This week’s readings provide an overview of various types of mixed methods research designs. As with previous discussions on design, the selection of the most appropriate mixed design is guided by the study’s purpose and research questions and/or hypotheses. The choice of design links the research questions and/or hypotheses to the data that will be collected achieving alignment among research components.

In this Discussion, you will explore the basics of mixed methods research designs, calling upon your growing understanding of both quantitative and qualitative research.

With these thoughts in mind:

By Day 4

Post your response to the question, “To what extent is mixed methods research simply taking a quantitative design and a qualitative design and putting them together?” Next, explain the types of research questions best served by mixed methods research. Then, explain one strength and one limitation of mixed methods research. Finally, provide a rationale for or against the utility of mixed methods research in your discipline.

Be sure to support your Main Issue Post and Response Post with reference to the week’s Learning Resources and other scholarly evidence in APA Style.

Tutorjass?

Using Earned Value Analysis

One of the key elements of effective project management is bringing together multiple concepts of scope, budget, and schedule management to have a system’s view of a project.

• Explain how earned value analysis and the balanced scorecard are both useful tools for project managers, if they are.
• If your manager said that there was only time to collect data for EVA or the balanced scorecard which would you select to use and why?

You may find Table 7-1 in the PMBOK® Guide of use in this discussion.

Support your statements and conclusions using at least one current, peer-reviewed scholarly article. Current means that the article was published in the most recent five years. Be sure to include your citation/reference pair in accordance with CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA (Links to an external site.).

In this assignment, read Case Study 12.1 – The Problems of Multitasking located in the Pinto (2009) text.

• Present a case analysis 2000 word paper in length, not including the cover page and reference section.
• Your discussion is to wrap around questions one through three (1-3) located at the end of the case.
• You are to use a minimum of 7 sources as is required in accordance with APA standards.
• Be sure that you integrate the principles learned thus far in the course.

 Assignment 4: United States Department of Labor Case Study
Due Week 8 and worth 150 points

Go to the United States Department of Labor Website to read “ Health Plans and Benefits” at http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/cobra.htm. This Website communicates the current regulations and federal involvement in employee benefits.  Navigate the Website to become familiar with its contents. 

Write a five to seven (5-7) page paper in which you:

1. Describe the major features of this Website and how each feature can be used to monitor employee benefits.
2. Explain how employers could verify that their employee benefits comply with all federal laws by using this resource.
3. Explain how employees would use this information to ensure their benefits rights are protected.
4. Create an outline of the Website so that you could orient others to its usefulness for regulatory compliance.
5. Use at least five (5) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not quality as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length.

HA3110D – Quality Improvement and Risk Management

LP03.1 ASSIGNMENT: Interview Report

In LP02, you found a person to interview about their experience with quality improvement and scheduled an interview with them. This week, submit your interview report.

Directions

Ask your interview subject the following questions:

Define the change process or outcome you improved.

What data did you collect,, and how was it reported?

How did you know the change was an improvement?

What quality tools did you use?

Did you pilot test or segment the change processes?

What changes, if any, did you make once evaluation was complete?

How do you assure the improvement will be sustained?

In a Word document, create an interview report to submit to the drop box.

What to include in your report:

a.The name and title of the person you interviewed. Why did you choose them?

b.When and where the interview took place.

c.The required questions and the interviewee’s response.

d.Summarize the personal reflections and conclusions that you gained from this activity.

e.How might you use this knowledge in your own professional role?

HR Presentation on Talent Management in a Changing Organization: Part 3

Note: This Assignment consists of three parts. You submitted Parts 1 and 2 in Weeks 3 and 4. You will complete and submit only Part 3 this week.

You are an HR analyst for XYZ Corporation, and you have been tasked with the assignment of helping a company through a period of organizational change. Your client, Thoreau Enterprises, recently acquired several other companies in its industry. The organization has gone from being a $1 billion entity to a $15 billion entity as a result of these acquisitions. Though Thoreau Enterprises purchased the others, it was actually the smallest entity of the entire grouping. After meeting with Thoreau Enterprises’ company leadership, your Director, Jacob Wickham, has compiled notes on three main areas that need to be addressed: talent management needs, compensation, and the role of HR to lead change for the new organization. Following is a list of specific concerns that Jacob noted during the initial meeting:

• There are a number of “legacy” employees whose roles in the new organization have changed drastically as a result of the acquisitions. Many employees are unclear whether their jobs are going to be considered redundant or if they are “safe” in the new organizational structure. Rumors are spreading that everyone’s jobs are up for grabs, employees will have to re-interview to keep their jobs, and the severance packages for anyone laid off may not be as great as people are hoping for. Morale is low in this period of uncertainty.
• HR leaders are aware of the need to hire to fill certain functions, and it has come to light that job descriptions do not exist for all levels in the organization.
• In the past, employees were typically hired because they were referred by existing staff. Therefore, contemporary recruiting and hiring methods have not been utilized at Thoreau Enterprises.
• Compensation strategies need to be aligned across the new organization.
• With the merger of so many companies, no cohesive corporate culture has been established, and there are major employee morale issues, as stated above. In fact, the leaders of the new Thoreau Enterprises are unsure of what their company culture should be and need guidance for how HR can help them to establish this and lead them through this period of uncertainty and change.

Your director, Jacob Wickham, has asked you to put together a presentation on talent management, compensation, and the role of HR in helping to manage organizational change. After speaking with the client, Jacob has compiled a list of items that he wants you to cover in this presentation, which should include a title slide, References slide, and speaker notes for each slide that Jacob can use to present your points to the leaders of Thoreau Enterprises.

To prepare for this Assignment:

• Review this week’s Learning Resources and the scenario for this Assignment.
• Refer to the Academic Writing Expectations for 2000/3000-Level Courses as you compose your Assignment.

By Day 7

Submit Part 3 of your presentation, according to the following prompts.

Part 3: Addressing Organizational Changes (6–9 slides)

• Illustrate the role of HR in managing the talent pipeline during organizational change and restructuring. Provide at least three specific examples of HR functions that would apply to this type of situation. (1–2 slides) 
• Describe how HR can address the impacts of organizational change and restructuring on employee morale. In your response, identify at least two tools, methods, and/or strategies that HR can employ, including a brief rationale for each selection. (2–3 slides) 
• Identify at least three examples of legal challenges a company could potentially face during restructuring and explain how HR can help the organization avoid committing violations for each example. (3–4 slides) 

Question #1

The GLOBE study built on another study conducted by Geert Hofstede, one of the most comprehensive studies of how values in the workplace are influenced by culture. In Hofstede’s study, he describes and measures 6 cultural dimensions – some of which were also used in the GLOBE study : Power Distance, Individualism, Masculinity, Uncertainty Avoidance, Long Term Orientation and Indulgence. 

1) Go to this page: https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/

and select United States.

2) Then select under Comparison Country any country of your choice. 

3) What can you tell us about the difference between the U.S. and the other country?

Bling-Bling, Inc. is a struggling jewelry outlet that provides modestly priced gold, silver and gemstone jewelry via kiosks placed in large malls. Since their products are made with lower quality and less expensive stones and lower levels of key ingredients (like gold) and since they do not rent or own building floor space, they can sell for prices that meet the needs of many mall shoppers. However, they have the on-going issue of training and retraining sales associates. BBI wants to beef-up their orientation program.You have been hired to build a low-tech training solution for these associates.

IN 300 WORDS ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION: 

 Based on the information below, what are the key cognitive issues, and memory/attention factors that you will consider in your designs? Based on that analysis of the essential learning needs, what learning theories, modalities, methods and technologies would be most likely to meet the need? Explain your reasoning and support your opinions.

Bling-Bling, Inc Sales Associates Level 1 (kiosk-based):

• Age: 18-30 (average age 19)
• For 49% of sales associates this is their first job ever, while 39% indicate that they have held another full-time job, and another 9% indicate that this is their second job (i.e., they are already working 40+ hrs a week for another business), 3% did not respond.
• Tend a mall kiosk during mall hours with 15 minute breaks every 2 hours.
• Have a 40% turn-over in 90 days and a 75% annually
• When surveyed about the work indicated that:
  • They are often bored by sitting in a kiosk with nothing to do
  • Do not have a phone (or at least not one provided by the company)
  • Their only computer is one provided by the company for posting sales and does not have internet or wireless access
• When mall security were asked about Bling-Bling’s Sales Associates work practices, they indicated that:
  • “They’re just kids. Like all kids they spend more time on the phone or playing games on their iPods than working.”
  • “When a new one starts the first day, I show‘em how they will handle a money-changer con artist. None of them have ever heard of that. When I ask how they will handle someone ripping off some of the jewels, they don’t seem to know what your company wants them to do.”

MARKETING – MARKETING MANAGER ANALYSIS

Due Date

Week 7

Note: While representative of possible situations faced by the Brooklyn Nets, all scenarios in this assignment are fictional.

Real Business

For a large discount retail store like Target and Walmart, it can be difficult to get the marketing mix just right for a given product. There are so many products in the store fighting for the attention of customers. There is also the challenge of helping the suppliers of each product maximize their profits while making sure the store is making money. With so many things to consider, working in marketing for such a large business can be a challenge.

Your Role

This week, you’ll be acting as a Marketing Manager in the sporting goods section.

WHAT IS A MARKETING MANAGER?

Marketing Managers are responsible for developing, implementing and executing marketing plans, either for an entire organization or for particular categories or products within the organization, in order to attract potential customers and keep existing ones.

Their day-to-day tasks include managing and coordinating marketing and creative staff, leading market research to improve existing products and services, working with advertising agencies, and determining the best way to get products in front of customers.

As a marketing manager for a discount retail store in Brooklyn, you have been asked to evaluate a marketing plan for basketballs to ensure that the 4 P’s of marketing are being applied well. Using your knowledge of the 4 P’s and the best approach to generating sales, you’ll take a look at a number of marketing recommendations and choose the approach that you believe will sell the most products.

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Product

In the Marketing Analysis Presentation provided by your marketing team, you’ll see three different basketballs that need to be included in the product display on Slide 2. Each product has unique features.

Based on the information provided about the customers that shop at the store location on Slide 3, choose the basketball that you think will sell the most. Explain the rationale for your decision.

Step 2: Place

On Slide 4 of the Marketing Analysis Presentation, you’ll see the results of a survey that asked potential buyers about where they are most likely to purchase these products.

Use your knowledge about product placement to choose the best place to sell the products, deciding between traditional stores and online. Explain the rationale for your decision.

Step 3: Promotion

Slide 5 of the Marketing Analysis Presentation shows three recommended advertisements, including a special deal promotion, for the product that is expected to sell the best.

Based on the information provided about the customers that shop at this store location on Slide 3, determine which promotional activity will sell the most product at this particular store. Explain the rationale for your decision.

Step 4: Price

Finally, Look at the pricing options available for each of the three products together on Slide 6.

Based on your knowledge of the Pricing Strategies discussed on pages 186-187 in the textbook, choose the option that has the best pricing mix for all three products. Refer to the customer information on Slide 2, if needed. Explain the rationale for your decision.

Note: You should complete Step 5 after reading the material in Week 7.

Step 5: Brand & Sales Pitch

The company that makes one of the basketballs is looking to rebrand the product. They have asked for your input on possible brand ideas.

First, read the Brand Vision statement which summarizes the goal for the new brand. Then, look at the logo, name, and tagline recommendations. Which of the two brand directions do you think best meets the goals of the brand vision? Please support your decisions.

Second, write a 2-3 sentence sales pitch that you would use to try to convince someone to purchase this product.

Step 6: Market Segmentation

The marketing plan for the basketballs at the Brooklyn store has been in place now for four months, and the marketing team has assembled a report reviewing sales data and customer feedback for the last quarter’s basketball sales. Overall, the results are lower than you expected and you are concerned that your marketing and creative staff have not properly segmented your target customers. Remember, like many products in the marketplace, the basketball’s marketing campaigns must target two different groups of customers: (1) adults who purchase the item as a gift and, therefore, do not actually use the product; and (2) adults and teenagers who purchase the item for their own use and enjoyment. Both groups have different reasons and expectations surrounding the item in question, and those reasons and expectations will have significant impacts on the buyers’ purchasing decisions.

Review the five customer segments detailed on pages 194-195 of your textbook: Behavioral, Sociographic, Psychographic, Geographic and Demographic. Select one focus area of each segment that you feel is most relevant to the sale of basketballs at this store location.

Keeping in mind the 4 P’s, write 1-2 questions for each focus area that will guide your staff as they investigate these aspects of your campaign.

Example:

Segment: Geographic

Focus Area: Neighborhood

Questions: What combination of marketing and media channels did we use to reach current and potential customers? How are we gathering information on where current customers live who purchased a basketball?