Porter 5 Forces Analysis of Ford

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Students are required to submit a two (2) page, single-spaced integrated summary and analysis of the weeks readings as they pertain to one or more themes detected.  Sometimes an article will be completely relevant to the subject addressed in lectures and at other times only one sentence or a casual reference will have meaning to you. 

The format for these Position Papers is in the tradition of Hegels Dialectic: Thesis, Antithesis and Synthesis.  Thesis is a position regarding a proposition or interpretation of an event or policy or theory.  Antithesis is the opposing position that contradicts the Thesis but does not negate it.  Both perspectives here are possible.  The Synthesis tries to resolve the contradiction in a middle ground that allows for both interpretations to have at least partial validity.

The intention of these assignments is to have the student integrate learning from various sources (i.e. the assigned readings from the Course Timetable (following), other course readings and incidental exposure to current events).  Should the student wish to go further than the assigned readings, they are encouraged to do so.  Please include any articles referenced with your submission.

FATAL FLAW: Reports will be subject to a Fatal Flaw assessment policy.  Any submission with more than 3 errors of grammar, spelling or format will receive a grade of 1. 

Critical Thinking In Action

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Please use the instructions below to complete order.

-Write a 2-4-page academic paper in which you describe a business situation, apply a critical thinking framework to the situation, and recommend evidence-based solutions to the situation. Explain how the concepts of VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity) could affect both the situation and the solution.

-Read the following and think about how Panera used critical thinking and an understanding of VUCA to solve their mosh pit problem. Pay attention to Kallet’s critical thinking framework in particular.

Jargon, J. (2017, June 2). How Panera solved its mosh pit problem. The Wall Street Journal.
Kallet, M. (2014). Think smarter: Critical thinking to improve problem-solving and decision-making skills. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons.

Then, find another company with a problem they need to fix: EQUIFAX

PROBLEM: Consumer credit reporting agency Equifax became the target of one of the largest data breaches of all time last year. Between mid-May and July 2017, criminal hackers infiltrated the companys servers and accessed personal data including drivers license numbers, Social Security numbers, and birthdays of more than 145 million Americans, potentially exposing them to the threat of identity theft.

Perhaps even more troubling than the security flaws exposed in the hack itself was the way the company handled it. Despite discovering the breach on July 29th, the company waited a month and a half to make a public announcement. The public was further outraged when the company forced consumers to agree not to join a class-action lawsuit in order to see if their information was hacked. Lawmakers have yet to take action to reduce the likelihood of such incidents from happening again.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2018/02/01/bad-reputation-americas-top-20-most-hated-companies/1058718001/

In an APA-formatted paper:

Cover page: please include cover page which is not included in the length of paper

1.) Summarize the problem you researched. Then, apply Kallet’s critical thinking framework to describe how the leadership of this company should think through the problem to create a solution. Finally, give at least one evidence-based solution through your research or that you read the company is going to or did employ. Next, describe what VUCA considerations the leadership must keep in mind as they implement this solution.

2) Work on being concise but thorough, keeping academically formatted paper to no more than four double-spaced pages.

3)Be sure your paper includes, and is organized, as follows:

  -Introduction: Write an introduction that tells the reader what to expect of this paper (1 paragraph). Include a brief mention that leaders at Panera Bread effectively used an understanding of critical thinking and VUCA to solve their mosh pit problem, and that this paper applies a similar framework to solving whatever problem in the organization you chose. Choose an organization with a problem you can research which is EQUIFAX

-Problem: Describe the problem that you will be solving for another company, describing the situation (13 paragraphs).

-Thinking Critically: Apply the framework for critical thinking as outlined by Michael Kallet in the Think Smarter e-book to the problem you identified to describe an evidence-based recommendation for this company to improve.  which you read about in your research (13 paragraphs).

-Applying VUCA: Explain how VUCA could affect both the situation and your recommendation, and any important considerations for management in implementing the recommended solution (12 paragraphs).

-Conclusion: Write a conclusion that wraps up and summarizes your document (1 paragraph).

-References: Include at least 5 APA-formatted citations in your paper, with 6 in-text citations. Please include a reference page which is not included in the length of the paper.
Required sources to cite include:

1.)Jargon, J. (2017, June 2). How Panera solved its mosh pit problem. The Wall Street Journal.

2.)Kallet, M. (2014). Think smarter: Critical thinking to improve problem-solving and decision-making skills. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley & Sons.

3.)Bennett, N., & Lemoine, G. J. (2014). What VUCA really means for you. Harvard Business Review, 92(1/2), 27.

4.) and sources from Equifax regarding their problem

I took the liberty of attaching the Panera, VUCA, and Kallet sources. However, I was only able to attach the first 7 chapters of Kallet. The entire book is needed to assist with paper.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. Thanks!

Assignment: Preparing a Professional Development Plan WK5

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Assignment: Preparing a Professional Development Plan

A construction crew does not begin to build a new house without the architects blueprint. Though issues may arise during construction that require changes to the blueprint, a blueprint serves as the necessary plan for construction and helps the crew visualize and track the impact of any changes.

Most business initiatives begin with some sort of plan, though type and quality vary. As a business professional, you may have heard of the value of strategic planning and may have even been part of a strategic planning process. Yet, many independent scholars begin a doctoral program without a clear vision or plan for achieving their goals.

Detailing your goals and developing a plan in writing provides you with a document to which you can refer in order to maintain your focus. Having a plan in place will help you visualize the impact of challenges and opportunities that arise so that you can make changes to your plans and goals as often as necessary to ensure your personal and professional satisfaction and success.

To prepare for this Assignment, consider the personal SWOT analysis you completed and the goals you developed in Week 1. Reflect upon your experiences so far in this program and any insights you have gained since you created those goals. In addition, review your PLN plan from Week 4 and the results of The New Drivers of Leadership Self-Assessment that you completed this week. Finally, return to the interactive media Voices of DBA Students. This time, focus on the independent scholars descriptions of their goals, their plans, and the challenges they faced in achieving their goals. You will use the Professional Development Plan template to complete this Assignment.

By Day 7
Submit a 5- to 7-page (excluding a title page and References section) Professional Development Plan (PDP). In your Plan, do the following:

Further develop the goals you crafted in Week 1 of this course. Each goals narrative must incorporate the following:
A statement of your goal
An explanation of your motivation for wanting to achieve the goal and how it relates to your personal values
A brief description of the steps you intend to take to accomplish your goal, including any relevant tools, strategies, or resources
An explanation of how you plan to use technology and/or social media to promote completion of your goal
An explanation of how these steps reflect consideration of personal strengths and weaknesses relevant to the goal
A timeline for completion of your goal
Use your SWOT analysis, PLN, and The New Drivers of Leadership Self-Assessment results as guides to ensure alignment.
Include appropriate references cited in accordance with appropriate APA formatting. Your References section must include a minimum of five APA-formatted, scholarly citations. Your resources must include the following:
Two to three readings (e.g., book, periodical, journal, etc.)
At least two forms of technology and/or social media sites that will contribute to the formation of your own PDP
At least one other resource (e.g., SWOT analysis, The New Drivers of Leadership Self-Assessment results, and/or your Personal Learning Network [PLN] plan)
Be sure to use the Professional Development Plan Template, located in this weeks Learning Resources, to complete this Assignment. Also, refer to the Week 5 Assignment Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this rubric to assess your work. Please Note: You must include a minimum of five APA-formatted, scholarly citations for this Assignment.

Discussion: Leadership Style and Constructive Feedback WK5 Comments

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Video link
https://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/DDBA/8006/03/mm/audio_interface/index.html

Discussion: Leadership Style and Constructive Feedback
All of us by nature easily fall in love with our own ideas, our own words. Excellence is born of intelligent criticism. And maturity is the product of the self-confidence that seeks, accepts and benefits from criticism.
William Marsteller, Creative Management: A Euphemism for Common Sense

Regardless of your professional status, effective communicationparticularly the giving and receiving of effective feedbackis vital for the achievement of your goals. Whether your feedback is meant to inspire, motivate, resolve an issue, congratulate, or reprimand, you can achieve positive outcomes given the right delivery. Even in circumstances when you need to deliver difficult constructive feedback to someone, good communication skills can facilitate the recipients willing acceptance of your message. Giving and receiving constructive feedback is the norm throughout this doctoral program. For some doctoral scholars, it is second nature to give and receive constructive feedback, while others struggle for various reasons. You are gaining experience with this process during each weekly Discussion and, in some instances, your feedback experience is unique, such as in the Pretend You Are the Instructor Discussion you completed. Nevertheless, there are countless individuals who will provide you with feedback and many to whom you will give feedback. Developing the tactful skills of communication often takes practice, and understanding your personal leadership style is helpful.

This week you will assess your leadership style, and you will give and receive constructive feedback during your Discussion concerning the outcomes of your assessment. Additionally, you will construct your Personal Development Plan as a guide for your success.

To prepare for this Discussion, review the materials in the Learning Resources and complete The New Drivers of Leadership Self-Assessment, adapted from Casse (2014).

By Day 3
Post an assessment of your results. In your assessment, do the following:

Summarize your findings, including your scores for each Driver (energy, focus, speed, and challenge).
Evaluate the validity of this assessment, including whether you agree or disagree with the scores.
Explain how self-assessments such as the one you completed can help you know [yourself] in terms of strengths and weaknesses (Casse, 2014, p. 30).
Delineate the measures you will take to improve your leadership competencies.
Refer to the Week 5 Discussion Rubric for specific grading elements and criteria. Your Instructor will use this rubric to assess your work.

Read a selection of your colleagues responses.

By Day 5
Respond to at least two of your colleagues postings as follows:

Provide constructive feedback on your colleagues assessment by addressing the following questions:
In what ways has your colleague provided a thorough self-assessment based on the outcome?
In what ways could your colleague provide stronger evidence for or against the validity of his or her scores?
Based on your colleagues self-assessment, what are some additional, specific suggestions you have for enhancing his or her leadership competencies?
In your response, consider both the content and clarity of writing. To support your assertions, provide appropriately cited references, either from this weeks Learning Resources or from your own research. Remember to balance positive feedback with constructive criticism where appropriate.
Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what insights you gained as a result of reading the comments your colleagues made.