make sure to use quotes, references, name authors and page numbers when it is appropriate
use APA if necessary,

- include references always in case you quote an author or refer to an author or model,

- provide an explanation or name for each question, and

- give at least 1 example for each question when necessary, see readings for this.

- these questions must be complete after you do the readings, and are entirely based on the readings based on the course and the authors we refer to in this class.



These questions come from Rick Housers book (Houser. R. (2009). Counseling and educational research: Evaluation and application. Thousands Oaks, CA: Sage)

you can also use McLeod. J. (2003). Doing counselling research (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

1. Why is it important to acquire necessary skills in research for a counselor?

2. What are the two purposes of Housers book and explain?

3. What does Houser truly believes in relation to research and counselors.? Explain

4. What are the 2 advances that science and scientific advances have led to? Explain.

5. Explain the love-hate relationship with science that is present in our society?

6. How does Best and Kahn define science? Explain

7. How does Moore define research? And explain.

8. What are the common elements of science according to Moore? And epxlain.

9. What is the ultimate goal of science? Explain.

10. What are the different approaches to obtain knowledge according to Moore? And explain.

11. What does Salkind suggest for quality research?

12. How do we make decisions in our daily lives?

13. What are the sources of knowledge? And explain each one.

14. What are the 4 types of knowledge according to Gall, Gall, and Borg? And explain each one.

15. Explain knowledge from a descriptive approach

16. Explain knowledge from a predictive approach

17. Explain knowledge from an improvement approach

18. Explain knowledge from an explanation approach

19. What are the 8 type of errors that Babbie describes?

20. What error do Gall, Gall, and Borg suggest? And explain each one.

21. What tendency do we have as researchers that may affect our outcomes according to Pottick, Kirk, & Hsieh, 2007; Strohmer, Pellrin, & Davidson, 1995)? And explain.

22. Explain the misleading notion of good scientist in relation to a humanistic perspective opposite to psychology from a scientific approach?

23. Explain the scientist-practitioner method?

24. Explain the practitioner-scientist method?

25. What are the scientist and fractioned according Manicas and Secord?

a)The former practices science by creating at least partially close systems

b) The latter uses the discoveries of science but also employs a great deal of knowledge that extends beyond science p. 7

26. What are the assumptions about science according to Heiman?

a) Lawful to predict and control

b) Understandable

27. Name and explain the 3 theoretical orientations in research explanation according to Gall et all.?

a)mechanistic

b)post-positivistic, and

c)scientific realism

28. What is evidence-based practice?

29. What are the steps for the scientific process?

30. What are the traditional 3 sections of an article?

31. What are the traditional 8 subdivisions of an article?

32. What are the 4 purposes and goals of Housers book (p. 11-12)

33. What are the 2 types of program evaluation?

Formative and summative (p. 12)

34. What are the 3 divisions of Housers book?

35. What are the summaries of each Housers book chapter?

Decisions on Very Controversial Issues

You are a judge in the fictitious state of Barbieland. As a judge, you are called on to make decisions on very controversial issues. Based on the laws of Barbieland, juveniles are considered adults at the age of 16. The first controversial issue you must deal with is a convicted juvenile sex offender. In your state, juveniles can be sentenced to death for sexually based offenses. Shortly after his conviction, the Supreme Court ruled in Roper v. Simmons, to abolish the death penalty for offenders less than 18 years of age.

If you agree with the decision or if you support the dissenters, Justices O'Connor and Scalia, respectively, then explain your reasons for the same.

?Analyze the majority opinions and explain the factors on which the rulings are based. Analyze the dissents and explain the factors on which the dissents are based.

?Explain the ethical principles that underlie your opinion about this Supreme Court decision.

To view the Roper v. Simmons case, please complete a "key word" search using the search engine of your choice for: Roper v. Simmons, 543 U.S. 551 (2005).

The death penalty has now been abolished and the offender's sentence has been commuted to a ten year sentence in prison with the possibility of early release if he completes all mandated requirements including a sexual rehabilitation program to prevent further sexual aggression.

?If the offender is released early, what form of deterrence should be imposed and why?

Support your discussion with analysis of recidivism rates, imposed deterrence, and other trends related to sex offenders.

The convicted felon has been serving his sentence in a private prison. Since 1980 private prisons have been in place. One of the major benefits of private prisons was they could operate more efficiently for less money and lessen the financial burdens on taxpayers. Many people objected to privatizing corrections because this raised ethical issues such as the issue that "Profit Motives" of the industry may hinder quality services to the inmates.

?Discuss the possible conflict between profit motives and ethical treatment of inmates and support your position with the Ethics of care.

For more information on private prisons, please visit the following websites:

www.geogroup.com

www.cca.com

**IMPORTANT: NO DIRECT QUOTES. PLEASE USE EFFECTIVE PARAPHRASING.**
Decision Making, Impulse Control, and Cognitive Development

The Frontline episode "Inside the Teenage Brain" offers an important glimpse into how brain development and behavior are linked in adolescence. As you learned from the film, the brain's neocortex and prefrontal cortex, which control reasoning and abstract thinking, do not fully develop until about age 25. Therefore, teens are making decisions before the parts of the brain that can think abstractly?and that consider consequences of behavior?are fully developed. Teens are primarily using the limbic system, which is the emotional part of the brain. It is no wonder, then, that adolescents' impulse control is strained.

If you add this information to your knowledge of cognitive development theories, particularly those of Piaget and Vygotsky, you will have a basic understanding of adolescent cognitions and behavior.

To prepare for this assignment:
Review "Inside the Teenage Brain" and consider the impact of making decisions before the frontal lobe of the brain is fully developed. Think about how immature thinking abilities could contribute to delinquent behavior.
Review the film Harm's Way: The Lessons of Youth Violence. Reflect on the anger evident in many of the depicted youth and think about how this anger affects their impulse control.
Review and compare (similarities and differences) Piaget's and Vygotsky's theories on cognitive development. Consider how each theory informs your understanding of adolescent decision-making and impulse control abilities.
Review the Steinberg & Scott (2003) article and consider adolescent cognitive abilities, decision-making skills, and juvenile delinquency.
Review the "Adolescent Brain Development & Juvenile Justice Fact Sheet" from the ACT 4 Juvenile Justice website. Think about how this information helps explain adolescent cognitive abilities.
Review the NCJJ website to research the juvenile codes/statutes in your state or locale. Evaluate whether there is any consideration of adolescent cognitive development in their composition.
The assignment (4?6 pages):
Analyze the similarities and differences between the Piaget and Vygotsky theories of cognitive development.
Evaluate the insights and/or conclusions you can make regarding adolescent cognitive development and possible links to delinquent behavior.
Evaluate and explain if adolescent cognitive development is reflected in the composition of juvenile codes and case law in your state or locale. Cite your resources.

Support your with specific references to a minimum of two resources provided.

Executive Presentation Paper for Decision Support System (DSS)
DSS selected for this project ? Clinical Notes Template used by VA in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS).
Scenario ? you are the nursing information technology consultant for a healthcare organization. The organization wants to learn more about a computerized DSS (Clinical Notes Template) either for purchase or for strategizing about how they can use the existing DSS application more efficiently and effectively. Make the speculation as realistic as possible.
1. DSS Description
a. Identify a problem that the computerized DSS will be utilized to solve.
b. Describe the problem (the difference between a perceived condition and a desired condition) the computerized DSS is being considered or currently used to solve in the healthcare setting of your choice. Include background information and rationale as to why this DSS was selected to solve the problem.
c. Describe the functional components and structures of the DSS. Include the vendor and location, systems architecture/configuration and how it work and whether the DSS is PC, client server or mainframe based.
d. Discuss how the DSS supports advanced nursing practice decision making by specifying the objectives and key decisions to be supported by the DSS.
2. Agency Utilization
a. Identify the type of healthcare agency the DSS is currently being used as well as other type of agencies where this system can be utilized.
b. Identify the key decision makers in the agency to establish collaborative partnerships with diverse constituencies and intra professional teams to address needs and influence change. Include ? positions held in the organization, scope of their authority to make decisions regarding the DSS and role these people have in the identification of the problem.
c. Discuss any problems encountered at the agency with regards to:
? Communication issues that have arisen between the systems
? Security and privacy issues related to the selected DSS
? Describe the problem and include strategies to address these problems that the organization has in place; include what else could be done.
3. DSS Product Use
a. Identify the type of data and data sources used for the computerized DSS.
b. Discuss the information requirements for decision making concerning the selected problem. Include the following categories in that discussion: capture, storage, processing, communication, presentation, reporting and availability
c. Identify potential sources for the information requirements needed for decision making
d. Describe how this system communicates with other systems within the institution.
APA Style ? 8 pages including Abstract and one (1) page of Executive Summary

Literature Review Guidelines:
All must be writtten in APA 5th ed.. If it is cited in the text then it MUST be referenced and vice versa.

Topic: An analysis of the decisions made by school superintendents with an emphasis on the criteria used to interpret and define the terms "improper attitude" and "unprofesseional conduct."

Each heading should have a MINIMUM of 3 pages with 5 - 7 references for each. (references to include books, periodicals, news articles)

Headings for Lit Review:

1. Historical perspective on Code of Conduct for Teachers (focus on Arizona if anything is available).
2. Changes in Code of Conduct for teachers over time. (maybe a 50 year period)
3. The impact of community values on Code of Conduct for teachers.
4. The importance of consistency in the interpretation of terminology. (as it relates to improper attitude and unprofessional conduct.)
5. Human Factors in Decision Making. (this refers to leadership styles in making decisions)
6. Nurturing vs Punitive Leadership Decisions (and affects on the organization)
7. Ethical responsibilities of leaders is decision making.
8. Organization cluture through shared values and vision.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THIS BE WRITTEN ACCORDING TO APA (5TH ED) The last two papers I ordered were not) AS IT IS FOR A DOCTORAL DISSERTATION I DO EXPECT THE HIGHEST STANDARD OF WRITING......

Assignment 1: Making Decisions Based on Demand and Forecasting

Dominos Pizza is considering entering the marketplace in your community. Conduct research about the demographics of your community, for example the population size and average income per household, and other independent variables, such as price of pizza and price of soda, for this assignment. By conducting a demand analysis and forecast for pizza, you will be able to make a decision whether Dominos should establish a presence in your community. (My community is Clarksdale, Mississippi.)


1.Report the demographic and independent variables that are relevant to complete a demand
analysis providing a rationale for the selection of the variables.

2. Using Excel or other calculation software, input the data you collected in criterion one to calculate an estimated regression. Then, from the calculation provided, interpret the coefficient of determination, indicating how it will influence your decision to open the pizza business. Explain any additional variables that may improve the coefficient of determination.

3. Test the statistical significance of the variables and the regression equation, indicating how it will impact your decision to open the pizza business.

4. Forecast the demand for pizza in your community for the next four (4) months using the
regression equation, including the assumptions that were used to create the demand. Justify the
assumptions made related to the forecast.

5. Based on the forecasting demand, determine whether Dominos should establish a restaurant in
your community. Provide a rationale and support for the decision.

6. Cite at least two (2) different government sources for the demographic information you collected.

Th news has been full of studies lately about the stock market problems, sub-prime mortgages and ponzi schemes. All of these require people to make decisions. Research one of the stories and discuss how motivation influenced people to make such terrible decisions. Had exponential discounting played a part in the decision(s) that you had researched. If so, how?

OPEN TO ALL WRITERS!!

WRITER REQUEST: SERBAN

Hello i used your service before and i was very happy with the paper writen by :Serban Brebenal
I would like the same person who takes care of my request.

I am gonna attache the assigninment , it is a review of an article that i am gonna post :
The assignment:
Journal Article Review
ADA 305 Group Counseling I

The journal review provides a brief, critical synopsis of a literary piece. In our case we will be reviewing specific journal articles for scope, content, and accuracy. The following format is to be used in preparing an annotated bibliography.

Instructions
1. Select an article from a refereed journal that addresses one of the more general aspects of the counseling profession. Such articles might focus on the role(s) of professional counselors in the delivery of behavioral health care services, counseling ethics, counseling advocacy, political or financial factors that influence the counseling profession, or other financial factors that influence the counseling profession, or other similar topics.
2. Have the article approved by the instructor.
3. Prepare a journal review paper no less than four (4) pages in length, double-spaced addressing the following issues:
a. Article reference following APA Publication Manual (5th edition) format. Reference the Alvernia Franco Library for consultation regarding APA format.
b. A general overview of the article
i. Purpose of the article
ii. Main themes
iii. Describe research component if one exists
iv. List conclusions or inferences that were drawn by the author(s)
c. Discuss the strengths of the article
d. Discuss the weaknesses of the article
i. Writing style
ii. Ease of reading
iii. Comprehensive nature
iv. Timeliness of references
v. Are the conclusions or inference supported?
e. How does this article promote the counseling profession?
f. Your overall evaluation of the article
4. Attach a copy of the article to your review.


Grading

Journal reviews will be graded using the following criteria:
1. 1 point Following directions
2. 2 points spelling and punctuation
3. 5 points Content
4. 2 points Organization
5. All passages taken directly from the text of paper must be cited. Sentences that are slightly altered by changing a few words must also be cited.
6. Plagiarism will result in no points being awarded for this activity.

And th article to be reviewed is below




















Article 4 of 4


Mark Simulation & Gaming, March 1997 v28 n1 p107(7)
You're in the hot seat; an ethical decision-making simulation for counseling students. Marsha Wiggins Frame; Christian D. Flanagan; Janet Frederick; Roberta Gold; Sherrie Harris.
Author's Abstract: COPYRIGHT 1997 Sage Publications, Inc.

In the counseling field students in counseling ethics courses often have difficulty making appropriate chokes in case study situations. Using Hypercard 2.2, a counseling ethics computer simulation tool was designed to address this need The simulation enables students to consider their actions in realistic ethical counseling dilemmas and then to reflect on their decision-making processes. Classroom debriefing activities assist students in improving their ethical decision making. The simulation provides ethical decision-making practice and motivates students to take seriously the ethical dimensions of their future roles as professional counselors.

Full Text: COPYRIGHT 1997 Sage Publications, Inc.

KEYWORDS: computer-based training; counseling; ethics; Hypercard; simulation.

Imagine you are a marriage and family counselor. One day a woman you have been counseling asks if she can see you privately for a few minutes, without her husband. Because it is your policy not to see one partner without the other, you opt not to see the client privately. A month later, you learn that the client wanted to discuss with you her HIV-positive status resulting from an affair. Her husband's health has been jeopardized, and the marital relationship is spiraling toward its final demise.

In light of this information, did you make the right decision to stick to your policy? If you had elected to see the woman privately and had she disclosed her HIV status, would you have been held liable for failing to warn her partner of a potential life-threatening situation?

In a world with multiple perspectives (Amatea & Sherrard, 1994; Anderson & Goolishian, 1988; Bateson, 1972; Gergen, 1985; Keeney, 1983) on what is the right thing to do, ethical decision making is not only complex, but it is also a potential mine field. Poor choices could harm clients or damage counselors' careers through malpractice suits. Helping professionals need more than acute guidance and empathy skills. They need the ability to analyze counseling situations and understand the possible consequences of their choices.

In response to this need, we developed a computer-based simulation tool based on Rest's (1986) four-component model of the moral decision-making process. Rest (1986) posited that to behave morally a person first must have interpreted the situation in terms of possible actions, the effects of such actions, and "how the interested parties would regard such effects on their welfare" (p. 3). Second, the person must be able to "make a judgment about which course of action is morally right (fair, just or good)" (Rest, 1986, p. 3). Third, a person must give priority to moral values above other personal values and must intend to do what is morally right. Fourth, a person must actually behave morally. By using the simulation, graduate-level counseling students used Rest's four-component model to make ethical decisions and witness their consequences in a controlled environment.

The purpose of the simulation is fourfold. First, students practiced ethical decision making with realistic counseling dilemmas in a nonimpact environment. Second, students learned to make the leap from merely knowing the ethical codes to being able to apply them to real-world situations. Third, students were encouraged to be metacognitive (Auerswald, 1985; Hoffman, 1990)--that is, to think about their thinking and to explain their thought process to others who may be judging the appropriateness of their actions. Finally, they developed the professional skill of appropriate documentation, which will serve them well if they make a questionable decision and end up in court.

A major difficulty encountered in ethical decision making is that there is often more than one viable course of action. Also, the guiding principles of one ethical code may conflict with another. For example, in the scenario described in the beginning of this article, many factors come into play. What harm could come from deciding to see the client for a few minutes without the spouse present? If the counselor chooses to see the client, he or she learns of the client's HIV status and the extramarital affair. In addition, the client may tell the counselor she will commit suicide if her husband finds out. The counselor is bound by confidentiality on the one hand, a duty to warn on the other hand, and may have to assess and handle a suicide threat. Clearly, sometimes counselors must decide which is the lesser of all evils.

Design Strategy

Research results identified many benefits of computer-assisted instruction (Guthrie, 1992; Hmelo, 1989-1990; Vogler, O'Quin, & Paterson, 1990-1991; Wang & Sleeman, 1993) such as (a) decreased learning time, (b) a higher level of achievement when used as a supplement to traditional lecture teaching methods, (c) improved attitude, and (d) increased motivation. In addition, computer-assisted instruction provides individualized practice in preparing for classes and the state exams that-follow course work. Computer-assisted instruction has been shown to be "an effective tool for presenting didactic material to counseling students" (Folger, 1990, p. 367) and thus could be applied in counseling ethics courses.

Recent developments in interactive progrms have reduced some of the disadvantages of computer-assisted instruction courses (Cook, 1989-1990) and provide for branching pathways as opposed to linear and sequential text. These branching pathways allow learners greater control over the instructional experience. This approach has been shown to influence positively retention of information and student interest (Pridemore & Klein, 1991).

Hypercard (Apple Computer, 1992) was selected as the programming tool because of its ability to provide branching pathways (Wedge, 1994) and because of the predominance of Macintosh computers in many educational environments.

Instructional Design

A generic instructional design model was used to create the Hypercard ethics program. The steps followed were (a) needs analysis, (b) design, (c) development, (d) implementation, and (e) evaluation.

Analysis

We interviewed a counseling ethics expert to determine learner characteristics and outlined the learning objectives for the computer-assisted instruction course. The dominant need was to improve the students' ability to successfully apply the counseling profession's ethical codes to a variety of situations. To achieve this goal, we selected simulations requiring learners to apply constructs to real-world situations to resolve problems and make decisions (Lassan, 1989; Sampson & Krumboltz, 1991).

Design

In each simulation, students role-played a counselor. The flow and branching of the text was constructed in a way similar to that described by Hmelo (1989-1990). The simulation contained multiple scenarios. Each scenario was placed into a menu, allowing learners to select the scenario they wished. This method provided learners control over the experience. The scenarios were intentionally ordered from simple to more complex based on the number of ethical issues involved in each dilemma. Each scenario related to various sections of several ethical codes for the counseling profession (American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, 1991; American Counseling Association, 1995; American Psychological Association, 1992).

In real-world situations, all relevant information is not presented to the counselor at the beginning of every new counseling situation. Similarly, new information was presented to the learners throughout the simulation.

The simulation appeared in a dialogue format to convey the immediacy, spontaneity, and ambiguity of a real conversation. Just as literature has the power to transport readers into the emotional sense of a story, the simulation's counselor/client/narrator approach put students into the situation with the client. The narrator role showed cause and effect stemming from the counseling process over time yet without sacrificing the sense of immediacy. Figures and 2 illustrate a single decision branch of the simulation dialogue.

[Figure 1-2 ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The simulation provided several branching and interdependent decision pathways. Each simulation began by presenting the pertinent background information. Subsequent screens presented at least three decision choices. Based on the selection, a new screen presented the client's response. This process continued until students reached the end of a decision pathway. True counseling situations obviously may not always have right answers. In fact, counselors may be faced with several ambiguous choices. To capture this reality, the simulation did not provide definitive "correct" answers. Most often, several realistic choices were offered to encourage students to engage in critical thinking.

When students choose a decision pathway, the responses were true to life. Counseling situations and dialogue were drawn from the counseling ethics expert's knowledge and experience. In addition, situations were intentionally designed so that more than one ethical code (American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, American Counseling Association, American Psychological Association) would apply to each situation.

Decisions were final. Students could not retract decisions but had to continue forward in the pathway and experience typical consequences of their decisions. Students had to determine the relevant sections of the various ethical codes and prioritize those standards to make ethical decisions.

Several additional design techniques were employed to achieve the greatest possible benefit from the program (Jeiven, 1994; Milheim & Lavix, 1992). For example, when accessing the program, on-line help was available to coach students in using the program.

Also, because of multiple perspectives and our decision not to provide a definitive correct answer, feedback was not provided directly by the program. Instead, each time students made a decision, a notepad popped up and automatically recorded the chosen text for their review. The notepad also provided an open-text area for students to document additional actions, explain thought processes, and justify decisions. On completing the simulation, students printed the contents in the notepad and took the printed simulation to class for an instructor-conducted review. This approach was used because "short-but-frequent instructor-initiated interactions can increase achievement in computer-based training" (Stephenson, 1992, p. 26). In this manner, students received individualized and customized feedback regarding their cognitive decision-making processes.

Other features included screen layouts with a design that followed Macintosh Human Interface Guidelines (Apple Computer, 1992); a Consult button that provided general ethical code categories, relevant lawsuits, or textbook references; and a Quit button to exit the simulation at any time. A help manual was provided that gave step-by-step instructions regarding access and use of the ethics simulation.

Debriefing

On completion of each scenario, students broke into small groups for 1 to 2 hours to review their individual decision-making processes and to compare the advantages, disadvantages, and consequences of their choices. The instructor facilitated this collaborative exchange by emphasizing the value of multiple perspectives and by demonstrating the ways in which the counseling profession's ethical standards could be interpreted and applied. The instructor also provided feedback to students regarding the logic of their ethical decisions and the clarity with which they articulated in the notepad the rationale underlying their ethical positions.

Evaluation

A formative evaluation was conducted to assess the simulation's strengths and weaknesses. This evaluation involved both the participants reacting to the program while using it and one-on-one interviews. The participants included an expert in computer-based training program design, a subject matter expert who was also a counseling ethics instructor, and 10 students.

The computer-based training expert concluded that the simulation effectively challenged users' critical thinking skills. He indicated that the notepad was an especially effective tool for reflection. He also praised the "clean, classic" screen design. His main concern, however, was that some students may have needed additional instruction and feedback to use the program successfully. The computer-based training expert recommended that standalone capabilities be added in future versions.

The subject matter expert indicated that the cases were "well done." He also stated, "It was valuable to be able to go through the selections again and view other alternatives to gain additional knowledge and points of view." The subject matter expert also advised adding stand-alone capabilities.

Ten former counseling ethics students participated in the formative evaluation. Nine students (90%) reported that the program was easy to use, enjoyable, and that it would have been helpful to them in class preparation in studying for the final examination and in their roles as professional counselors. All 10 endorsed expanding the program to include several complex scenarios. Three students (30%) recommended enhancing the help manual to facilitate program use by students unfamiliar with the Macintosh system.

Conclusion

In a world where the line of demarcation between right and wrong has become blurred and where multiple perspectives thrive, this interactive ethical decision-making simulation for counselors provides a hands-on means for students to develop the skill of ethical thinking. The program aids students' ability to cope with ambiguity and to develop a clear rationale for professional and ethical behavior. It has great versatility in that it could be adapted easily to other disciplines such as business, legal, or medical ethics.

References

Amatea, E. S., & Sherrard, P. (1994). The ecosystemic view: A choice of lenses. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 15, 6-21.

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. (1991). AAMFT code of ethics. Washington, DC: Author.

American Counseling Association. (1995). Ethical standards. Alexandria, VA: Author.

American Psychological Association. (1992). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Washington, DO Author.

Anderson, H., & Goolishian, H. (1988). Human systems as linguistic systems: Preliminary and evolving ideas about the implications for clinical theory. Family Process, 27, 371-393.

Apple Computer. (1992). Macintosh human interface guidelines. New York: Addison-Wesley.

Auerswald, E. H. (1985). Thinking about think-in in family therapy. Family Process, 24, 1-12.

Bateson, G. (1972). Steps to an ecology of the mind. New York: Ballentine.

Cook, E. K. (1989-1990). The use of Macintosh authoring languages in effective computer-assisted instruction. Journal of Educational Technology System, 18(2), 109-122.

Folger, W. (1990). Using computer assisted instruction with counseling students. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 22(3), 364-368.

Gergen, K. (1985). The social constructionist movement in modern psychology. American Psychologist, 40, 266-275.

Guthrie, B. M. (1992). The efficacy of a customized approach to computer assisted instruction. Journal of Computer-Based Instruction, 19(3), 100-104.

Hmelo, C. E. (1989-1990). Computer-assisted instruction in health professions education: A review of the published literature. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 18(2), 83-101.

Hoffman, L. (1990). Constructing realities: An art of tenses. Family Process, 29, 1-12.

Jeiven, H. (1994). A common-sense checklist for CBT Training & Development, 48(7), 47-49.

Keeney, B. (1983). Aesthetics of change. New York: Guilford.

Lassan, R. (1989). Use of computer-assisted instruction in the health sciences. Nursing Forum, 24(2), 1317.

Milheim, W. D., & Lavix, C. (1992). Screen design for computer-based training and interactive video: Practical suggestions and overall guidelines. Performance & Instruction, 31(5), 13-21.

Pridemore, D. R., & Klein, J. D. (1991). Control of feedback in computer-assisted instruction. Educational Technology, Research and Development, 39(4), 27-32.

Rest, J. R. (1986). Moral development: Advances in research and theory. New York: Praeger.

Sampson, J. P., Jr., & Krumboltz, J. D. (1991). Computer-assisted instruction: A missing link in counseling. Journal of Counseling & Development, 69(5), 395-397.

Stephenson, S. D. (1992). The role of the instructor in computer-based training. Performance & Instruction, 31(7), 23-26.

Vogler, C., O'Quin, K., & Paterson, W. (1990-1991). Grade and knowledge improvement as a result of computer-assisted instruction. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 19(3), 201-213.

Wang, S., & Sleeman, P. J. (1993). Computer-assisted instruction effectiveness: A brief review of the research. International Journal of Instructional Media, 20(4), 333-347.

Wedge, K. S. (1994). Hyperdesigning: An instructional design model applied to the development of a Hypercard computer assisted instruction on intramuscular injection sites. Computers in Nursing, 12(1), 17-22.

Marsha Wiggins Frame, PhD, is an assistant professor of and counselor of counseling psychology counselor education at the University of Colorado at Denver

Christian D. Flanagan is an instructional designer and Master's student in interactive technical design at the University of Colorado at Denver

Janet Frederick MA, is a database administrator for Unipac Services Inc., Denver CO.

Roberta Gold is an instructional designer and a Master's student in instructional design at the University of Colorado at Denver

Sherrie Harris is a certified diabetes nurse educator and a Master's student in instructional design at the University of Colorado at Denver





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Article 4 of 4



Copyright and Terms of Use

One page paper on: The costs and benefits of group making, decision-making methods and Refuting Arguments


Costs and Benefits of Group Decision Making

All groups engage in some form of decision making and problem solving. How they go about these tasks can determine whether a group achieves its goals or whether it falls short. Napier and Gershenfeld maintain that unless well designed, a group effort at problem solving can be a colossal waste of time, money, and effort.3 Instead of building team spirit and group morale, ineffective decision making can overwhelm and destroy a group. Such devastating effects occur for several reasons. If two or three members dominate meetings or inhibit the participation of others, decision making and problem solving become difficult and frustrating. Even in the best of circumstances, decisions made by a group take longer and can run the risk of causing conflict and hard feelings among members.

Despite these disadvantages, there are many reasons to trust group decision making and problem solving. Sheer numbers enable a group to generate more ideas than a single member working alone. Even more important is the fact that, given a complex problem, a group is better equipped to find rational and workable solutions. As a rule, decision making in groups can generate more ideas and information, test and validate more arguments, and produce better decisions and solutions to complex problems.4 Poole and Hirokawa point out that the unique chemistry of social interaction can distill the best each member has to offer, creating a resonance of ideas and a synthesis of viewpoints.5 However, several conditions must be met to ensure that a group achieves its decision-making goals. The rest of this chapter focuses on ways to take advantage of several decision-making and problem-solving methods and tools.

Decision-Making Methods
Voting
Consensus Seeking
Authority Rule



Refuting Arguments
Refutation is the process of proving that an argument is false and/or lacks sufficient support. Refutation is used to question, minimize, and deny the validity or strength of someone elses argument. Group members should be willing and able to refute claims that are unsupported or untrue. A group that is not willing to evaluate arguments risks the perils of groupthink. Six guidelines can help you refute another members argument:

? Listen to the argument.
? State the claim you oppose.
? Overview your objections.
? Assess the evidence.
? Assess the reasoning.
? Summarize your refutation.


Engleberg and Wynn, Working in groups: Communication principles and strategies (3rd ed.).
Copyright 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

The problem:

Within my organization, there are two separate departments both with different responsibilities. The dilemma is just this; the main purpose of business is to certifying international medical graduates for entry into U.S. graduate medical education. However, the department is broken into two compartments and one overlap?s the other. Simply meaning, if medical graduates students were previously verified through ECFMG, there credentials verifications are not exchangeable. ?Although EICS is an ECFMG program, it is separate from the ECFMG certification process. Verifications, credentials and fees are not transferable between EICS and ECFMG. You must submit to EICS copies of all credentials required for verification by your medical registration board, even if your final medical diploma has previously been verified by ECFMG for the purpose of ECFMG certification. You must also include full payment of the EICS application fee with your application even if you have an active ECFMG financial account.? (www.scfmg.org) This becomes very difficult to comprehend, especially given the two departments are in the same section.

In attempt to solve this problem, and make it easier for physicians and staff members. Me and my other co-workers organized a plan and took it to our superior. In turn, our superior has gain permission to put our ideas into a plan. The verification process will become interchangeable and is in the matrix. This will eliminate a lot of upset callers questioning ?why, he/she has to resend documents that were previously verified.

Here?s the requirement for the paper.

Decision-Making Model Analysis Paper (Based on the above problem)
Utilizing various resources (Internet, magazines, trade journals, etc.) find a decision-making model. Write a 700-1,050-word paper utilizing at least two different references. In your paper, be sure to describe the model and apply it to a recent job-related decision you have made. Be sure to identify all the steps in your chosen decision-making model and describe how critical thinking impacted the decision. Be prepared to discuss your paper in class.

***Use this decision making model
http://www.boarddevelopment.org/display_document.cfm?document_id=86

Following are some of the basic steps in decision-making.
1. Recognize and define the problem.
Everyone must understand the problem. This sometimes takes time to articulate and define. Background preparation is especially helpful.
2. Examine the problem.
Most groups make better decisions if they have choices in front them, rather than being forced to select or reject one idea. Ideas and options can be generated beforehand, by staff or a committee, or can be developed during a board meeting. The three most common ways during the meeting are brainstorming, buzz groups and discussion groups. Once the alternatives have been identified, the board needs to consider the implications and consequences of each. For each option ask - What are the likely consequences? How will this affect members and clients? How will it affect the agency's other programs and services?
3. Make the decision
There are a number of different styles of decision-making.
Avoiding or abdicating a decision
Although this is not usually recognized as a decision-making style, in fact the board may delegate many of its responsibilities this way, and not always deliberately. Failure to reach agreement can lead to the board passing the problem to the Executive Director or a committee.
Decision by majority rule - The plus and minuses of voting
Following a thorough discussion of the problem and options, a formal motion is presented. A vote is taken on the motion. How the motion is framed shapes the scope of the discussion and can narrow the options. Issues can be approached in several different ways. A motion reduces these options to one, and limits the response to "yes" or "no". This may eliminate many important alternatives. The process of framing the question and the options is at least as important as the vote itself. Board members should not propose motions too early in the discussion before reviewing all the alternatives. For example, in addressing a shortfall in funds, a board member might make a motion immediately about a specific idea. "I move we have a fundraising bazaar." Discussion then focuses on whether a bazaar is a good idea. This effectively removes other options, or indeed other ways of looking at the problem, such as deciding what portion of the shortfall should come from fundraising, what portion from cuts in expenditures, and what portion from grants or loans or other actions. Boards may use Robert's Rules of Order, or some other form of parliamentary procedure. However, because these rules are somewhat complicated, they can lead the board to focus on procedure rather than content. Adhering to a set of rules, such as Robert's, is appropriate for large meetings where decisions with legal implications are being made, e.g. appointing the auditor at the annual meeting.
Consensus Building
This is less formal than voting procedures and allows a decision to encompass the views of all board members.
A consensus process is designed to generate a wider range of ideas and options. The issue is initially framed as a question or problem with supporting information. Discussion centres around finding the best approach to the issue. In the course of discussion, the question may be reframed several times, and various options may be developed, altered and combined.
4. Implement the decision.
Plans for implementation need to consider what resources are required as well as who will need to do what and by when.
5. Evaluate the decision.
Specifying what worked well and what could be done even better another time will improve the capacity of the organization to make decisions and the quality of the decisions made.

To prepare:

Review the information in Figure 6-2 in Nursing Informatics and the Foundation of Knowledge.
Develop a clinical question related to your area of practice that you would like to explore.
Consider what you currently know about this topic. What additional information would you need to answer the question?
Using the continuum of data, information, knowledge, and wisdom, determine how you would go about researching your question.
Explore the available databases in the Walden Library. Identify which of these databases you would use to find the information or data you need.
Once you have identified useful databases, how would you go about finding the most relevant articles and information?
Consider how you would extract the relevant information from the articles.
How would you take the information and organize it in a way that was useful? How could you take the step from simply having useful knowledge to gaining wisdom?


dEVLOPED qUESTION: WHY IS AMBULATION IMPORTANT POST OP?
To complete:

Write a 3- to 4-page paper that addresses the following:

Summarize the question you developed, and then relate how you would work through the four steps of the data, information, knowledge, wisdom continuum. Be specific.
Identify the databases and search words you would use.
Relate how you would take the information gleaned and turn it into useable knowledge.
Can informatics be used to gain wisdom? Describe how you would progress from simply having useful knowledge to the wisdom to make decisions about the information you have found during your database search.

Your paper must also include a title page, an introduction, a summary, and a reference page. This Assignment is due on Day 7 of Week 4.


databases i would use are

CINAHL & MEDLINE *
PUBMED*
Nursing and allied healthsource
OVID nursing journal


PLEASE FOLLOW THESE DIRECTIONS AND DO NOT STRAY

Power and Decision Making in Christian Faith Counseling

Text to Referance
Forsyth: chs. 3?"6
Jacobs et al.: chs. 3?"4

Identify the advantages gained by making decisions in groups.
Identify and discuss specific skills that can be used during the stages of a group.
Discuss basic group leadership skills and how they apply to the different stages of a group.

BACKGROUND
In Module 2, you will continue with the scenario and simulation you began in the Module 1 SLP.
REQUIRED READING
SCENARIO CONTINUATION:
SLP2 ??" It's New Year's day, 2016. You just had a great New Year's Eve celebration. You have finished analyzing the performance of Clipboard Tablet Co. in a great report that you turned in a few days early to Sally Smothers. Now you are ready to charge ahead into the future.
As you turn on the TV and try to open your eyes, you notice something strange. The TV commentator is saying something about New Year's Day, 2012. You are now wide awake and listen more carefully. Yes, she said 2012. But that can't be. You look around and everything looks different. Yes, it's true; it's New Year's Day, 2012. Time has rewound ??" a Time Warp, like the guy in the movie It's Groundhog Day.
You realize that you get to make the decisions for Clipboard Tablet Co. starting with 2012. Perhaps you can do better than Joe Schmoe.
You decide to determine the prices and R&D allocations and whether to discontinue any products over the next four years: 2012 ??" 2015. At the beginning of each year, you will determine your pricing, your R&D allocations, and if you want to discontinue any products. You make your decisions and time advances to the end of that year. You look at the results and see what happened. You keep track of your decisions and make notes about your reasoning and analysis of the data. You collect and keep the data for later analysis.
You run the Marketing of Clipboard Tablet Co. through the end of 2015. It is now 12/31/2015, New Year's Eve. What is your total Score? Did you do better than Joe Schmoe?
You decide to organize your notes about your decisions, your analysis, and your reasoning into a report, which you think will help you move ahead into 2016 (finally!!, you get to move ahead into 2016 ??" weren't you at this point in time once before??)
ASSIGNMENT
Run the Clipboard Tablet Co. simulation with your strategy, making decisions year by year for prices and R&D allocations. To reach the simulations (click here).
Please turn in a 4 page paper, not including cover and reference page, in which you:
Write a report that shows your decisions and the results. Discuss why you did better or worse than Joe Schmoe.
KEYS TO THE ASSIGNMENT
The key aspects of this assignment that should be covered and taken into account in preparing your paper include:
As you run the simulation keep track of your decisions and keep track of the results - both financial and marketing. You can copy and paste the results into Excel or into a Word document. You can also record the information that you get from the Advisor who discusses the market and compares Clipboard Tablet Co. products to the competition. Make note of the Final Total Score.
You should include your Final Total Score, some tables and/or graphs showing some of the results. Be sure to explain the differences clearly and using good logic.
Remember that the key here is ANALYSIS.
Time Line Summary:
SLP1
2015: 12/15 hired. 12/30 turned in first report to Sally a few days early. 12/31 ??" celebrated
SLP2
Time Warp begins: 1/1/2016 WARPS INTO 1/1/2012
You freak out, and then realize you have to make decisions for 2012 ??" 2015.
1/2/2012 input decisions for 2012
1/2/2013 input decisions for 2013
1/2/2014 input decisions for 2014
1/2/2015 input decisions for 2015
12/31/2015 ??" you have gone through all four years, and you write your report to summarize how you did. You are hoping that you will wake up tomorrow and it will be 2016.
ASSIGNMENT EXPECTATIONS
Your paper will be evaluated on the following seven (7) points:
Precision - Does the paper address the question(s) or task(s)?
Breadth - Is the full breadth of the subject, i.e., all the keys to the assignment, addressed?
Depth - Does the paper address all elements of the topic in sufficient depth? Does it include and apply the background readings and other background resources? Are they included as references?
Application - Are the concepts of the module appropriately applied to the subject organization?
Organization - Is the paper organized in a coherent and systematic manner? Are headings included in all papers greater than 2 pages?
Clarity - Is the writing clear and the concepts articulated properly? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of response to the questions, or are thoughts conveyed through excessive use of quotations?
Referencing (citations and references) - Does the paper use citations and quotation marks where appropriate? Are all references listed in the bibliography used and referred to via citation?
TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS
Please note the following tips or suggestions:
Include a cover page and reference page, in addition to the 4- pages of analysis described above.
Include headings for all papers greater than 2 pages (basically all papers), but do not use headings as "space fillers."
Cite AND reference all sources that you use in your work, including those that you do not quote but paraphrase. This means include citations and quotation marks for direct quotes of more than 5 words, and citations for that information which you have "borrowed" or paraphrased from other sources.




There are faxes for this order.

Customer is requesting that (Whitecap) completes this order.

Instructions

For this assignment, write a 1,000- to 1,250-word paper in which you apply Mill's theories to Lydgate's decision in chapter 18 on how to votehe from Middlemarch:

Organize your paper according to the five steps below, with an emphasis on the application of Mill's theory in steps 2 and 3.

Step 1
Concisely describe the steps the agent followed to reach a decision??"explain what he or she did and the reasons for those steps.
Concisely describe what you would have done, and why, if you had been in the agent's position, using your own pretheoretical, ordinary way of making decisions.
Step 2
Set out the procedure the agent would follow and the decision the agent would reach if he or she were to use act utilitarianism to reach the decision.

Step 3
Set out the procedure the agent would follow and the decision the agent would reach if he or she were to use rule utilitarianism to reach the decision.

Step 4
Concisely compare the steps and results of the four approaches outlined above??"the agent's actual reasoning, your pretheoretical reasoning, act utilitarianism, and rule utilitarianism. (Here again, be concise; you may not be able to include everything that occurs to you.)

Step 5
Describe any comments or conclusions that you draw from the comparisons you made in step 4.

note:please quote some sentences from the book and add (Eliot, Page #) after them.
There are faxes for this order.

Operations Decision


Using the regression results and the other computations from Assignment 1, determine the market structure in which the low-calorie food company operates.

Use the Internet to research two (2) of the leading competitors in the low-calorie microwavable food industry, and take note of their pricing strategies, profitability, and their relationships within the industry (worldwide).

1.Outline a plan that will assess the effectiveness of the market structure for the company?s operations.

2.Suppose the business operations have now changed from the market structure specified in the scenario. Determine two (2) likely factors that might have caused the change. Predict the primary manner in which this change would likely impact business operations in the new market environment.

3.Analyze the major short-run and long-run production and cost functions for the low-calorie microwaveable food company. Suggest substantive ways in which the low-calorie food company may use this information in order to make decisions in both the short-run and the long-run.

4.Determine the possible circumstances under which the company should discontinue operations. Suggest key actions that management should take in order to confront these circumstances. Provide a rationale for your response.

5.Suggest one (1) pricing policy that will enable your low-calorie microwavable food company to maximize profits. Provide a rationale for your suggestion.

6.Outline a plan, based on the information provided in the scenario, that the company could use in order to evaluate its financial performance. Consider all the key drivers of performance, such as company profit or loss for both the short term and long term, and the fundamental manner in which each factor influences managerial decisions.

7.Recommend two (2) actions that the company could take in order to improve its profitability and deliver more value to its stakeholders. Outline, in brief, a plan to implement your recommendations.

8.Use at least five (5) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia does not qualify as an academic resource.

We all make decisions based on conscious thoughts and unconscious intuition. This holds true for our public administration roles as well. Much as we would like to assume we will always make the best public decisions, we need to formulate a plan to guide our actions. This will help keep us from straying too close to the edge of the proverbial cliff. Professional integrity in our ethical support of the public good is something that must be conscious and deliberate.
Write a 1??"2 page paper offering a plan for ethical decision making that leads to an ethical solution, including who needs to be consulted and the resources available to the writer. Use 3 references.

Create a mind map of Ethical theories. In total 3 pages are needed.

(Will upload additional information as the guide).

The FEMA Decision Making and Problem Solving self-study course students are required to discuss at least three important concepts learned as a result of completing this program, and how these can be applied in an organizational setting. This reflection paper should discuss at least three important concepts learned as a result of completing the program, and how these can be applied in an organizational setting. Course Overview
Being able to make decisions and solve problems effectively is a necessary and vital part of the job for every emergency manager, planner, and responder. This course is designed to improve your decision-making skills. It addresses:
The decision-making process
Decision-making styles
Attributes of an effective decision maker
Ethical decision making and problem solving

Instructions

Each question is to be answered separately

Question 1

What important factors, in addition to quantitative factors, should a firm consider when it is making a capital structure decision? How do these factors play in the decision? Have you any examples from your own experience that you could share with others in the class?

The following statements need to be agreed with or disagreed with and reason why

Statement 1

Although there may seem that there are many factors a company should be considering, one that comes to mind is how recesion proof is the company at hand? Especially in the last few years, either some companies have strived or some have shut down doors because they are not able to withstand the competition. I believe that it maybe sad but my company actually does better when the economy is not doing so great. We are a drug and alcohol facility and when times are tight many clients go to other drugs of choice. When the economy is great, people are out spending money and going shopping and going on vacations. In the text book it talks about having either too much debt or too little. I think it is the companies responsiblity to find a happy medium you don't want to have too much debt out there, because most likely there is interest that will have to be calculated in this tally and the less debt you have the more likely or easier it will be to pay it back when money is not coming in as greatly. Businesses as personal lives are similar as they say a consumr should not have to much debt, like a debt to income type scenario.

Statement 2

If you just listen to the news on any given day this week you will certainly realize some of the factors that companies need to carefully consider in deciding on how to manage their capital structure. It seems we are learning that debt obtained is necessary for companies to thrive and to maximize shareholders wealth. But could all this debt be just a facade for a measure of how well the company is doing?
In many instances, companies may need to sit back and make decisions out of the normal course of corporate acceptance. With such instable economic times around the world, it seems to me that financial managers would be left with their heads spinning trying to fiqure out which curency to invest in, which debt to obtain and whether or not they will be able to sustain the payments on that debt (just as our entire country is facing right now). It seems to be iresponsible for copanies to carry on with out adjusting their debt ratios before a crisis stricks. It is their responsibility to their shareholders to foresee a potential disaster. Financial managers need to be very carefully about manipulating data and reports in order to make the shareholders happy when the overall health of the company is in termoil.
Leverage is of course important. I am not totally agains companies using debt, that would be rediculous. I am, however, saying that companies need to carefully anticipate changes and potential issues before they occur. If revenues are going strong, but marketing research is suggesting a shift in the consumers interest in that companies product, changes may need to be anticipated. The company then would have to carefully decide if they needed to take on debt to produce a new product line or to scale back and cut expenses at that time.
A steady cash flow is necessary for any company to survive. There are numerous threats that could cause interuption to cash flow. Just as individual families should save for emergencies, how much more should large corporations. It is silly to think that it is ok for any company to just cover debt payments without having cash on hand for unforeseen issues.
Timing of decisions will also have an impact of capital structure. Managers need to consider interest rate to make good decisions. At times of low interest rates, it may make more sense to obtain debt rather than selling stock.
No decision regarding the capital structure can be made without taking multiple factors into consideration simultaniously. There is much to consider in order to understand which course of action is the best to take at any given time.

Statement 3

Financial managers must consider non-quantitative factors along with quantitative decisions in making capital structure decisions. Firms use leverage to affect potential risk and return. Higher leverage may bring higher returns but also has higher risk. Fixed costs and debts must be repaid regardless of the successes or failures of a firm. In making decisions on capital structure, legal constraints are important because of capital impairment restrictions to protect creditors. Firms also face contractual constraints, in which a firm must repay its financial obligations from loans. Growth prospects are also considered, where a firm must decide on the acquisition of assets, evaluate profitability and risk, and the ability to raise capital externally and the ease of obtaining financing. Owner considerations are also important. The purpose of an organization is to increase the wealth of its owners, and decisions need to be made regarding just that. There are also market considerations, in which the health of the market is taken into consideration to determine what capital structure decisions will be made.

Statement 4


After reading the article, there were interesting points that were made by Modigliani. "The first MM theorem states the conditions under which the choice between debt and equity to finance a given level of investment does not affect the value of a firm, implying that there is no optimal leverage ratio. The second MM theorem shows that under the same conditions also dividend policy does not affect a firm's value, so that there is no optimal payout ratio."(pg237).

"The theorem establishes that a company's value - the market value of its shares and debt - equals the present discounted value of the company's cash flow, gross of interest, where the discount rate is the required return for firms of the same 'risk class'. Hence, the firm's value is determined solely by this discount rate and its cash flows, that is, by its assets, and it is wholly independent from the composition of the liabilities used to finance those assets. The theorem implies also that the average cost of capital is independent of the volume and structure of debt, and it equals the return required by investors for firms of the same 'risk class'. Even though debt may appear cheaper than equity, due to the absence of a risk premium, increasing leverage does not reduce the average cost of capital to the firm, because its effect would be precisely offset by the greater cost of equity capital. As a result, investment decisions can be totally decoupled from their financing: they should be guided only by the criterion of maximizing firm value, and the cost of capital to be used in rational investment decisions is its total cost, as measured by the required rate of return on fully equity-financed firms of the same 'risk class'"(pg239).

From what I gather from reading this blurb is that eventhough expenses may appear less expensive in the long run, one should look at the whole picture and not just one area. For example, a company may have to take out a short term loan to acquire some assets, sometimes the short term loan rates are more expensive than taking out a loan on a long term period. The management trully has to look at the whole picture. One wrong decision could leave facing decisions such as a bankruptcy. Perhaps not getting a company into so much debt is probably a great idea, the less debt the better off you will be. Regardless if the economy is good or bad, the company will still have to repay their terms of their loans, so beforre taking out more debt they should look at some trends that in the past. Sometimes the manager will realize that pehaps at the time that they will be taking out the loan isn't agod time at the moment. It doesn't mean that they will never take out a loan but just at this time they are deciding to wait.
Another good point made in the reading was that if a company is able to take out a loan the interest that is paid is also deductable in their tax returns, which many companies will look at as a bonus. There are many times where the company shows a profit and ends up haivng to pay several dolalrs in taxes and perhaps doesn't have any writeoffs, so any writeoffs that are given are always a bonus. Although the companies are able to claim the interest paid, they also have to weigh out their options. The interest that is paid that is claimed on their taxes is it more than the interest that paid on the monthly debt payment by the company. All these options should be weighed out so that decisions are made properly.

Marco Pagano. (2005). The Modigliani-Miller theorems: a cornerstone of finance*. Banca Nazionale del Lavoro Quarterly Review, 58(233/234), 237 247. Retrieved July 30, 2011, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 999545531).

Statement 5

Some other important factors to consider in making capital structure decisions include, revenue stability, cash flow, contractual obligations, management external risk assessment and timing. With revenue stability, "firms that have stable and predictable revenue can more safely undertake highly leveraged capital structures than can firms with volatile patterns of sales revenue. Firms with growing sales tend to benefit from added debt; they can reap the positive benefits of financial leverage, which magnifies the effect of these increases" (Gitman & Zutter, 2009, p. 543).
When a firm is looking at implementing a new capital structure, it is important for them to focus on their ability to generate cash flow. Due to contractual obligations, a firm may have limitations on the types of funds they can raise. With management preferences there are times that a firm may impose internal constraints on the use of debt. The purpose of this is to limit the amount of risk the firm is exposed to (Gitman & Zutter, 2009, p. 543).
"A management group concerned about control may prefer to issue debt rather than (voting) common stock" (Gitman & Zutter, 2009, p. 544). Usually, only firms in jeopardy of takeover have control as a major concern. External risk assessment is just as it sounds. A firms ability to raise funds quickly and at favorable rates depends on the assessments performed by lenders and bond raters.Lastly, timing is another important factor that must be considered. When interest rates are low for instance, debt financing may be more appealing.

Money and Interest Rates

Money and interest rates are important for individuals and businesses making decisions to finance purchases. The following articles deal with assessing conditions to finance purchases and important aspects of policy.

Allen, Bruce. "Leading Economic Indicators Predict Market Trends " Retrieved February 28, 2011 from:
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/08/leading-economic-indicators.asp



Chan, Sewell (2010) "Fed Study Suggest..." The New York Times, Retrieved February 17, 2011.

Economic Focus: "What goes around", The Economist, Retrieved February 17, 2011.

Read the above articles and write a 4-5 pages that address each of the following questions:

1. Suppose the Federal Reserve wanted to reduce the money supply. What are some of the tools the Fed would use to achieve this policy objective. (Be sure to use the background materials in your answer).

2. The government predicts that economic growth will be slower than expected. What can the Federal Reserve do to increase economic growth? What should it do if it wanted to reduce inflation in terms of the money supply?

3. What major economic indicators would you examine if you were planning to purchase a new car, some business equipment or a house and needed a loan? Explain. How does the Chan article affect decisions by the firm and household?

Case Assignment Expectations:

Use concepts from the modular background readings as well as any good quality resources you can find from the cyberlibrary or other internet search engines. Pleas be sure to cite all sources within the text and provide a reference list at the end of the paper.

Length: 3 pages double spaced and typed.

The following items will be assessed in particular:

Your ability to understand the relationship between the supply of money and the Federal Reserve.

Some in-text references to the modular background material (APA formatting not required).

The essay should address each element of the assignment. Remember to support your answers with solid references including the case readings.

Subject: Entrepreneurial Decision Making

Decision making is a vital component to entrepreneurship, and can affect a variety of elements in business. Research articles on decision making, and incorporate your findings in a 2-3 page paper that describes how decisions are made. In the paper, provide an example of decision making, and discuss how such a decision can directly affect one or more of the following elements:

Legal and regulatory issues
Political agendas
Cultural perceptions
Demographic diversity
Financial resources

BACKGROUND

In Module 4, you will continue with the scenario and simulation you worked on in the Module 1, Module 2, and Module 3 SLPs.

REQUIRED READING

SCENARIO CONTINUATION:

It is now 1/2/2012 (again), still at the beginning of Time Warp 2. You have just completed your revised strategy using CVP analysis, and you are ready to charge ahead. You implement your decisions for 2012 and time flows by quickly. You see the results at the end of the year and you collect these results to use later. Again, you implement your decisions that you have already made for 2013 and collect the results at the end of the year. You do the same for 2014 and 2015, hoping this time that you can finally move ahead into 2016.

It is now New Year's Eve, 2015, what you hope is the end of Time Warp 2 and more than that, what you hope is the end of the time warps altogether. You have the results of your decisions. How did you do? What was your final score? You are ready to celebrate. You want to celebrate hard and forget this crazy time warp stuff. Will it finally be 2016 when you wake up?

It's New Year's day, 2016. You just had a great New Year's Eve celebration, you finished another four years of moving Clipboard Tablet Company through 2012 ??" 2015, and are ready to charge ahead into the future. As you turn on the TV and try to open your eyes, you notice something strange (again?). The TV commentator is saying something about New Year's Day, 2012. You have a sinking feeling, and sure enough, it's back to 1/1/2012. You groan and curse. When will this time warp end? You are now in Time Warp 3.

Maybe you need to keep improving Clipboard Tablet's performance so that you can finally move ahead. You vow to do better this time. And you think your best approach is to develop your four year strategy like you did the last time.

You analyze the results of your last set of decisions from 2012 to 2015. You have the data, you kept it all. And you are going to use CVP analysis again to help you determine your new strategy. And you have a tool to use, the CVP Calculator. You are going to get better at it.

You analyze the results from Time Warp 2 using CVP and develop your complete four year strategy. You decide to make notes about your analysis and your reasoning process, just in case you have to do this again (You are praying that you can finally move ahead this time when you get to 2016.)

You finish your report that shows the strategy that you are going to use these next four years, Time Warp 3. And you stop and take a big breath before you move ahead into 2012. (In other words ??" don't run this strategy in the simulation, yet. Just turn in this report.)

ASSIGNMENT

Run the simulation with the Strategy that you developed in SLP3 for Time Warp2. Access the simulation site Click here. Review and analyze these results (Time Warp 2 decisions) and develop a revised strategy for Time Warp 3. Make a case for this new strategy using analysis and relevant theories.

Please turn in a 4 to 6 page paper, not including cover and reference page.

KEYS TO THE ASSIGNMENT

The key aspects of this assignment that should be covered and taken into account in preparing your paper include:

The revised strategy consists of the Prices, R&D Allocation %, and any product discontinuations for the X5, X6, and X7 tablets for each of the four years: 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.
You must present a rational justification for this strategy. In other words, you must Make a Case for your proposed strategy using financial analysis and relevant theories.
Use the CVP Calculator and review the PowerPoint that explains CVP and provides some examples.
You need to CRUNCH some numbers (CVP Analysis) to help you determine your prices and R&D allocations.
Make sure your proposed changes in strategy are firmly based in this analysis of financial and market data and sound business principles.Your goal is to practice using CVP and get better at it.
Present your analysis professionally making strategic use of tables, charts and graphs.
TIME LINE SUMMARY

SLP1

2015: 12/15 hired. 12/30 turned in first report to Sally a few days early. 12/31 ??" celebrated

SLP2

Time Warp 1 begins: 1/1/2016 WARPS INTO 1/1/2012
You freak out, and then realize you have to make decisions for 2012 ??" 2015, which you do.
12/31/2015 ??" you have gone through all four years, and you write your report to summarize how you did. You are hoping that you will wake up tomorrow and it will be 2016.

SLP3

Time Warp 2 begins: 1/1/2016 WARPS INTO 1/1/2012 (Again)
Now its 1/1/2012: you decide to use CVP analysis and develop a four year plan for your strategy. You analyze the results of your first decisions in Time Warp 1 and make notes. You use the CVP Calculator to help you develop your strategy and you make more notes explaining your logic and your analysis. Then you take a short breather before you start in again tomorrow.

SLP4

1/2/2012: you begin to implement your four year plan. You follow it and use the pre-determined decisions for each year, through 2015. You keep track of the results, year by year, both financial and marketing.
12/31/2015 - Celebrate
Time Warp 3 begins: 1/1/2016 WARPS INTO 1/1/2012 (Again).
Now it is 1/1/2012 (for the third time.) You do it all over again, one more time. You decide to do the same thing you did the last time and develop a four year plan. You use CVP, analyze your previous results, and make notes explaining what you did and why. Again, you take a breather before diving in with your decisions tomorrow.


ASSIGNMENT EXPECTATIONS

Your paper will be evaluated on the following seven (7) points:

Precision - Does the paper address the question(s) or task(s)?
Breadth - Is the full breadth of the subject, i.e., all the keys to the assignment, addressed?
Depth - Does the paper address all elements of the topic in sufficient depth? Does it include and apply the background readings and other background resources? Are they included as references?
Application - Are the concepts of the module appropriately applied to the subject organization?
Organization - Is the paper organized in a coherent and systematic manner? Are headings included in all papers greater than 2 pages?
Clarity - Is the writing clear and the concepts articulated properly? Are paraphrasing and synthesis of concepts the primary means of response to the questions, or are thoughts conveyed through excessive use of quotations?
Referencing (citations and references) - Does the paper use citations and quotation marks where appropriate? Are all references listed in the bibliography used and referred to via citation?

TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

Please note the following tips or suggestions:

YOU MIGHT FIND THESE DOWNLOADS USEFUL:

Decision Matrix Table - Download this Word doc with a blank table you can use to show your proposed strategy decisions.

PowerPoint discussing CVP - provides a good overview of Cost Volume Profit analysis, the various equations that you can use, and how to use it. Some examples are provided showing how to use the CVP Calculator.

CVP Calculator - this an Excel-based calculator that you can use to determine prices, volumes, and profits. Keep in mind that it will tell you what NEED, but the market determines what you actually get.

Include a cover page and reference page, in addition to the 4-6 pages of analysis described above.
Include headings for all papers greater than 2 pages (basically all papers), but do not use headings as "space fillers."
Cite AND reference all sources that you use in your work, including those that you do not quote but paraphrase. This means include citations and quotation marks for direct quotes of more than 5 words, and citations for that information which you have "borrowed" or paraphrased from other sources.
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Customer is requesting that (whitecap) completes this order.

ITM301 - Principles of Info. Syst. in Bus. and Org.
Module 2 - Case
Decision-making and Information Politics


In this case we investigate the technology-related decision making in organizations.

We start by introducing the objective of governance specific to the information technology function and services.
Next, we offer to you the fundamental battle in technology management?the constant tug-of-war between centralization and decentralization.
We then provide several examples of how real-world organizations have reconciled their choices in how to structure themselves.
Next, we present an overview of decision making processes and some of the methods for making decisions.
Finally, we present insight into the complexity of real-world choices highlight the politics of information

Before writing-up the essay for this case, read and review the following documents (we recommend in this same order):

Objective of IT governance: http://www.intosaiitaudit.org/intoit_articles/25_p30top35.pdf
Centralization versus Decentralization:
http://www.ppcwg.org/images/files/Federated%20Model%20White%20Paper.pdf
Different models / Roundtable discussion: http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/EDU03184.pdf
IT Governance Structure for a public child-welfare agency:
http://www.ppcwg.org/information-management-key-processes-governance-structure.html
University of South Florida IT Governance Structure:
http://generalcounsel.usf.edu/policies-and-procedures/pdfs/policy-0-512.pdf
Overview of Decision Making: http://www.enotes.com/business-finance-encyclopedia/decision-making
Main methods of business decision-making: http://tutor2u.net/business/organisation/decisionmaking.htm
The politics of information: http://www.itmweb.com/essay008.htm
Write a 4-5 page essay describing the IT governance structure and decision-making processes in your organization. Include a discussion on the strengths and weaknesses of your organization?s circumstances and present and justify one specific improvement you would make to either the structure or a process; be sure to apply the concepts and use the terminology provided in the readings.

Case assignment expectations:

Your assignments will be graded following these expectations:

- Precision: the questions asked are answered.

- Clarity: Your answers are clear and show your good understanding of the topic.

- Breadth and depth: The scope covered in your paper is directly related to the questions of the assignment and the learning objectives of the module.

- Critical thinking: It is important to read the ?required readings? posted in the background material plus others you find relevant. Your paper should include important concepts from these readings and incorporate YOUR reactions and examples that illustrate your reflective judgment and good understanding of the concepts.

- Your paper is well written and the references are properly cited and listed (refer to TUI guidelines http://www.trident.edu/files/Well-Written-Paper.pdf )

- Your paper meets the page requirements not counting the cover page or the references pages.

When your paper is done, send it in to CourseNet.






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A a young adult in today's economy, one's college or career choice has a large impact on their future endeavors. What economic factor influence the college making decision? What is the economic impact of these decisions and who is affected by them?

Your paper should include, but not limited to the follow items:
1. The economic impact and who is affected
2. The economic factors that influence the decision
3. Cost and benefits of attending higher education.
4. Impact of student load interest rates changing.

Discuss your attitude about certainty, uncertainty, and risk when making decisions. How has your attitude helped or or hindered your ability to make rational decisions?






P.S. - Judgment In Managerial Decision Making

Managerial accounting is intended to provide managers with the information they need to make decisions and run the company successfully. The information must be reliable, timely and complete. Its provision, however, is dictated by the accounting and management information system in place. In recent years, integrated systems known as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have become more widespread, even among SMEs. Computer costs have also dropped, while computer speed and capacity have increased.
Discuss the effects of these phenomena on managerial accounting capabilities. Integrated systems should enable the collection of information in greater amounts and faster. Recall that managers need relevant and accurate information quickly in order to make good decisions. Have ERP systems also affected the organization?s financial reporting process?i.e., the process by which the periodic financial statements are produced? Greater amounts of information may actually make financial reporting more difficult, instead of the differing objectives of the two types of accounting. Are there limitations that continue to exist, affecting the production of managerial accounting information? Base your answer on research, your readings and your own experiences. Cite any references.