Category: Reading homework help

BLUF Statement or Bottom Line Up Front explanation of the problem or issue.

• States the problem in terms specific to the goal of the decision-maker.
• Directly addresses the decision-maker’s needs in the opening lines.
• Tells the decision-maker why a policy change or research is needed.
• Briefly details the problem. Be careful to focus on the problem, not the background.

Case Study:

Computerized decision making has taken off in recent years. Some have blamed the worldwide financial crisis on excessive reliance on these computerized decision making models. Lending officers who previously made individualized decisions about credit worthiness through personal judgment were replaced by computerized statistical models, resulting in mechanistic decision making. Large numbers of decisions were tied to a common set of assumptions, and when those assumptions proved to be wrong, the entire credit system fell apart and the economy faltered.

Use of computerized systems like Twitter and apps for information sharing may be leading to information overload. Eric Kessler from Pace University’s Lubin School of Business notes, “What starts driving decisions is the urgent rather than the important.” Researchers are finding that people who use too much information actually make worse decisions than people with less information, or they get so swamped in information that they are unable to reach a decision at all.

Computer decision models present certain advantages. Computers can amass and compile enormous amounts of data to spot patterns a human observer would never see. Computers are not prone to emotional decision making or the heuristics and biases we discussed in this chapter. Finally, computerized decision making systems are generally faster than human beings.

Computer decision making systems have certain faults that might severely constrain their usefulness; however, they are not capable of intuition or creative thought. As scholar Amar Bhidé notes, “An innovator cannot simply rely on historical patterns in placing bets on future opportunities.” People are much more likely to spot opportunities that lie just beyond what the data can tell us directly. Also, groups of people working in collaboration can discuss and question assumptions and conclusions.

Computers cannot consider whether their programming makes sense or adapt automatically when values change. There are computerized aids for almost any decision to be made; each of the tools from simple lists to complex statistical models needs to be considered in light of the application. Managers who use computerized decision making need to take great care in determining exactly what type of output will truly meet their informational needs so they—not their machines—can make the best organizational decisions.

Questions:

1. When it comes to computerized decision making, are there any advantages?  Do we really need computerized support for better decisions?  Is it possible that computers are better decision makers than we are?
2. Are there any weaknesses of using computers as decision tools? Are computers likely to have any specific problems in making decisions that people wouldn’t have?
3. Are there advantages to completely disconnecting from the wired world when possible? What can you do to try to retain your ability to focus and process information deeply?

It is not sufficient to state your opinions alone; you must be able to backup your responses by applying concepts from the text with the case data that supports your findings. Expected response length is 3 sentences per question. Please restate the question you are answering in your case study.

Through writing this case study you will be required to demonstrate a knowledge of how to integrate OB concepts with the case data, how to conduct research, and how to properly cite sources using APA formatting guidelines.  You will be responsible for using a minimum of 2 scholarly/peer reviewed sources. Textbooks are not considered a scholarly/peer reviewed source; however, they may still be included as a supplemental reference.

1) What is Strategy?

Video : 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7Ik1OB4TaE

2) Strategic Thinking 

Video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2NYJJ7XTrc

Please answer the below two questions after watching the above two YouTube videos with references. (All in 1 page)

Question 1: Define Strategic Management. What does this mean for your role in organizations?

Question 2: Why is strategic thinking important in any role you might enter into in an organization?

150 words

• Develop five behavioral interview questions to use for hiring a logistics managers for Fedex. Review the job description on http://www.onetonline.org to identify essential job functions and qualifications.
• How would you conduct a complete background investigation on applicants for the job of elementary school janitor to minimize concerns about negligent hiring?
• Identify training needs for a group of entry-level workers in a fast food restaurant.
• What are the rewards and challenges of managing a workforce composed of workers from different generations?

After reviewing the learning materials in this module (lectures, readings, videos), answer the following prompt. While you don’t have to answer all of them, use the questions below to formulate a focused response: 

After learning about the three largest Pre-Columbian civilizations in Latin America what stood out for you? What similarities and differences do you find and why do they exist? In what ways would you say these civilizations are similar to our modern society? Be specific. 

Protocols:

1. Produce a substantial response to the given prompt (about 200 words – remember, your post should be detailed and specific enough to demonstrate that you have a thorough understanding of the learning materials.

[WRITING IS A RESOURCE]—Writing is a resource people use to do things, be things, and make things in the world.

After reading “What Is Story?” and “You’ll Never Believe What Happened” , answer all of the following in a post of 300 or more words.

Respond and reflect upon “What Is Story?” by answering the following:

• How important are stories to how humans live in the world? Why do you say so? Has reading this piece changed your understanding on the question?
• Is it easy or difficult for you to see how story has helped you ascribe meaning to things in your experience? Consider many different aspects of life ranging from history to politics to religion to popular culture to personal relationships and beyond. How and why are stories told in that context? Consider stories you tell yourself as well as stories you have been told.
• What are your thoughts on the notion of identity as “the story I tell myself about what happens to me”?
• Add any other thoughts or questions you have on the piece.

Respond and reflect upon “You’ll Never Believe What Happened” by answering the following:

• What do you think Newkirk means when he says we “compose” ourselves? Can you think of an example from your own life where either you or someone you know did this?
• Note Ron’s analysis of his story about getting a flat tire and how he explains the unconscious strategies he used to craft the story to make it more dramatic and interesting. Do you recognize such strategies in your own speech when you describe events in your life? What about the speech of others, be they family or friends, coworkers or teachers, celebrities or politicians? Why do we craft our stories using these strategies, both consciously and unconsciously?
• What are your thoughts about how our values shape the stories we tell and other ways we use language? At the same time, how do the stories we tell shape our values?
• Add any other thoughts or questions you have on the piece.

• needs to be between 800-1,000 words- no more and no less.
• You must also use 12-point Times New Roman font.
• Your work will automatically be submitted to Turnitin upon submission, to determine how another author’s work was used in the assignment. Make sure you take notes while reading the selected article in your own words. Do not copy and paste directly from the selected article because matches to other authors’ works of 30% or more will result in an automatic zero (0) for the assignment.
• At the top of your work, you must include your name, the name of the article you selected, the name of the journal that the article was taken from, name of the authors of the article, and your total word count. An example is below:
  • Student name
  • Name of article
  • Name of journal that the article was in
  • Authors names
  • Word count
• Your work should not include any direct quotations from the article you selected. Put everything in your own words and do not summarize the abstract section of the article.
• You should summarize a recent research journal article from one of the American Psychological Association (APA) journals listed in the table below.    

• needs to be between 800-1,000 words- no more and no less.
• You must also use 12-point Times New Roman font.
• Your work will automatically be submitted to Turnitin upon submission, to determine how another author’s work was used in the assignment. Make sure you take notes while reading the selected article in your own words. Do not copy and paste directly from the selected article because matches to other authors’ works of 30% or more will result in an automatic zero (0) for the assignment.
• At the top of your work, you must include your name, the name of the article you selected, the name of the journal that the article was taken from, name of the authors of the article, and your total word count. An example is below:
  • Student name
  • Name of article
  • Name of journal that the article was in
  • Authors names
  • Word count
• Your work should not include any direct quotations from the article you selected. Put everything in your own words and do not summarize the abstract section of the article.
• You should summarize a recent research journal article from one of the American Psychological Association (APA) journals listed in the table below.    

For your Learning Journal entry this week, respond to the following prompt:

1. Choose one of the resources from the Empires of Sun or Indigenous Caribbean pages in this module (a reading, a video, an exhibit) and explore it in detail. After engaging with the resource, how does it help further your understanding about Pre-Columbian Latin America? Use examples from the resource to support your conclusion.

Protocols:

• Journal entries should average 250 words each (more is fine; it will be difficult to make substantive reflections in much less than this).
• Clearly label (number your journal entry)
• Your entries will be kept private and are meant to help you deepen your understanding of the course concepts and also help you generate ideas for your final project.
• Make sure to proofread and revise your posts. Even though these entries are personal, it is still expected that you produce college-level writing.
• Keep up with the due dates for each entry. You don’t want to fall behind.
• If you meet all of these criteria, producing a well-developed entry, you will receive a “complete” grade on this assignment. 

• needs to be between 800-1,000 words- no more and no less.
• You must also use 12-point Times New Roman font.
• You need to save your file as either Microsoft Word format or rich text format (.rtf) in order for the hw to be uploaded to Webcourses. It is your responsibility to ensure that your file is saved correctly and in the correct file format before the deadline. It is also your responsibility to ensure that you can successfully upload your article sumary into the system prior to the deadline. 
• Your hw will automatically be submitted to Turnitin upon submission, to determine how another author’s work was used in the assignment. Make sure you take notes while reading the selected article in your own words. Do not copy and paste directly from the selected article because matches to other authors’ works of 30% or more will result in an automatic zero (0) for the assignment.
• At the top of your hw, you must include your name, the name of the article you selected, the name of the journal that the article was taken from, name of the authors of the article, and your total word count. An example is below:
  • Student name
  • Name of article
  • Name of journal that the article was in
  • Authors names
  • Word count
• Your sumary should not include any direct quotations from the article you selected. Put everything in your own words and do not summarize the abstract section of the article.
• You should summarize a recent research journal article from one of the American Psychological Association (APA) journals listed in the table below.