Category: Business and management

Complete Problem 717 Comparing Traditional and Activity-Based Product Margins. Refer to the Problem in the textbook for detailed instructions. Complete Case 1017 Working Backwards from Variance Data. Refer to the Case in the textbook for detailed instructions. pDF text is attached

Critical analysis reports must be a maximum of three pages in length; only the first three pages

will be read and evaluated by the instructor. You will identify the problem or opportunity and discuss

a viable solution based on your analysis of the case. The general structure of all critical analyses:

1. Describe the business situation, including the macro-environmental and micro-environmental

conditions facing the organization.

2. Develop the problem statement: the opportunity or threat facing the organization.

3. What alternative strategies and programs would you consider for dealing with the opportunity

or threat to the organization? Present each alternative in sufficient detail to give the reader an

idea of why it may be beneficial.

4. Recommend one or more of the alternatives you have identified. Inform the reader of your

reasons for these recommendations.

5. Describe tracking metrics to determine whether your recommended strategies and programs are

effective. Be sure to include both intermediate and conclusive metrics to guide managements

redirection of ineffective strategies.

6. Summarize what you have learned from your critical analysis.

You are encouraged to do external research on the industry or the company as a context for your

analysis. APA format in-text source citations and a comprehensive bibliography are required for

each critical analysis report. Your report must include the focal reading plus at least three

references in addition to the companys website or Wikipedia

The outline: Macro-environmental and micro-environmental issues.

2. Concise problem statement.

3. Alternative strategies and programs.

4. Recommended solutions.

5. Intermediate and conclusive program performance metrics.

My included outline feedback: his is not a properly formatted report outline. Single-page outlines must be written as a set of brief and focused numbered or bulleted declarative statements. Please develop an original and descriptive title for your reports.

Your background analysis should present the key macro- and micro-environmental factors that have led Macys Department Store to introduce a range of changes to its Chicago location. The companys cultural, social, demographic, and competitive environments have changed markedly over the years, and it has been slow to keep pace. Macys is one of several department store chains facing an existential crisis. Its management has decided to introduce changes in the way that the retailer merchandises, presents, prices, and promotes its offerings to meet its customers evolving preferences. Ultimately, the chain hopes to be the preferred alternative for older shoppers who still frequent department stores and younger customers who are seeking new and leading-edge merchandise.

Your problem statement is conclusory. Clearly and concisely identify the opportunity or threat that Macys must address to resume its sales growth. How can the retail chain improve its value proposition? What are “brand partnership improvement opportunities”?

Present more specific alternative (new) solutions. How should Macys increase its appeal for consumers? Propose specific and actionable solutions.

Your recommendations must be selected from among your alternative solutions. What do you mean by “strategic flagship investment with omnichannel acceleration”? Explain why you made those specific recommendations.

Present a set of intermediate and conclusive program performance metrics. What conclusive metrics will show whether your recommended programs have ultimately created shareholder value? Share price is not a program-specific metric. Market share is not a conclusive program metric.

General comments regarding the assignment:

Macys was founded in 1842 on 6th Avenue in New York City. It is one of the oldest and largest department store chains, with 450 stores on the United States mainland and in Puerto Rico and Guam. It is among the last full-priced chains in a retail category that is rapidly declining. Lord & Taylor, Sears, Gimbels, Abraham & Straus and a host of other prominent names in this category closed their doors in the past 40 years, leaving Macys as one of the few surviving brands. In recent years the company has received acquisition bids, some hostile, but management has successfully fended off all offers. The company remains committed to maintaining its independence and has asserted on several occasions that there is significant sustained value in its retail brand and operations.

Most recently, Macys revamped its State Street Chicago location as a model for chain-wide department store rejuvenation. One important change is an updated merchandising strategy featuring Ralph Lauren in a mix of core brands, younger brands, trending brands, and some upscale brands not usually found at Macys. New flooring, improved lighting, and better signage are also important elements of the State Street upgrade. Associates at this location are better-trained and more knowledgeable about the merchandise. Management hopes that these changes will improve the customer experience and enhance Macys brand image. The challenge is clear: Macys must prove that department stores generally, and Macys in particular, can create value for a broad range of customers.

Macys management is hoping its State Street upgrades will fuel a turnaround. Although Macys reported strong business performance in Q2 2025, with net sales of $4.8 billion (0.8% above the comparable quarter of 2024) and an EPS of $0.31, equity markets remain wary of Macys stock. What additional programs and policies should Macys consider for implementation? What other changes can the company make to increase the popularity of its value proposition? How can the chain further differentiate itself in the crowded retail market space? Overall, what changes should be made to Macys marketing mix to improve its customers satisfaction and increase shareholder value?

Be sure that your final critical analysis report includes a focused background analysis of the key macro- and micro-environmental factors impacting the firm. The problem statement should very briefly (in one or two sentences) summarize the opportunity or threat the company must address. Your alternative solutions should concisely present a set of realistic alternatives for solving the identified problem. Recommended solutions should be justified based on implementation speed, relative cost, and the cost-benefit impact on the firm. Develop a set of intermediate and conclusive program metrics to help management determine whether your programs have been successful in creating customer and shareholder value.

Accountability and Team Presentations

Discussion: Accountability and Team Presentations

Length: 300 Words

Deborah Grayson Riegel, a communication skills expert, has this to say about team presentations: Ive found that group presentations tend to fall into the trap of creating a feeling of shared accountability (were all in this together) that translates into a reality of no accountability (Im sure someone else will test that the A/V set up is working). This means that core elements of presentation planning, design and delivery often fall through the cracks, resulting in a mishmash of uncoordinatedand sometimes competingobjectives, repeated or missing information, wildly different styles in graphics, and the likelihood that the presentation will run significantly under- or over-time. Add to that the feelings of frustration and resentment that people working in teams often feel about carrying more weight than their partners, and a team presentation is often a recipe for disaster.

Can you relate? How can you ensure successful team presentations?

Microeconomics ECO 302 Integrated Project Due Date The paper is due as scheduled (However, various parts of the paper should be completed during the term). Company selection due NLT January 11, 2025: Assignment: You are required to construct a case study/research paper during the course of the semester. The primary purpose of the paper is to: * Further understand the economic way of thinking and the managerial implications. * Give you an incentive to think critically about course information. * Apply economic principles to firms at microeconomic level in the U.S. Goal: Construct a case study/research paper that examines a firm in the U.S. from a microeconomic standpoint and provide suggestions based on your findings. * Step 1: Choose a firm for your focus. In addition to picking a firm that you find interesting, you will likely want to pick a firm that has available data (or a firm that for which you can personally provide data). Publicly traded companies file reports with a great deal of data (preferred). * Step 2: You will need to complete an analysis of the following categories for your firm. You should complete each section as we cover it in the course although the final paper is not due until the end of term. This will help you to reinforce topics from the course. The following must be included: NOTE: Be sure to break your paper into the following sections with headings: * What does your firm do? Introduce your firm * How have supply and demand conditions impacted the firm in recent years? * Examine price elasticity of demand for the products your firm sells. * Examine the costs of production for your firm. * What is (are) your firms primary competitive advantage(s)? * Are there entry barriers for firms in this industry? * What substitutes are available for your product? * What is the market share for firms in the industry? * What market structure best describes the conditions your firm faces? * Based on the characteristics of your firm, provide advice regarding what you think the firm should do going forward and provide a prediction of their future. Paper Requirements: * Length: 10 pages; title page and reference page do not count toward the total. * Title page including the name of your paper, your name, and a paper abstract (this is a brief summary of your paper; around 150 words). * Paper section: * An introduction that clearly introduces your firm and the goal of the paper. * The main body of the paper should clearly describe your findings and your suggestions. * A conclusion that summarizes and emphasizes your contribution. * The paper should be double spaced with times new roman font (size 12), 1 inch margins and justified text. * You should cite all sources that you use for data and analysis. * Resources should be cited on a reference page using APA format: * * Be sure to use proper spelling and grammar. * Additional resources are available from scholarly journals (these can be found through the ECO database through FirstSearch on the library research page or JSTOR), scholarly books, government publications, or business news media (for example, the Wall Street Journal). The 90-60-30- Rule in Antitrust Regulations Certainly! The 90-60-30 rule is a guideline used in antitrust regulation to assess whether a monopoly exists based on market share. Heres how it works: 1. 90% Market Share: If a company holds 90% or more of the market share, it is definitely considered a monopoly. 2. 60% Market Share: A market share between 60% and 90% suggests that a company is probably a monopoly. 3. 30% Market Share: If a companys market share is below 30%, it is definitely not considered a monopoly1. This rule helps regulators evaluate the concentration of market power and determine whether antitrust actions are necessary to promote competition and protect consumers.

Module 2 Assignment: Writing In Business: Audience and Purpose

Understanding the functions of interoffice memos is crucial when choosing the best communication channel in the workplace. Being able to analyze the audience and purpose of a scenario is an important skill to help you justify the necessity and effectiveness of a memo.

Your task is to read the memo below to analyze the audience and purpose.

Write one-two sentences of analysis (per question) of the memo using the following questions.

1. Is this an example of horizontal, downward, or upward communication? Why do you think so?
2. Did the writer choose the best delivery channel for this message?
3. Is this a persuasive, negative, or positive message?
4. In your own words, describe the purpose of a memo in a business setting.

Assignment: 50 points (see rubric). Submissions will require a SafeAssign review upon submission to check for originality.

Rubric Details:

• Audience Analysis (10 points)
• Purpose Analysis (10 points)
• Clarity and Conciseness (10 points)
• Professionalism (10 points)
• Following Instructions (10 points)

Please respond to each post Quantity: All forums require a minimum of four posts with wordage to be at

300 words — +/- 10% — (excluding references). Grading will be based on four

posts, and twenty-five (25) points will be deducted for every dialogue post

not submitted.

3 references

What are some of your different identities and how did you acquire them (Racial identity, ethnicity identity, religious identity, gender identity, nationality, personal identity, cyber identity)? What are some differences between your identities and those same identities in another culture, such as Japan, Mexico, Turkey, and so on?

It is strongly recommended that you make your initial post of 250+ words (with word count included) by Wednesday, so that we may have a rich opportunity to discuss our thoughts & ideas. Discussion Boards cannot be made up.

Select 1 company (Amazon) and its 3 strategic management issues as shown in the textbook. In other words, need REAL organization with REAL strategic management issues.

3 issues that we chose:

• Talent Management and workforce relations (high employee turnover, warehouse working condition, etc)
• Private-label strategy vs marketplace trust: amazon developing its own private-label products that compete with third-party sellers.
• Managing automation and AI adoption while preserving jobs and morale at amazon.

Book: Dess, McNamara, Eisner & Lee (2021). Strategic Management (10th edition). New York, NY:

McGrawHill. ISBN: 9781260706628

1. Title Page: 1 Page
2. Abstract: 1 Page
3. Table of Contents: 1 Page
4. List of Figures/Tables: 1 Page
5. Executive Summary: 1 Page
6. Writing Portion: 6 Pages (Introduction, Body Text, Conclusion(s), and Recommendation(s) sections should be a minimum of 6 pages. Images, charts, SWOR Analysis, or graphs DO NOT count towards the minimum of 6 written pages)
7. Introduction
8. Body Text (Include SWOT analysis here)
9. Conclusion(s)
10. Recommendation(s)
11. References: 1 Page

This activity highlights the importance of conducting a Four Frames Analysis for gaining insights into organizational dynamics and enhancing leadership effectiveness. You should approach this assignment as an opportunity for intellectual inquiry and practical application of theoretical concepts.

Submission Guidelines:

Your paper should be a minimum of 7 pages, papers of this type are generally approximately 15 pages in length. You should thoroughly explore and discuss all concepts presented in the prompt.

Your paper should contain (at minimum) the sections detailed below. Be sure to cite all references in-text and in a reference list presented at the end of your document.

Introduction:

Begin your paper by providing a brief overview of Bolman and Deal’s Four Frames model and its significance in understanding organizational behavior and change management. You may also include any relevant, associated theories or research which help to analyze the subject of your paper.

Objective:

Clearly state the organization you intend to review. This paper will not be shared with other students or outside of this course, but you do not need to disclose any private information. You should provide a detailed discussion about the organization, its purpose, and any other relevant details or characteristics.

Be sure to include key players, historical information, and situational context which will aid in the understanding of your selection of organization. You may also select to isolate your analysis to a specific situation within a company, such as a restructuring.

Four Frames Analysis:

• Structural Frame: Analyze the organization or change process from a structural perspective, focusing on formal roles, rules, processes, and systems. Identify structural strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Human Resource Frame: Examine the organization’s approach to people management, including recruitment, training, motivation, and development. Assess the alignment between HR practices and organizational goals.
• Political Frame: Explore power dynamics, conflicts, and coalitions within the organization or change process. Identify key stakeholders, their interests, and influence strategies. Evaluate the impact of political factors on decision-making and implementation.
• Symbolic Frame: Interpret organizational culture, rituals, symbols, and stories that shape meaning and identity. Analyze how symbols are used to convey values, norms, and collective identity. Assess the alignment between espoused values and enacted behaviors.

Integration and Synthesis: Integrate findings from the Four Frames Analysis to develop a holistic understanding of the organization or change process. Identify overarching themes, tensions, and implications for leadership and management.

Discussion: Discuss the implications of the analysis for understanding organizational dynamics and guiding strategic action. Reflect on the strengths and limitations of Bolman and Deal’s Four Frames model in capturing the complexity of real-world organizations.

Conclusion: Summarize the key findings of the research paper and their implications for theory, practice, and future research.

References: Provide a list of references cited in the paper, following a consistent APA citation style.

View Rubric

Hierarchy of Concerns Writing Rubric

Hierarchy of Concerns Writing Rubric

CriteriaRatingsPointsDoes the submission fit the assignment?

Proficient

The submission follows the given instructions and meets stated requirements.

15 pts

Competent

The submission follows most of the instructions and meets most of the stated requirements.

7.5 pts

Novice

The submission loosely or does not follow instructions and does not meet stated requirements.

3.75 pts

Not Addressed

The submission does not fit assignment instructions.

0 pts

/15 pts

Scope of the Topic

Proficient

Topic is well considered and presented in a manner which encompasses all information necessary.

15 pts

Competent

Topic is not well developed, paper is not of appropriate length. Information presented does not adequately support the topic.

7.5 pts

Novice

Topic is possibly too large or too narrow or content does not fully present all necessary components.

3.75 pts

Not Addressed

Topic is not appropriate to the purpose of the assignment.

0 pts

/15 pts

Evidence, Scholarship

Proficient

Appropriate evidence and good research practices are presented and documented appropriately.

10 pts

Competent

Evidence and research is presented but it is not thorough or not appropriately academic.

5 pts

Novice

Paper is lacking in supportive evidence and academic quality research is missing.

2.5 pts

Not Addressed

No supporting evidence or evidence of academic research present.

0 pts

/10 pts

Organization/Structure

Proficient

The submission follows a logical order with defined sections in appropriate placements.

10 pts

Competent

The submission follows a mostly logical order but is somewhat repetitive or wandering.

5 pts

Novice

The submission does not follow a logical order, is repetitive, and/or wandering. There are a lack of defined sections.

2.5 pts

Not Addressed

Submission is not structured or organized.

0 pts

/10 pts

Clarity

Proficient

Writing is clear and easy to understand.

10 pts

Competent

Writing is mostly clear but some areas are difficult to interpret.

5 pts

Novice

Writing is unclear and does not make sense or does not speak to the point of the submission.

2.5 pts

Not Addressed

Submission lacks clarity.

0 pts

/10 pts

Tone

Proficient

Tone is appropriate and clear for the purpose of the submission.

10 pts

Competent

Tone wavers and does not always maintain appropriateness for the assignment.

5 pts

Novice

The tone is not appropriate to the academic level of the assignment.

2.5 pts

Not Addressed

Tone is not academic.

0 pts

/10 pts

Flow, Transitions

Proficient

Submission is presented with appropriate flow and transitions between paragraphs and topics/sections.

10 pts

Competent

Submission components transition mostly well and flows with some connectivity.

5 pts

Novice

Submission lacks transition and flow.

2.5 pts

Not Addressed

No attempt to write with flow and transitions.

0 pts

/10 pts

Word Choice, Sentence Structure

Proficient

Sentences start and stop clearly, are of appropriate form and length. Correct word choice is maintained throughout.

10 pts

Competent

Some issues are present with sentence structure and/or word choice.

5 pts

Novice

Sentence structure and word choice is awkward and makes overall understanding difficult.

2.5 pts

Not Addressed

No attempt at appropriate word choice or sentence structure.

0 pts

/10 pts

Grammar, Punctuation, Format, Citation Style

Proficient

Sources are cited appropriately and consistently. There are no or minimal grammar or punctuation issues.

10 pts

Competent

Sources are cited but not consistently. There are multiple grammar or punctuation issues.

5 pts

Novice

There are no citations or citations are not clearly formatted. Many grammar and punctuation issues are present.

2.5 pts

Not Addressed

No citations, punctuation, formatting, and/or appropriate grammar usage.

0 pts

/10 pts