Category: Business

PDF IS THE BOOK. READ CHAPTER 8
This week, we participated in a simulation that put you in some challenging decision making positions – individually and as the member of a team. Directions:
Following our class simulation, consider “What Would You Do?” based on that experience.
Using this experience, use the same directions below and write maximum 2 pages. Consider which decision points were the most difficult for you and why? What influence did the team process have on your decision and how you may have/have not shifted what your final choice was? These are a few prompt questtions; feel free to add your own reflections to this paper.
You will notice that the Critical Thinking questions always ask “why”. This is your chance to investigate and analyze your feelings and support them with terms, concepts, theories discussed in the chapter(s). (Remember Bloom’s Critical Thinking Taxonomy?)
Use correct structure: Introduction, Body, Conclusion
Submit your paper by 11.59 the night before our following class (similar to quiz schedule)
Paper mechanics:
3 pages maximum
Size 11 font, 1.5 spaced, 1” margins
As this is YOUR reflection, you can write in 1st person, “I” and 3rd person, “he, she, it, they” as appropriate. NO 2NDPERSON; NO “YOU”.
Introduction, Body, Conclusion
Cite sources in text when used

AMAZON
Throughout this course, you have been using different analysis strategies to determine best practices for developing your business plan. It’s time to develop a strategic plan that will help you determine where your business is now, where you want to take it, and how you will get there. Your strategic plan will help you implement and manage the strategic direction of your company. Additionally, you will communicate the direction of your company to stakeholders.
Develop a strategic plan for the company you have used throughout this course (weeks 2, 4, and 5) and share it with stakeholders.
Create a 15+ slide PowerPoint presentation with speaker notes for key stakeholders to solicit their approval of your strategic plan. Address the following in your presentation: An introduction with mission and vision statements
Core values, ethics, and social responsibility principles
Analysis of the company’s:
Internal environment (e.g. strengths and weaknesses related to resources, trademarks, patents, copyrights, or current processes)
External environment (e.g. opportunities and threats related to market trends, economic trends, demographics, or regulations)
An evaluation of the internal and external environment’s impact on achieving the company strategy
Create a strategic objective for the company.
Create short- and long-term SMART goals for achieving the company’s strategic plan.
Determine methods for collecting data and measuring the success of the strategic plan.
Include APA-formatted in-text citations and a reference page.
For your speaker notes in this week six Signature assignment, your originality report cannot exceed 33%. This is not a copy/paste of your previous papers in the last five weeks. While using some prior content is acceptable you are also expected to utilize new research.
Cite at least 3 peer-reviewed documents. Note: You may include your textbook as 1 of the sources.
Include specific details in your speaker notes and data on your slides. Proper presentation is bullets with details on the slides and sentences in the speaker notes to backup and explain the slides. Use the same order as the bullets above are listed. At least one slide for each bullet point. Use some color and visuals on your slides – slides with just the topic on them provide nothing to your audience and are ineffective.
PLAGIARISM: All papers in Blackboard are checked for originality by SafeAssign. NO part of any previous papers used in other classes are permitted in this class. All material must be original and Blackboard Originality Report must be less than 33% for each assignment. This 33% also includes all Discussion Posts and the use of a paraphrase generator or “word spinner” (AI).

Read Bolman & Deal Chapters 1-2 and Block Chapters 1-3
Complete the reading for this week. As you read you will notice the authors have different ways of presenting facts and they also have different philosophies as they relate to consulting. But there are also some similarities. Please discuss these similarities and differences. Also, which points do you think you will use when you work with your team. Please make sure you list at least 3 and why.
Block, Peter. Flawless consulting: A guide to getting your expertise used (4rd edition). John Wiley & Sons,
2023. ISBN 978-1394177301  Bolman, Lee G., and Terrence E. Deal. Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice and leadership (7th Edition).
Jossey-Bass, Incorporated Publishers, 2021. ISBN 978-1119756835

MOIDULE 3 F1.
Research Paper and Presentation – Communication Across Teams and Organizations: Formative Assessment 1 4-6 PAGESBlog: Thoughts on Active Listening
In the learning activity titled “Active Listening Techniques,” you read the following text:
Center for Creative Leadership. (2019). Active listening: Improve your ability to listen and lead, Second Edition. Greensboro, NC: Center for Creative Leadership.
In the first chapter titled “Listening and Leadership,” there was a scenario between a team manager Maria and her employee Jim who needed to leave work early for personal childcare reasons. If you were Jim’s direct supervisor how would you have addressed this situation through the use of active listening? As a current or future organizational leader, when do you feel it’s important to be flexible versus holding policies in place for all employees? Lastly, explain 3-5 key takeaways from the reading and how you plan to implement these in your interactions with others going forward.
In a blog writing style format, with a minimum of four paragraphs, answer the questions above. You can upload a document or other file type with your responses. It must include 3 outside sources within a five-year time period. You must use APA 7th edition formatting.
2.3 DELIVERABLE
Research Paper and Presentation – Communication Across Teams and Organizations
This assessment aligns with the competency for this module: Students will implement coaching-related communication techniques such as delivering constructive and effective messages, providing and receiving feedback, and incorporating active listening techniques in an educational institution. Specifically, this assessment has two core ways in which knowledge mastery will be demonstrated: Students will analyze the importance of relationships for coaches to evoke excellence in others. Students will develop various communication techniques coaches can adopt to improve the relationship with their mentees. You will show your understanding of the literature and effective communication strategies by developing a paper that demonstrates your ability to research relationship-building, motivational strategies to evoke excellence, and communication techniques. These concepts should be evaluated and applied in an educational context. In addition, you will create a presentation that explains your key findings related to relationship building and displays an ability to demonstrate effective oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills. For the first deliverable, you will take your draft research paper on communication strategies in an educational context and turn that into a research paper to communicate your understanding of the importance of communication in alignment with organizational leadership. Then, for your second deliverable, you will take your presentation on relationship building and incorporate any edits from feedback that you received from your instructor. As you are completing both deliverables, make sure you apply an academic tone and APA 7th edition formatting. Items for submission:
Research Paper: Communication Strategies 5-7 PAGES
Presentation: Relationship Building (THIS SHOULD BE A POWERPOINT).

“You are the most important generation. EVER.” The reason why I say this to YOU is that there are so many challenges that your generation needs to address. Among the most important ones is climate change. So, please discuss in an open and respectful way where you stand on climate change. Do you think it is real? If so, what do we need to do to adapt to and mitigate its consequences?

1. Based on the text reading regarding Business Ethics, Cyber Law, and consider the legal elements of Contracts: (1) writing, (2) interpretation, (3) breach, (4) remedy, and (5) discharge. Please discuss the relevance of each Contract element regarding a 16 year old that enters into an online contract and purchases $5,000 of items from an online store without parental consent. Write one sentence to explain the application of each of the five elements of the contracts.
2.Based on the text reading regarding Business Ethics and Contracts, respond to the following:
Most online retailers are aiming for delivery as fast as they can get the goods out the door. However, Zulily, Inc. has a different approach.  It is remaining solvent by following a slow delivery policy — on average about two to three weeks to get the ordered goods to its buyers. Purchases of brand items such as Spanx and Crocs can take about a month to arrive. See: Serena Ng, “Zulily’s Secret to Profit Means Slow Deliveries,” Wall Street Journal, May 5, 2014, p. B1.   Amazon, QVC, and voerstock.com have average delivery times of three to four days.  
 
Zulilly has was the Wall Street Journal refers to as a “bare-bones distribution system.”  The company does not purchase inventory in advance; it waits for the orders and then orders its shipment from manufacturers.  Zulilly also does not accept returns — all sales are final.
 
However, the end result of the no-inventory and no-returns policies is that the prices at Zulilly are much lower than other online retailers. 
 
The company is building a strong customer base through its focus on deals of the day, and its customer count was double ion 2013 what it was in 2012.  See: http://www.king5.com/news/technology/Behind-the-scenes-at-rapidly-growing-Zulily-254830881.html
 
But, shopping at Zulily requires an understanding of the terms in advance.  In fact, before you gain access to the site, you must fill in your e-mail address, which represents and acknowledgement that you agree to abide by Zulilly terms and conditions.  Here are the critical terms and conditions that are so different from other online retailers:
 
2.3 Orders. Your receipt of an order confirmation from us does not signify our acceptance of your order, nor does it constitute confirmation of our offer to sell. We reserve the right at any time after receipt of your order to accept or decline or cancel your order (in whole or in part) for any reason. We may require additional verifications or information before accepting any order. Your order is not accepted until it is shipped (or a portion of the order is shipped). Notwithstanding the foregoing, you agree that, if we cancel all or a part of your order, your sole and exclusive remedy is that we (a) issue a credit to your credit card or PayPal account in the amount charged for the cancelled portion (if your credit card has already been charged for the order) or (b) not charge your credit card or PayPal account for the cancelled portion of the order.
2.5 Shipping Policy Any delivery dates provided by zulily are estimates. zulily reserves the right to make deliveries in installments. zulily will send you an email when your order has shipped and you may review your order and shipping information on your zulily My Account page. We ship within the US (including Alaska, Hawaii and APO/FPO/DPO addresses), and to Canada, UK and more than 80 other countries.
 
2.6 Return Policy
(a) Return Policy. zulily will only accept returns on products that are identified on the Product information page as eligible for return or as provided in Section 2.6(c). Once zulily confirms that your Product was returned in accordance with Section 2.6, your sole and exclusive remedy is a store credit in the amount charged for the applicable Product; provided that the credited amount will not include the applicable Delivery Fee, which is nonrefundable. Store credits may only be used for future purchase of Products on the Web site (excluding gift cards) and are subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 14.
 
(b) Exchanges. We do not accept any Product exchanges.
 
The bottom line is that Zuliy can ship goods if it has the goods and will do so when it does and you agree to the delay by signing in.  You also agree that the sale is final — you cannot return or exchange the goods.  Zuliy is a no-nonsense inline retailer.  Consumers who use the sight need to understand the terms of contracting for those terms require a waiver of timely performance and the right to return non-conforming goods. The contract terms and discounts may not cover for the delays — as one customer noted, “What’s the point of saving $15 if you have to wait six weeks?”
 
The Federal Trade Commission rules only require consumer notification and the right to cancel for delayed delivery, but Zulilly has that all covered through its upfront disclosure and the buyer’s agreement to abide by those longer shipping terms. 
 
DISCUSSION STARTERS
1.  Explain the terms of contracting with Zulily.
2.  Why don’t the FTC rules on disclosure apply?
3.Based on the text reading regarding Business Ethics and Contracts, please respond to the following:
What’s a McDonald’s French fry without some ketchup on it?  For 40 years, in locations outside the United States, the ketchup on your burger would likely have been produced by Heinz.  That company, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the world’s largest maker of ketchup. Despite the long relationship between the two companies, McDonald’s is terminating its contract with Heinz. 
Can McDonald’s end the association without liability?  To answer this question, look first to the terms of the agreement.  McDonald’s and Heinz’s contract is not publicly available but we can anticipate that it includes a provision addressing its duration.  That provision might state that the agreement is in effect for a specified number of years, at the end of which the parties repeatedly renegotiated satisfactory terms and extended the contract for another stated period of time.  At the end of each period, neither party is obligated to negotiate an extension. The first essential element of a contract is agreement, meaning both parties must concur that they want to enter or remain in  a contract with each other.  Stated differently, contracts are voluntary; nothing requires a business to contract with another.
As an alternative to a specified duration, the contract may have an automatic renewal term meaning at the end of the specified duration of the contract, it automatically renews without the need for renegotiation.  Such a clause might well include a stipulated price increase to kick-in at the start of each renewal period.  
The contract between McDonald’s and Heinz likely contains a termination clause.  Such a clause details the procedure to follow when a party decides to end the agreement. Typically, such clauses require the party wishing to terminate to give written notice to the other.  These clauses also customarily include a time period before termination when notice must be given, often 30, 45 or 60 days.  The party seeking to end the contract remains liable to perform its contractual commitments during this time period.  Sometimes termination clauses include a financial penalty.  McDonald’s will read its contract carefully to determine how to exit from the relationship with Heinz with the least amount of liability.
What prompted McDonald’s to seek other ketchup suppliers?  McDonald’s explained the circumstance as a result of recent management changes at Heinz.  Keep in mind the stiff competition between McDonalds and Burger King.  Fold in the facts that a former Burger King CEO, Bernardo Hess, was recently hired to head Heinz, and he continues to serve as vice-chair of Burger King’s board of directors. 
The same company owns Heinz and a controlling share of Burger King.  That company is 3G, owned by Warren Buffett.  Some analysts predicted months ago that 3G might itself cancel the contract to deprive McDonald’s of a popular product. Of Burger King’s US stores, 80% serve Heinz.
For more information, see: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/25/mcdonalds-heinz-ketchup_n_4164898.html
 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1) Under what circumstances would  McDonald’s be liable for breach of contract?
2) Under what circumstances would McDonald’s not be liable for breach of contract?
4.Based on the text reading regarding Business Ethics, CyberLaw and the legal elements of Contracts:
Who Pays When the Heater Gets too Hot?
Roger Meiners   
The television retail sales channel QVC ordered 28,000 Soleus-brand space heaters from MJC America (d/b/a Soleus), which had the heaters produced in China. As the picture above shows, these were stand-alone heaters. 
Soon after sales began, QVC got reports about heaters catching fire and other problems. The company investigated and discovered problems that it discussed with Soleus. It investigated and asserted that there was no fire hazard and that some customers “may have used this heater improperly.”
QVC hired an independent testing company, Intertek, to evaluate the heater. It found poor construction that could be a fire hazard. QVC ordered a recall. It sent a letter to all customers saying there was a recall so that payment could be refunded. It also notified Soleus that it was revoking acceptance of the heaters because of safety problems. QVC said it would notify the Consumer Product Safety Commission and would hold Soleus responsible for all “costs, liabilities, damages and expenses” related to the problem.
The contract stated that the heaters would comply with all regulations and standards and “shall be free from all defects (including latent defects) in workmanship, material and design.” The contract noted that in case of a problem, it would refund money to the customers and hold the product vendor liable.
QVC sued for $1.8 million in damages plus attorneys’ fees. QVC sold the heaters for $67.86, of which Soleus received $36 and $5 was paid to third parties for functions related to the transaction, so QVC had net revenue of $26.50 per heater.
The federal district court held for QVC. See:  http://www.courthousenews.com/2012/10/26/QVC.pdf
There was a breach of contract. It recovered payment made for the heaters as yet unsold and returned to Soleus. It recovered the costs of the recall, shipping costs, and the lost profits due to the refund. The heaters were clearly defective and, as the contract stated, Soleus was responsible for all costs related to the recall.
Discussion: 
1. Should the producer bear all of the cost or should the retailer share in that cost? Why?
2. Should the Chinese producer be responsible?

In your own words, describe the normal distribution and give at least three different types of data that are typically described as “normal.” Find a data set that follows the normal distribution. You may use the data from Week 2 if it follows a normal distribution. Make sure there is a minimum of 10 data points. Cite the data set using APA Style. Use the data to calculate the mean and standard deviation to construct a bell curve and answer the following questions:
What data value is associated with a z-score of 2.1?
What data value is associated with a z-score of -2.1?
What is the range of data values that would allow 68% of the data to fall within the mean?
An outlier refers to data points that lie beyond three standard deviations from the mean. Does this data set have any outliers? Explain why or why not.
Explain why 100% of the data does not always fall within three standard deviations of the mean.

The assignment consists of two questions that must be answered separately. Question 1 has a word count of 500–600 words, and question 2 does not state a minimum word count.
Please answer each question separately.
The textbook that we are using for this class is Business Law, 9th edition, Goldman and Sigismond, Cengage Publishing. ISBN: 9781133586562. Listed below is the assignment and Learning Objectives for this week’s chapters 11 -14. I have also attached the PowerPoint Slides, Lecture Notes and Audio Lecture needed to complete the assignment.
Question 1: Audio Lecture on the Power to Interpret the Law
A woman was walking with her rod and reel and tackle box along the bank of a pond in a city park. The park allowed fishing by the public but only if the angler had a valid fishing license and to fish in the city park pond had been bought. One of the police officers patrolling the park met the woman as she walked and asked the woman to produce her fishing license and fishing permit. (This was a legal request with which the woman was required to comply.) The woman’s wallet containing her fishing license and permit to fish were inside the closed tackle box she was carrying. When she opened the tackle box to retrieve her license and permit, the officer saw she was carrying inside the box a fixed-blade fishing filet knife that was 12 inches long overall and had a 7-inch blade. Being a spiritual descendant of Deputy Barney Fife, the officer promptly arrested her for illegally carrying a concealed weapon in violation of a statute which read: “No one shall carry concealed about the person a fixed blade knife having a blade of more than 5 inches long.” The law also provides that one who violates it can be fined up to $500 and/or be sentenced to 30 days in jail.
The statute did not contain any language that provided a justification for the concealed carrying of such a knife and it did not list any exceptions where the concealed carrying of such a knife was permissible. There were no previous cases in the state that interpreted the statute.
Which one of the following approaches do you think is best?
Judge A believes he has no choice except to follow the letter of the law and find the woman guilty. He takes the woman’s circumstances into account by giving her a lighter punishment—she is not required to pay a fine or serve a jail sentence, but she is required to pay court costs. As light as the sentence is, the woman will still end up with a conviction for illegally carrying a concealed weapon.
Judge B believes that the intent of the statute was to prevent people from the concealed carrying of knives which could be drawn on a moment’s notice and which would be capable of killing or seriously injuring someone. She believes that the circumstances surrounding the concealed carrying of the knife should be considered in determining whether the statute was violated.
Please begin by definitely stating which approach you think is better. Your first sentence should be “I believe the judge should consider only the letter of the law” or “I believe the judge should consider the circumstances under which the knife was carried in order to determine whether the statute was violated.”
Give two well written and thoughtful reasons that provide support for your answer. Your answer should be 500-600 words why you think the approach you chose is the better approach. I will subtract points for spelling/grammatical/typographical errors: 1 point will be subtracted for the first three such errors and an additional point will be subtracted if there are four or more such errors.
Question 2: The Power to Interpret the Law
Darla needed to borrow Bubba’s pickup truck. Bubba agreed to drop the truck off at the mall where Darla worked and to drive home in Darla’s car. After Darla got off work, she approached the truck with keys in hand intending to climb in and drive away.
Unknown to Darla, Bubba had left laying on the passenger’s seat an unsheathed fixed blade hunting knife that was twelve inches long (from the beginning of the handle to the point of the blade). A policeman who was walking by the truck had spotted the knife in the vehicle and was waiting for the owner to return. Darla approached the truck, unlocked its doors with the remote and placed her hand on the door handle to open it. The policeman yelled at her to stop and then arrested her.. She was charged with violating a section of the law that made it illegal to “carry concealed about the person a Bowie knife or knife or instrument of like kind.”
Has Darla violated the statute? Discuss fully each part of the relevant statute, evaluating whether Darla’s conduct is in compliance with it.
Week 3 Learning Objectives:
Chapter 11 Learning Objectives
➜Indicate that oral contracts are just as enforceable as written contracts if they contain all the required legal elements.
➜List the contracts that must be in writing to be legally enforceable under a state’s statute of frauds.
➜Summarize the essential information a memorandum evidencing a written contract must contain.
➜Recognize that a person may now sign documents electronically.
➜Determine the importance of parol evidence as it relates to contracts.
Chapter 12 Learning Objectives
➜Distinguish between the transfer of a right and the transfer of a duty.
➜Describe the result that occurs once a party legally transfers his or her rights under a contract.
➜Describe the result that occurs once a party legally transfers his or her duties under a contract. à
➜Enumerate those rights and duties that cannot legally be transferred without consent.
➜Recall the formalities required to transfer rights and duties.
➜Indicate when rights and duties are automatically transferred by law.
➜Identify the legal effect of a general assignment.
Chapter 13 Learning Objectives
➜Distinguish between full performance, substantial performance, and performance to the personal satisfaction of another as ways of discharging a contract.
➜Distinguish among rescission, novation, accord, and satisfaction as ways of discharging a contract by agreement of the parties.
➜Distinguish among impossibility/impracticability, bankruptcy, the statute of limitations, and material alteration as ways of discharging a contract by operation of law.
Chapter 14 Learning Objectives
➜Define breach of contract and differentiate between an actual breach and an anticipatory breach.
➜Summarize the remedies for breach of contract, both legal and equitable.
➜Describe the defenses available to an injured party for not performing on the contract.
➜Recall how fraud, duress, and undue influence affect a contract.

I uploaded the instructions below and the email template. My example of letter of recommendation I would like it to be for my accounting teacher that taught me on the Spring 2023 semester ACC 122 (Accounting Principles I) class. She introduced me to the world of accounting where I found it very entertaining which made me want to continue learning more and get a job as a second option in accounting. I have been going to events and seeking opportunities to learn more because since I was in her class I got new knowledge where it caught my attention how easy it was to learn from her.

My part is the Scope definition and added the descriiption/meeting notes with clients/ sample and how ill need it to look like