Week 2 – Discussion Forum 1

Prior to participating in this discussion read the webpage article Techniques and Tools to Help you Make Business DecisionsLinks to an external site.. Additionally, review the video What Is Business Intelligence (BI) and Why Is It Important?Links to an external site.

Based on the information presented in the article, discuss the following:

  • the tools managers use when making major decisions
  • the relationship between the tools the managers’ use and the managers’ tasks
  • the reasons for using the support tools

Guided Response: Due by Day 7

 

Week 2 – Discussion Forum 2

Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, read Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 in the Bierman et al. (2022) Management: Principles and Applications

The management planning process can be simple or complex. It is very important to differentiate between the two. Some plans can be formed within hours or days, while others may take weeks. Most plans will involve goals or objectives. All plans should be achievable with implementation start dates and completion dates.

In your initial post,

  • Identify the types of plans involved in managerial planning.
  • Discuss how plans are distinguished from one another.
  • Evaluate if plans with incremental objectives are more or less effective than those that contain stretch goals.
  • Analyze the role that ethics should play with strategic planning.
  • Support your post with outside resources.

 

Week 2 – Journal

Diversity in Management Journal

Prior to writing this journal entry, read Diversity in Leadership: Whitey’s Ice Cream: Developing the Future by William Woods found in Chapter 3 of the required textbook. The article focuses on a family business that has been successful for three generations. The owners are now preparing for a transition of ownership to the next generation. The article has a diversity in leadership focus.

In two paragraphs address the following:

  • Discuss what you learned about the practice of management from the Whitey’s Ice Cream scenario.
  • Evaluate what you learned about the practice of utilizing diversity in the management ranks.

Carefully review the Grading RubricLinks to an external site. for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

 

Strategic Planning Process

[NACE: 1, 5] [WLOs: 1, 2, 3] [CLOs: 1, 2, 6]

Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read the following:

Introduction: One of the most important activities that any manager may be required to do is to participate in the strategic planning process. Knowing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threatsLinks to an external site. that the organization faces or may face in the near future is important information to use in the strategic planning process. Discovering and using the steps necessary for developing a plan that includes various types of data and information is vital to the success of the manager and the organization. The Week 2 assignment will focus on the steps for composing a strategic plan.

In your paper,

  • Explain the basic steps in the planning process.
  • Describe the steps in the decision-making process
  • Analyze how the personal attributes of the manager influence decision-making.
  • Predict how the steps of the strategic planning process and environmental factors (internal and external) that influence decision-making impact the quality-productivity-profitability link.