Practical Connection Assignment

Provide a reflection of at least 500 words (or 2 pages double spaced) of how the knowledge, skills, or theories of this course has been applied or could be applied, in a practical manner to your work environment. if you are not currently working, share times when you have or could observe these theories and the knowledge could be applied to an employment opportunity in your field of study.

Requirements:

Provide a 500 word (or 2 pages double spaced) minimum reflection.

Use proper APA formatting and citations. If supporting evidence from outside resources is used, those must be properly cited.

Provide a cover page. Provide a reference page if an external resource(s) was used.

Share a personal connection that identifies specific knowledge and theories from this course.

Demonstrate a connection to your current work environment. If you are not employed, demonstrate a connection to your desired work environment.

You should NOT provide an overview of the assignments assigned in the course. The assignment asks you to reflect on how the knowledge and skills obtained through this course objectives were applied or could be applied in the workplace.

For this assignment, you are to identify at least 6 different  scholarly research articles (only conferences or journal articles are  allowed).

Review the articles and provide a 4 page summary ( not including  cover page and references).  Highlight the Data visualization  tools  that the work utilizes and how the data is interpreted.

Please ensure that your paper follow APA 7 guidelines.

Hello,

i need this paper by 10/01 afternoon.

Strictly No plagiarism please use your own words.

Explain in your own words what some of the challenges are with the Change Management Process for IT security.

An initial post must be between 300 words.

Make sure Strictly No plagiarism content should not match and even the reference should not match in plagiarism.

1. Open the SierraPacific-02.xlsx start file. If the workbook opens in Protected View, click the Enable Editing button so you can modify it. The file will be renamed automatically to include your name. Change the project file name if directed to do so by your instructor, and save it.
2. Set range names for the workbook.
   1. Select the Student Loan sheet, and select cells B5:C8.
   2. Click the Create from Selection button [Formulas tab, Defined Names group].
   3. Verify that the Left column box in the Create Names from Selection dialog box is selected.
   4. Deselect the Top row box if it is checked and click OK.
   5. Select cells E5:F7. Repeat steps a−d to create range names.
   6. Click the Name Manager button [Formulas tab, Defined Names group] to view the names in the Name Manager dialog box (Figure 2-90). Notice that the cell references are absolute.Figure 2-90 Name Manager dialog box
   7. Click Close.
3. Enter a PMT function.
   1. Select C8.
   2. Click the Financial button [Formulas tab, Function Library group] and select PMT.
   3. Click the Rate box and click cell C7. The range name Rate is substituted and is an absolute reference.
   4. Type /12 immediately after Rate to divide by 12 for monthly payments.
   5. Click the Nper box and click cell C6. The substituted range name is Loan_Term.
   6. Type *12 after Loan_Term to multiply by 12.
   7. Click the Pv box and type a minus sign (–) to set the argument as a negative amount.
   8. Click cell C5 (Loan_Amount) for the pv argument. A negative loan amount reflects the lender’s perspective, since the money is paid out now (Figure 2-91).Figure 2-91 Pv argument is negative in the PMT function
   9. Leave the Fv and Type boxes empty.
   10. Click OK. The payment for a loan at this rate is $186.43, shown as a positive value.
   11. Verify or format cell C8 as Accounting Number Format to match cell C5.
4. Create a total interest formula.
   1. Click cell F5 (Total_Interest). This value is calculated by multiplying the monthly payment by the total number of payments to determine total outlay. From this amount, you subtract the loan amount.
   2. Type = and click cell C8 (the Payment).
   3. Type * to multiply and click cell C6 (Loan_Term).
   4. Type *12 to multiply by 12 for monthly payments. Values typed in a formula are constants and are absolute references.
   5. Type – immediately after *12 to subtract.
   6. Click cell C5 (the Loan_Amount). The formula is Payment * Loan_Term * 12 – Loan_Amount. Parentheses are not required, because the multiplications are done from left to right, followed by the subtraction (Figure 2-92).Figure 2-92 Left-to-right operations
   7. Press Enter. The result is $1,185.81.
5. Create the total principal formula and the total loan cost.
   1. Select cell F6 (Total_Principal). This value is calculated by multiplying the monthly payment by the total number of payments. From this amount, subtract the total interest.
   2. Type = and click cell C8 (the Payment).
   3. Type * to multiply and click cell C6 (Loan_Term).
   4. Type *12 to multiply by 12 for monthly payments.
   5. Type – immediately after *12 to subtract.
   6. Click cell F5 (the Total_Interest). The formula is Payment * Loan_Term * 12 – Total_Interest.
   7. Press Enter. Total principal is the amount of the loan.
   8. Click cell F7, the Total_Cost of the loan. This is the total principal plus the total interest.
   9. Type =, click cell F5, type +, click cell F6, and then press Enter.
6. Set order of mathematical operations to build an amortization schedule.
   1. Click cell B13. The beginning balance is the loan amount.
   2. Type =, click cell C5, and press Enter.
   3. Format the value as Accounting Number Format.
   4. Select cell C13. The interest for each payment is calculated by multiplying the balance in column B by the rate divided by 12.
   5. Type = and click cell B13.
   6. Type *( and click cell C7.
   7. Type /12). Parentheses are necessary so that the division is done first (Figure 2-93).Figure 2-93 The interest formula
   8. Press Enter and format the results (37.5) as Accounting Number Format.
   9. Select cell D13. The portion of the payment that is applied to the principal is calculated by subtracting the interest portion from the payment.
   10. Type =, click cell C8 (the Payment).
   11. Type –, click cell C13, and press Enter. From the first month’s payment, $148.93 is applied to the principal and $37.50 is interest.
   12. Click cell E13. The total payment is the interest portion plus the principal portion.
   13. Type =, click cell C13, type +, click cell D13, and then press Enter. The value matches the amount in cell C8.
   14. Select cell F13. The ending balance is the beginning balance minus the principal payment. The interest is part of the cost of the loan.
   15. Type =, click cell B13, type –, click cell D13, and then press Enter. The ending balance is $9,851.07.
   16. The image includes rows 13 through 28 and then rows 60 through72 after you complete Step 7g.Formulas in cells B13_F13B13=Loan_AmountC13=B13*(Rate/12)D13=Payment-C13E13=C13+D13F13=B13-D13
7. Fill data and copy formulas.
   1. Select cells A13:A14. This is a series with an increment of 1.
   2. Drag the Fill pointer to reach cell A72. This sets 60 payments for a five-year loan term.
   3. Select cell B14. The beginning balance for the second payment is the ending balance for the first payment.
   4. Type =, click cell F13, and press Enter.
   5. Double-click the Fill pointer for cell B14 to fill the formula down to row 72. The results are zero (displayed as a hyphen in Accounting Number Format) until the rest of the schedule is complete.
   6. Select cells C13:F13.
   7. Double-click the Fill pointer at cell F13. All of the formulas are filled (copied) to row 72 (Figure 2-94).Figure 2-94 Formulas copied down columns
   8. Scroll to see the values in row 72. The loan balance reaches 0.
   9. Press Ctrl+Home.
8. Build a multiplication formula.
   1. Click the Fees & Credit sheet tab and select cell F7. Credit hours times number of sections times the fee calculates the total fees from a course.
   2. Type =, click cell C7, type *, click cell D7, type *, click cell E7, and then press Enter. No parentheses are necessary because multiplication is done in left to right order (Figure 2-95).Figure 2-95 Formula to calculate total fees per course
   3. Double-click the Fill pointer for cell F7 to copy the formula.
   4. Verify that cells F7:F18 are Currency format. Set a single bottom border for cell F18.
9. Use SUMIF to calculate fees by department.
   1. Select cell C26.
   2. Click the Math & Trig button [Formulas tab, Function Library group] and select SUMIF.
   3. Click the Range box and select cells B7:B18. This range will be matched against the criteria.
   4. Press F4 (FN+F4) to make the reference absolute.
   5. Click the Criteria box and select cell B26.
   6. Click the Sum_range box, select cells F7:F18, and press F4 (FN+F4).
   7. Click OK. Total fees for the Biology department are 13350 (Figure 2-96).Figure 2-96 Function Arguments dialog box for SUMIF
10. Copy a SUMIF function.
    1. Click cell C26 and drag its Fill pointer to copy the formula to cells C27:C29 without formatting to preserve the borders (Figure 2-97).Figure 2-97 Formula is copied without formatting
    2. Format cells C26:C29 as Currency.
11. Use SUMPRODUCT and trace an error.
    1. Select cell D26 and click the Formulas tab.
    2. Click the Math & Trig button in the Function Library group and select SUMPRODUCT.
    3. Click the Array1 box and select cells C7:C9, credit hours for courses in the Biology Department.
    4. Click the Array2 box and select cells D7:D9, the number of sections for the Biology Department.
    5. Click OK. The Biology Department offered 98 total credit hours.
    6. Click cell D26 and point to its Trace Error button. The formula omits adjacent cells in the worksheet but it is correct.
    7. Click the Trace Error button and select Ignore Error.
12. Copy and edit SUMPRODUCT.
    1. Click cell D26 and drag its Fill pointer to copy the formula to cells D27:D29 without formatting to preserve the borders.
    2. Click cell D27 and click the Insert Function button in the Formula bar.
    3. Select and highlight the range in the Array1 box and select cells C10:C12. The range you select replaces the range in the dialog box (Figure 2-98).Figure 2-98 Replace the ArrayN arguments
    4. Select the range in the Array2 box and select cells D10:D12.
    5. Click OK.
    6. Edit and complete the formulas in cells D28:D29 and ignore errors.
13. Insert the current date as a function.
    1. Select cell F20.
    2. Type =to and press Tab to select the function.
    3. Press Enter.
    4. Press Ctrl+Home.
14. Paste range names.
    1. Click the New sheet button in the sheet tab area.
    2. Name the new sheet Range Names.
    3. Press F3 (FN+F3) to open the Paste Name dialog box.
    4. Click the Paste List button.
    5. AutoFit columns A:B.
15. Save and close the workbook (Figure 2-99).

Project overview

As an IT analyst for BallotOnline, a company providing voting solutions to a global client base, you are working to convince the organization to move its infrastructure to a public cloud. With the growth the company is experiencing and the internal data centers maxed out, you want to get the executives on board with moving to a public cloud rather than trying to expand the current infrastructure.

This project will be completed in a series of steps, in which you will explore cloud technologies and cloud architecture and how they can be used in the organization.

Your presentation with audio narration will educate the executives on cloud computing and its benefits (and drawbacks) to the company. To complete your analysis, you will need to cover the following:

• description      of cloud computing
• basic      capabilities of the cloud
• advantages      and disadvantages of cloud computing
• analysis      of economic implications
• IT      business needs
• SWOT      analysis

There are six steps in this project. In your final narrated PowerPoint presentation, you will be assessed on your ability to convey your understanding of cloud computing and how it can be used to benefit your organization, explaining the advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing and providing a detailed business analysis covering financial considerations, business requirements, and an analysis of threats and opportunities.

Step 1: Describe Cloud Computing

Your supervisor, Sophia, BallotOnline’s director of information technology, has tasked you with creating a presentation that will convince the executives that using cloud-based computing to accommodate BallotOnline’s future growth rather than trying to expand the current infrastructure will help the company do business faster and at lower cost while conserving IT resources.

Step 2: Research Advantages and Disadvantages of Cloud Computing

Now that you have defined important terms and summarized the basic capabilities of the cloud, it is time to explore the advantages and disadvantages of cloud computing.

Currently, BallotOnline is running at full capacity and needs to expand its IT infrastructure to accommodate its growing needs. Instead of expanding current on-premise IT infrastructure by building or acquiring a new data center, Sophia has suggested that the cloud may be more efficient and cost-effective than adding more traditional physical data center space.

This information that you research will be useful in your final presentation in the last step.

When you have completed the research, move to the next step, where you will consider the budgetary aspects of a move to the cloud and the implications for the organization.

Step 3: Analyze Economic Implications

Now that you have weighed the benefits and drawbacks of cloud computing, it’s time to take a close look at the economic implications of a move to the cloud. All organizations (for-profit, nonprofit, or government) have finite budgets. Management must allocate these financial assets appropriately so that the leaders can make sound business decisions and meet the objectives of the organization.

Information technology (IT) is a key strategic function to help support the objectives of an organization. Businesses first used information systems to replace paper-based methods of helping management perform these functions, and that use continues today. Managers must be able to understand different IT models to make the best financial investment decisions for the organization.

The financial requirements for the cloud computing model are different than the financial requirements for an on-premise model. Cloud computing shifts budgets to a pure operating expense model, whereas the traditional on-premise computing model requires both capital and operating expense allocations.

Several free calculators to help estimate the cost of cloud services exist on the web, including the AWS Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Calculator and Azure TCO Calculator. Alternatively, you may find other calculators to estimate your cloud cost. Most cloud providers have their own cloud cost estimator tools. If the calculator that you selected does not show on-premise data, then you can recalculate using one of the other calculators that do provide this data.

For your economic analysis, enter the information from BallotOnline’s IT Budget and Infrastructure Summary into your chosen calculator to estimate TCO for the current physical IT infrastructure configuration. Then estimate TCO for a comparable configuration in the cloud to estimate the potential cost savings.

Write the summary of the economic implications, showing the savings and how you arrived at them, and upload it to the dropbox below.

Step 4: Define the IT Business Requirements

After considering the economic aspects of the cloud, the next logical step is to narrow the particular requirements of cloud computing for the organization. It is important that your presentation works toward building a business case for cloud computing.

Your presentation must address BallotOnline’s business requirements and critical IT requirements related to data storage. Make sure you classify the requirements into functional (behavior) and nonfunctional, as per the requirements definition link.

Step 5: Prepare a SWOT Analysis

In this step, you will apply the information gathered in the business analysis to assess the benefits and possible drawbacks of adopting cloud infrastructure for BallotOnline.

Take Note

What Is a SWOT Analysis?

Your supervisor, Sophia, recommends that you include a SWOT analysis in your presentation, since the BallotOnline company executives will want you to go over both the advantages and disadvantages of cloud adoption and any important internal and external factors that may influence the success of the project.

Prepare a Presentation on Benefits and Possible Drawbacks of Adopting Cloud Infrastructure

In this step, you will prepare your presentation for the BallotOnline executives. This presentation should present them with a compelling business case and cover the benefits and possible drawbacks of adopting cloud infrastructure, data on cloud economics, and a demo of some basic cloud capabilities.

Directions

The manager at James Otis Tax Associates has asked you to submit a report describing the technology hardware and software needed to build a computer network for the new office. The manager has asked you to describe the computer system for each new employee, including an explanation of the purpose for each selected technology component, and to identify specific software programs that the employees would need. He has also asked you to describe the security measures needed to support the systems. In your explanation, include how your knowledge of human-computer interaction (HCI) impacted your choices for each component.

The manager has provided the following employee descriptions:

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA): The CPA is a senior position at a tax preparation company. The CPA will be not only handling sensitive customer data from personal tax returns but also preparing tax returns for corporate clients. The CPA is also responsible for the personal tax returns filled out by the tax and data-entry specialist employees.
• Tax Specialist: The tax specialist has the dual role of entering data and verifying that tax returns are correct. This position involves customer interaction in gathering data for minimizing taxes owed or maximizing tax refunds.
• Data-Entry Specialist: This position requires data entry for personal tax returns for customers who walk in the door. Although the data-entry specialist works with sensitive customer data, they do not have access to the tax returns once the returns are submitted to the tax specialist for review.

For each employee, you must:

• Describe all hardware components, including peripherals, needed to create the systems
• Identify specific software programs (more than one) that would be beneficial to each identified employee. Programs could include:
  • Operating systems
  • Applications such as:
    • Office automation products
    • Security products
• Describe security measures needed to support this system. Security measures could focus on:
  • Access
  • Administration and user passwords
  • Firewalls

Along with each description, explain the purpose of each technology component in each system. In your explanation, include how your knowledge of human-computer interaction (HCI) impacted your choices for components.

Finally, choose a network topology that could be used to connect all of the new employees identified by the manager. Create a Visio diagram to identify the networking equipment needed to enable the workflow between the employees.

respond to this discussion posts in 1 paragraph. Focus your review and (respectful) response on the strength of your colleague’s supporting argument and evidence, on presenting alternative perspectives, and on sharing insights that may prove helpful for the future individual assignments in this course. Try to ask a direct question. 

*** Tiffany Vidal 

Google is an example of a company that has continuously maintained strong ethics, social responsibility, and also has environmentally sustainable policies that have directly contributed to its competitive advantage. Hence, Google’s parent company, Alphabet, Inc. has committed to investing $2.5 billion in wind and solar projects (Dudovskiy, 2017). Google’s offices have also gained Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, and Google consistently seeks to have a smaller carbon footprint (602 Communications, 2017). These practices and policies have contributed to its competitive advantage because Google is known for its transparency regarding its workplace practices. Also, because Google has developed its own environmental sustainability programs, many consumers are willing to support the company. Hence, having a competitive advantage allows companies to differentiate themselves in the market (Competitive Advantage, 2016). Corporate social responsibility strategies also highlight the organizational morals and values that are embedded in Google’s company culture (602 Communications, 2017).

            Moreover, Google has developed ethically and socially responsible policies that have increased its workforce retention, reduced employee turnover, and improved sales (Dudovskiy, 2017). Thus, leaders at Google have recognized the importance of not only earning profits but also being effective for people and the environment (602 Communications, 2017). Google has proven that having ethics, environmentally sustainable policies, and being socially responsible reinforces consumers’ trust in companies (Madhani, 2009). Leaders at Google performed internal and external analyses to identify how they compared to its competitors (Competitive Advantage, 2016). When companies develop practices that support others and the environment, consumers begin to support them and also tell others about the company. Moreover, consumerism is extremely vital in maintaining a sustained competitive advantage (Madhani, 2009).

Reference

602 Communications. (2017, May 3). Google and the corporate social responsibility of

companies. Retrieved from http://602communications.com/google-corporate-social-responsibility-of-companies/

Competitive Advantage. (26 May 2016). In Boundless economics. Retrieved

from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-business/chapter/the-drive-for-international-trade/

Dudovskiy, J. (2017, june 20). google corporate social responsibility (csr) – research-

methodology. Retrieved from https://research-methodology.net/google-corporate-social-responsibility-csr/

Madhani, P. (2009). Resource based view (RBV) of competitive advantages: Importance, issues

and implications. Indian Management Research Journal, 1(2), 2-12. Retrieved from https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1504379

 in 1 paragraph respond to this persons discussion posted on: 

Thinking about an interteam challenge* or conflict that you have either been part of or have observed in your organization.

*** Shanice Marsh 

People are people, no matter where they are – at home, out on the town or at work – and sometimes interteam conflict is inevitable when we come together with other groups — especially those not physically located in the same city, state or country (Hordos, 2018).  As a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) analyst for a public agency, most of my job entails receiving requests from the public for records and responding to the requester within a specified time frame.  Depending on the scope of the requested information, when these requests do come in, we have to task (reach out) other field offices to retrieve information not maintained in our office.  Being that the Department of Homeland Security has dozens of offices located across the United States and internationally, we are often required to reach out to individuals in different time zones that we may never come into physical contact with.  Conflict occurs when our office tasks a field office that goes beyond the specified deadline, which opens the unit up to potential litigation from the requester.  In addition, because the information is likely to be law enforcement sensitive, the information could take weeks if not months to receive, especially if we have to task multiple offices.  Unfortunately, there is little we can do to mitigate these interteam challenges from occurring because the circumstances surrounding the release of documents are compiled for law enforcement purposes and have to be carefully considered before a decision is made to release, redact or withhold records.  Correspondingly, the time and operational distances between offices can not be controlled.  In the end, my only suggestion is to follow up with the field offices when they do go past the deadline to ensure they are still aware of the request. 

Reference

Hordos, Lorna. (2018, June 06). What Are the Causes of Intergroup Conflict? Bizfluent. Retrieved from https://bizfluent.com/info-8463616-causes-intergroup-conflict.html.

*** Elizabeth Sabin 

We consistently have challenges between sales and the legal team.   To sign up a new customer requires the legal department to create a contract and approve a credit application.   For a typical contract, it can take up to three weeks to receive the document to provide to the client for signature.   Salespeople feel this is way too long and legal always seems to have something “bigger” they are working on.  The sales person is usually impatient (as expected) since reaching their goals and earning their commissions depends on a closed deal.  

The two teams should negotiate to gain resolution.  This is the most common way to resolve an inter-team conflict.   If the negotiations go well and satisfy all parties, it creates order, stability, and harmony( Van Kleef,  Steinel, & Homan 2013).   The legal team must be held accountable for specific deadlines and set expectations for the salespeople so that they can communicate and set expectations with the customer. 

To avoid this specific conflict from occurring in the future,  the teams need to agree on the reasonable amount of time it should take to get the completed contract to the client.  The legal team can provide a timetable and update it weekly.  The timetable can show for the week how long the turnaround time for a contract will be if it is requested that week.    Some weeks it may be a one-week turnaround and for others, it may take five weeks but at least the salesperson will know up front.   This will lower the frustration levels for the legal team, sales team, and the client.   

Van Kleef, G. A., Steinel, W., & Homan, A. C. (2013). On being peripheral and paying attention: Prototypicality and information processing in intergroup conflict. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(1), 63-79

 We want you to read at least one article or view a video about hardware (not software). Then write a brief summary (or create a short presentation) summarizing the article using MS Word or PowerPoint. Brief means no less than 10 sentences but not more than one page. Make sure to cite your source properly. 

Chapter 10  – Policymakers are tasked with making decisions on issues characterized as wicked problems because of controversies, unknown relationships between causes and consequences, and (consequently) uncertain futures. From this perspective, it would be desirable to map the decisions and their possible outcomes prior to the actual decision making because that would generate certainty in ambiguous situations. Broadly speaking, this provides the motive for using computational modeling for policymaking as expressed in, e.g., policy informatics. 

Q1:   From this revelation, why is it more common to work with models “modded off-the-shelf” (MOTS) or even tailor-made models to suit specific questions and conditions? 

why is it more common to work with MOTS as indicated above? provide a clear narrative to support your responses.

• Briefly describe three types of errors that can occur in JavaScript. Determine which error you believe to be the most difficult to debug. Provide one example of the error you believe to be the most difficult that supports your response, and suggest three actions to aid in the debugging process.
• Flesh out your thoughts and interact with your classmates. Post your initial response by Wednesday each week and then return on a couple of other days to see what’s going on with the discussions. The more you interact, the more you learn from your peers, and the more you share with them about what you know. You will also be showing your instructor what you have picked up.