Showing 55–63 of 149 results

  • Capstone Strategy Playbook for Exceptional Results: Meta Platforms, Inc.

    $50.00

    Capstone Strategy Playbook for Exceptional Results:

    Description of the Playbook

     

    Introduction

     

    A playbook in sports helps the general manager, coaches, and players map out how they intend to achieve excellence, respond to challenges, and reach for their goal. Playbooks in sports identify primary intended strategies to win, details on how to execute any number of unique individual plays that support the strategy, and also include plays and alternative strategies that anticipate what opponents might do to counter, or make the playbook irrelevant.

     

    Let’s take a look at some specific “plays” that you might see in a soccer/football, American football, or ice hockey playbook. In these examples, each play diagram reflects a way to execute a “re-direct” kind of strategy, where the offensive team sees an opening to take the play out towards the “side” of action, then back into primary scoring (goal) areas—seeking to spread out the defense.

     

    In soccer, such a play might look like this:

     

     

     

    In this instance, the center half back notices that a gap has opened “wide right” (1), and puts a lead pass out to the right (2). At the same time, the center sees this and moves right into the center of the defense, hoping to find a small gap where he or she could receive a pass from the right wing (3) and (shot).

     

     

    A conceptually very similar play in American football, the “sweep option right,” might look like this:

    Notice how each person in the offense has a task here, to help create a “gap” on the right side that the full-back could drive through if it appears (via blocking). Notice too, that the fullback has an option to pitch to the half-back if the gap is opening late—and, the quarterback has the option of faking the handoff to the fullback and going with a short slant pass to the left tight end, who is moving to support either option.

     

    Finally, a similar “redirect strategy” play in ice hockey might look like this:

     

     

    In this power play (the defense in this case has one player off-ice in the penalty box and is playing a person short), the left wing is the key. As they have the puck and appear to be driving to the net, they pass backwards and away to the left defense (1), to redirect the flow (and likely allow the center to “hide” behind the net). The left defense then rapidly passes to the right, while the left wing looks for a pass (just like the soccer variation above). When the left wing gets the puck again, however, rather than trying to beat the right defense, he or she passes to the center, who has essentially been “hiding” behind the net, and who comes out to the net to take a shot or re-direct a shot.

     

    So, what does this have to do with business strategy you might ask? More than you might think!

     

    For one, unless you already know the details and rules of each sport, you may have noticed that you struggled to figure out the play diagrams, and that they lacked some meaning—especially without some explanation. In business strategy it is the same, there are certain types questions and analyses hat must be asked and performed if you are going to develop a coherent “strategy playbook” for a company.

     

    Second, the big goal in most sports and business are the same—to better your competition in a fair competition (for customer’s purchases in this case), so that you can continue on (to the playoffs in sports, in serving your mission for a business). It is rare that championship teams win without an overall strategy (“to win” is a goal—not a strategy) that takes both internal and external factors into consideration—including the acquisition and training of talent.

    Third, in order to win, companies must rely on adaptive, real-time execution of skills, competencies, and capabilities to “make things happen” in ways that are consistent with, and support, the organization’s mission and purpose for existing. As such, organizations must be very knowledgeable about what they are capable of doing, what customers really want (or might want/need), and they must understand the competitive landscape very well.

     

    Fourth, sometimes plays, actions, and strategies are “off direction” and these types of strategies are often the most complex and difficult to execute. It takes a healthy, fully functioning team to “sell” and “execute” complex strategies. Sometimes such complexity is needed, sometimes it is not.

     

    Finally, everyone on the team—from the owners, general managers, coaches, players, and support staff—must understand the strategies, philosophies, and ambitions of the team, in order to support the organization so it can execute plays and “change on the fly.”

     

    In this Competency, you are going to be asked to develop a “Strategy Playbook to get to Exceptional Results,” which you will create as part of your MBA Capstone experience. This strategy playbook has the same purpose as a playbook for a sports team—it is where you can put your entire MBA education to use and build a roadmap that can help your current organization, or one you hope to work with in the future, achieve exceptional results.

     

     

    What kind of organization will you create your playbook for?

     

    You will develop a strategy playbook for a publicly traded company (with more than 100 employees).

     

     

    What will the playbook focus on?

     

    You will write the playbook from the perspective of a consultant. The “plays” you will develop will be responses, based on analysis, to the core questions that any solid business strategy must ask and answer[1]:

     

    1. What is your winning aspiration? (What to you stand for and believe deeply in?)
    2. Where will you play? (Who will you serve, and who will either help or compete against you?
    3. How will you win? (How will you create unique value?)
    4. Which capabilities must be in place (to win)? (What skills, competencies and capabilities do you need now, and in the future?)
    5. What management systems are required? (Do you have a supporting culture, structure, systems, and appropriate measures to implement a strategy?)

     

    The final compilation of your “Strategy Playbook for Exceptional Results” will be tangible evidence that you can put your MBA education to use, and it will provide you a template for how you can help your current organization, or one you hope to work with in the future, achieve exceptional results.

     

     

    How will I develop the playbook?

     

    Your playbook will be written and developed after you have completed Competency SF005. The process for building your playbook will have you review your work from SF005 and apply the same kind analyses as applied to a company that you have chosen. You will review your prior analyses of assigned case studies, and you will then identify key insights from your analysis, and apply lessons from the case study, recommended resources, and resources you identify from the “Walden MBA Program Capstone Bibliography,” into your playbook entries.

     

     

    The table below provides an overview of what you will be analyzing for your playbook:

     

    Strategy Playbook Elements

     

    Area Playbook Analysis Completed?
     

    One

    		  

    Evaluate candidate companies to study and make your choice

     

    		  
     

    Two

    		  

    Evaluate the stated mission, vision, and values, within the context-level of analysis, of your chosen organization.

     

    		  
     

    Three

    		  

    Apply insights from internal strategy analysis tools and concepts towards the development of relevant portions of your strategy playbook.

     

    		  
     

    Four

    		  

    Apply key insights from P.E.S.T. and stakeholder strategy analysis tools and concepts towards the development of relevant portions of a strategy playbook.

     

    		  
     

    Five

    		  

    Apply key insights from competitive strategy analysis tools and concepts towards the development of relevant portions of a strategy playbook.

     

    		  
     

    Six

    		  

    Apply key insights from key success factor strategy analysis tools and concepts towards the development of relevant portions of a strategy playbook.

     

    		  
     

    Seven

    		  

    Explicitly identify, provide a name for, explain the basics of, and evaluate a preliminary company-wide strategy that you recommend for your company.

     

    		  
     

    Eight

    		  

    Synthesize all prior entries into a single document,

    which aligns with your identified strategy.

     

    Write an executive summary that explains your proposed strategy and how the playbook can help you analyze it further.

     

    Develop a Strategy Playbook Diagram or table that summaries your playbook elements.

    		  

     

    What will be in the final draft of the playbook?

     

    To complete Assessment SF006, you will put together all of your playbook analyses elements into a single appendix. Then, you will extract out the core, most important, and interesting elements and recommendations from those analyses, and you will write an Executive Summary, and develop a strategy playbook diagram. These will be the two primary components of the playbook—plus the analysis appendix and all your references.

     

    So, the playbook will consist of:

    • Cover page: This should include a title for your strategy (which becomes the title of your playbook), your name, and the date
    • Executive Summary: A written summary, which provides the key highlights of your playbook.
    • Strategy Map (or other playbook summary diagram)
    • Analysis Appendix: This will be comprised of your synthesized, integrated work from your previous Playbook entries.

     

    What purpose does the executive summary for the playbook serve?

     

    The Executive Summary for your playbook is where you, in a single page (of single-spaced writing), explain to your audience (senior executives at the company you are studying) what you have found in your analysis that is most interesting, and what it means in terms of what you think the future goals, strategies, and initiatives for the company should be. This is very difficult writing, and it should relate directly to both your appendix information, and your strategy playbook diagram or table.

     

     

    What should my strategy playbook diagram or scorecard look like?

     

    One of the elements of the playbook is a strategy playbook summary diagram. Think of this as a visual summary of “plays,” “actions,” “goals,” “metrics,” etc.

     

    Here are some examples to consider as guides:

     

    1. An example of a scorecard format is provided by George Joseph in “Mapping, Measurement and Alignment of Strategy Using the Balanced Scorecard: The Tata Steel Case.”

     

    1. The Strategy Playbook gives details – descriptions, types, tools, funding sources and benefits – about strategy in Our Great Region 2040.

     

     

    What will the format of the final playbook be?

    General Format:

    1. All sections should be single spaced.
    2. Start with a cover page, then start page numbering with the Executive Summary.
    3. Continue page numbering through the very end (appendix included).
    4. References should be included after the appendix and follow APA 6th format.

    Note: Your paper should have a cover page with a title for the recommended strategy that describes the strategy, like “Maru-C” (“Encircle Caterpillar”), which was a large scale strategy that Komatsu strove for in the 1980s.

    [1] Lafley, A. G., Martin, R., & Riel, J. (2013). A playbook for strategy: The five essential questions at the heart of any winning strategy. Rotman Magazine, Winter, 5–9.

     

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  • SF005 Strategic Analysis Cases

    $50.00

    Part I: Situational Analysis of “Google.org”

    Review the following:

    Review all of the documents and videos provided for Case Study #1.

    • “Supplemental Briefing Notes to Prepare for Effective Strategic Thinking”
    • “Google.org” and keep detailed notes. You can, and should, scan it multiple times.
    • All relevant readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography.”

    Write a polished analysis by responding to the prompts below.

    1. What do you think are the strategic strengths and weaknesses of the institutional set-up between Google and Google.org? If you were a major shareholder in Google, would you continue to support Google’s strategy to both philanthropy and Google.org? Why, or why not? Be specific.
    2. In Exhibit 8 of the case, Megan Smith is promoted to take over the day-to-day management of Google.org. One of the first things she is asked to do is “focus on how Google.org can best achieve its mission.” Imagine for a moment that you are Ms. Smith. What should Google.org do to focus its mission? Why? How? Be specific, and go well beyond simplistic recommendations, such as “hire a consultant” or “do a marketing study.”
    3. Do you think that “good intentions” are enough to sustain Google.org, despite their apparent lack of focus and strategy? How should non-profits be assessed and disciplined, if profit is not the primary feedback mechanism?

    In your response, be sure to integrate concepts and quotes from appropriate academic frameworks and best practices in strategic management. You must also integrate at least two resources from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography.”

    Your overall response should be approximately 500 words total, single spaced.

    Part II: Situational analysis of “James Houghton and Signature Theater”

    Review the following:

    • “James Houghton and Signature Theater” and keep detailed notes. You can, and should, scan it multiple times.
    • “A Playbook for Strategy: The Five Essential Questions at the Heart of any Winning Strategy.”
    • Review “Mapping, Measurement and Alignment of Strategy Using the Balanced Scorecard: The Tata Steel Case.”
    • All relevant readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography.”

    Write a polished analysis responding to the prompts below.

    1. How would you explain the success of James Houghton and the Signature Theater, using the five-question strategy playbook and Wolfe’s Living Organization as your frames of reference? Be specific.
    2. Using the strategy map illustrated on page 122 of “Mapping, Measurement and Alignment of Strategy Using the Balanced Scorecard: The Tata Steel Case” as a guide, create a similar strategy map for Signature Theater (circa 2014).
    3. Based on your strategy map and earlier response, what should Houghton do in the future? Why? How?

    Be sure to integrate concepts and quotes from appropriate academic frameworks and best practices in strategic management. You must also integrate at least two resources from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography.”

    Your overall response should be approximately 500 words total, single spaced, and you should have your Strategy Map in the form of a diagram.

    Part III: Internal Situational Analysis of “Trader Joe’s”

    Review the following:

    • Read “Trader Joe’s” and keep detailed notes. You can, and should, scan it multiple times.
    • All relevant readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography.”

    Use information in the case study and other basic industry research data you can find in the Walden Library. (Hoover’s database would be a good place to start, as would Business Source Complete.)

    Note: You will have to search for information on the most relevant of Trader Joe’s competitors, as well as Trader Joe’s to be able to make an appropriate relative ranking of resources.

    Write a polished analysis that responds to the prompts below.

    1. Create a detailed and specific “Value Chain of Activities” at Trader Joe’s that identifies all the primary skills, competencies, and capabilities within the company, and orders them within a “Value Chain” logic. Note:This table should be in Word document format.
    2. Use your best judgment, based on the information in the case, and your research, and rate Trader Joe’s current profile of skills, competencies, and capabilities, as identified in the detailed “Value Chain” in the case supplemental document. Use the following scale to rate:
      • If the skill, competency, or capability is “World Class” (clearly best in industry and could be benchmark for other industries), rate the item a 10.
      • If the skill, competency, or capability is “Industry Best” (clearly number one or two in the industry), rate the item an 8.
      • If the skill, competency, or capability is “Industry Average,” rate the item a 5.
      • If the skill, competency, or capability “Needs Improvement,” rate the item a 3.
      • If the skill, competency, or capability is a “Critical Deficiency,” rate the item a 1.
    3. What is your average rating (which assumes that all the skills, competencies, and capabilities in the value chain were equally important)? What does this average tell you?
    4. What threeskills, competencies, or capabilities—across all categories—do you think are strategically the most important in the industry? Why?
    5. Based on your responses above, does Trader Joe’s have the capabilities in place to win? To continue to win? Why?
    6. What should Trader Joe’s do right now to leverage its competitive strengths and mitigate or improve upon competitive weaknesses?

    Be sure to integrate concepts and quotes from appropriate academic frameworks and best practices in strategic management. You must also integrate at least two resources from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography.”

    Your overall response should be approximately 500 words total, single spaced, and you should also have your completed, and rated “Value Chain of Activities” table.

    Part IV: External Situational Analysis of “Tesla Motors (in 2013): Will Sparks Fly in the Automobile Industry?”

    Review the following:

    • “Tesla Motor (in 2013): Will Sparks Fly in the Automobile Industry?” Keep detailed notes. You can, and should, scan it multiple times.
    • All relevant readings from the Walden MBA Capstone Program Bibliography.

    Part IV- A: P.E.S.T. Assessment of the Global Automobile Industry and Tesla Motors

    Complete Part IV-A of this Assignment, using the following steps:

    1. Examine each element listed below, and related others that you identify. Then, do brief online research to help you document and analyze how each force in question is changing in any significant manner and how it might impact the automobile industry and Tesla Motors in particular.
      • Political (Legislative) and Legal Elements:Regulatory environment, market access, technology regulation, zoning restrictions, industry specific, or company specific legislation, anti-trust laws, insurance/liability requirements, safety regulations, child workforce protection laws, immigration laws, etc.
      • Economic Elements:Interest rate and equity market movements, capital liquidity, inflation prospects, exchange rate movements, workforce availability, discretionary income levels, etc.
      • Societal Values and Ethics:Risk-taking propensity, family dynamics and behavior, cultural “in” behaviors, taboo activities, media focus, religious behaviors, ethical limitations on business, etc.
      • Technology Elements:Materials technology advances, electronics advances, communications advances, infrastructure access (communication, electricity, etc.), energy advances, etc.
      • Demographic Changes:An important—and too often forgotten—element that includes age distribution and trend, absolute population size and trend, birth and death rates, gender proportion and trend, ethnic mix and trend, location/mobility, and trends
    2. After you’ve done basic research on these general elements, identify what you think are the major implications of your work. So, for example, if U.S. interest rates are beginning to rise, what are the strategic implications of this for the automobile industry? For Tesla Motors? Will they have to change their marketing strategies, their pricing, etc.?

    You don’t have to address each sub-item, but you should have a short implications summary for each of the five major subject areas, plus any other strategic implications based on very specific items that stand out as most important to the industry and Tesla. Remember to support your conclusions with appropriate references using proper APA formatting.

    Your response for Part-A should be approximately 200–300 words. Please title Part-A “P.E.S.T. Analysis for the Global Automobile Industry and Tesla Motors” in your response.

    Part IV- B: Stakeholder Analysis of Tesla Motors

    Another way to obtain a more comprehensive perspective of the general ecosystem that a company like Tesla Motors works within, is to identify, as explicitly as possible, all the stakeholders that have an interest in a given business.

    You might want to think about this by thinking “outside-in.” That is, given each of the major P.E.S.T + forces, who are the people (stakeholders) behind each major force? So, for example, it is clear that international and national political figures may be relevant stakeholders in any given case—as would government regulators at local, regional, national, or international levels.

    For example, you can’t change a local, regional, or national/international regulation directly—you have to know who to see, and the action occurs among people—so a stakeholder analysis is, in many ways, a “personified” version of your P.E.S.T analysis.

    Complete Part-B of this Assignment, using the following steps:

    1. Identify, as explicitly as possible, all the relevant stakeholders that have an interest in Tesla Motors.
    2. Research your stakeholder list initially this way, to ensure complete coverage:
      • General Ecosystem Stakeholders:Those behind the specific P.E.S.T. + influences (includes the press, interest groups, the public at large, communities, shareholders, etc.)
      • Industry Level Stakeholders:Direct local competitors, potential substitute companies, other competitors or potential competitors outside your current markets, lenders, alliance or potential alliance partners, trade associations, suppliers in the entire supply chain, customers and their end-users, potential customers or end users, etc.
      • Internal Stakeholders:Those who influence the company from inside, including the board of directors, senior leadership, management, skilled employees at any level, other employees, contract workforce, outsourced workforce, potential new recruits, etc.
      • Potential New Stakeholders:Those at any level, but which may become stakeholders as you consider new strategic actions and activities
    3. Re-order and rank the stakeholder list in order of “influence priority,” where stakeholders at the top of the prioritized list require more of Tesla Motor’s attention because they can/will influence your strategic choices for the future the most.
    4. Using your prioritized list of stakeholders, write a summary of your stakeholder analysis that explains who the key stakeholders are that Tesla Motors must pay attention to, and why; and then offer specific strategies for how Tesla must seek to manage or otherwise, legally and ethically, influence these stakeholders.

    Your response to Part-B of this Assignment should be approximately 300–400 words. Please title Part-B, “Stakeholder Analysis for Tesla Motors” in your response.

    Be sure to integrate concepts and quotes from appropriate academic frameworks and best practices in strategic management. To obtain an exemplary assessment, you must also integrate at least two resources from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” as well.

    Part V: External Situational Analysis of “Apple (in 2013): How to Sustain a Competitive Advantage?”

    Review the following:

    • Read “Apple (in 2013): How to Sustain a Competitive Advantage?” Keep detailed notes. You can, and should, scan it multiple times.
    • All relevant readings from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography.”

    Utilize information in the case study and other basic industry research data you can find in the Walden Library as needed. (Hoover’s database would be a good place to start, as would Business Source Complete.)

    Write a polished analysis that responds to the prompts below.

    • Provide a detailed explanation of the critical competitive forces (and their underlying dynamics) in the smartphone industry that may threaten Apple, Inc., based on a very thorough, detailed and relevant 5-Forces analysis and other concepts you’ve learned from your MBA program. Be sure to explain how and why you’ve focused on the critical forces that you’ve identified.
    • Include a detailed explanation of the potential for new entry and/or effective substitute competition, based on a relevant Blue Ocean Strategy analysis and other concepts you’ve learned from your MBA program. Be sure to explain how and why you’ve focused on particular new entry or substitute threats to Apple, Inc.
    • Explain the strategic implications of the competitive forces you identified above—what are the opportunities and threats to Apple, Incorporated’s position in the ecosystem of the smartphone industry that it must factor into its strategy for the future, based on your analysis, and why? Provide evidence from the case and any other research you might do, and support your reasoning with references to appropriate academic readings and from prior MBA program content.

    Your response to these prompts should be polished, researched and well documented, and should be approximately 800 words in length.

    Be sure to integrate concepts and quotes from appropriate academic frameworks and best practices in strategic management. To obtain an exemplary assessment, you must also integrate at least two resources from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” as well.

    Part VI: Integrated Situational analysis of “Trader Joe’s”

    Review the following:

    • Reread “Trader Joe’s,” and keep detailed notes. You can, and should, scan it multiple times.
    • Your original research on the company and industry.
    • All relevant readings from the Walden MBA Capstone Program Bibliography.

    Conduct additional research on the U.S. food retailing industry to obtain some insights about future threats and opportunities in the industry. (Hoover’s database would be a good place to start, as would Business Source Complete.)

    Note: You will have to search for information on the most relevant of Trader Joe’s competitors, as well as Trader Joe’s to be able to make an appropriate relative ranking of resources.

    Write a polished analysis that responds to the prompts below.

    1. Based on your projecting out the implications of FUTURE 5-forces of competition, P.E.S.T. (general environment), and stakeholder support (or stakeholder challenges), what essential skills, competencies and capabilities will be critical in order for Trader Joe’s to survive or thrive in the future?Why? Support your analysis with evidence and reasoning linked to appropriate knowledge.

      Note: These critical areas may be the same as in the past, but they may not. Think this through carefully and use your innovative and economic thinking skills from prior courses. You must become futurists to be good strategists, which means there is some ambiguity about the bets you will be making (that’s one of the responsibilities of senior leadership).

    2. Identify critical gaps in the skills, competencies and capabilities that Trader Joe’s currently has versus what you think they will need in the future.Think about how Trader Joe’s can bridge that gap. If Trader Joe’s were to hire you as consultant to provide strategic direction in what specific skills, competencies, and capabilities the company should invest in or acquire (and how), which would you emphasize as critical and why?

    Be sure to integrate concepts and quotes from appropriate academic references and prior MBA program content. To obtain an exemplary assessment, you must also integrate at least two resources from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography,” as well.

    Your overall response should be approximately 500 words total, single spaced.

    Part VII: Evaluation Situational Analysis of “The Weather Company”

    Review the following:

    • “The Weather Company” and keep detailed notes. You can, and should, scan it multiple times.
    • All relevant readings from the Walden MBA Capstone Program Bibliography.

    Write a polished analysis that responds to the prompt below.

    1. If you were on the board of directors at The Weather Company in 2013, would you approve the proposed strategy? Why, or why not?

    Be specific, and be sure to support your response with evidence from the case. Use appropriate concepts from the course and MBA program to make the strongest case you can. Your response should be approximately 500 words.

    You may want to consider the questions and analysis elements below to help you craft your response. Note: Do not, however, respond to these questions in a “checklist” format as your original response. Your response should be a single, persuasive narrative argument that is polished and could serve as the basis for a speech you might make to the board of directors—to either support or question the proposed strategy.

    Hint: The following are strategy evaluation elements that you should formally consider:

    • Strategy Evaluation: Clarity of the Strategy
      • Does the strategy and associated initiatives have a “name” that evokes the strategy?
      • Is it easy to communicate what the strategy is and why it can work?
      • Is it likely that people inside the organization will understand and commit to the strategy?
    • Strategy Evaluation: Consistency of Purpose (Context Level of Analysis)
      • Based on your reading of the case, is The Weather Company’s proposed 2013 strategy consistent with its soulful purpose and its mission, vision, and values? How?
    • Strategy Evaluation: Feasibility and Alignment (Activities and Relationships Level of Analysis)
      • What are the primary key success factors that The Weather Company needs to excel at in the future?
      • Do they have the internal skills, competencies, and capabilities to execute their strategy? (If not, does the plan do a good job of saying how they will acquire these?)
      • Are the basic elements of the proposed strategy feasible from a:
        • Teamwork and healthy organization standpoint?
        • Financial standpoint?
        • Measurement/metrics standpoint?
      • Does the strategy appear to be internally aligned?
      • Do the specification plan steps support each other? How and why?
    • Strategy Evaluation: External Consonance and Potential Competitive Advantage
      • Is the proposed strategy consonant with the current and future needs of the external ecosystem and stakeholder needs? How and why?
      • Does the strategy indicate any long-term strategic intent?
      • Does the proposed strategy position the company to perform activities differently than rivals do? How and why?
      • Does the proposed strategy lead to incremental change within the industry, or more fundamental change within the industry, or does it establish new positions outside the industry or in blue ocean spaces? How and why is the scope of the strategy appropriate?
      • Do you think the proposed strategy can create or preserve any advantages it may confer on the company? Which advantages, and how and why?

    Be sure to integrate concepts and quotes from appropriate academic references and prior MBA program content. You must also integrate at least two resources from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography.”

    Your overall response should be approximately 500 words total, single spaced.

    Part VIII: Implementation situational analysis of “People Operations at Mozilla Corporation: Scaling a Peer-to-Peer Global Community”

    Review the following:

    • “People Operations at Mozilla Corporation: Scaling a Peer-to-Peer Global Community.”
    • All relevant readings from the Walden MBA Capstone Program Bibliography.

    Write a polished analysis that responds to the prompts below.

    Part-A: Execution of Strategy at Mozilla

    1. How would you describe Mozilla’s cultural and organizational DNA? What, specifically, about the way Mozilla enacts strategy and executes its business plan provides it with such depth?
    2. What do you think are the lessons from Mozilla for other knowledge-based organizations, especially in terms of strategy execution and the involvement of people throughout the organization?
    3. What are the critical challenges that Debbie Cohen faces as Chief of People at Mozilla, specifically in terms of strategy execution and alignment? What should she do to meet these challenges, and why?

    Your response for each prompt that you address in Part-A should be approximately 175–200 words.

    Part-B: Getting Everyone to Participate in Strategic Thinking and Execution

    1. Based both on the Mozilla case study and on your general thoughts from this course, explain how the knowledge and effective practice of cross-functional strategic thinking can help individual stakeholders (people at all levels of the organization and others outside the organization) participate more fully in organizational efforts to improve long-term performance and overall stakeholder engagement.

    Your response to Part-B should be approximately 200 words.

    Be sure to integrate concepts and quotes from this week’ readings. You must also integrate at least two resources from the “Walden MBA Capstone Bibliography.”

    Your overall response should be approximately 500 words total, single spaced.

     

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  • Create a scale construction proposal

    $30.00

    For this task, complete the readings for this assignment, and then write a paper in which you complete the following:

    Write an introduction that examines the construct, its conceptual definition/s, and related concepts.
    Review the literature and the existing tools that measure the construct.
    Provide justification for your original scale.
    Discuss how you intend to construct the items, cognizant of the basic principles of item pool construction, the necessity of SMEs, the unidimensionality or multidimensionality of the construct, etc.
    Write at least 20 sample items that represent the construct you are planning to measure. You may construct negatively-worded items, but indicate these in a chart or table. If the construct you choose has two or more dimensions under it, write sample items indicating which items fall under which dimension. (See for example, the Life Position Scale that contained four dimensions I’m OK etc. at first, but after factor analysis the dimensions reduced to two—I and You.)
    Argue for a specific method of running an item analysis procedure.
    Argue for at least two specific methods of establishing your scale’s validity (Choose at least one method for construct validity, and another method for criterion-related validity. In criterion validation, it is not enough to simply write that you are planning to employ the method. Be sure to specify the variable(s) you will correlate your scale with.

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  • Evaluate Sampling Method and Sample Size

    $20.00

    This assignment consists of three parts:

    (1)  Sample Selection

    Recommend the steps that should be taken to draw the particular sample described below.  Format your response as a procedure.

    A stratified sample of 75 doctors, 75 lawyers and 75 engineers who belong to a professional organization in that you belong to.
    A simple random sample of 150 subscribers to your local newspaper.
    A systematic sample of 250 subscribers from a subscriber list of a trade publication.
    (2)  A Priori Power Analysis

    Download the G*Power software provided, and then use the software to submit the following:
    a. Calculate the estimated sample size needed when given these factors:

    one-tailed t-test with two independent groups of equal size
    small effect size (see Piasta, S.B., & Justice, L.M., 2010)
    alpha =.05
    beta = .2 (Reminder: Power = 1 – beta)
    Assume that the result is a sample size beyond what you can obtain. Use the compromise function to compute alpha and beta for a sample half the size.
    Indicate the resulting alpha and beta.
    Analyze the result and decide if the study should be conducted with a smaller sample size. Explain your rationale.
    In the context of Type I and Type II error.
    Include a visual of the G* Power output matrix.
    b. Calculate the estimated sample size needed to perform an ANOVA (fixed effects, omnibus, one-way) when given these factors:

    ANOVA (fixed effects, omnibus, one-way)
    small effect size
    alpha =.05
    beta = .2
    3 groups
    Include a visual of the G* Power output matrix.
    (3)  Intended Research Sampling Method

    Describe the sampling method that would be appropriate for your intended research.

    Outline the problem statement, purpose statement, and research questions.
    Describe the population of interest (also referred to as the theoretical population).
    Identify the sampling frame to be used to recruit participants.
    List criteria to be met for an interested person to participate in the research study.
    Compute an estimated sample size.
    Describe the recruitment procedure that might be used to draw the actual sample.
    Length:  Your paper should be between 5 – 10 pages not including title and reference page. Results of the G* power analysis that will add length to the paper.

    References:  Include a minimum of five (5) scholarly sources.

    Your presentation should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards.

    Download File

  • Methods Of Validity In Test Construction

    $30.00

    In 2002, Boholst constructed a Life Position Scale for the purpose of finishing his dissertation. The construct life position was one of the variables he studied in his doctoral dissertation titled, The Influence of Life Scripts and Life Positions on Psychopathology and Positive Mental Health: A Structural Equation Modeling. He had to construct this scale because there was no available one at the time. In 2005, he and two other authors wrote another article that found modest correlations between Life Positions and Attachment Styles—validating the scale by establishing the relationship between life positions and a variable that was theoretically argued to have conceptual parallels or to be “similar” with it. In 2012, Isgor and two other authors translated the Life Position Scale into Turkish and established its reliability and validity.

    This is often a realistic scenario where a tool slowly attains credibility by a gradual validation process across the years—often by different authors. For example, in 2004, Weisner wrote his doctoral dissertation in the University of North Texas on the relationship between Affective Traits and Life Positions. Hadzi-Pesic and others more recently (2014) validated the Life Position Scale and found correlations with alcohol addicts’ personality.

    For this task, write a paper that addresses the following:

    Discuss the different types of validity that have been employed—whether implicitly or explicitly to validate the life position scale. It is ideal therefore to read articles in chronological order starting with the A Life Position Scale, Life Positions and Attachment: A Canonical Correlation Analysis, and Life Positions Scale Language Equivalence, Reliability and Validity Analysis.

    Download File

  • Leadership Presentation

    $25.00
    Leadership Presentation

    Create a 12-15 slide PowerPoint presentation and record an elevator pitch (a short description of an
    idea, product, or company that explains the concept in a way such that any listener can understand it in
    a short period of time) for the management team of CapraTek about the importance of, and
    components of, business planning.
    Introduction
    One of the most important tasks of business leaders is effective organizational planning. For this
    assessment, you will look at the importance of planning and best practices for success. You will address
    effective planning techniques that link departmental plans to the overall strategic plan and business
    operations goals, while considering key performance indicators that managers need to consider when
    developing a plan.
    Preparation
    For this assessment, you will be acting as a consultant to the fictitious company, CapraTek. To begin,
    read the following information about the company.
    ABOUT CAPRATEK
    CapraTek has a long history as a leader in the design and manufacture of computer server components
    and continues to provide innovative solutions to industry needs. Now, CapraTek is leveraging this
    culture of innovation to expand into emerging wireless technologies. As part of that diversification,
    CapraTek is developing advanced smart-home technology. CapraTek recently announced that it will
    begin the development of an integrated wireless system that will provide seamless integration of
    virtually all home electronics and appliances, all controlled through a single wireless device and a simple
    web-based interface.
    Vision
    CapraTek will provide excellence in everything we do as we define and deliver technology solutions for
    tomorrow’s problems.
    Mission
    To measurably contribute to the goals of our customers—both direct consumers and resellers—by
    providing extraordinary products at a fair and competitive price. CapraTek will focus on enhancing the
    success of its partners, employees, and investors by enacting the values of teamwork, respect,
    accountability, integrity, and innovation.
    • For business customers, we will create value through efficiency, reliability, and flexibility both in
    our products and our customer service.
    • For resellers, we will offer unique products that create sales and profit opportunities, including
    valuable vendor relationships, sales programs, access to credit, and training and development.
    Values

    These are the values that should shape every decision made at CapraTek from the board room to the
    assembly line.
    • Teamwork: We work together as a unified team to meet our goals.
    • Respect: We strive to bring the highest degree of dignity, equality, and trust to every interaction
    with our co-workers, our customers, our shareowners, our manufacturers, and our community.
    • Accountability: We take responsibility for our actions, decisions, and products. We accept our
    individual, team, and corporate responsibilities, and we meet our commitments.
    • Integrity: We employ the highest ethical standards, demonstrating honesty and fair-mindedness
    in all our interactions.
    • Innovation: We consider innovation crucial to our mission and to our ability to continually live
    our values. We welcome change and the many opportunities that change brings.
    Instructions
    PowerPoint Presentation
    As a business consultant hired by senior organizational leadership at CapraTek, a fictional design and
    manufacturing company, prepare a 12-15 slide PowerPoint presentation with speaker notes that will be
    presented to the General Manager, Manager of Information Technology, and Marketing Manager at the
    kickoff meeting for an organizational efficiency planning session. Highlight areas where various leaders
    will need to coordinate to ensure their plans are aligned with the same organizational goals and
    objectives that you develop.
    Start the presentation with a 3-minute elevator pitch (a short description of an idea, product, or
    company that explains the concept in a way such that any listener can understand it in a short period of
    time). In this pitch, you want to send a clear message about the importance of business planning. You
    should explain the importance of organizational goals and objectives to grow a business and include key
    performance indicator (KPI) targets that should be considered by corporate leaders when developing
    their strategic plans. The script for your elevator pitch should be in the speaker notes of the first slide
    after your cover slide.
    The remainder of the presentation should address the following:
    • The business planning process.
    • Key components for a business plan, technology plan, and marketing plan.
    • Best practices for creation of a business plan that aligns to organizational goals.
    • Inclusion of a business planning model and an illustration of the model.
    • How the planning process applies to key business support functions for leadership, information
    technology, and marketing management.

    Technology Planning, Knowledge Management Systems, Technology Adoption
    In the information and knowledge age, publicly traded organizations have more value aligned to
    intangible assets, such as information and knowledge, than to physical assets. Organizations that
    understand and appreciate this dynamic hold a competitive position in the marketplace. Read the
    following to learn more about this process. While reading, notice the mind map that illustrates the
    logical relationships of knowledge management processes, information systems, and research methods.
    • Al-Emran, M., Mezhuyev, V., Kamaludin, A., & Shaalan K. (2018).     The impact of knowledge
    management processes on information systems: A systematic review.     International Journal of
    Information Management, 43, 173–187.
    Not everyone is ready to adopt new technology, which is applied to leaders, employees, customers, and
    suppliers. It takes a while to adapt to any change, including adapting to changes in technology. Read the
    following to examine barriers precluding emerging technologies from being adopted. As you read, think
    about your reaction to change. Do you easily accept change or tend to resist it?
    • Duval, D. (2019, January 28).     Today’s companies have a technology adoption problem, not an
    innovation
    problem.     Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesnonprofitcouncil/2019/01/28/todays-
    companies-have-a-technology-adoption-problem-not-an-innovation-problem/#34e3e2441f66
    Marketing Mix, Marketing and Advertising Goals, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
    Another critical support function for every business is marketing, which involves business activities such
    as market research and advertising to promote the selling of products and services. Marketing is like
    many business disciplines in that it has evolved a great deal, and in today’s complex business
    environment, it relies on key performance indicators used to measure success.
    • The fundamental building blocks of marketing, known as the marketing mix, are the Four Ps:
    Product, Price, Promotion, and Place. View the following to learn more:
    o Four Ps of Marketing    .
    • One of the biggest mistakes a new company can make is to assume that every person is a
    potential customer. Market research allows you to target your efforts to find and attract those
    who are most likely to be your customers. View the following to learn how research can help
    you determine your markets and customers:
    o Analyzing Markets and Customers    .
    • Test your marketing research knowledge by working through the following scenario:
    o Zippy Toys: Marketing Research    .
    • Organizations use key performance indicators to drive growth and performance. Read the
    following to learn about KPIs used to track the effectiveness of a marketing efforts:
    o Getman, C. (n.d.).     The 16 marketing KPIs you should be measuring (but probably
    aren’t).     https://vtldesign.com/digital-marketing/16-marketing-kpis-to-measure/

    Academic Writer
    You will be using the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (commonly referred
    to as the APA manual) style in your papers and citations for this course. Reference the     Academic
    Writer     for more information.
    One of the critical functions of management is business planning, which is an essential aspect of
    effectively leading organizations. Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”
    This is absolutely the case for businesses. Planning is not just a function of starting a business, it is an
    ongoing process in managing a business.
    • Review the following from the U.S. Small Business Administration to learn about different types
    of business plans and how to write them:
    o U.S. Small Business Administration. (n.d.).     Write your business
    plan.     https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/write-your-business-plan
    • Read the following for a detailed process for information technology planning that is applicable
    to IT plans in any industry. Pay particular attention to the sections listed below.
    o LeadingAge. (n.d.).     Strategic planning and strategic IT planning for long-term and post-
    acute care (LTPAC) providers: A “how to” workbook.     https://www.leadingage.org/case-
    studies/strategic-planning-and-strategic-it-planning-long-term-and-post-acute-care-
    ltpac
    o Introduction and Executive Summary.
    o Overview of Strategic Planning and Strategic IT Planning.
    o Strategic and Operational IT Planning Steps.
    Every business should have a marketing plan in place, where the business identifies their ideal customer
    and the plan to organize, execute, and measure the organizations’ marketing efforts.
    • This article provides a definition and examples of a marketing plan, how a marketing plan works,
    and links to other helpful resources:
    o Lake, L. (2020).     What is a marketing plan? https://www.thebalancesmb.com/what-is-a-
    marketing-plan-2295831
    • Read the following to learn what can be included in the marketing plan section of the business
    plan:
    o Ward, S. (2020).     The marketing plan section of the business
    plan.     https://www.thebalancesmb.com/writing-the-business-plan-section-5-2947030
    In the rapidly changing business environment, leaders must adapt. With many
    leaders, the ability to thrive depends on their level of agility. Being an agile leader
    means being open to new ideas and being able to make changes quickly. You
    can work to be more agile by learning, developing interpersonal skills, and

    focusing on your ability to execute. Use the following resources to learn more
    about agile leadership.
    • Agility Consulting and Training. (n.d.).     The agile
    model.     http://agilityconsulting.com/the-agile-model/
    • Rigby, D., Elk, S., & Berez, S. (2020).     The agile c-suite: A new approach to leadership
    for the team at the top.     Harvard Business Review, 98(3), 64–73.
    • Agile Leadership Self-Assessment    .

    Download File

  • Assessing the Problem: Leadership, Collaboration

    $20.00

    Assessment 1 Instructions: Assessing the Problem: Leadership, Collaboration, Communication, Change Management, and Policy Considerations

    Top of Form

    Bottom of Form

    • PRINT
    • In a 5-7 page written assessment, define the patient, family, or population health problem that will be the focus of your capstone project. Assess the problem from a leadership, collaboration, communication, change  management, and policy perspective. Plan to spend approximately 2 direct practicum hours meeting with a patient, family, or group of your choice to explore the problem and, if desired, consulting with subject matter and industry experts. Document the time spent (your practicum hours) with these individuals or group in the Core Elms Volunteer Experience Form.

    Introduction

    Nurses in all professional roles work to effect positive patient outcomes and improve organizational processes. Professional nurses are leaders in problem identification, planning, and strategy implementation—skills that directly affect patient care or organizational effectiveness.

    Too often, change agents jump to a conclusion that an intervention will promote the envisioned improvement. Instead, the ideal approach is to determine which interventions are appropriate, based on an assessment and review of credible evidence. Interventions could be patient-facing or involve a change in policy and process. In this assessment, you’ll identify and make the case for your practicum focus area, then explore it in depth from a leadership, collaboration, communication, change management, and policy perspective.

    This assessment lays the foundation for the work that will carry you through your capstone experience and guide the practicum hours needed to complete the work in this course. In addition, it will enable you to do the following:

      • Develop a problem statement for a patient, family, or population that’s relevant to your practice.
      • Begin building a body of evidence that will inform your approach to your practicum.
      • Focus on the influence of leadership, collaboration, communication, change management, and policy on the problem.

    Preparation

    In this assessment, you’ll assess the patient, family, or population health problem that will be the focus of your capstone project. Plan to spend approximately 2 hours working with a patient, family, or group of your choice to explore the problem from a leadership, collaboration, communication, change management, and policy perspective. During this time, you may also choose to consult with subject matter and industry experts about the problem (for example, directors of quality or patient safety, nurse managers/directors, physicians, and epidemiologists).

    To prepare for the assessment, complete the following:

      • Identify the patient, family, or group you want to work with during your practicum The patient you select can be a friend or a family member. You’ll work with this patient, family, or group throughout your capstone project, focusing on a specific health care problem.
      • Begin surveying the scholarly and professional literature to establish your evidence and research base, inform your assessment, and meet scholarly expectations for supporting evidence.

    In addition, you may wish to complete the following:

      • Review the assessment instructions and scoring guide to ensure that you understand the work you’ll be asked to complete and how it will be assessed.
      • Review the Practicum Focus Sheet: Assessment 1 [PDF], which provides guidance for conducting this portion of your practicum.

    Note: Remember that you can submit all, or a portion of, your draft assessment to Smarthinking Tutoring for feedback, before you submit the final version for this assessment. If you plan on using this free service, be mindful of the turnaround time of 24-48 hours for receiving feedback.

    Instructions

    Complete this assessment in two parts.

    Part 1

    Define the patient, family, or population health problem that will be the focus of your capstone project. Assess the problem from a leadership, collaboration, communication, change management, and policy perspective and establish your evidence and research base to plan, implement, and share findings related to your project.

    Part 2

    Connect with the patient, family, or group you’ll work with during your practicum. During this portion of your practicum, plan to spend at least 2 hours meeting with the patient, family, or group and, if desired, consulting with subject matter and industry experts of your choice. The hours you spend meeting with them should take place outside of regular work hours. Use the Practicum Focus Sheet [PDF] provided for this assessment to guide your work and interpersonal interactions. Document the time spent (your practicum hours) with these individuals or group in the Core Elms Volunteer Experience Form.

    CORE ELMS

    Complete the NURS-FPX4900 Volunteer Experience Form in CORE ELMS. Include a description of your relationship to the patient, family, or group in the Volunteer Experience comments field.

    Requirements

    The assessment requirements, outlined below, correspond to the scoring guide criteria, so be sure to address each main point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed. In addition, note the additional requirements for document format and length and for supporting evidence.

      • Define a patient, family, or population health problem that’s relevant to your practice.
        • Summarize the problem you’ll explore.
        • Identify the patient, family, or group you intend to work with during your practicum.
        • Provide context, data, or information that substantiates the presence of the problem and its significance and relevance to the patient, family, or population.
        • Explain why this problem is relevant to your practice as a baccalaureate-prepared nurse.
      • Analyze evidence from peer-reviewed literature and professional sources that describes and guides nursing actions related to the patient, family, or population problem you’ve defined.
        • Note whether the authors provide supporting evidence from the literature that’s consistent with what you see in your nursing practice.
        • Explain how you would know if the data are unreliable.
        • Describe what the literature says about barriers to the implementation of evidence-based practice in addressing the problem you’ve defined.
        • Describe research that has tested the effectiveness of nursing standards and/or policies in improving patient, family, or population outcomes for this problem.
        • Describe current literature on the role of nurses in policy making to improve outcomes, prevent illness, and reduce hospital readmissions.
        • Describe what the literature says about a nursing theory or conceptual framework that might frame and guide your actions during your practicum.
      • Explain how state board nursing practice standards and/or organizational or governmental policies could affect the patient, family, or population problem you’ve defined.
        • Describe research that has tested the effectiveness of these standards and/or policies in improving patient, family, or population outcomes for this problem.
        • Describe current literature on the role of nurses in policy making to improve outcomes, prevent illness, and reduce hospital readmissions.
        • Describe the effects of local, state, and federal policies or legislation on your nursing scope of practice, within the context of this problem.
      • Propose leadership strategies to improve outcomes, patient-centered care, and the patient experience related to the patient, family, or population problem you’ve defined.
        • Discuss research on the effectiveness of leadership strategies.
        • Define the role that you anticipate leadership must play in addressing the problem.
        • Describe collaboration and communication strategies that you anticipate will be needed to address the problem.
        • Describe the change management strategies that you anticipate will be required to address the problem.
        • Document the time spent (your practicum hours) with these individuals or group in the Core Elms Volunteer Experience Form.
      • Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
      • Apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.

    Additional Requirements

      • Format: Format your paper using APA style. APA Style Paper Tutorial [DOCX] is provided to help you in writing and formatting your paper. Be sure to include:
        • A title page and reference page. An abstract is not required.
        • Appropriate section headings.
      • Length: Your paper should be approximately 5-7 pages in length, not including the reference page.
      • Supporting evidence: Cite at least five sources of scholarly or professional evidence that support your central ideas. Resources should be no more than five years old. Provide in-text citations and references in APA format.
      • Proofreading: Proofread your paper, before you submit it, to minimize errors that could distract readers and make it more difficult for them to focus on its substance.

    Competencies Measured

    By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies through the following assessment scoring guide criteria:

      • Competency 1: Lead people and processes to improve patient, systems, and population outcomes.
        • Define a patient, family, or population health problem that’s relevant to personal and professional practice.
      • Competency 2: Make clinical and operational decisions based upon the best available evidence.
        • Analyze evidence from peer-reviewed literature and professional sources that describes and guides nursing actions related to a defined patient, family, or population problem.
      • Competency 5: Analyze the impact of health policy on quality and cost of care.
        • Explain how state board nursing practice standards and/or organizational or governmental policies could affect a defined patient, family, or population problem.
      • Competency 7: Implement patient-centered care to improve quality of care and the patient experience.
        • Propose leadership strategies to improve outcomes, patient-centered care, and the patient experience related to a defined patient, family, or population problem and document the practicum hours spent with these individuals or group in the Core Elms Volunteer Experience Form.
      • Competency 8: Integrate professional standards and values into practice.
        • Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
        • Apply APA style and formatting to scholarly writing.
    Download File

  • PM007 Solution – PEPSI REFRESH PROJECT

    $35.00

     

     

     

     

    Project Risk Management

    (Project Name)

     

     

     

     

    Student Name

    Walden University

    Date

     

    Table of Contents

    Project Risk Management Purpose. 1

    Project Risk Management Approach and Process. 1

    Project Risk Identification. 1

    Project Risk Assessment (Qualitative) 1

    Project Risk Assessment (Quantitative) 2

    Project Risk Response. 2

    Risk Register. 3

     

     

     

    Project Risk Management Purpose

    Project risk management planning involves deciding how risk management activities will be conducted over the life of a project. The output of project risk management planning is the project risk management plan. Risk management is an iterative process. The risk management plan should be updated when any substantial changes to the project are made and/or when a risk event occurs.

     

    • Describe the purpose of a project risk management plan. (2–3 paragraphs)
    • Describe the components of a risk management plan. Your description should include at least four components. (4–5 paragraphs)

    Project Risk Management Approach and Process

    The project risk management process is designed to provide proactive and continuous focus on the uncertainty that exists in all projects. It is critically important to first identify and analyze potential risks to a project using a well-defined and structured approach to ensure accuracy and completeness. It is also important to avoid under- or over-estimating project risks. Under-estimated risks may jeopardize project success. When risks are over-estimated, opportunities may be lost.

     

    • Describe at least four steps in the project risk management process that will be used to identify, analyze, and respond to risks for the Pepsi Refresh project. (4–5 paragraphs)
    • Explain how risk management will be approached for the Pepsi Refresh project. (3–4 paragraphs)

    Project Risk Identification

    Once the approach and process for managing project risks have been determined, it is time to identify potential project risks and document them in a risk register. It is helpful to think about possible sources or categories of project risks as a way to organize the risk list. It may not be possible to identify every risk that could occur during the project but risk management is an iterative process. Over the life of the project you will review risks often, and you will update the risk register as needed.

     

    • Describe the process you will use to identify risks for the Pepsi Refresh project. (3–4 paragraphs)
    • Describe three types of risks you will identify for the Pepsi Refresh project, such as operational, technical, regulatory, etc. (3–4 paragraphs)
    • Describe three sources of project risks you will identify for the Pepsi Refresh project, such as weather, vendor, staffing, technology, etc. (3–4 paragraphs)
    • Document the project risks identified for the Pepsi Refresh project in the risk register in columns A–F.

     

    Project Risk Assessment (Qualitative)

    Once project risks have been identified, the project team must analyze them to try to determine the likelihood (probability) of occurrence and the effect to the project (impact) should a given risk event occur. All risk analysis begins with qualitative analysis. To ensure accuracy and completeness, the project team should study both the risk event itself and the interactions between risk events.

     

    • Explain how risk measurement scales will be developed for the Pepsi Refresh project. Will you use a standard organizational set of measurements or define your own? (3–4 paragraphs)
    • Explain how risks will be prioritized for the Pepsi Refresh project based on the defined qualitative measurement scales. (3–4 paragraphs)
    • Document the risk measurement scales and their meaning in the project risk register in columns H–J. For example:
      • What does a “2” mean for probability? Is that 20% or 20–40%?
      • What does a “4” mean for impact? Is that “project fails to meet one objective” or “project exceeds budget or timeline by 20%”?

     

    Project Risk Assessment (Quantitative)

    Once project risks have been qualitatively assessed, the project team must review those with the highest risk factor scores (probability x impact) and further analyze them using quantitative risk analysis methods.

     

    For this project, use expected monetary value (EMV) as your quantitative method.

    • Explain how risks will be prioritized for the Pepsi Refresh project based on the EMV method. (3–4 paragraphs)
    • Document the EMV risk measurement information in the project risk register in column K.

     

    Project Risk Response

    Risk responses and action steps are defined during the risk response planning phase. Here the project team must plan the actions that will be taken should any identified risk actually materialize. This is typically done for some subset of the total population of risk issues identified—most likely those that are of the highest probability and/or impact. Risks can be both negative (threats) and positive (opportunities). The possible strategies for responding to negative risks include: avoid, transfer, mitigate, and accept. The possible strategies for responding to positive risks include: exploit, enhance, share, and accept.

     

    • Summarize the approach for developing risk response strategies. For example, which risks will you first attempt to avoid? Will you do it based on the risk factor score (P*I) or EMV? (3–4 paragraphs)
    • Describe the process you will use to determine risk triggers (the event that tells you that the risk event is imminent). (3–4 paragraphs)
    • Document the risk triggers in the project risk register in column G.
    • Document risk response strategies (plans) for each risk in the project risk register in columns L–M. The risk response strategies should be derived from the eight strategies in the PMBOK® Guide.

     

    Risk Register

     

    Note: The first line is an example. Delete it when creating your own risk register.

     

    A B C D E F G H I J K L M
    Risk No. Risk Name Risk Event Description Risk Impact Description Risk Type Risk Source Risk Trigger Impact Score

    1 to 5

    		Prob. Score

    1 to 5

    		 Risk Factor

    P*I

    		 EMV* Response Type

     

    		 Response
    X Rain Rain on the day of the picnic reduces the number of attendees. Results in a less festive event, reduced employee morale, and costs that can’t be reimbursed. Other Weather Chance of rain of ≥30% is forecasted 7 days prior to picnic. 4 2 8 $20,000 Mitigate Set up enough large tents to house all scheduled attendees. In addition to outdoor activities, plan indoor events or activities in tents. Encourage everyone to come rain or shine.
    1                        
    2                        
    3                        
    4                        
    5                        
    6                        
    7                        
    8                        
    9                        
    10                        

     

     

     

    *EMV = probability of risk event * cost/impact if it does occur.
    Example: If it rains and we do nothing, people will not show up and we will lose the $100,000 that is due to caterers, event planners, etc. With a 20% chance of it raining, the EMV can be calculated as follows: $100,000 * 20% = $20,000. If we can mitigate the impact for less than $20,000 by implementing the response plan, it may be considered a good investment to do so.

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  • SP005 Organization-wide Issues

    $30.00

    Part I: Diagnosing Organization-Wide Performance Issues

    1. Read the three documents included with this Assessment as follows:
      • Read the entire The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvementtext and make detailed notes.
      • Read the “Applying Process Tools & Frameworks to Improve Organizational Performance: A TOC Primer” document, as you read through The Goal text, to help you focus on fundamental concepts.
      • Read the “Three-Questions Accounting” document after reading The Goal text.
    2. After reading and note taking, complete the following:
      1. Choose an organization with which you are very familiar with. It could be where you work now or have worked in the past. Provide some basic details about the organization. At minimum, the basic details should include: the industry and products/services the organization offers, the overall operational and financial health of the organization, and a qualitative or systems diagram summary of how the organization operates to fulfill its commitments to customers. (approximately 200 words)
        Note: If you have chosen a private organization you must disguise the names of the organization and the people associated with it.
      2. Choose a minimum of six specific passages from the book The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvementthat contain an essential idea or concept that you found compelling and that offer insights related to systemic problems in your organization. Provide these passages making sure to quote and use citations for each. Construct a well-reasoned argument for why you chose each passage and how each selected passage relates to your organization in terms of helping you diagnose organization-wide performance issues. Be specific and be sure to support your response with appropriate concepts from performance management and/or systems thinking. (approximately 400 words)
    3. Respond to the following questions. Remember to make specific reference to concepts from the documents and other relevant resources to support your reasoning.
      1. In your own organization what do you believe are the fundamental physical, policy, or market constraints that are preventing your organization from moving to the next level of performance? Be sure to clearly identify each primary constraint and provide a detailed argument and evidence for why you think each is a primary constraint to organizational performance. Be sure to support your response with appropriate concepts from performance management and/or systems thinking. (minimum of 400 words).
      2. What do you believe are the root causes of these primary constraints? Why? Be sure to support your response with appropriate concepts from performance management and/or systems thinking. (approximately 200–300 words)

    Part II: Developing Solutions to Organization-Wide Performance Issues

    1. Review your responses to Part 1.
    2. Refer to all the three documents included with this Assessment, and to other relevant organizational-improvement knowledge as needed and complete the following.
      1. For each of the minimum of six specific passages from the book The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvementthat you chose in Part 1, provide an argument for how the passage helps you in developing potential solutions to organization-wide performance issues? What are potential solutions relative to the concepts you identified? Be specific. (approximately 400 words).
      2. Respond to the following prompts. Remember to make specific reference to concepts from the document resources and other relevant resources to support your reasoning.
        1. For each of the fundamental physical, policy, or market constraints that you identified as preventing your organization from moving to the next level of performance, provide a specific recommendation for how to elevate, support, and potentially eliminate the constraint. (approximately 400 words).
        2. Provide an overall argument as to how and why your recommendations address the root causes of the organization-wide performance issues you identified. (approximately 300 words).
        3. Using concepts from the Corbett document, “Three-Questions Accounting,” and associated resources related to metrics and TOC accounting measurements for each of your recommendations, show how the primary metrics of T, I, and OE would be affected and why the recommendations would make sense from a performance measurement perspective.

     

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