Critically review the academic literature on Enterprise Systems and IT-Business alignment.

/in /by

Critically review the academic literature on Enterprise Systems and IT-Business alignment.
The objective is to demonstrate a solid understanding of the key concepts through critical discussion.
1000 Word count, including Harvard cited references.
This part of the report should not focus heavily on definitions – focus should be on the concepts & how they can be used and how they can’t be used (implementation, risks etc).

Determine based upon the competitive quadrants and competitive matrix whether to push ahead, pivot or quit your endeavor.

/in /by

Paper Instruction: Read the PowerPoints (Lessons 1-6) and watch the videos and answer those 4 questions by providing analysis and personal opinions and interpretation:
1) Identify direct, indirect, and tangential competitors of Easy Expunctions.
2) Create the competitive quadrants and a competitive matrix of Easy Expunctions.
3) Determine based upon the competitive quadrants and competitive matrix whether to push ahead, pivot or quit your endeavor.
4) For your presentation, summarize the competition using whichever tool (competitive quadrants or competitive matrix) best illustrates your company’s differentiation in the market.
Additional instruction to follow on how to write the paper:
Professor instruction about the paper: “Short answers and a rehash of what the PowerPoints says will not get you an A. I am MOST INTERESTED in your opinions and your interpretation of what you may find in the PowerPoints. Fair Warning for the video: do not write down his/her responses to the questions, you will not do well on it. There is nothing entrepreneurial about that!”
When answering each question, provide analysis and personal interpretation.
For question number 3 and 4, make sure to provide analysis and personal opinions and interpretation
DO NOT WRITE WORD BY WORD OF WHAT THE PERSON ON THE VIDEO SAYS.
Videos and PowerPoints are located on the “Additional Materials.” Make sure to watch the videos and read the powerpoints.
Font size: 8 points
Number of pages: 2 pages single spaced

What are the various stages of the training cycle and why is it important?

/in /by

The Objective:
As a member of the HRM team in Scottish water, your assignment is to:
1. Discuss the importance of Strategic HRD
i. What is the role of training and development in the context of SHRD?
ii. What are the various stages of the training cycle and why is it important?
iii. Discuss the importance of training evaluation
iv. Discuss the relevance of learning theories and context of learning organisations
2. Analyse the importance of the roles of coaching and mentoring in the workplace context
i. How does coaching and mentoring support the organisation to achieve its goals in terms of talent management?
3. Reflect on your skill development in relation to coaching and mentoring
i. Reflect on your experience of coaching and/or mentoring a person in your life
ii. Reflect on the ethical principles embedded in coaching and mentoring

Identify and estimate the cost of key technology, training, people, resources required for the business solution, i.e. the investment.

/in /by

The project should minimally contain the following sections (at least 7 full pages in APA format 6th edition):
Business and Market Overview – your client’s organization, management, business model, their products and services, and their growth strategy. Elaborate on the distinct external pressures on their business. This section must include an illustration Porter’s Model with the unique and specific pressures that your client faces.
Problem Definition – Identify the core business problem that your client has engaged for you to solve. For that problem, identify the overarching business process. Explain the current, or ‘AS-IS’, state process and illustrate it with a UML Activity Diagram with partitions, a.k.a Swimlane diagram that the customer leverages that could be improved with the use of technologies. Refer to Figure 3-6 of your text for a sample Swimlane diagram.
Business Solution Proposal – taking the ‘AS-IS’ model from section 2, elaborate on how technology will be utilized to streamline or optimize the current process in order to solve the stated business problem. Explain the future, or ‘ ‘TO-BE’, state process and illustrate it with a UML Activity Diagram. Be sure to include any key technology in its own Swimlane. Also, elaborate on any new, updated, enhanced IT Infrastructure (hardware, databases, networks, business intelligence, RFID, sensor networks, and/or software) required to support the solution. The line items that come out of this section should be part of the investment cost details in Section 4.
Solution Assessment – Leverage the output from the previous three sections and quantify the value of the business solution. Identify and estimate the cost of key technology, training, people, resources required for the business solution, i.e. the investment. Next, identify and estimate the value of the solution in specific financial gains or costs savings, i.e. financial gain. Illustrate the the ROI by using the Simple return on investment (Computing the ROI for IT Projects and Other Investments (Links to an external site.) (Simple ROI) http (Links to an external site.):// (Links to an external site.)iteconcorp (Links to an external site.). (Links to an external site.)com (Links to an external site.)/ (Links to an external site.)ROICalc (Links to an external site.). (Links to an external site.)html (Links to an external site.)) (Links to an external site.). If you aren’t sure about real costs be sure to mark it as an assumption, i.e. best guess.
Project Management – identify potential project management and SDLC (system development life cycle) challenges and elaborate on mitigation strategies for each in order to ensure that the rollout of the business solution goes smoothly. Include a high level project plan with key activities for each main phase of the project.
Citations that document your research are a critical part of this project. Be sure to identify all the references you use. These should be cited in the text as well as the References list. See the Tools and Resources page for more information and resources about APA format.

Analyse the buyer power, the threat of substitutes, the threat of new entrants and the competitive rivalry.

/in /by
  1. RyanAir which has recently revised their strategy due to Covid-19.

An outstanding application of strategic analysis models (Micro (PESTLE) and Macro environments(Five forces)) analysis with evidence of outstanding research and use of valid, reliable and up to date references.

  • Macro environment ( PESTLE analysis is about external environmental factors based on the company’s country of origin or the country of operation or the country where the company is planning to launch their product. Make sure to focus on just one country to do your PESTLE analysis and do justify the chosen country)
  • Microenvironment (Five forces analysis is based on the industry your chosen company operates in. Therefore, when you are analysing for instance, the supplier power, state who are the suppliers for your chosen company and analyse whether the supplier power is high, low or medium. Similarly, analyse the buyer power, the threat of substitutes, the threat of new entrants and the competitive rivalry.
  • Have diagram to explain
  • 7 references (Books and article) You should make sure to use valid, reliable and up to date academic sources. Up to date meaning articles published during past 5 years. Do not use Wikipedia, Encyclopedia, tutor2u and other unreliable sources.
  • Start from definition (PESTLE, Five forces)(One or two sentence)
  • Two Paragraph (400 words each)

 

Why do companies use sweatshops, and what are the impacts of that for business and for society?

/in /by

The research report uses primary data/information (what the person/business says about themselves), secondary
research data/information (interpretations from others on the case or the issue) and refereed papers to answer one of
the assigned research questions, drawn from the issues covered in Module 3. In the course of your investigation, you
will source and create one specific case example (i.e. one corporation and issue) to illustrate the interaction between
the B, S and G sectors, in relation to the issue selected.

1. Review of literature for the theoretical perspectives of the topic to be researched.
2. Collection of information and textual data on the case you choose to study (drawing on primary and secondary
sources).
3. Analysis and interpretation of this information and textual data.
4. Reflection on the relationships between the different perspectives discovered in the case.
5. Communication of your results of this research, in the written form of a research assignment.
The research should be based on library and web-based resources (such as the websites of corporations and NGOs).
It is important to regard the texts collected as crucial data/information that must be critically analysed. The research
process for writing the assignment does not simply require you to cobble together fragments of information collected
from different sources. Instead, the text should form the foundation for developing your own arguments in your
assignment.
The research assignment should be 2,000 words in length excluding references and should use the following headings
to identify each section:
– Introduction (introduce your focued topic, state the reseach you plan to carry out and your thesis statement)
(approximately 100 words).

– Literature Review on the research topic/problem (including at least two refereed journal articles published in
the last five years) (approximately 600 words).
– Presentation of the original case you create using primary and secondary data sources (including a description of
the incident which the company was invovled in and an evaluation of the responses from business, government
and society (approximately 400 words).
– Discussion and analysis of the case using theoretical perspectives and BSP concepts from moduels 2 &3
(approximately 600 words).
– Conclusion comprising a synthesis of the main issues discussed and a proposal for better managing the issues
in the case (approximately 300 words).
– List of references (8-12 references ).
Drawing on the concepts and theories studied in Modules II and III, write a research assignment addressing the
impacts of business activities on stakeholders and the actions taken by business, governments and social groups.
Note: Base your assignment on your research into any one of the following research questions. Develop your own
example of a case (a business or corporation) to illustrate the outcomes you identify.
– Why do companies use sweatshops, and what are the impacts of that for business and for society?
– Why is discrimination in the workplace (e.g. due to race, ethnicity, gender, disability or age) considered a
problem for society, and what role should business play to avoid its impacts?
– Why should consumers be protected from business activities (e.g. products and advertisements) and what are
the risks of ignoring consumer rights?
– Why is the environment considered a business stakeholder, and what are the consequences for business and for
society of ignoring it?
– Why are some businesses moving into“alternative ethical practices”(e.g. fair trade) and what are the impacts
on society and on business?
The process of research involves the following steps:
1. Identify the problem (this will assist in your selection of the appropriate research question – see above).
2. From the research question which you select, identify some key words that might be relevant for your web
searches (e.g. discrimination, gender, “equal opportunity”, “glass ceiling”, ethical trade, consumerism).
The readings in the BSP book of readings can be used as a departure point to assist you in coming up with
some key words.
3. Use these key words to search in“advance search”mode the library catalogue and e-resources (e.g. ABI/Inform
Global; Business Source Premier; Proquest ANZ Newsstand, Factiva). You could even use Google Scholar, but
remember that for these purposes such Internet searches should be used with caution. You should consult the
online search tutorial accessed through the Library web pages (see the link in the vUWS site) for information
about using the library resources.
4. To limit the findings of your searches, and as a matter of quality control, you should focus only on peer review
journals that were published recently (say, for example, in the last 5 years). Use combinations of words using
the Boolean searches (e.g. sweatshop and outsourcing; child labour without the word sex).
5. Use newspaper web pages accessed from the e-resources of the library (e.g. The Sydney Morning Herald; an
international news agency such as Reuters, Proquest ANZ Newsstand or Factiva). These can help you to
identify cases that have reached the news in the last five years, and such news articles might provide a useful
source of comparison with the data which you can easily obtain from a corporation’s website.
6. To select literature for your literature review, read the abstracts of journal articles etc. from the web (or note
their details in the library catalogue), and select one or two recent relevant books and articles that analyse the
research problem from the approach you are taking. For example, if you are researching discrimination in the
workplace, you might focus on literature that refers to workplace issues from a stakholder or ethical perspective.
It can be acceptable to take a broad approach to your literature searches, but remember that you may save
time by being more focused on a well-defined topic or research question.
7. From the literature, identify the different views taken by the various authors in the academic debate.
8. Based on the information collected, identify a case (a business or corporation) whose activities are associated
with the problem in positive and/or negative ways (i.e. because the corporation has implemented CSR programs,
or because it has been the target of protest from global social movements).
9. Identify NGOs or other organisations that work for a ’solution’ to the problem under investigation (for example,
the ILO for labour standards, human rights to prevent child labour exploitation, consumer watch organisations)

10. Collect data about the case, focusing on the problem under investigation (drawing on data from the corporation’s
web pages/reports, from NGOs or from critics of the corporation’s practices).
11. Be careful to check which countries are at stake since the business environment might be relevant to evaluate
the implications of company actions.
The preparation of the research report assignment involves:
1. Your reflective analysis of the literature about the problem. You should address different perspectives and the
arguments used in the literature to interpret the problem.
2. Analysis of the data collected from the various web pages and reports (from the corporation, NGOs and critics).
It is important to critically evaluate the statements – you should not simply take for granted what is said as
the ’truth’. Be critical and analytical. For example, look for contradictions in the texts, compare different texts
about the same events and look for different points of view inside the web source and use both primary and
secondary data sources to support your arguments.
3. Using your sociological imagination and ethical reasoning to question the different arguments.
4. When writing the assignment, remember that, although you are the author, if you refer to the ideas of other
scholars or commentators, these should be adequately acknowledged. The most important ideas are those
that you develop from your interpretation of the literature and your analysis of the data. Do not forget to
substantiate your views. It is compulsory to use third person in this research assignment.
5. The research assignment is the outcome of a complex and extensive research process and, because it is only
2000 words, it is expected that you will synthesise the main ideas, arguments and data from the case.
6. The presentation of the case is not a description of the company; neither is it simply a reproduction of the way
the company represents itself. It is the presentation of your analysis of the incident the company was involved
in and your evaluation of the responses to the incident from business, governemnt and society in relation to
the specific research question/the problem under investigation.
7. The conclusion is not a repetition of what you have already said; it is a synthesis of the main ideas from your
findings and your proposals out of your reflection on the case

What are the corporation’s current mission, objectives, strategies, and policies?

/in /by

I. Current Situation
A. Current Performance
How did the corporation perform the past year overall in terms of return on investment, market share, and profitability?
B. Strategic Posture
What are the corporation’s current mission, objectives, strategies, and policies?
1. Are they clearly stated, or are they merely implied from performance?
2. Mission: What business(es) is the corporation in? Why?
3. Objectives: What are the corporate, business, and functional objectives? Are they consistent with each other, with the mission, and with the internal and external environments?
4. Strategies: What strategy or mix of strategies is the corporation following? Are they consistent with each other, with the mission and objectives, and with the internal and external environments?
5. Policies: What are the corporation’s policies? Are they consistent with each other, with the mission, objectives, and strategies, and with the internal and external environments?
6. Do the current mission, objectives, strategies, and policies reflect the corporation’s international operations, whether global or multidomestic?

II. Corporate Governance
A. Board of Directors
1. Who is on the board? Are they internal (employees) or external members?
2. Do they own significant shares of stock?
3. Is the stock privately held or publicly traded? Are there different classes of stock with different voting rights?
4. What do the board members contribute to the corporation in terms of knowledge, skills, background, and connections? If the corporation has international operations, do board members have international experience? Are board members concerned with environmental sustainability?
5. How long have the board members served on the board?
6. What is their level of involvement in strategic management? Do they merely rubber-stamp top management’s proposals or do they actively participate and suggest future directions?
1. Do they evaluate management’s proposals in terms of environmental sustainability?

B. Top Management
1. What person or group constitutes top management?
2. What are top management’s chief characteristics in terms of knowledge, skills, background, and style? If the corporation has international operations, does top management have international experience? Are executives from acquired companies considered part of the top management team?
3. Has top management been responsible for the corporation’s performance over the past few years? How many managers have been in their current position for less than three years? Were they promoted internally or externally hired?
4. Has top management established a systematic approach to strategic management?
5. What is top management’s level of involvement in the strategic management process?
6. How well does top management interact with lower-level managers and with the board of directors?
7. Are strategic decisions made ethically in a socially responsible manner?
8. Are strategic decisions made in an environmentally sustainable manner?
9. Do top executives own significant amounts of stock in the corporation?
10. Is top management sufficiently skilled to cope with likely future challenges?

III. External Environment:
Opportunities and Threats (SWOT)
A. Natural Physical Environment: Sustainability Issues
1. What forces from the natural physical environmental are currently affecting the corporation and the industries in which it competes? Which present current or future threats?
2. Opportunities?
a. Climate, including global temperature, sea level, and fresh water availability
b. Weather-related events, such as severe storms, floods, and droughts
c. Solar phenomena, such as sun spots and solar wind
3. Do these forces have different effects in other regions of the world?
B. Societal Environment
1. What general environmental forces are currently affecting both the corporation and the industries in which it competes? Which present current or future threats? Opportunities?
a. Economic
b. Technological
c. Political–legal
d. Sociocultural
2. Are these forces different in other regions of the world?

C. Task Environment
1. What forces drive industry competition? Are these forces the same globally or do they vary from country to country? Rate each force as high, medium, or low.
a. Threat of new entrants
b. Bargaining power of buyers
c. Threat of substitute products or services
d. Bargaining power of suppliers
e. Rivalry among competing firms
f. Relative power of unions, governments, special interest groups, etc.
2. What key factors in the immediate environment (that is, customers, competitors, suppliers, creditors, labor unions, governments, trade associations, interest groups, local communities, and shareholders) are currently affecting the corporation? Which are current or future Threats? Opportunities?

D. Summary of External Factors
(List in the EFAS Table 4–5, p. 126)
Which of these forces and factors are the most important to the corporation and to the industries in which it competes at the present time? Which will be important in the future?

How does Brand Personality help managers understand their customers?

/in /by

Question 2. a)Are you part of a loyalty program, such as at a supermarket chain, airline or a c offee shop? If you are, why did you opt-in to this program? P lease explain how loyalty programs help companies develop or increase Brand Equity. (5 marks)

b)How does Brand Personality help managers understand their customers? In answering this question, please select a brand of your choice and explain how the five dimensions of Brand Personality relate to the brand. (5 marks)

Prepare a critical insight into the development and progression of environmental issues and concerns within the context of business and management.

/in /by

Prepare a critical insight into the development and progression of environmental issues and concerns within the context of business and management.

Demonstrate the use of the normal distribution, the standard normal distribution, and the central limit theorem for calculating areas under the normal curve and exploring these concepts in real life applications.

/in /by

Demonstrate the use of the normal distribution, the standard normal distribution, and the central limit theorem for calculating areas under the normal curve and exploring these concepts in real life applications.
Scenario
Frank has only had a brief introduction to statistics when he was in high school 12 years ago, and that did not cover inferential statistics. He is not confident in his ability to answer some of the problems posed in the course.
As Frank’s tutor, you need to provide Frank with guidance and instruction on a worksheet he has partially filled out. Your job is to help him understand and comprehend the material. You should not simply be providing him with an answer as this will not help when it comes time to take the test. Instead, you will be providing a step-by-step breakdown of the problems including an explanation on why you did each step and using proper terminology.
What to Submit
To complete this assignment, you must first download the word document Click for more options
, and then complete it by including the following items on the worksheet:
Incorrect Answers
Correct any wrong answers. You must also explain the error performed in the problem in your own words.
Partially Finished Work
Complete any partially completed work. Make sure to provide step-by-step instructions including explanations.
Blank Questions
Show how to complete any blank questions by providing step-by-step instructions including explanations.

Your step-by-step breakdown of the problems, including explanations, should be present within the word document provided. You must also include an Excel workbook which shows all your calculations performed.