Incorporating Theory Research Paper Available

Incorporating Theory
Incorporating Theory

Incorporating Theory

Order Instructions:

Identify a theory that can be used to support your proposed solution.

Write a summary (250 words) in which you:

Describe the theory and your rationale for selecting the theory.
Discuss how the theory works to support your proposed solution.
Explain how you will incorporate the theory into your project.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Incorporating Theory

Various theorists have developed different theories to help understand the concept of nursing. The theories aim to add value on nursing to promote quality. One of the theories the paper deliberates on and which supports my proposed solution is Virginia Henderson’s Need Theory.

The theory was developed by Virginia Henderson, who defined nursing as the duty to help individuals, either sick or not, to perform various activities that aids their recovery or helps them to a peaceful death (Wills & McEwen, 2002).  These are the activities that the individual may not perform without assistance because the one lacks strength, knowledge, and will.  This assistance is essential in helping the patient/individuals to gain independence quickly (Afaf, 1997). Therefore, a nurse has the duty to work with the person, provide needed help, and do some roles for the person to achieve independence.

The reason for choosing this theory is that it expounds the roles of a nurse. Nurses must be able to assist the individuals to enhance recovery, as they require attention to make them strong to stand on their own.

This theory works to support the solution through its various assumptions. One of the assumptions is that nurses provide care to patients until they are in a position to care for themselves (Taylor & Lillis, 2001). The second assumption is that nurses have a desire and are willing to devote themselves night and day to provide care for the patients (Delaune & Ladner, 2002). Therefore, these assumptions and the roles that nurse do jointly enhance the quality of care. Patients must be assisted to make them independent to resume to their normalcy.

One of the reasons why I would incorporate the theory in my practice is that it impacts on the health of the patients. Nurses have a role to help their patients in becoming independent. This is a very important aspect in the field of nursing and nurses must always be committed and dedicated to providing better care to their patients.

References

Afaf, M.  (1997). Theoretical Nursing: Development & Progress, 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Lippincott.

Delaune, C., & Ladner, K. (2002). Fundamental of nursing, standard and practice, 2nd edition, Thomson, NY.

Taylor, C., & Lillis, C.  (2001). The Art & Science Of Nursing Care, 4th ed. Philadelphia, Lippincott.

Wills, M., & McEwen, M. (2002). Theoretical Basis for Nursing Philadelphia. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

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Implementation Plan Essay Assignment

Implementation Plan
Implementation Plan

Implementation Plan

Order Instructions:

Consider the population in which the solution is intended, the staff that will participate, and the key contributors that must provide approval and/or support for your project to be implemented. These stakeholders are considered your audience.

Develop an implementation plan (1,500 words). The elements that should be included in your plan are listed below:

Method of obtaining necessary approval(s) and securing support from your organization’s leadership and fellow staff.

Description of current problem, issue, or deficit requiring a change. Hint: If you are proposing a change in current policy, process, or procedure(s) when delivering patient care, describe first the current policy, process, or procedure as a baseline for comparison.

Detailed explanation of proposed solution (new policy, process, procedure, or education to address the problem/deficit).

Rationale for selecting proposed solution.

Evidence from your review of literature in Topic 2 to support your proposed solution and reason for change.

Description of implementation logistics (When and how will the change be integrated into the current organizational structure, culture, and workflow? Who will be responsible for initiating the change, educating staff, and overseeing the implementation process?)

Resources required for implementation: Staff; Educational Materials (pamphlets, handouts, posters, and PowerPoint presentations); Assessment Tools (questionnaires, surveys, pre- and post-tests to assess knowledge of participants at baseline and after intervention); Technology (technology or software needs); Funds (cost of educating staff, printing or producing educational materials, gathering and analyzing data before, during, and following implementation), and staff to initiate, oversee, and evaluate change.

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Implementation Plan

1.0       Method of obtaining necessary approval and securing support

In essence, for this project to be succeed, support from the key stakeholders including the administration, managers and colleagues at Duke Hospital & Health Center is of great importance. These key stakeholders are important since they have to approve and/or support the project for it to be executed. Together with children patients suffering from Addison’s disease and their parents, the physicians, Registered Nurses (RNs), nurse assistants and the management of the healthcare organization comprise the audiences of this project. Support would be obtained from these key contributors by making clear to them the basis and justification for the proposed solution, as well as the reasons why the proposed change is vital and needed in the health care organization.

The hospital’s managers and leadership, as well as physicians, RNs and assistants would be informed about the value of the change and the way that Duke Hospital & Health Center is going to benefit in consequence of the change. It is of note that the nursing process used in diagnosing and treating patients with Addison’s disease at the hospital has to be reviewed as this will produce results that could be assessed to bring about positive outcomes that will help get rid of the entire condition. The formation of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) models will help the RNs gain a better understanding of Addison’s disease and recognize how to reduce the continuous stubbornness of the problem (White, 2009). Moreover, engaging the elements of a comprehensive training of RNs will allow them to have an intensive and extensive approach to Addison’s disease. This proposed solution will reduce occurrences of death and/or insanity of the children patients with Addison’s disease since they will be able to contain their stress and depression. Since deaths of children at the hands of the RNs will reduce, the emotional suffering of RNs will also reduce. Besides enlightening the management, RNs, physicians and other healthcare workers of Duke Hospital & Health Center about the potential benefit of the proposed change, they will also be encouraged to express any of their concerns or worries in relation to the proposed change, and these would be addressed in a satisfactory, unequivocal and explicit manner.

Essentially, there would be less likelihood of resistance to the proposed solution when all their concerns regarding the proposed solution are clearly and sufficiently addressed. They are also likely to approve and support it when they are amply involved and consulted, and when they are well informed about the justification for the change (Holcomb, 2006). Consulting and involving all the key stakeholders during the project would actually ensure that they all have the feeling of involvement and ownership of the project. This is crucial since it will increase the likelihood of them being receptive to the proposed the change.

2.0       Description of current problem

The current problem entails how children patients with Addison’s disease are treated. In Addison’s disease, WebMD (2014) stated that the adrenal glands do not produce adequate of cortisone hormone, or less often, aldosterone hormone; hence, it is at times called hypocortisolism or chronic adrenal insufficiency. At my health care organization, which is Duke’s Children Hospital & Health Center, Addison’s disease is one of the very complicated illnesses that Registered Nurses try to treat. An effective solution needs to be developed that would assist with suppressing the complications of this disease to children patients at the health care organization. An Addisonian crisis is one of the most complicated conditions of Addison’s disease and it usually arises whenever the supply of hormones becomes dangerously low, and it crops up when the body of the victim in under intense stress (WebMD, 2014). Nearly all of the strenuous scenarios are experienced after a patient undergoes a surgical operation. Stress impacts adrenal glands to produce more adrenaline to help patient in coping up, but Addison’s disease patients cannot effectively cope up with the added stress. The impacts of the problem are diverse and a patient with this disease can die of heart attack if they are not able to control the stress (Ross et al., 2014).

As RNs, we often suffer emotionally whenever children affected by Addison’s disease die under our care when they are not able to cope up with depression. The stubbornness of this disease questions the quality of care that Registered Nurses deliver to the children patients at Duke Hospital & Health Center. Some relatives of the patients openly condemn us whenever a patient experiences occurrences of insanity or even death. It is worth noting that the impact of the disorder on patient outcomes is diverse given that some patients may either become insane or die, since some of the children are not able to contain depression. In addition, the condition can further complicate the body to cause hormonal imbalance that necessitates homeostatic regulation to bring them to equilibrium (Holcomb, 2006).

3.0       Detailed description of proposed solution

The proposed solution encompasses several methods. One of them is to review the nursing process being used presently in diagnosing and treating patients with Addison’s disease. This will be geared to produce results that could be evaluated to bring outcomes that ensure the entire condition gets eliminated. The proposed solution also requires formation of EBP models that basically try to figure out the underlying reason for the continuous stubbornness of this disorder. Moreover, the proposed solution engages the elements of a comprehensive training of RNs at Duke Hospital & Health Centre to have an extensive and intensive approach to the problem. Nonetheless, this proposed solution does not omit the traditional models of dealing with the problem of substituting the hormones that adrenal glands are producing. Even though Cortisol is replaced orally with hydrocortisone tablets, we as RNs ought to find ways in which it would be administered through injection in order to enhance faster absorption of the drug into the blood system.

The rationale for selecting the proposed solution is that it will allow the RNs at Duke Hospital & Health Center to provide the children patients suffering from Addison’s disease with the best possible and optimal treatment that will reduce the stubbornness of this disorder and help the patients control stress. More importantly, the proposed solution will facilitate better management of the disease and thereby help in reducing the incidences of insanity and death as a result of Addison’s disease.

4.0       Evidence from literature

Ross et al. (2014) noted that Addison’s disease in known to crop up whenever the adrenal gland is not able to produce its contents in an effective manner. It is of note that the proposed solution entails formation of Evidence-Based Practice models aimed at gaining an understanding of the underlying reason for the continuous stubbornness of Addison’s disease. EBP is understood as the judicious, explicit, conscientious usage of existing best evidence in making decisions regarding the care of individual patients (White, 2009). In essence, the practice of evidence-based medicine implies incorporating individual clinical expertise with the finest available external clinical evidence from systematic research. White (2009) stated that EBP is a very helpful approach to enhancing the impact of practice in the management of Addison’s disease, adding that nurses in the care of Addison’s disease patients should always direct significant attention to evidence. They should honor the many dissimilar types of evidence. Those who advocate the use of EBP in the management of Addison’s disease emphasize on the findings of major experimental comparisons in documenting the effectiveness of treatment against untreated control groups, against other treatment, or both. They do this given that properly conceptualized and completed experiments – randomly controlled trials – are great way of showing that a treatment resulted in a specific alter (Brandão Neto & Carvalho, 2014).

The proposed solution also engages the elements of an all-inclusive training of Registered Nurses in the health care organization to have both an extensive and intensive approach to the problem. According to White (2009), nurses should be provided with a comprehensive training that will allow them to deliver both family-centered and patient-focused treatment of Addison’s disease. This comprehensive training will ensure that RNs never lose their sight of the fact that Children with Addison’s disease, are primarily individuals, and not just patients. As such, the patient’s family has to be included at each stage of the treatment process (WebMD, 2014).

5.0       Implementation logistics

The hospital’s administration would integrate the change into the existing structure, workflow and culture of the organization using several ways. The first one entails putting in place principles and standards that would incorporate the change into the existing organizational culture, workflow and structure. The other way is using enticements such as financial rewards that are aimed at encouraging RNs and other health care workers to be amenable and open to the change. Another equally important way is using punitive measures whereby the health care personnel would be compelled to accept the change, and those who try to resist the change are actually demoted or sacked. Two influential people, a Charge Nurse and a Nurse Manager would be responsible for initiating the change process, educating all registered nurses, in addition to supervising the process of implementation. The Charge Nurse would initiate the change process and develop a shared vision for Duke Hospital & Health Center, whereas the Nurse Manager will supervise the process of implementation to make sure that it is conducted effectively.

6.0       Resources required for implementation

Several resources are needed. (i) Human resources – Duke Hospital & Health Center’s workers such as RNs, nurse assistants and physicians would be included in implementing the change process. (ii) Tools for assessment would be required comprising questionnaires, surveys, pretests as well as post-tests. (iii) Educational materials – pamphlets, booklets, posters, and brochures would be required. Computers would also be utilized to create PowerPoint presentations. (iv) Funds – the budget for the project is $61,918 bearing in mind both the project’s scope and size

7.0       References

Brandão Neto, R., & Carvalho, J. (2014). Diagnosis and classification of Addison’s disease (autoimmune adrenalitis). Autoimmunity Reviews, 13(4/5), 408-411. doi:10.1016/j.autrev.2014.01.025

Holcomb, S. S. (2006). Hospital Nursing: Do the Clues Add Up to Addison’s Disease? Nursing, 36(3): 64

Ross, I., Dandara, C., Swart, M., Lacerda, M., Schatz, D., & Blom, D. (2014). 9β Polymorphism of the Glucocorticoid Receptor Gene Appears to Have Limited Impact in Patients with Addison’s Disease. Plos ONE, 9(1), 1-6. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0086350

WebMD. (2014). Understanding Addison’s Disease. Available at http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-addisons-disease-basics. (Accessed September 27, 2014).

White, A. (2009). Managing Behavioral Emergencies: Striving Toward Evidence-Based Practice. Journal of Emergency Nursing, 12:13.

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West Nile virus infection Research Paper

West Nile virus infection
West Nile virus infection

West Nile virus infection

Order Instructions:

For the month of August, 12 new cases of tuberculosis and 12 new cases of West Nile virus infection were reported to a county health department. You are not sure if either group of cases is a cluster or an outbreak.

What additional information might be helpful in making this determination? Why? How would you obtain this information?

SAMPLE ANSWER

Week 4 discussion

Quick response is vital in case of any outbreak of diseases.  Health departments and other agencies have the duty to act swiftly to contain these clusters or outbreaks.   For instance, in this case where a country’s health department reported 12 new cases of tuberculosis and West Nile virus infections, it becomes critical to collect information quickly to determine whether it is a cluster or an outbreak for immediate action. The author deliberates on additional information required to make determination as well as reasons why and the process of obtaining information in such instances as tuberculosis and West Nile virus outbreaks.

To determine whether these cases are a cluster or an outbreak, it requires adequate information. Information pertaining to these cases will include the rate of occurrence of the diseases, the community or region affected and the frequency of the illness among many others.  Outbreak occurs when the number of victims is more than the expected cases (Sterhr-Green, Paul, Voetsch & MacDonald, 2010).

This information is required because it helps to determine the number of people that are affected and in adopting appropriate strategies to counter the same (CIFOR, 2010). A cluster and an outbreak requires different strategies to contain further spread of the disease and therefore being armed with this vital information is essential to approaching the challenge amicably.

Obtaining this information is yet another important aspect in seeking to determine whether the case above is a cluster or an outbreak. One way of obtaining information is partnering with the health agency to come up with appropriate ways to get information on the ground (UIC, 2005). It is also important to partner with the community members and other leaders to help in establishing the causes and the time of the outbreak among other information.  Information will also be obtained through interviews and administration of questionnaires with the victims and their close family members.

References

CIFOR. (2010). Investigation of Clusters and Outbreaks, Chapter 5. Retrieved from: http://www.cifor.us/documents/CIFORGuidelinesChapter5.pdf

Sterhr-Green, J., Paul, S., Voetsch, A., & MacDonald, P. (2010). Introduction to Outbreak Investigations, Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC. Retrieved form: http://samples.jbpub.com/9780763784591/84591_CH02_FINAL.pdf

UIC. (2005). Investigating an outbreak. Retrieved from: https://www.uic.edu/sph/prepare/courses/PHLearning/EpiCourse/6InvestigatingAnOutbreak.pdf

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Personal branding Essay Paper Assignment

Personal branding
Personal branding

Personal branding

Order Instructions:

The writer has to be very concise when he compose this papers as the complain with most of my papers has been that the are not concise, and also the writer has to focus on the main points and elaborate on them clearly using concrete examples to support the facts. In this paper, they are four main points to discuss , the writer must clearly discuss them and use examples to support the facts.

Personal Branding

The concept of branding is often applied to large corporations such as Pepsi-Cola, Nike, Starbucks, or Toyota. Brands communicate powerful associations to the external stakeholders and hence organizations spend millions of dollars enhancing the equity of their brands.

Some individuals take the idea of branding a step further, extending it to people as well. Consider Tiger Woods, Martha Stewart, or Emeril as prime examples of this personal branding philosophy. Tom Peters, a famous management guru, wrote a seminal article called “The Brand Called You” (Peters, 1997) urging individual professionals to think of themselves as brands and to stand out in the competitive marketplace by differentiating themselves.

The key to long-run success, Peters suggested, is to brand oneself effectively. Companies like Estee Lauder offer an in-house personal branding course. On the other hand, others believe that most individuals are not equipped to become brands because they lack the necessary qualities.

After reviewing the resources below, respond in 2 pages word documents minimum to the following:
• Why is branding important to an organization?
• Should the personal brand concept become a part of the DNA of 21st century professionals? If so, what steps must a person work through to develop an effective personal brand? If not, what are your reasons for thinking so?
• Compare how the process of branding an individual would be similar to branding a product. How would it differ?
• Defend your answer with specific examples

Resources:
Course Text
• Marketing Management
o Chapter 9, “Creating Brand Equity”

This chapter introduces the topic of strategic brand management and how it is used to build, measure, and manage brands to maximize their value.
Chapter 10, “Crafting the Brand Positioning”

This chapter summarizes how companies can effectively position a brand to best reach the target market by using brand differentiation and constant revisions to stay current.
• Articles
• Burnett, J., & Hutton, R. (2007). New consumers need new brands. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 16(5), 342–347. Retrieved from ProQuest Central database.

In this article, the authors propose that there are a considerable number of research studies on branding for products, but that very little exists for the process of branding services. They present a conceptual overview of how this type of branding can be developed.
• Cayla, J., & Arnould, E. (2008). A cultural approach to branding in the global marketplace. Journal of International Marketing, 16(4), 86–112. Retrieved from Business Source Premier database.

This paper outlines some of the challenges that future market managers will face in balancing a global, ethnocentric branding approach with the cultural, historical, polycentric, and symbolic significance of a brand.

Peters, T. (1997). The brand called you. Fast Company, 10. Retrieved from
http://www.fastcompany.com/28905/brand-called-you

One of the new focuses of branding that businesses need to understand is that of personal branding, and the author of this paper introduces this concept.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Personal Branding

Personal branding is a recent invention whereas the trend of people labeling themselves based on status and character is as old as individual relations. One’s personal brand is that dominant, vivid, positive thought that comes to the brain whenever one is thought of, such as the principles, abilities, and dealings that others relate one with. It is designed for the reason of influencing how others perceive one, and turning that view into prospect. For effective personal branding, one’s personal brand should induce the perception that one is different, superior and authentic relative to others already in the market (Burnett & Hutton, 2007). This implies that personal branding is a promise to the customers on what they should expect, for example, it’s an assurance that makes the buyer trust, “By buying this, I will be getting that.” This paper will, with the use of examples, explain the importance of branding, justify why personal branding should become an essential item of the DNA of the 21st century and finally compare and contrast personal branding and product branding.

Personal branding is of much benefit in marketing management. It works for all regardless of circumstances and conditions since all businesses are based on associations. Some of the benefits are that it creates more right kind of clients, it increases earning ability, ensures consistent business flow. It also draws many beneficial people that can benefit an individual, for example, Secretary of State Colin Powell’s straightforward and decent, and leadership won many in 1996. It enables one to get “Top-of-mind” class (Redsang, Peter, & Sanfranc, 2012). Personal branding increases credibility, creates opportunity for one to exercise leadership role, such as Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan could sustain up Wall Street with very few well-chosen terms. It gets one to achieve desired goals by enhancing prestige since it adds financial value to an individual (Burnett & Hutton, 2007). Additionally, it brings greater recognition of one while within his associates with a trend. These suggest that personal branding is important.

However, there are steps that must be considered during personal branding. These include transforming individual reflection into a personal brand that creates business prospect by taking an active control of the process and cutting and polishing ones brand so that everyone who gets in touch with it forms a similar fundamental set of expressions in their mind when they hear your name (Keller, 1993). Building a brand requires understanding, endurance and perseverance, failure of which results into loses. For example, some Internet firms misused millions on Super Bowl as they thought branding take place overnight (Margaret, 2002). Generally, brands take time to expand, for example, Oprah Winfrey spent time performing, carrying out talk shows and laboring to aid women before becoming universally-famous (Peters & Jeremie, 2027). Secondly, brands undergo organic growth as the best brands increase at the grassroots level since it is enhanced by strong communication, a sense of commitment. And finally, brands are not rational and demand consistency and clarity. For example, in 2001, K-Mart filed for insolvency in a budget that left buyers and sellers in upset state (Keller, 1993).  Another aspect of personal branding is the fact that it is already element of individual interaction and is everywhere. Personal branding is in use by celebrities such as Stephen Covey, Meg Ryan, Charles Schwab and Joe Montana, as they try to turn their names into industries.

At the moment, judgments can be made about people with only little information at hand. For example by meeting casually meeting someone, you may get to know certain information about his education, his manners and characters. This is because his individual image has been encountered, as revealed by the DNA of his individual manner (Margaret, 2002). Therefore, personal branding is an organic and natural part of human culture, though the difference today is that we have learnt how to detect how others perceive us (Cayla & Arnould, 2008). This therefore necessitates personal brand concept to become a core element of the DNA of 21st century professionals.

In conclusion, following the importance and illustrations hinted on above, personal branding concept should become part of the DNA of the 21st century professionals. Product branding is in most aspects similar to personal branding, however, while the latter is a natural aspect of human beings, the former is not natural as it has to be done physically.

References

Keller, K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of Marketing 57(1), 1-22.

Margaret, C. C. (2002). Building brand equity. International journal of Medical Marketing Journal, 2(3), 1-16.

Burnett, J. & Hutton, R. (2007). New consumers need new brands. Journal of Product and Brand Management, 16(5), 342-347.

Cayla, J. & Arnould, E. (2008). A cultural approach to branding in the global marketplace. Journal of International Marketing, 16(4), 86-112.

Peters, T. & Jeremie, K. (2027). The brand called you. Fast company. International Journal of Medical Marketing, 3(1), 234-239.

Redsang, T, Peter, J. & Sanfranc, K. (2012). Impact of personal brand in the world market. Journal of International Marketing, 45(4), 23-87.

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Analysis of Overstock.com strategic choices at corporate level

Analysis of Overstock.com strategic choices at corporate level
Analysis of Overstock.com strategic choices at                         corporate level

Analysis of Overstock.com strategic choices at corporate level

Order Instructions:

Analyze Overstock.coms strategic choices at the corporate level, to include how these strategies follow Porter’s generic strategies. Are they in sync?
Which of the four quadrants of the ‘Grand Strategy Selection Matrix does Overstock.com fit in, and why?

SAMPLE ANSWER

Introduction

O.co is the popular initials of Overstock com Inc, the American Company that operates online businesses that are based in and also outside the US. Its head office is located in Cottonwood heights, Utah near the Salt Lake City.

Michael Porter’s (1996) generic strategies eventually narrow to the two major headings between the cost advantage and the product differentiation strategies.  Overstock Company applies the cost advantage in its corporate strategy level to market its products on its online business segment whose cost leadership advantage has earned its differentiated status as a cost efficient and effective products distributor as it strives to be the most economical or the lowest cost provider in the entire business to most customer segments. It was initially known as the D2- Discounts Direct before it rebranded itself to Overstock.Com. It sells all types of domestic equipments, appliances, furniture, jewelry, computers, magazines, DVDs, apparels among other requirements. It offers various discounts on brand names and also non branded products. Overstock operates a large online retailer that primarily supplies the American market with literally anything they would like to purchase including vehicles. It also operates a World stock Fair Trade shows that offers its clients a variety of handcrafted products. The characteristics of Overstock are in sync with porter’s arguments.

Overstock Company has the characteristics displayed in Quadrant 1 below where strong and very competitive companies flourish in markets that are rapidly growing. Overstock strategic position in online sales places it in a strategic market where its products have a wide global market and its development strategy has an excellent opportunity. The company can expand and develop its market in all directions, horizontally, forward or even backwards. Being a company that sells multiple products, its marketing strategy is to offer products that attract more clients because of their discounts and low pricing policies which aid it to penetrate the market. (Porter, 1996)

Weak Competitive Strong Competitive
 1. Companies in Rapid Companies In

2. markets

growth Market with Rapid Growth
1 Market Dev Market Dev
2 Market Penetration Market Penetration
3 Product Dev Product Dev
4 Horizontal Integration Horizontal Integration
5 Divestiture Liquidation Related diversification
6 Forward integration
Weak Competitive Strong Competitive
 3. Companies In markets 4. Companies In Mkt  
that have slow  Growth with Slow Growth
1 Retrenchment Joint venture
2 Related Diversification Related Diversification
3 Unrelated diversification Unrelated diversification
4 Liquidation
5 Divestiture Liquidation

Overstock sells its products mostly at the industry’s average prices or at times lower to increase its market share and it subsidizes its costs by applying the  economies of scale, outsourcing, process efficiencies and its experience on the curve effect. Its major aim is to achieve a low- cost distribution network that’s relatively economical than its rivals and it’s the main focus of the firm’s strategy. (Hayes, Pisano, Upton and Wheelwright, 2005)

Porter (1996) argues that by utilizing the value chain and the value system and also the linkages a company can improve its efficiency significantly while exploiting the sources of competitive efficiency and other value added strategies.

Reference

Hayes, Pisano, Upton and Wheelwright (2005) Pursuing the Competitive Edge; New York, Wiley and Sons, page 264.

Porter, M.E. (1996) What is Strategy? Harvard Business Review, Boston pp 61-78 Vol.74, No.6 November-December.

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Strategic Human Capital Management

Strategic Human Capital Management
Strategic Human Capital Management

Strategic Human Capital Management

Order Instructions:

Must contain in text citations

SAMPLE ANSWER

Strategic Human Capital Management

Internal and External Threats to an Organization

Most of the internal threats in the organization are as result of errors and poor corporate practices by the employees. For instance, internal threats of the organization include both intentional and accidental problems such as fraud, mishandling of information by employees, errors due to lack of competence. Security of the organizations database may fail victim of the human error. External threats may include both external and external accidents. For instance, the modern computer systems with some components residing on the public internet pose risks. As such, a chain of occurrences such as a storm cutting out power to a server may affect the IT database. Other threats take the form of competition, political, economic, and social factors (Dragnić, 2014).

Methods to Detect Internal and External Threats to the Organization

The value chain and SWOT analysis are tools for detecting the internal threats of the organization while the PESTEL, Porter’s five forces analysis tools are useful in detecting the external threats of the organization (Dragnić, 2014).

Methods to Protect the Organization from Internal and External Threats

The organization can adopt the more sophisticated technologies to safeguard information. Regular audits are necessary to ensure that finances are being utilized appropriately. Monitoring and evaluation of programs is effective in addressing effectiveness (Menguc et al., 2010). Strategic planning and management ensures that the company stays on top of the competition.

Proactive Plan of Environmental Scanning to Evaluate any Existing Threats to AGC

The first step will entail gathering information about the externalities i.e economy, laws, demographic, and government factors. Next, AGC will need to focus on its competitors in terms of trends, threats, and opportunities that might impact its business. The other step will entail conducting an internal scan of the AGC in terms of strengths and weaknesses. Data should be collected through a series of methods such as focus groups, publications, library, leaders, and media. After collecting the data, analysis will be undertaken to identify changes that require to be made (Menguc et al., 2010).

The Purpose of a Code of Conduct

The code of ethics is a guide and reference for employees in undertaking the plans of AGC in achieving its goals. It protects the company and informs workers of their expectations. The code will help AGC to develop and maintain the standard of conduct for its employees, customers, vendors, and suppliers/partners (Dragnić, 2014).

Challenges of Virtual Offices

Virtual offices present several challenges including unproductively and communication problems (Menguc et al., 2010). However, these challenges can be overcome through a robust IT system that supports remote environment.

The Role of Human Capital Managers

The role of the HR is changing from the previously considered support function to a more strategic partner in helping companies achieve their goals. The HR managers at AGC will help in enhancing the employees’ contribution towards achieving success and competitive advantage (Menguc et al., 2010).

References

Dragnić, D. (2014). Impact of Internal and External Factors on the Performance of Fast-Growing Small and Meduim Businesses. Management: Journal of Contemporary Management Issues19(1), 119-159.

Menguc, B., Auh, S., & Ozanne, L. (2010). The Interactive Effect of Internal and External Factors on a Proactive Environmental Strategy and its Influence on a Firm’s Performance. Journal Of Business Ethics,94(2), 279-298. doi:10.1007/s10551-009-0264-0

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Governance and Fraud Case Study Paper

Governance and Fraud
Governance and Fraud

Governance and Fraud

Order Instructions:

Part 1 1000 words maximum
Part 2 1000 words maximum

Part 1; There have been numerous corporate scandals in the past 15 years, most of which caused the companies affected to subsequently experience financial difficulties. Prominent frauds include HIH Insurance and Onetel (Australia), Satyam computers (India), Societe-General and Parlamat (France), World.com, Enron and Waste management (USA), Barings Bank and Equitable life Ins (UK) Royal Dutch Shell (Holland), Olympus (Japan), Duetche Bank (Germany) and Siemens (Greece).

(i) Select a fraud from three different countries and describe the nature of the fraud.
(ii) Explain the causes of the frauds using the fraud triangle.
(iii) Using the fraud triangle as a framework, compare and contrast the influence of cultural and social factors in each international jurisdiction on the cause of the frauds.

Part 2; Answer the following questions based on the case study below:
Alex McAdams, the recently retired CEO of Athletic Shoes, was honoured to be asked to join the Board of Consolidated Mins (CMI) International Inc. Alex continues to sit on the Board of Athletic Shoes, as well as the Board of Pharma Advantage another publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. However, CMI, as it is known, is a major step up for Alex.
CMI was formed as the United Mines Company in the 1870s, by an American railway magnate, and in 1985 it became Consolidated Mines International Inc. It operates mines in Central America and northern South America. In 2004, its revenue were approximately $4.5 billion and it employed about 25,000 people worldwide.
In deciding whether to accept the board seat, Alex conducted his own due diligence. As a result, there were two issues that he wanted to raise with Cameron Derry, the CEO of CMI. One concerned the allegations of questionable business practices. The other concerned the political instability in several of the Latin American countries in which the CMI mines are located. Today Alex was meeting with Cameron at the Long Bar Lounge.
During lunch Cameron candidly talked about the history of the company and the bad press that it often received. “In the 1920s we were accused of bribing government officials and using our political connections to have unions outlawed. In the 1950s we were accused of participating in the overthrow of a Latin American government. In the 1990s there were charges that we were exploiting our employees, polluting the environment, and facilitating the importation of cocaine into the U.S. But, none of these allegations has ever been proven in court of law,” said Cameron. “And we’ve even successfully sued one newspaper chain that published a series of these unproven stories about us”.
“As for the political environment, Alex, you’re right. There is no effective government in many of the countries in which we operate. In fact it is often the paramilitary that are in control of the countryside where we have our mines. These are very unsavoury organizations, Alex. They have their own death squads. They have been involved in the massacre, assassination, kidnapping, and torture of tens of thousands of Latin Americans, most of them peasants and workers, as well as trade unionists and left wing political figures.”
“Do they interfere with CMI’s operations?” asked Alex.
“No, and that’s because we’ve been paying them off. It’s now 2014 and we’ve been paying them since 1997. To date we’ve given them about $1.7million in total. Don’t look so shocked, Alex. Occasionally, we have to do business with some very unsavoury characters. And the United Peoples Liberation Front that controls much of the region around our mines is probably the worst of the lot. They are involved in disappearances, murder, rape and drug trafficking. The payments we make to them are for our protection. If we don’t make these payments it could result in harm to our personnel and property.”
“That’s extortion!”
“We don’t call it that. We list these payments as being for ‘security services, but we have no invoices to support the payments, and beginning in 2002 we began making direct cash payment to them. But, we now have an additional problem. The United State government has declared the United People Liberation Front to be a terrorist organization, and our outside legal counsel has advised us to stop making the payments. But if we stop I’m afraid of what might happen to our employees. I don’t want to support drug trafficking and terrorism, but I need our mines to stay open.”
“I’m telling you this Alex, because when you join the Board, the first item on next months’ agenda is these payments. I want the Board to approve that we continue to make these payments in order to ensure the safety of our Latin American employees and operations.”

(i) Discuss the ethical issues in the case above with reference to the principles of professional conduct.
(ii) What should Alex do? Justify and analyse the case above using AAA ethical decision making model and arrive at a decision.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Governance and Fraud

Part 1

Corporate scandals in India, USA and Australia have indicated that corporate accounting fraud is the greatest problem in the corporate world that is rising in occurrence and severity. Research shows that the alarming rates of fraud have damaged the reliability of financial reports, resulted to considerable economic losses and corroded the assurance of investors on the efficacy and consistency of financial statements (Jones, 2011).

Corporate accounting fraud is an economic or political scandal that arises from the disclosure of fiscal offenses by trusted organization managerial. Such fiscal offenses often involve multifaceted ways of mishandling or misusing funds, overstatement of corporate value assets, understatement of corporate expenses, overstatement of revenues, or under-reporting the extent of liabilities (Romney & Steinbart, 2008).

In the US, corporate accounting fraud has crippled many companies. The Enron Corporation, an American energy company located in Texas, was declared bankrupt in 2001 following claims of immense accounting fraud that led to the loss of $78 billion in stock market value, leading to the fall of Arthur Andersen and the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Following a severe fall in the company’s stock price in 2001, the shareholders of Enron filed a $40 lawsuit, which prompted the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to begin an investigation. Dynegy, Enron’s rival made an offer to buy the Enron at an extremely low price, but Enron put down the offer, and Enron was compelled to apply for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Enron Corporation’s $63.4 billion in assets made it the biggest corporate bankruptcy in the history of the United States until WorldCom took up the bankruptcy record in the following year.

Regardless of legislative reactions to the rising trend of corporate accounting fraud in the United States, which led to much stricter corporate guidelines with amendments to the UN Sentencing Guidelines and the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, colossal corporate fraud still continues to prevail in the country.

The collapse of a prominent Australian corporation OneTel has indicated the inadequacy of corporate governance practices in Australia (Albrecht & Albrecht, 2004). HIH Insurance was liquidated in 2001 with losses ranging between AU$3.6 billion and AU$5.3 billion. In a similar way, just prior to its collapse, OneTel, which was once ranked as the fourth largest telecommunications company in Australia and one of the ASX’s fastest growing companies, revealed an operating loss of AU$291 in 2000. The collapse OneTel was triggered by many problems including questionable related party dealings, potentially unnecessary management compensations, unproductive working capital management, improper auditing, destructive financial reports, untenable business policies, and poor corporate governance. The failure of this Australian company highlights the significance of not only having good corporate governance practices but also ensuring thorough execution of the same rather than plain paid “lip service” (Jones, 2011).

The fundamental problem of Australian companies as highlighted in OneTel is their keenness in pursuing low yielding businesses and failing to set aside adequate capital to cater for future liabilities. Predictably, the problem has been catalyzed by the failure of management and the board of directors to efficiently implement and scrutinize due diligence practices.

India has also experienced massive corporate fraud particularly since the wake of the 21st century.  In 2009, it was revealed that the chairman of Satyam Computer Services, one of Inida’s largest computer IT companies serving many global corporations such as 185 Fortune, had manipulated corporate books in various commercial dealings. Satyam’s chairman was also found to have engaged in mishandling of assets, increasing expenses, forging documents, and manipulating of profits, inventory value and income, since 2001. The losses encountered by Satyam were estimated to be US1.5 billion, that is, two and a half times the sum of the Enron Scandal (Bhasin, 2013).

The fraud triangle consists of three components that act together to lead to fraudulent behavior and they include pressure, opportunity, and rationalization (Albrecht & Albrecht, 2004). Pressure involves the motivation of a person to commit fraud. It includes financial, lifestyle, and emotional motivation. In Enron’s case, financial pressure existed for top management to meet the Wall Street analysts’ expectations. As for Satyam and OneTel, the top management engaged in fraud due to lifestyle motivation.

Opportunity refers to the condition or situation that allows a person or an organization to commit the fraud, hide it, and switch it to personal gain (Barney, 2009). The conditions at Enron, Satyam, and OneTel that provided an opportunity to commit the fraud were the companies’ control framework; the control environment, the control procedures, and the accounting system. The companies’ top management failed to accept the responsibility to provide conducive work environment. In addition, proper and effective accounting systems could have provided an audit trail, particularly a paper trail that could make it easier to detect fraud. Furthermore, the conditions in the three countries provided opportunities for the perpetrators to switch the misrepresentations into personal gains. During the respective frauds, top management received large bonuses.

Rationalization is a form of mental justification by perpetrators of their illegal behavior. Most perpetrators in the three fraud scenarios were first-time offenders with no criminal history that allowed them to use rationalization to hide their dishonesty. Due to the fact that the crimes committed were non-violent, the perpetrators did not appreciate the consequences of their actions.

The frauds committed by the three companies were influenced by cultural and social factors. The Enron scandal was triggered by the pressures for economic success that had commenced in the late 20th century and was characterized by a perceived expansive growth that heightened the expectations of corporate success. Enron was a victim of these expectations which resulted to the growth of a fraud designed to mislead the public until the economic face improved.

The management in all the three companies did not carry out effective fraud education training to the employees to tell and show them the devastating consequences of fraud. Since the top executives of the companies condoned fraud, the other employees did not feel that fraud had devastating consequences and thus, they could not hesitate to commit fraud. The frauds were also influenced by permissiveness of the activities in their cultural environments and lack of an ethical environment that condemns fraud.

Part 2

  1. Ethical issues in the case with reference to the principles of professional conduct

The principles of professional conduct are varied due to the fact that every profession has its own code (Weissman & Debow, 2003). However, all codes often work towards the promotion of the public interest, integrity, objectivity, independence, confidentiality, technical and professional standards, competence and due care, and ethical behavior. These principals also apply to all members in public practice.

As regards public interest, while acting in the course of the interests of their employers, professionals must put into account legal requirements and any loyalties and responsibilities owed to the community. Thus, in all its endeavors, CMI should ensure that it does not disregard public interest while furthering its own interests. Integrity requires members to show straightforwardness, sincerity, and honesty in their approach to professional work. An employee who discovers that his employer has committed or is about to commit an unlawful act should make all relevant efforts to convince the employer not to continue perpetuating the unlawful act and to rectify the matter. Objectivity requires professionals to be fair and not allow prejudice and conflict of interest to override their objectivity.

The principle of independence requires that professionals should act independently without any interest that is considered inconsistent with objectivity and integrity. Despite the fact that employees cannot be independent of their employers and there are certain legal duties such as keeping information confidential, they also have responsibilities towards directors, shareholders, other executives and employees, and third parties such as customers, banks and suppliers. Another principle of professional code of conduct is confidentiality. It is important to respect the confidentiality of information acquired in the course of work and disclosure to a third party without specific authority is unethical. Professionals also need to observe ethical behavior by conducting themselves in a manner consistent with the good reputation of their profession and refraining from any conduct which might bring discredit to their profession (Flanagan & Clarke, 2007).

The principles of professional ethics require all professionals to promote and support the highest level of ethics in their profession and uphold the highest standards of professional conduct. Professionals are also required to use only ethical and legal means in their course of operations while protecting the public against unfair practices and fraud and promoting all practices that bring respect and credit to the profession. It is also an ethical requirement for professionals to provide accurate and truthful information with regard to the performance of their duties at all times.

The facts of the case indicate that CMI has several ethical issues. The first ethical issue is with regard to integrity. The company’s bribing of government officials and using its political connections to outlaw unions raises integrity issues. It also raises the issue of employee mistreatment whereby the top executive officials make decisions to mistreat other employees, even to the point of breaking the law. The outlawing of unions deprives employees a platform for them to raise their concerns on issues such as paid leave, working hours, wages, discrimination, sexual harassment, and wrongful and unfair dismissal.

Other ethical issues are in respect to the company’s pollution of the environment, exploitation of employees, and facilitation of the importation of cocaine into the US. These issues are against the principle of protection of public interests. In addition the company’s funding of the United Peoples Liberation Front raises ethical concerns due to the fact that the organization is involved in harmful activities such as drug trafficking, rape, murder and disappearances. Making payments to this unsavoury terrorist organization raises the question of public interests, integrity, and competence and due care.

  1. What Alex should do using AAA ethical decision making model (The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, d.)
  2. Determine the facts

Alex should establish the facts as to who, what, where, when, and how the problem was committed. Alex should find out the facts before raising the matter with Cameron. He should document his findings, noting that the employees have been mistreated, the company is funding a terrorist organization, polluting the environment, and facilitating drug trafficking.

  1. The significant stakeholders and definition of the ethical issues

Stakeholders of CMI include Cameron Derry, directors of the organization, shareholders, and creditors. The ethical issues include Alex’s responsibility to Cameron Derry versus his own integrity, Alex’s responsibility to the organization versus his responsibility to Cameron, and Alex’s responsibility to the organization and Cameron versus public interest. Overall, Alex’s dilemma is what further action he should take regarding the information he has gathered.

  1. The applicable fundamental principles and any other rules or values

Alex needs to demonstrate integrity, technical and professional standards, and competence and due care.

  1. The alternatives

By doing nothing, Alex would breach the principles of integrity, technical and professional standards, and competence and due care. Resignation would satisfy the three principles, though it would abrogate responsibility. Raising the concerns with the board members informally would not give Alex an opportunity to explain himself. By trying to convince Cameron Derry to stop breaching ethical and legal duties, Alex would be acting in consistence with integrity and it allows Alex the opportunity to explain himself.

  1. Assessment of the consequences

If Alex decides to do nothing and allow the company to continue funding the terrorist organization, it would pacify the ethical problems affecting the company, and this would cause devastating legal consequences to the operations of the company. This would cause Alex to breach his ethical standards as outlined in the Code. If he chooses to resign, the problem might never be identified, which may cause detrimental problems to the company. If he talks informally with the board members, it may preserve Alex’s integrity and may lead to an independent investigation, though it can have a negative impact on Alex’s career aspirations. If he tries to convince Cameron to put an end to harmful practices, Cameron might consider rectifying the problem.

  1. Decision-making

In light of the analysis, first, Alex can once more convince Cameron to rectify the issue basing on his findings. If this is not successful, Alex can raise his concerns with the board and other stakeholders. If again not successful, Alex can resign.

 References

Albrecht, S. & Albrecht, C. (2004). Fraud Examination and Prevention.

Barney, J. L. (2009). Corporate scandals, executive compensation, and international corporate                  governance convergence: a US-Australia case study. Temp. Int’l & Comp. LJ, 23, 231.

Bhasin, M. L. (2013). Corporate Accounting Fraud: A Case Study of Satyam Computers Limited. Open Journal of Accounting, 2: 26-38.

Flanagan, J., & Clarke, K. (2007). Beyond a Code of Professional Ethics: A Holistic Model of     Ethical Decision‐Making for Accountants. Abacus, 43(4), 488-518.

Jones, M. J. (2011). Creative Accounting, Fraud and International Accounting Scandals. John       Wiley & Sons.

Romney, M. B. & Steinbart, P. J. (2008). Accounting Information Systems. Reading, mass:            Addison-Wiley.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. Joint Guidance Notes GN – Members in                     Business Guidance Statement. Retrieved from:            http://www.apesb.org.au/attachments/GN1.pdf

Weissman, H. N., & Debow, D. M. (2003). Ethical principles and professional competencies.        Handbook of psychology.

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Sensitivity/Specificity Problem Set Assignment

Sensitivity/Specificity Problem Set
Sensitivity/Specificity Problem Set

Sensitivity/Specificity Problem Set

Order Instructions:

Characteristics of Screening

In order for screening to take place, it must be feasible. In other words, it must be economical, highly reliable and valid, free of risk, available to a large number of individuals, and ethical to screen.

For this Application Assignment please download the Sensitivity/Specificity Problem Set and submit your responses.

Sensitivity/Specificity Problem Set

For Week 11’s Application Assignment complete this Sensitivity and Specificity problem set. Make sure to check the Calculation Application Rubric prior to submitting your responses.

Clearly mark your responses for each question.

When you are completed, submit to the Week 11: Application Dropbox using the correct naming convention on the file. See Week 11’s Application page for directions.

1) Sensitivity is:
A. The probability that a test correctly classifies as positive those who have preclinical disease.
B. The probability that a test correctly classifies individuals without preclinical disease as negative
C. The probability that those who test positive have the preclinical disease
D. The probability that those who test negative do not have the preclinical disease

2) Specificity is:
A. The probability that a test correctly classifies as positive those who have preclinical disease.
B. The probability that a test correctly classifies individuals without preclinical disease as negative
C. The probability that those who test positive have the preclinical disease
D. The probability that those who test negative do not have the preclinical disease

A screening examination was performed on 250 persons for Factor X, which is found in disease Y. A definitive diagnosis for disease Y among the 250 persons had been obtained previously. The results are charted below:

RESULTS OF DIAGNOSIS
TEST RESULTS Disease Y Present Disease Y Absent
Positive for Factor X 40 60
Negative for Factor X 10 140

3) The sensitivity of this test is expressed as:
A. 40%
B. 70%
C. 29%
D. 80%

4) The specificity of this test is expressed as:
A. 40%
B. 70%
C. 7%
D. 80%

5) The positive predictive value of this test is:
A. 40%
B. 70%
C. 7%
D. 80%

6) The negative predictive value of this test is:
A. 40%
B. 70%
C. 93%
D. 80%

7) If the same screening test is conducted in two populations, one with a high prevalence of the disease and one with a low prevalence of the disease, assuming the sensitivity and specificity of the screening test are the same, which of the following statements about positive predictive value (PPV) applies:

A. PPV is higher in the screened population with higher prevalence
B. PPV is lower in the screened population with higher prevalence
C. PPV is the same in both populations
D. It cannot be determined

8) Lead time bias can be described as:
A. An apparently lower survival rate among persons screened compared to an unscreened group.
B. A bias that occurs because screening tends to identify cases with less aggressive forms of the disease
C. A similar survival time for persons identified during a screening program relative to persons who are diagnosed by clinical symptoms.
D. An apparently longer survival time among those identified during a screening program because they were identified at an earlier stage of their disease

9) Length-Bias can be described as:
A. An apparently lower survival rate among persons screened compared to an unscreened group.
B. A bias that occurs because screening tends to identify cases with less aggressive forms of the disease
C. A similar survival time for persons identified during a screening program relative to persons who are diagnosed by clinical symptoms.
D. An apparently longer survival time among those identified during a screening program because they were identified at an earlier stage of their disease

A new screening test for a disease is developed for use in the general population. The sensitivity and specificity of the new test are 60% and 70%, respectively. Four hundred (400) people are screened at a clinic during the first year the new test is implemented. (Assume the true prevalence of the disease among clinic attendees is 10%.)
Calculate the following values:

10) The predictive value of a positive test is:
A. 13.3%
B. 18.2%
C. 24%
D. 22.2%

11) The number of false positives is:
A. 108
B. 132
C. 24
D. 252

SAMPLE ANSWER

Sensitivity and Specificity

Sensitivity/Specificity Problem Set

For Week 11’s Application Assignment complete this Sensitivity and Specificity problem set. Make sure to check the Calculation Application Rubric prior to submitting your responses.

Clearly mark your responses for each question.

When you are completed, submit to the Week 11: Application Dropbox using the correct naming convention on the file. See Week 11’s Application page for directions.

  • Sensitivity is:
  1. The probability that a test correctly classifies as positive those who have preclinical disease.
  2. The probability that a test correctly classifies individuals without preclinical disease as negative
  3. The probability that those who test positive have the preclinical disease
  4. The probability that those who test negative do not have the preclinical disease
  • Specificity is:
  1. The probability that a test correctly classifies as positive those who have preclinical disease.
  2. The probability that a test correctly classifies individuals without preclinical disease as negative
  3. The probability that those who test positive have the preclinical disease
  4. The probability that those who test negative do not have the preclinical disease

A screening examination was performed on 250 persons for Factor X, which is found in disease Y. A definitive diagnosis for disease Y among the 250 persons had been obtained previously. The results are charted below:

RESULTS OF DIAGNOSIS
TEST RESULTS Disease Y Present Disease Y Absent
Positive for Factor X 40 60
Negative for Factor X 10 140
 

 

  • The sensitivity of this test is expressed as:
  1. 40%
  2. 70%
  3. 29%
  4. 80%
  • The specificity of this test is expressed as:
  1. 40%
  2. 70%
  3. 7%
  4. 80%
  • The positive predictive value of this test is:
  1. 40%
  2. 70%
  3. 7%
  4. 80%
  • The negative predictive value of this test is:
  1. 40%
  2. 70%
  3. 93%
  4. 80%
  • If the same screening test is conducted in two populations, one with a high prevalence of the disease and one with a low prevalence of the disease, assuming the sensitivity and specificity of the screening test are the same, which of the following statements about positive predictive value (PPV) applies:
  1. PPV is higher in the screened population with higher prevalence
  2. PPV is lower in the screened population with higher prevalence
  3. PPV is the same in both populations
  4. It cannot be determined
  • Lead time bias can be described as:
  1. An apparently lower survival rate among persons screened compared to an unscreened group.
  2. A bias that occurs because screening tends to identify cases with less aggressive forms of the disease
  3. A similar survival time for persons identified during a screening program relative to persons who are diagnosed by clinical symptoms.
  4. An apparently longer survival time among those identified during a screening program because they were identified at an earlier stage of their disease
  • Length-Bias can be described as:
  1. An apparently lower survival rate among persons screened compared to an unscreened group.
  2. A bias that occurs because screening tends to identify cases with less aggressive forms of the disease
  3. A similar survival time for persons identified during a screening program relative to persons who are diagnosed by clinical symptoms.
  4. An apparently longer survival time among those identified during a screening program because they were identified at an earlier stage of their disease

A new screening test for a disease is developed for use in the general population. The sensitivity and specificity of the new test are 60% and 70%, respectively. Four hundred (400) people are screened at a clinic during the first year the new test is implemented. (Assume the true prevalence of the disease among clinic attendees is 10%.)

Calculate the following values:

  • The predictive value of a positive test is:
  1. 3%
  2. 2%
  3. 24%
  4. 2%
  • The number of false positives is:
  1. 108
  2. 132
  3. 24
  4. 252

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Knowledge Management, Social Networks and Innovation

Knowledge Management, Social Networks and Innovation
Knowledge Management, Social                     Networks and Innovation

Knowledge Management, Social Networks and Innovation

Intention and Aims
The individual assignment requires an analysis of the exploitation of innovation within an organisation through a commercially developed SOCIAL NETWORK service. This involves producing an INDIVIDUAL formal report (max 2500 words excluding references). The assignment requires an analysis of a recent IBM initiative relating to ‘Social Business’ ibm.com/socialbusiness/uk

You are required to specifically identify how ANY organisation may ‘learn’ the nature of a SOCIAL MEDIA system which may be adopted to exploit the extent of the organisations ‘knowledge’ leading to enhanced ‘innovation’. For clarity your report should therefore form FOUR elements, ie organisational learning approach, social media development, knowledge management features and the extent of subsequent innovation.

It is expected that an in-depth investigation and analysis is undertaken to determine the extent of the theoretical and practical issues involved in how the
Social Media service was achieved through knowledge and innovation frameworks. Examples should be drawn from other research into well formulated networks currently available, ie; Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Google, Linkedin, NING, Writeboard, Storybird, etc. Youshould include how your case analysis enabled successful knowledge and innovation within the organization. This should also involve a consideration of developments in the field by providing insightful explanations of current and future potential social media exploitation.

The report should provide an academic analysis by recalling the theories and approaches that are relevant to the topic. You may structure your report to include any relevant tables or diagrams with a suggested format as: features of organisational learning, nature of knowledge and how it may be managed, a contextual description of social networks and issues relating to the exploitation of organisational innovation through the Social Media systems.

The following learning outcomes are assessed through this assignment.
1 To critically discuss the nature and process of knowledge creation and transfer within organisations.

2 To critically evaluate how organisational and social dynamics combine to engender innovation.

3 To analyze the application of concepts and theories related to new ‘social network’ technologies

4 To be able to present theoretical and empirical evidence to address complex problems and practical situations in relation to knowledge management and innovation development

The individual report should reflect:
• Ability to identify diverse and high quality sources of information (a minimum of 40 references are required from different sources). These should include: academic journals/ books/ trade publications, government and industry data, websites, etc.
• Demonstration of clear understanding and synthesise of the available information in order to gain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the topic(s).
• Ability to discuss complex information clearly and concisely, and to construct coherent and logical arguments. • Ability to present your findings in a
professional and well structured report format, including effective use of figures, tables, appendices
and referencing (Harvard Style is required).
It is essential that your research should include novel, thoughtful analysis and the impact of social networks on innovation through referencing and
incorporation of ideas from multiple sources.
In addition, the opportunity will be taken to enhance ‘employability’ criteria through attention to ‘presentation skills, ‘clarity of analysis’, ‘team
support’, ‘entrepreneurship’, etc

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leadership values, styles and challenges Essay

leadership values, styles and challenges
leadership values, styles and challenges

leadership values, styles and challenges

We are expected to answer the following questions:
What do you believe about leadership, followership, leaders and followers? where do these beliefs originate? (Reflection)
Some thoughts to consider: I grew up in a village that adopts a tribal system. My father is the Chief, I learned a lot of my leadership skills from him. We
need to relate this to the leadership values, styles, and challenges nowadays.

Use at least three (3) quality references Note: Wikipedia and other related websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

  • Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
  • Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

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