Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer
Instructions:

submit an 8-10 page research report (typed, double spacing) covering the following information:

Company’s history, Corporate Mission and Vision

Company’s size, countries of operation

Company’s financial information & stock value trends

Company’s major stakeholders

What is this company’s inter-relationship with the four segments of the environment outside the firm (macro-environment)
-Social
-Economic
-Political
-Technological

What is this company’s position regarding sustainability?  Does the company have a Sustainability Statement?

Discuss this company’s position regarding the triple bottom line (Profitability, Environment, and Society).

In what ways has this company shaped society? Discuss “the good”, “the bad” and “the ugly”

Discuss any relevant issues that may have occurred during the last five years that have affected (positively or negatively) public’s perception regarding this company.

How did the company’s senior management and directors deal with these issues?
Did these events have a positive or negative effect in the company’s financial performance?

Based on the company’s past record, you MUST present recommendations for the company on how to be a more responsible corporate citizen, applying a sustainable business model, as well as the concept of the triple bottom line to their strategic decision-making process.

The report will follow APA guidelines.  Please see attached rubric for grading details.

Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer
Instructions:

Week 10 Assignment

Financial Valuation 

Resources:

Income statement tutorial: http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/tutorials/statements/
Guidelines for Income Statement – see attached document
Calculating cost of goods sold:http://ezproxy.umuc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=26758860&site=eds-live&scope=site

Assignment overview:  You will produce a simple income statement for just one year of operation, showing projected income and expenses for your proposed business plan..  The above  Guidelines for Income Statement (see attached document) shows a sample template with  a single column for one year of operation. However, you are expected to develop an income statement forecast for this Business Plan, with two columns: one for START UP COSTS (show as year 0, with no revenue and can be for any length of time required for market entry up to first sale) and one column for REVENUE and OPERATING COSTS for the company's first year of operation (first year of operation begins with first sale).  The projected income statement should be only to the level of EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes).

Assignment Requirements/format. 

The income statement should be developed in Step One, showing  the revenue and categories of expense. In Step Two, the Income statement items and capital expenses are to be described/explained in text:

Step One:  Create the income statement.

Show start up costs as first column:  These are all costs that must be expended in order to start up the business (before the first sale is completed) and should already be identified in your business plan.    These are people costs from the organization chart in  Section 14, including any contracted expenses, such as legal and  translator support;  and from your marketing plan these would be new marketing materials, prototypes or product modifications (Section 15);  as well as any other expenses, such as travel, that must also be incurred before revenue is generated..  Show these  in a  year 0 column on your income statement.

Show  Year of Operations as Second Column:
•    Costs of good sold (COGS) line item. Estimate these  per unit production costs  for the product or service you are selling.  These are variable costs, with the total line item  based upon the number of units  produced and sold.  
o    If it is a professional service, or a product or project  that requires professional services to design or deliver to the customer, those people costs would be Costs of Goods sold. 
o    Manufacturing costs belong here if it is a product.  .
o    Explain total dollar amount as per unit cost x  the number of units to be sold 
o    If the units are not to be sold, but must be produced for marketing purposes (e.g., for showrooms, marketing give- away's), they belong in the line item for marketing expenses;not as  COGS (and can either be start-up expenses or operational expenses, depending on when they were to be incurred, as noted in your Marketing Plan (Section 15)

•    Operational Expense line items:  These line items reflect the annual costs of running the business after the start up  period is completed.  These are on-going expenses  that start with the first sale,  but are likely to be incurred whether or not any additional units are actually sold.  They cover people costs for all the business functions (e.g., strategic oversight, marketing, sales, human resources, legal, finance, technical support),  as reflected in your organizational chart in Section 14; and marketing expenses (including materials, distribution, sales incentives/rewards), as reflected in your marketing plan..  
o    Consider other administrative/office expenses, such as telecommunications, rent, supplies and equipment (non-capital), 

o    Specify all assumptions made in developing these line item estimates, and label them so it is clear  which expenses are in each line item. .

•    You will need to include any expenses associated with monitoring the  progress of your  strategic plan, which you  will specify in your Balanced Scorecard (BSC) (e.g., any surveys, focus groups, employee training, employee benefits/rewards).  Leave a space for those expenses in your income statement  until you have identified them fully in your Balanced Scorecard (next week's assignment).
o    If you have already identified the people costs of monitoring or employee training by showing those responsibilities in some positions in your organization chart, you don't need to include them as a separate line item on your income statement; however, your BSC should  specify where you have accounted for those costs (how much and which headcount, as reflected in which line item). 

You will separately  identify capital investments required in your proposal (e.g., equipment, purchased real estate, expanded plant facilities).  The costs of this capital should be identified, but  the interest paid on capital investment need not be included in your income statement, and you  need  not consider depreciation of the capital goods in your income statement.  Please enter a footnote at the bottom of the income statement that shows capital costs, as these balance sheet items would not be part of the calculation of earnings (EBIT).

•    Include  revenue forecasts, based on the market share estimates and recommended pricing shown in the Section 15 marketing plan.  Show both projected  units sold  and unit price on the income statement. 

Total costs of the plan  will be compared to the potential revenue, to develop an income statement showing EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes). 

Step Two: Write the formal paper.
Introduction:  

The body of this financial analysis should be approximately 5 pages, including the income statement. 
Structure the body  of this analysis as:
1.  REVENUE Forecast and assumptions (e.g., market share x proposed unit price)

2. COST forecasts and  assumptions (e.g., how COGS has been developed; as well as any administrative/ operational expenses not previously identified in the organizational chart or marketing plan)
3. FINANCIAL results 
4. Conclusions
•    In your  concluding paragraphs,  specify whether this is a financially viable entry strategy; under what assumptions the team might  consider this project to be financially viable.  
•    Where are the major risk factors in your projections and assumptions? Which factors must be monitored most closely in the Balanced Scorecard in order to limit risk? (and be sure those critical risk factors are included  in next week's BSC)

Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer
Instructions:

Week 11 Assignment

Assignment Overview:  Develop a balanced scorecard to measure the critical factors in successful implementation of your strategy recommendations.  The scorecard will be incorporated into this final draft of the business plan. 

Resources:
Balanced scorecard: http://ezproxy.umuc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ers&AN=100259212&site=eds-live&scope=site
http://www.quickmba.com/accounting/mgmt/balanced-scorecard/

Assignment Objectives: The objective is to develop a scorecard that will measure the critical components of your business strategy--those items that must be monitored to ensure successful implementation of your proposed strategy.  


Required Readings:
•    Balanced scorecard: http://ezproxy.umuc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ers&AN=100259212&site=eds-live&scope=site
•    Balanced scorecard: http://www.quickmba.com/accounting/mgmt/balanced-scorecard/
•    Change management and monitoring: https://www.boundless.com/management/textbooks/boundless-management-textbook/organizational-culture-and-innovation-4/managing-change-for-employees-40/strategies-for-successful-organizational-change-215-7289/
•    Corporate governance: https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_corporate-governance/s05-the-board-of-directors-role-an.html
•    Corporate governance: https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_corporate-governance/s12-creating-a-high-performance-bo.html
•    Corporate leadership and governance/scorecard: https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_mastering-strategic-management/s06-leading-strategically.html
•    Corporate governance and ethical leadership: https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_mastering-strategic-management/s14-leading-an-ethical-organizatio.html

Recommended:
•    Organizational control: https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_principles-of-management-v1.1/s19-the-essentials-of-control.html
•    Strategy implementation: http://ezproxy.umuc.edu/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX3273100282&v=2.1&u=umd_umuc&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w&asid=93098da5d0868b8b836d45d8b7d5d6c7
•    http://www.businessballs.com/balanced_scorecard.htm
•    http://www.balancedscorecard.org/BSCResources/AbouttheBalancedScorecard/tabid/55/Default.aspx

Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer
Instructions:

key component of an effective workplace is the ability of the groups to successfully collaborate. Choose a work group within your organization. Using a model of organizational improvement, plan a development project for this group. Include responses to the following in your presentation:

Describe the group, its purpose (work function), how this group fits into the overall organization, its reporting relationships, and its key stakeholders.
How will you gather data (interviews, questionnaires, or group discussions) from the group and any key stakeholders?
Describe the type of data that you will need to design your development plan.
How will you diagnose the level of functioning for the group?
Give a few examples of developmental activities that you would use for various levels of functioning that are based on your diagnosis.
How would you communicate the progress of the group to both group members and key stakeholders?
You must include a minimum of 4 scholarly references.

Please submit your assignment.

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.

Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer
Instructions:

Determining the Optimal Level of Product Availability

Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer
Instructions:

What is Solar Energy?
When was Solar Energy first invented?
How Solar Energy workes?
What are the main types of Solar Energy? Explain each one in details?
Why is Solar Energy useful? 
Where is Solar Energy in most used?

Research must be well written. " Format, citation, sources...etc" 
No Plagiarism.

Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer
Instructions:

Case of Corruption: Odebrecht Corruption Problem Car Wash

Company Overview

Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer
Instructions:

Strategy Project: Financial Valuation (6% of course grade)

Executive Summary for this piece of the Week 10 Paper

Resources:
Income statement tutorial: http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/tutorials/statements/
Guidelines for Income Statement
Calculating cost of goods sold:http://ezproxy.umuc.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=26758860&site=eds-live&scope=site
Assignment overview:  The team will produce a simple income statement for just one year of operation, showing projected income and expenses for your proposed business plan..  The above  Guidelines for Income Statement shows a sample template with  a single column for one year of operation .However, the team is expected to develop an income statement forecast for this Business Plan, with two columns: one for START UP COSTS  (show as year 0, with no revenue and can be for any length of time required for market entry up to first sale) and one column for REVENUE  and OPERATING COSTS  for the company's  first year of operation (first year of operation begins with  first sale).  The projected  income statement should be only to the level of EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes).
The team will submit the current draft of your business plan, up to and including the financials in section 16. Submitting the full draft of the business plan will allow faculty to check that costs of implementing  all requirements of the strategy are captured in the financial plan. 
Assignment Objectives
Your  draft Business Plan to date has already identified the major cost drivers for the recommended entry strategy, except for Cost of Goods Sold, which will be developed for this financial plan.. The major costs already identified are costs of the  organizational structure (people costs in section 14),  and of the the marketing plan  (Section 15).  This is the time to review the plan to consider other expenditures that might be  necessary to implement  your proposed entry strategy.
The team has developed its revenue projections, citing all assumptions underlying the team’s estimations.
A balance sheet is not required, but the team will separately  identify any capital investments required in your proposed strategy (e.g., equipment, purchased real estate, expanded plant facilities).
Assignment Requirements/format. 
Introduction. After the statement of purpose, the Introduction to this paper is the draft business plan, up to section 16 (which you will develop in the body of  this paper). 
The income statement should be developed in Step One, showing  the revenue and categories of expense. In Step Two, the Income statement items and capital expenses are to be described/explained in text:
Step One:  Create the income statement.
Show start up costs as first column:  These are all costs that must be expended in order to start up the business (before the first sale is completed) and should already be identified in your business plan.    These are people costs from the organization chart in  Section 14, including any contracted expenses, such as legal and  translator support;  and from your marketing plan these would be new marketing materials, prototypes or product modifications (Section 15);  as well as any other expenses, such as travel, that must also be incurred before revenue is generated..  Show these  in a  year 0 column on your income statement.

Show  Year of Operations as Second Column:

Costs of good sold (COGS) line item. Estimate these  per unit production costs  for the product or service you are selling.  These are variable costs, with the total line item  based upon the number of units  produced and sold.  
If it is a professional service, or a product or project  that requires professional services to design or deliver to the customer, those people costs would be Costs of Goods sold. 
Manufacturing costs belong here if it is a product.  .
Explain total dollar amount as per unit cost x  the number of units to be sold 
If the units are not to be sold, but must be produced for marketing purposes (e.g., for showrooms, marketing give- away's), they belong in the line item for marketing expenses; not as  COGS (and can either be start-up expenses or operational expenses, depending on when they were to be incurred, as noted in your Marketing Plan (Section 15)
Operational Expense line items:  These line items reflect the annual costs of running the business after the start up  period is completed.  These are on-going expenses  that start with the first sale,  but are likely to be incurred whether or not any additional units are actually sold.  They cover people costs for all the business functions (e.g., strategic oversight, marketing, sales, human resources, legal, finance, technical support),  as reflected in your organizational chart in Section 14; and marketing expenses (including materials, distribution, sales incentives/rewards), as reflected in your marketing plan..  
Consider other administrative/office expenses, such as telecommunications, rent, supplies and equipment (non-capital), 
Specify all assumptions made in developing these line item estimates, and label them so it is clear  which expenses are in each line item. .
You will need to include any expenses associated with monitoring the  progress of your  strategic plan, which you  will specify in your Balanced Scorecard (BSC) (e.g., any surveys,focus groups, employee training, employee benefits/rewards).  Leave a space for those expenses in your income statement  until you have identified them fully in your Balanced Scorecard (next week's assignment).
If you have already identified the people costs of monitoring or employee training by showing those responsibilities in some positions in your organization chart, you don't need to include them as a separate line item on your income statement; however, your BSC should  specify where you have accounted for those costs (how much and which headcount, as reflected in which line item). 
The team will separately  identify capital investments required in your proposal (e.g., equipment, purchased real estate, expanded plant facilities).  The costs of this capital should be identified, but  the interest paid on capital investment need not be included in your income statement, and you  need  not consider depreciation of the capital goods in your income statement.  Please enter a footnote at the bottom of the income statement that shows capital costs, as these balance sheet items would not be part of the calculation of earnings (EBIT).
Include  revenue forecasts, based on the market share estimates and recommended pricing shown in the Section 15 marketing plan.  Show both projected  units sold  and unit price on the income statement. 
Total costs of the plan  will be compared to the potential revenue, to develop an income statement showing EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes). 
Step Two: Write the formal paper.
Introduction:  Submit the complete Draft Business Plan  through section 15. 
The body of this financial analysis  should be approximately 5-10 pages, including the income statement. 
Structure the body  of this analysis as:
1.  REVENUE Forecast and assumptions (e.g., market share x proposed unit price)
2. COST forecasts and  assumptions (e.g., how COGS has been developed; as well as any administrative/ operational expenses not previously identified in the organizational chart or marketing plan)
3. FINANCIAL results 
4. Conclusions
In your  concluding paragraphs,  specify whether this is a financially viable entry strategy; under what assumptions the team might  consider this project to be financially viable.  
Where are the major risk factors in your projections and assumptions? Which factors must be monitored most closely in the Balanced Scorecard in order to limit risk? (and be sure those critical risk factors are included  in next week's BSC)
5. Include

Title page with name of every contributing member
Approximately a 3 page Executive Summary that summarizes the entire paper

Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer
Instructions:

In this one- to two-page (250-500 word) paper, you will discuss each of the different components of an information system, and then explain how you can use the five-component model to guide your learning and thinking about
information systems. 

You may use the Unit Lesson, Chapter Readings, Suggested Readings, Learning Activities, and outside resources to aid in your research.
Include the following in your paper:

· Define each component of an information system.
· Define how you can use the five-component model to guide your learning and thinking about information systems.
· Include at least one outside research item in your paper.
· Use APA format and cite your sources.

APA rules for formatting, quoting, paraphrasing, citing, and listing of sources are to be followed.

Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer
Instructions:

Cloud Profitability

In a one- to two-page paper (250-500 words), discuss whether or not there are cost benefits to cloud computing using specific examples. Be sure to include at least three reference sources.

APA rules for formatting, quoting, paraphrasing, citing, and listing of sources are to be followed.

Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer
Instructions:

Write a 3 page Executive Summary that summarizes the entire paper based on the following criteria.

Strategy project assignment: Entry Strategy and Structure for Walmart to expand to Vietname

Resources:
Foreign Market Entry Modes
Executing Strategy Through Organizational Design:  https://saylordotorg.github.io/text_mastering-strategic-management/s13-executing-strategy-through-org.html
Assignment Overview:  In this assignment, the team will  recommend  an entry strategy, consisting of  a business  structure (entry vehicle) and organizational structure  for your client company to enter and operate in the selected country. The business and competitive strategies developed in Weeks 6 and 7 are the strategic objectives you will want to accomplish through the  entry strategy you develop this week.  The team will (a)  write a formal paper proposing and comparing  two potential entry vehicles (the legal structures)  that will allow  the client company to accomplish the strategic objectives  and (b)  design the organizational structure showing who will implement the strategic objectives.

Assignment  Objectives    (1) The team will propose and compare two different business structures and recommend the one that is better able to realize the team's recommended risk mitigation and opportunity exploitation strategies and is consistent with the client's rationale for expansion (which you identified  in your company profile). 
(2) For the one recommended  business structure, the team will create a supporting organizational structure, and will specify the roles and responsibilities that will ensure that the strategic recommendations will be implemented.  The organizational chart will show the costs of each person required to implement your proposed strategic activities..

(3) Because most international expansions require some form of alliance with a local organization, any such alliance will be described in  both the business structure and the organizational structure.
Note 1:  Business  structures have inherent advantages and disadvantages; but your responsibility is to assess the advantages and disadvantages of the potential business structures specifically in terms of how effectively they  meet your client's  strategic objectives. (e.g., an inherent  disadvantage of  contracted manufacturing as a business structure  is that it risks loss of intellectual property; but if your company is manufacturing a commodity item, it has no intellectual property  at risk, so that is not a disadvantage for your company).
Note 2: You will develop a marketing plan next week, but include in your organization structure who will be responsible for marketing and sales.  You may modify the organizational chart next week if  you determine  that your marketing plan will need more or different roles. But you need at least a  functional place holder to start.

Assignment  Requirements and Format  of the paper:
I. The Introduction to this paper should consist of (a) statement of purpose (b)  description of the company and its industry, (c) the  product/service that will be entered in the new country; (d) description of the target country and why it was recommended as better opportunity than the other country (use the summary information  from your week 4 country selection paper); the target Buyer and the size and growth of the target market. 
II. The body of this paper  (approximately 20 pages,double spaced) will:
A. Summarize
•    The company's expansion goals (section 2 of your draft business plan, from company profile)
•    All the strategic objectives you have recommended in weeks 6  (competitor strategy) and 7 (business strategies)  ( and as you have entered into sections 11 and 12 of your draft business plan ). 
B,  Propose 2 potential entry (business) structures  that could meet the recommended strategic objectives  and are consistent with the company's expansion goals.  For  each proposed lbusiness structure:

•    Describe the structure of the business  (the “ entry vehicle”  e.g.,  joint venture, distributorship, contract, franchise, license, sales agent,  branch office,  Strategic Business Unit --SBU; or direct export with no in country presence)
•    EXPLAIN why each structure  is being considered (i.e.,  each must meet  at least one of the most critical strategic objectives or you would have no reason to consider it)
•    Specify any alliance partner or relationship with an in- country organization (e.g., distributor, joint manufacturer or marketer) by name if possible or at least by descriptive requirements

•    Specify the strategic value of the alliance to your client AND to the alliance partner (the strategic "fit") ;
§    What the alliance partner will contribute to your client's success;
§    What the alliance partner will gain (why would it enter such an alliance)
C.  Compare the advantages and disadvantages of each businessstructure, specifically how well each will help to realize the strategic objectives you have identified . and recommend one as the better entry vehicle.
D.  For the recommended entry vehicle (business  structure):
•    Specify the organizational structure needed for successfully operating  the business (who does what, and where they are located) and show on an organizational chart.

o    the client company's headcount requirements
§    Show  all people your client company will need to implement this strategy. whether they are to be employees or contracted human resources, or borrowed resources from headquarters..
§    Show all contracted human resources by dotted line connection to the management role responsible for managing, evaluating, and contracting for those services.
§    show the client company's costs for each role in this proposed organization
§    indicate  start up cost and year one of operation, as two numbers: ($  / $  )
§    Your organization chart should show who will do marketing and sales. You will  develop  a marketing plan next week (detailing who will do what and materials/supplies needed) .
o    the alliance organization's headcount and relationship to the client organization
•    Describe in text the roles and responsibilities of each headcount in the organization
o    state salary per employee and number of those employees needed, as represented in each ($/$) box of the organization chart.
o    for headquarters people, determine how much time each  devote to this project and equate that time to dollars to show on your organizational chart.
•    Specify where the organization will operate and develop the costs of any facilities required for implementing this strategy(e.g,  manufacturing or assembly plant, office space, showrooms, equipment needed)

Questions and Topics We Can Help to Answer
Instructions:

Purpose of Assignment 

Starting a new, international business venture requires creativity, planning, financing and marketing among the key ingredients for a successful undertaking. Additionally, the different risk analyses that are obligatory of a start-up are equally important for a flourishing company. By putting all of these success factors in motion, the student should have all of the information considered necessary for a winning venture. 

Assignment Steps 

Resources: Suggested but not required: Abbott, Riley J. (2015). PESTEL Analysis for Students. London, UK: Science and Management Press of London. 

Search the Internet for vendors who sell this book or inquire about it with a local library. 

Select a product and a country for a global business venture. 

Conduct a regional, country risk, and organization and product or service analyses of your new global venture. 

Prepare a minimum 1,050-word analysis to address the following:

    Region Analysis
        Regional alliances and economic integration
        Physical environment and its effect on trade
        Political stability
        Economic conditions
        Finance options available
        Social, health, and environmental conditions
        Terrorism threats

    Country Risk Analysis
        Political and legal stability
        Economic conditions
        Finance options available
        Physical environment and distribution channels
        Social, health, and environmental conditions
        Cultural and ethical considerations

    Organization and Product or Service Analysis
        Description of your organization
        Legal structure of organization
        Market  analysis
        Description of product to meet the need                  

Format your assignment consistent with APA guidelines