over the first year of the business has for the last six months has stagnated. He mainly supplies locally and has tried to increase his customer base by taking leaflets out and posting them through letterboxes in the area. He has done this by dividing up the housing areas in a ten-mile radius around his growing area and dropping leaflets throughout the area to as many houses as he can cover on a systematic basis. Only some 2% of customers have responded with an order, usually contacting by telephone. These customers seem to come from the middle class areas. He has considered taking a stall at one of the farmers’ markets, the nearest of which is some 40 miles away and operates one day per month, but he realizes this would not be enough to reach the turnover levels he requires. He has in the past supplied one or two local restaurants and hotels, but usually only when they have contacted him because they have had a problem with their existing supplier. He has never followed these up. His growing area is currently too small to supply a major retailer, although he has been approached on an informal basis by the buyer of a voluntary chain of local grocers representing some 40 retail outlets in the county.
John is wondering where he goes from here. He cannot understand why his superior products are not selling well. A friend has suggested that John needs a more strategic approach to marketing. John is not convinced. He feels his business is too small to warrant any kind of marketing, never mind strategic marketing, and he has always felt that a good product should sell itself. He is, however, anxious to grow the business and become a leading organic vegetable supplier.

You were hired by John as a strategic analyst to develop a detailed strategic management process for this company. What shall you do? And how to direct the company in the future? Elaborate your answer.

Weston v. Cornell University New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Department, 136 A.D.3d 1094, 24 N.Y.S.3d 448 (2016). Weston v. Cornell University In the Language of the Court ROSE, J. [Judge] * * * * Defendant [Cornell University in Ithaca, New York] appointed plaintiff [Leslie Weston] to an associate professorship in 1998 for an initial term of five years. The 1998 offer letter described the position as being “with tenure,” but it stated that, although no problems were anticipated, the offer of tenure would have to be confirmed by defendant’s review process shortly after plaintiff’s arrival on campus. For a variety of reasons, plaintiff delayed her tenure submission for five years and, when she finally submitted it, she was not awarded tenure. In 2003, defendant gave plaintiff a two-year extension of her appointment, this time as an “associate professor without tenure,” to allow her an opportunity to improve and resubmit her tenure package. Plaintiff resubmitted her request for tenure in 2005, but it was again denied, resulting in her eventual termination. Plaintiff then commenced this action [in a New York state court] seeking * * * to recover for breach of contract. * * * Following the completion of discovery, defendant moved for summary judgment dismissing the complaint * * *. The Supreme Court [a New York state trial court] denied that portion of the motion seeking dismissal of the breach of contract claim. Defendant now appeals. Contrary to defendant’s argument, Supreme Court properly found that issues of fact exist as to whether defendant’s 1998 offer letter reflects an intent to assure plaintiff that she would be granted tenure. * * * The terms of the letter are ambiguous. Accordingly, Supreme Court properly relied upon extrinsic evidence to determine the parties’ intent.Footnote Based upon the affidavit of the then-chair of defendant’s department who hired plaintiff and wrote the 1998 offer letter, as well as correspondence from the dean and associate dean of the college in which plaintiff’s department was located, Supreme Court appropriately declined to award summary judgment to defendant with respect to the 1998 offer of tenure. However, we must agree with defendant’s alternative argument that the terms of its original offer were materially modified by plaintiff’s acceptance of its 2003 offer to extend her appointment. Defendant’s 2003 letter offering to extend her appointment unambiguously replaced the “with tenure” language contained in the 1998 offer letter by restating her job title as “associate professor without tenure.” Defendant also points to plaintiff’s deposition testimony, in which she explicitly acknowledged that she understood the 2003 letter to be a modification of the original terms of her employment agreement and agreed—albeit reluctantly—to the new terms. Significantly, plaintiff further admitted that defendant was “not guaranteeing her tenure in any case after this letter.” [Emphasis added.] In response to this prima facie showing by defendant, plaintiff contends that, regardless of what she agreed to in 2003, her oft-repeated assertions of her belief that defendant still owed her tenure based upon the original letter suffice to preclude summary judgment. Aside from plaintiff’s own opinions on the matter, however, there is nothing in the record to indicate that any alleged guarantee of tenure remained beyond the date of the 2003 letter. Accordingly, we find that plaintiff’s subjective beliefs and unsupported arguments regarding the 2003 modification of her employment agreement are insufficient to raise triable issues of fact to defeat defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing the breach of contract cause of action. ORDERED that the order is modified * * * by reversing so much thereof as partially denied defendant’s motion for summary judgment; said motion granted in its entirety and breach of contract cause of action dismissed.

Legal Reasoning Questions

What did the plaintiff seek in this action? What was the legal ground for her claim?

What was her principal contention regarding the offers and acceptances at the center of this case?

Why did the trial court deny the defendant’s motion for summary judgment to dismiss the plaintiff’s claim?

Why did the appellate court modify the trial court’s denial of the defendant’s motion?

1. Explain the idea of a turnkey project. Why should a firm use this arrangement to expand internationally? In what industries are turnkey arrangements most common?

2. Why should a firm be cautious about entering a licensing agreement?

3. Compare and contrast licensing agreements and franchising agreements.

4 What is a joint venture? What type of joint venture is most common? Provide an example of a joint venture.

Problem 9-19 (Algorithmic)

The product development group at Landon Corporation has been working on a new computer software product that has the potential to capture a large market share. Through outside sources, Landon's management learned that a competitor is working to introduce a similar product. As a result, Landon's top management increased its pressure on the product development group. The group's leader turned to PERT/CPM as an aid to scheduling the activities remaining before the new product can be brought to the market. The project network is as follows:

The activity time estimates (in weeks) are as follows:

1. Develop an activity schedule for this project and identify the critical path activities.
   If required, round your answers to two decimal places. If your answer is zero enter “0”.
   

   Activity		Expected Time		Variance
   A
   B
   C
   D
   E
   F
   G
   H
   I
   J

   Earliest

   Latest

   Earliest

   Latest

   Critical

   Activity

   Start

   Start

   Finish

   Finish

   Slack

   Activity

   A

   No

   B

   Yes

   C

   No

   D

   No

   E

   Yes

   F

   No

   G

   No

   H

   Yes

   I

   No

   J

   Yes

   
   Critical Path: B-E-H-J
   
2. What is the probability that the project will be completed so that Landon Corporation may introduce the new product within 25 weeks? Within 30 weeks?
   
   Expected project completion time =  weeks. If required, round your answer to two decimal places.
   
   . If required, round your answer to two decimal places.
   
   P(25 weeks) = . If required, round your answer to four decimal places.
   
   P(30 weeks) = . If required, round your answer to four decimal places.