Create a visual representation of your socialization journey.
Choose a specific social identity you want to explore and reflect upon.
Make a paper or digital timeline map:
Write the social identity you are mapping at the top of the paper.
Draw a line straight across the paper.
Cut the line into four or five equal sections.
Label each section based on age ranges (e.g., 0-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16 to present) or school life stages (e.g., preschool, elementary, middle/junior high, high school, college).
Map your experiences using the cycle of socialization chart as a reference.
Questions that students should answer directly on their timeline map:
What messages or beliefs were you taught about your social identity?
Where did these messages come from? (Parents, family members, teachers, religious organizations, friends, media, society, etc.)
How were these messages reinforced?
Step 2: Reflection
Write a reflective response that addresses the following prompts (200 words):
How did these messages influence your perception of yourself and others?
Reflect on specific behaviors that were encouraged, rewarded, supported, discouraged, unsupported, or punished concerning your social identity.
The retail store has experienced significant growth in the recent months. The customers have expressed an interest in being able to purchase the retail store’s products electronically. Currently, the retail store has a simple Web site, but it is not clear that the system can support dynamic interaction on the Web site or online purchases. The main database system that is used in the physical store has not been working correctly, however, and this is an issue. The retail store wants to be able to eventually integrate an online database system with the current order entry system that is used to support sales made in the local store. The retail store also needs the database system to enforce the rules that have been established for their business practices. What can be done to support the goals and objectives for meeting the needs of their customers?
It is assumed that Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition (with management tools) was chosen as the database platform. It can be downloaded for free at this Web site.
You have been asked to develop a solution in the form of a Database System Development Plan for your retail store using the following format:
Database System Development and Implementation Plan
Use Microsoft Word
Title page
Course number and name
Project name
Your name
Date
Table of contents (TOC)
Use auto-generated TOC
Maximum of 3 levels deep
Be sure to update the fields of the TOC so it is up-to-date before submitting your project.
Section headings (create each heading on a new page with TBD as content except for sections listed under new content below)
Each week, you will add a section to this Database System Development and Implementation Plan and submit it for grading. As a preview, each section will contain the following:
Database System Overview (Week 1 IP)
Entity Relationship Model (Week 2 IP)
Structured Query Language (SQL) Scripts (Week 3 IP)
Database Administration Plan (Week 4 IP)
Future Database System Implementation Plan (Week 5 IP)
Database System Overview (4–5 pages)
The project deliverables are as follows:
Describe the general business environment for the case study organization.
Include a database system goals and objectives statement.
Include a narrative that discusses how the proposed database system addresses the presenting business problem(s).
Include a narrative that demonstrates how the proposed system aligns to the mission statement and strategic goals of the organization.
Identify the mission and goals of the case study retail store, and provide your analysis as to how this part of the project fulfills the mission and/or goals of the case study organization.
All sources should be cited both in-text and in references using APA format.
Description: MUST REVIEW CASE SCENARIO BELOW TO COMPLETE ASSIGNMENT
Problem-based learning (PBL) is broken down into three phases: understanding the problem, exploring the available information, and resolving the problem. Each phase includes a series of steps, as follows:
Understand the problem.
Meet the problem: Orient yourself to the problem.
Determine what is known and what needs to be known or discovered.
Define the problem statement: What exactly is the problem?
Explore the available information.
Collect information from a variety of sources.
Share and document information from discovery.
Generate possible solutions for comparison and consideration.
Resolve the problem.
Determine the solution that best fits.
Present and justify the solution.
Debrief the problem with a conclusion and the lessons that you learned.
Primary Task Response: Within the Discussion Board area, write 400–600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas:
Review theCourse Scenariofor this course. This will be the basis for this discussion and for your future assignments for the course. Please first analyze this scenario and specific information about the retail store, and then discuss the following questions:
What are the specific mission and related goals for the retail store?
What critical success factors need to be considered throughout this project?
What ideas do you have for determining the quantitative and qualitative variables needed for measuring success?
What specific steps need to be followed to ensure that the proposed solution addresses the mission and goals of the retail store?
Written Assignment: Leadership and Team Management in the Modern Era
Case Study: "Navigating Change at GreenTech Solutions"
Background:
GreenTech Solutions is a mid-sized company specializing in eco-friendly technologies. Founded 15 years ago, the company has grown steadily, focusing on innovative solutions for renewable energy and sustainable practices. However, recent developments in the industry, including new regulations and the rise of competitors, have pressured GreenTech to adapt quickly to maintain its market position.
Scenario:
Two years ago, GreenTech hired a new CEO, Emma Keller, to lead the company through this transformative period. Emma is known for her forward-thinking approach and emphasis on innovation. Upon joining GreenTech, she identified several areas needing improvement, including outdated processes, a lack of cross-departmental collaboration, and a need for a more customer-centric approach.
Emma's leadership style has been largely participative, valuing input from employees at all levels. She encourages open communication and transparency and often seeks consensus before making decisions. While this approach aligns with her ethical leadership values, some employees feel it slows down the decision-making process, particularly in the fast-paced environment that GreenTech operates in.
To address these issues, Emma initiated a change management program called "GreenWave." The program's goals are to modernize operations, foster innovation, and create a more agile organization. As part of GreenWave, Emma introduced new project management software, restructured teams to be more cross-functional, and implemented regular feedback loops.
However, not everyone is on board with these changes. Some long-time employees are resistant, feeling that the new systems and processes disrupt the way they've always worked. Reports indicate increased stress levels, lower morale in certain teams, and a few key employees have left the company. Despite these challenges, early indicators suggest that GreenWave is positively impacting the company's performance, with improved customer satisfaction and quicker project turnaround times.
Your Task:
As a consultant brought in to assess the situation, you are asked to analyze the leadership and team management dynamics at GreenTech Solutions and provide recommendations to Emma Keller on how to navigate these challenges effectively.
Questions:
Leadership Style Analysis:
Evaluate Emma Keller's leadership style using the Situational Leadership Model by Blanchard. How well does her participative approach align with the developmental levels of her employees? Are there situations where a different leadership style (e.g., directive, coaching, supporting, or delegating) might be more effective? What are the strengths and weaknesses of her approach given the current challenges at GreenTech?
Additionally, assess how Emma's ethical leadership approach impacts her decision-making process and relationships with employees. How does this approach contribute to or hinder the effectiveness of her leadership, particularly in a rapidly changing industry?
Team Dynamics and Motivation:
How can Emma apply the Situational Leadership Model to better address the issues of stress and low morale among employees? What strategies could be employed to improve team cohesion, ensure ethical treatment, and maintain high performance during this transition?
Recommendations for Leadership and Management:
Propose at least three (3) actionable recommendations for Emma to improve her leadership and management practices. These should be grounded in the Situational Leadership Model, ethical leadership principles, and other relevant theories covered in your course. Consider the need to balance innovation with employee well-being, the importance of ethical decision-making, and the need for agility in a competitive market.
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CASE STUDY RELATED TO CONSULTING SERVICES
ZITROLOGISTICS, is one of the most innovative International Logistics companies in Sout Africa.
But for the last 3 years sales have being declining at an average rate of 23% interannually and commercial development is not happening.
The CEO of the company knows the company has basically 3 problems to manage in that sense:
· Sales Management team needs to be rebuilt
· Commercial Strategy need to be redefined
· Commercial processes need to be established(there is none)
· A CRM or similar control technology tool needs to be implemented so to have control over the sales team and customers
With this is mind and the instructions from your course site, as a consultant help the CEO of ZITROLOGISTICS to acquire and implement your solutions in his company.
Propose a change to one aspect of your local or regional health care system or program that would improve outcomes. Then, conduct a comparative analysis of other, non-U.S. health care systems, focusing on the proposed change. Summarize the proposed change and your comparative analysis in a 4–5 page report.
Health care systems around the world provide useful models for analysis. Familiarity with different models and approaches to health care enables leaders to identify what works and what does not, as the basis for proposing a change. As we continue to evaluate the complex and fragmented system in the United States, it is important for nurse leaders to become familiar with the programs and systems that provide evidence-based quality care that is affordable and focused on continual improvement.
This assessment provides an opportunity to examine a local or regional health care issue from a global perspective.
Your organization, in collaboration with the key stakeholders from the community, is funding an initiative to investigate potential improvements in the local or regional health care system. As a nurse leader attuned to the effects of health care policy and finance on the provision of affordable, high-quality care, you have been asked to join the task force conducting the study.
You know that an examination of other countries' health care systems can provide a solid, evidence-based foundation for evaluating outcomes and identifying benchmarks. Consequently, you have decided to undertake an analysis of selected, non-U.S. health care systems and compare them to each other and to the existing local or regional U.S. system to help inform decision making as the task force considers proposed changes.
In this assessment, you will propose a change to one aspect of your local or regional health care system or program. Conduct a comparative analysis of different health care systems and summarize your proposed change and findings from your analysis in a report to executive leaders. To prepare for your assessment, you are encouraged to begin thinking about the non-U.S. health care systems you might like to examine. In addition, you may wish to:
REQUIREMENT
Complete this assessment in three steps:
Propose a change to one aspect of your local or regional health care system or program that would improve outcomes.
Conduct a comparative analysis of different health care systems, focusing on one aspect of the system you are proposing to change.
Summarize your proposed change and the results of your comparative analysis in a report to executive leaders.
The summary report requirements outlined below, correspond to the grading criteria in the scoring guide for Proposing Evidence-Based Change, so be sure to address each point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. The Guiding Questions: Proposing Evidence-Based Change document provides additional considerations that may be helpful in completing your assessment. In addition, be sure to note the requirements below for document format and length and for citing supporting evidence.
Identify an aspect of a local or regional health care system or program that should be a focus for change.
Define desirable outcomes, including who will pay for care and factors limiting achievement of those outcomes.
Analyze two non-U.S. health care systems or programs that offer insight into a proposed change for a health care system or program in the United States.
Choose one of the following options for selecting the two systems or programs:
Option 1: Select two systems at opposite ends of the scale in terms of desirable outcomes for the issue reflected in your proposed change.
Option 2: Select two systems that both produce positive outcomes but take unique or innovative approaches to the problem.
Compare the outcomes in each non-U.S. system with each other and with present outcomes in your local or regional health care system.
Explain why specific changes will lead to improved outcomes.
Determine the financial and health implications associated with the proposed changes.
Address the implications of making the changes.
Address the implications of not making the changes.
Write clearly and concisely in a logically coherent and appropriate form and style.
Support assertions, arguments, propositions, and conclusions with relevant and credible evidence.
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:
· Competency 1: Identify the challenges and opportunities facing health care.
· Identify an aspect of a local or regional health care system or program that should be a focus for change.
· Competency 2: Compare the effects of different health care finance models and policy frameworks on resources and patient outcomes.
· Define desirable outcomes, including who will pay for care and factors limiting achievement of those outcomes.
· Analyze two non-U.S. health care systems or programs that offer insight into a proposed change for a health care system or program in the United States.
· Competency 3: Evaluate the positive and negative influences of leaders on health care processes and outcomes.
· Determine the financial and health implications of making—and not making—proposed changes to a health care system or program.
· Competency 4: Develop proactive strategies to change the culture of the organization by incorporating evidence-based practices.
· Explain why specific changes will lead to improved outcomes.
· Competency 5: Communicate effectively with diverse audiences, in an appropriate form and style consistent with applicable organizational, professional, and scholarly standards.
· Write clearly and concisely in a logically coherent and appropriate form and style.
· Support assertions, arguments, propositions, and conclusions with relevant and credible evidence.
In advocating for institutional policy changes related to local, state, or federal health care laws or policies, health leaders must be able to develop and present clear and well-written policy and practice guideline proposals that will enable a team, a unit, or an organization as a whole to resolve relevant performance issues and bring about improvements in the quality and safety of health care. This assessment offers you an opportunity to take the lead in proposing such changes.
As a master's-level health care practitioner, you have a valuable viewpoint and voice on policy development, both inside and outside your care setting. Developing policy for internal purposes can be a valuable process toward quality and safety improvement, as well as ensuring compliance with various health care regulatory pressures. This assessment offers you an opportunity to take the lead in proposing such changes.
QUESTION
Propose an organizational policy and practice guidelines that you believe will lead to an improvement in quality and performance associated with the benchmark underperformance you advocated for improving in Assessment 1. Be precise, professional, and persuasive in demonstrating the merit of your proposed actions.
The policy proposal requirements outlined below correspond to the scoring guide criteria, so be sure to address each main point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. In addition, be sure to note the requirements for document format and length and for supporting evidence.
Explain the need for creating a policy and practice guidelines to address a shortfall in meeting a benchmark metric prescribed by local, state, or federal health care policies or laws.
What is the current benchmark for the organization and the numeric score for the underperformance?
How is the benchmark underperformance potentially affecting the provision of quality care or the operations of the organization?
What are the potential repercussions of not making any changes?
What evidence supports your conclusions?
Summarize your proposed organizational policy and practice guidelines.
Identify applicable local, state, or federal health care policy or law that prescribes relevant performance benchmarks that your policy proposal addresses.
Keep your audience in mind when creating this summary.
Analyze the potential effects of environmental factors on your recommended practice guidelines.
What regulatory considerations could affect your recommended guidelines?
What resources could affect your recommended guidelines (staffing, financial, and logistical considerations, or support services)?
Explain ethical, evidence-based practice guidelines to improve targeted benchmark performance and the impact the proposed changes will have on the targeted group.
What does the evidence-based literature suggest are potential strategies to improve performance for your targeted benchmark?
How would these strategies ensure performance improvement or compliance with applicable local, state, or federal health care policy or law?
How can you ensure that these strategies are ethical and culturally inclusive in their application?
What is the direct impact of these changes on the stakeholders’ work setting and job requirements?
Explain why particular stakeholders and groups must be involved in further development and implementation of your proposed policy and practice guidelines.
Why is it important to engage these stakeholders and groups?
How can their participation produce a stronger policy and facilitate its implementation?
Present strategies for collaborating with the stakeholder group to implement your proposed policy and practice guidelines.
What role will the stakeholder group play in implementing your proposal?
Why is the stakeholder group and their collaboration important for successful implementation?
Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
Proofread your proposal, before you submit it, to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on the substance of your proposal.
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria:
· Competency 1: Analyze relevant health care laws, policies, and regulations; their application; and their effects on organizations, interprofessional teams, and professional practice.
· Explain and interpret for stakeholders the need for creating a policy and practice guidelines to address a shortfall in meeting a benchmark metric prescribed by local, state, or federal health care policies or laws.
· Competency 2: Lead the development and implementation of ethical and culturally sensitive policies that improve health outcomes for individuals, organizations, and populations.
· Summarize a proposed organizational policy or practice change guideline and analyze the potential effects of environmental factors on recommended practice guidelines.
· Competency 3: Evaluate relevant indicators of performance, such as benchmarks, research, and best practices, to inform health care laws and policies for patients, organizations, and populations.
· Explain how ethical, evidence-based practice guidelines to improve targeted benchmark performance will impact a stakeholder group needed for successful implementation of the policy or practice change.
· Competency 4: Develop strategies to work collaboratively with policy makers, stakeholders, and colleagues to address environmental (governmental and regulatory) forces.
· Explain why particular stakeholders and groups must be involved in further development and implementation of a proposed policy or practice change to improve quality and outcomes.
· Present strategies for collaborating with a stakeholder group to implement a proposed policy and practice guidelines.
· Competency 5: Produce clear, coherent, and professional written work, in accordance with Capella's writing standards.
· Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
· Support main points, assertions, arguments, conclusions, or recommendations with relevant and credible evidence.
Watch the video, "How to Read and Comprehend Scientific Research Articles." The video is linked to the Learning Resources in Content for this week. This video shows you how to break down one kind of scholarly article to understand it. (Please note that you might find many kinds of research articles. You can find out more about identifying different types of scholarly articles by visiting the links, "Identify Scholarly Articles" and "Different Types of Scholarly Sources" in Week 1 Content/Learning Resources.)
Review the "Template for Taking Notes on Research Articles."
Read "Searching Basics" from the UMGC Library to learn how to get started on your own research.
Optional for this task: Watch Library Tutorials #1 and #2. They'll help you in your search as well.
Then, respond to this discussion topic by answering the following questions.
What research topic do you think you will focus on for this semester's work? Why? Answer in one or two sentences.
In your opinion, what is the most important step to take when reading research articles? According to the material you've watched and read, what is the most important step to take when reading research articles? Answer in one or two sentences.
After reading "Searching Basics" and/or watching the first two library tutorials, please find one (1) article on your chosen research topic that review and give the findings of a research study. In responding to this discussion topic, give the author(s), the title of the article, and a brief one- or two-sentence description of the research study and its findings. (The activity in this last task will help you get started on your Critical Annotated Bibliography, which is Writing Assignment #1.)
Now take a moment to reflect on one classmate's chosen topic (refer to #2). Respond to his or her thread and write one to two sentences sharing your thoughts on his or her topic.
Watch Library Tutorials #1, #2, and #3. Links to these videos appear in Learning Resources in this week's Content list. They demonstrate strategies to use when finding articles through OneSearch, a research tool that allows you to search on many databases at one time.
Read the case below and complete the following tasks.
Assume you work for a company that is hiring more and more "Generation Z" employees.
Your supervisor has asked you to conduct research on issues regarding employees from Generation Z. She's heard that Generation Z may have different expectations of the work environment from those from older generations. In addition, she mentions that Generation Z might have different habits with regard to their use of technology.
In short, she has a vague idea about this generation, but nothing very definite—and she'd like to learn more.
Because she needs basic information, your task is to conduct a very general search on Generation Z and their work or technology habits. You don't need to focus your topic now, although she may ask you for more information at a later date.
Here's what you'll need to do:
Using the strategies discussed in Video Tutorial #1, search on Generation Z and work to find your articles. Your search can be broad at this stage.
List the topic you searched (e.g., "post-millennials")
List your search terms. Include at least three (3) terms. (e.g., "employees")
Write the titles of the four articles and the journals in which they appeared. (e.g., "Understanding Generational Differences in Workplace Environments," Harvard Business Journal)
Using the strategies discussed in Library Video #2, conduct a new search on a topic that's either related to your major or to your work. As the video demonstrates, use quotation marks around your search phrase.
List your search phrase(s). (e.g., "academic writing")
List how many search results you received. (e.g., 151,022)
Focus your search from question #2 by using the SU-subject terms option from the drop-down menu for one of the rows.
List the number of search results you have after limiting the search by using SU-subject terms. (e.g., 583)
Finally, using the strategies mentioned in Video Tutorial #3, locate the subject guide for your major. If you haven't declared a major yet, please select one that interests you from drop-down menu.
Describe any interesting resources you've discovered (1-2 sentences). (e.g., "Under 'Subject Guides for Writing,' I found a link to a helpful website, Purdue OWL Writing Resources. It includes tips on everything from grammar to APA, MLA, and CMS citations.")
Please note that you will not be able to see other students' responses to this discussion topic until you post your response.
Writing Assignment #1 Critical Annotated Bibliography of Five Sources
Summary of assignment
· Task: In this assignment you will write a list of at least 5 sources in alphabetical order in APA format. In addition, each reference will be followed by a short analytical summary of 150-200 words. At the end of the short summary, you will include a sentence or two that critically analyzes the source and that mentions distinctive features about the article and why it may or may not be useful for you in pursuing more research.
● Length: Each annotation should be 150-200 words. ● Format: APA ● Sources: Five sources, all of which you fill find through UMGC’s OneSearch
o All of your articles should be from scholarly journals or credible trade journals. They should not be from popular journals.
Strategies in Selecting a Topic for your Annotated Bibliography
You may select a topic of your choice. However, when selecting a topic, keep in mind that it should be a topic on which a number of studies or scholarly articles have been published.
Examples of topics students have chosen in the past or that would be workable for this assignment are the following:
● The impact of the Internet on research methods of students and plagiarism in student papers ● The impact of The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act on primary school education. ● The impact of mobile devices on cybersecurity
Overall, in considering a topic, you might consider your major, topics that will be covered in future classes you plan to take at UMGC, and your interests.
For example, please examine the following ideas:
· If your major is criminal justice, you might consider researching the different types of CSI effects that have been explored in the literature or researching what studies have noted about body cameras for law enforcement officials. · If your major is psychology, you might consider researching counseling strategies, consumer behavior in online shopping, decision-making in upper-management positions, etc. · If your major is history, you might consider researching theories on the Civil War, studies on labor patterns in the United States, an aspect of military history, etc.
· If your major is social science, you might consider researching community responses to health care threats,co-parenting patterns after divorce, etc. · If your major is cybersecurity, you might consider researching different studies that analyze the training of employees on cyber issues or researching the Agile and Waterfall methods of project development.
Whatever topic you consider, keep in mind that it should be a topic on which a number of studies or scholarly articles have been published. You will conduct all or most of your research using UMGC’s OneSearch function in finding scholarly articles or articles from credible trade journals.
Approach
This assignment will be an analytical/critical/ annotated bibliography. The difference between the descriptive/informative annotated bibliography and the analytical/critical annotated bibliography is explained in the following video:
You will submit a first draft of the essay to the assignment folder. The first draft will not be graded. The instructor will provide comments to it.
After receiving comments from the instructor, you will submit a revised draft. The final draft will be graded.
Helpful Resources and Websites
The following are some links to sample Annotated Bibliographies. Some of them give examples in APA format. You may want to observe these examples and perhaps model your work after them.
· A variety of samples from The University of North Carolina Writing Center, including these specific examples of APA-style annotations. You can find that at the following page: https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/citing-sources/
· Some instruction from Cornell University. The website also provides more information on the process of writing an annotated bibliography. You can find that at the following page: https://guides.library.cornell.edu/annotatedbibliography
· Some instruction from East Carolina University. You can find it at the following page: https://libguides.ecu.edu/c.php?g=17262&p=98192
What do economists mean by "opportunity cost?" What are your opportunity costs in taking this course?
Demand v. Quantity Demanded
What is the difference between a decline in the quantity demanded and a decline in demand? Give an example of something that you now buy less of. Is it an example of a decline in the quantity you demand or a decline in your demand?
Behavioral Economics
Traditional economic theory makes a number of simplifying assumptions that may not always be true, e.g., that people always make rational decisions that are in their own best interest. In recent years, a new subdiscipline of economics has emerged called behavioral economics that attempts to employ a more realistic set of assumptions about how people behave to explain economic decision-making.
Based on information in this link (Behavioral Economics For Dummies Cheat Sheet), present two examples from your own experience that illustrate principles of behavioral economics.
Further reading for those with an interest:
Ariely, Dan. 2009. The End of Rational Economics. Harvard Business Review, Jul-Aug.
Connick, Hal. 2018. Read this Story to Learn How Behavioral Economics Can Improve Marketing. Marketing News. Jan.
Discussion 2
Plagiarism (Exploratory)
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Information on Plagiarism and Self-Plagiarism
Consider visiting the linked site for several useful resources for understanding plagiarism. You may find a helpful video, question section, and even additional resources to help in your understanding!
