Summarize (do not give a word-for-word account) the more interesting responses to your list of questions plus any other interesting topics discussed in the interview. Were there any surprises? Explain.

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You (each student) are to visit (meet with, interview) a person outside your own company (no relatives or personal friends allowed) who is engaged in a business-tobusiness purchasing, marketing or channel activity covered in the course. Examples of

B2B activities or positions include (remember the course concerns the B2B market not the B2C market):

B2B agent or broker (e.g. customs broker, commercial realtor)

B2B buyer (e.g. Kroger or Macy’s employee who purchases product from manufacturers or distributors)

B2B distributor (e.g. channel distributing, trucking, shipping, warehousing, etc.)

B2B Internet marketer (Internet site tailored to business market)

B2B market researcher (researching the business market)

B2B purchasing agent or representative

B2B sales force manager

B2B salesperson

B2B service representative

B2B trade show organizer

B2B wholesaler

Government or institutional purchasing representative first, to prepare for the interview, develop a list of questions or topics you would like to discuss with your contact. A Discussion board session (starting in late June) will be devoted to a student discussion of possible interview questions. The interview should cover appropriate material (depending on the interviewee) that is in the course. Read ahead the material in chapters not yet covered in the course if this material is appropriate to discuss with your chosen interviewee.

Second, write up the interview by answering the following 7 sets of questions: (remember to make each set of questions shown below (#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6 and #7) a section with heading in your paper). As an option, in section #8 students can include the actual questions used in the interview (note that section #8 does not count in the paper word total of 3 pages. Also, remember, this project is an application of the course material and, as such, students need to weave course material into the interview and the interview write up.

#1) Summarize (do not give a word-for-word account) the more interesting responses to your list of questions plus any other interesting topics discussed in the interview. Were there any surprises? Explain.

#2) Critically analyze the responses. What is the interviewee doing well and not so well? Do you feel your contact really understands his/her field? Explain. Did your contact reinforce points in the text or contradict the text? If so, in your opinion, which is correct? Be convincing.

#3) Did you learn anything from the interview? Explain. Be specific.

#4) Develop a rating scale before the interview and rate the interviewee (after you have left the interview) on job performance and any other category you feel is appropriate given the course material and the interviewee’s job activity. Give your results in the paper and explain. (I would suggest you do NOT mention this aspect of the write-up to your interviewee). [Note: rating items are not ranking items. With ratings, one uses a scale such as 1-5 where 1 is poor and 5 is very good. Ranking is where one lists the items in some type of order such as from bad to good.]

#5) Given what you have learned in this course, what concepts or techniques covered in the course would you recommend your interviewee adopt? Explain. Be specific and convincing. This part as if you were a consultant hired by your interviewee to review his or her work and make recommendations.

#6) Would you recommend this type of B2B activity (the job activity your interviewee discussed) to a fellow undergraduate seeking employment? Explain.

#7) Give the name, company and location of your contact.

#8) Optional section – a list of the actual questions used in the interview.

Determine the political, economic, social, and capital risks associated with doing business in China. What are the most important factors to consider? Why?

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While there are many factors that lead to an organization’s success or failure, it is important to identify the risk associated with the endeavor—financial or nonfinancial. Once the risks have been identified, management has a responsibility to develop measures to mitigate those risks.

Tasks:

Use the publicly-traded company you chose in Module 1*****and imagine it has made a strategic decision to start doing business in China. Using the discussion, Currency Exchange Rates: A Case in China with Country Risk, (Chapter 7, Global Finance, page 192 of your textbook) as a model for the report you will write, prepare a report in which you:

  1. Develop a brief country risk assessment.
  2. Determine the political, economic, social, and capital risks associated with doing business in China. What are the most important factors to consider? Why?
  3. After years of keeping the Yuan pegged to the US dollar, in 2015 the Chinese  allowed it to float freely in international currency exchange rate markets. You may read more about the Yuan reforms here. Many economists believe that keeping the Yuan pegged to the US dollar has caused it to be undervalued by 30 to 50 percent. Discuss what impact a revaluation of the Yuan might have on US multinationals doing business there, on China’s exports, and on Chinese citizens’ standard of living. What impact would a revaluation have on Chinese inflation and on purchasing power parity? Explain. Your paper should be about 2,000 words.

****(paper attached with publicly traded company from module 1)

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Describe the company in terms of industry, size, number of employees, and history. Analyze in detail the current HR practice, policy, process, or procedure that you believe should be changed.

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Write a four to six (4-6) page paper in which you:

Describe the company in terms of industry, size, number of employees, and history.

  1. Analyze in detail the current HR practice, policy, process, or procedure that you believe should be changed.
  2. Formulate three (3) valid reasons for the proposed change based on current change management theories.
  3. Appraise the diagnostic tools that you can use to determine an organization’s readiness for change. Propose two (2) diagnostic tools which you can utilize to determine if the organization is ready for change. Defend why you believe the diagnostic tools selected are the best choice for diagnosing change in the organization.
  4. Using one (1) of the diagnostic tools you selected, assess the organization’s readiness for change.
    1. Provide results of the diagnostic analysis
    2. Explain the results
  5. Interpret whether or not the organization is ready for change. Substantiate your conclusion by referencing current change management theories.

Note: please also submit a one (1) page summary of your presentation.

If you choose the written paper, your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

  • Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Write a four to six (4-6) page paper in which you:

  1. Describe the company in terms of industry, size, number of employees, and history.
  2. Analyze in detail the current HR practice, policy, process, or procedure that you believe should be changed.
  3. Formulate three (3) valid reasons for the proposed change based on current change management theories.
  4. Appraise the diagnostic tools that you can use to determine an organization’s readiness for change. Propose two (2) diagnostic tools which you can utilize to determine if the organization is ready for change. Defend why you believe the diagnostic tools selected are the best choice for diagnosing change in the organization.
  5. Using one (1) of the diagnostic tools you selected, assess the organization’s readiness for change.
    1. Provide results of the diagnostic analysis
    2. Explain the results
  6. Interpret whether or not the organization is ready for change. Substantiate your conclusion by referencing current change management theories.

Note: please also submit a one (1) page summary of your presentation.

If you choose the written paper, your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

  • Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

   Describe a performance issue which resulted from a motivational problem (what, why, who).

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HR Performance Issues and Motivation

The relationship between the organization and its members can be greatly influenced by what motivates individuals to work. The style of leadership, job design, resources on the job, and environment can all have a significant effect on the satisfaction of employees and their performance. Performance is also influenced by individual motivations (e.g., social, recognition, financial reward, personal growth and development, and/or intrinsic satisfaction) and can equally impact the organization. There are many theories that attempt to explain the nature of motivation. Write a four- to five-page paper (excluding the title and reference pages) evaluating the relationship between motivation, job satisfaction, and work performance. Be sure to address the following:

1.     Describe a performance issue which resulted from a motivational problem (what, why, who).

2.     Use a content theory of motivation (e.g., Maslow, Alderfer, Herzberg, or McClelland) or a process theory (i.e., Adams, Locke, or Heider and Kelley) to explain how the issue creates a performance problem for the organization.

3.     Use the theory of motivation you selected to describe an intervention/action to change the motivation/behavior and correct the performance problem.

Your paper must use a minimum of three scholarly sources, in addition to the textbook.

Conduct some independent research and locate the following case: “Hines V. Anchor Motor Freight, Inc.,” 424 U.S. 554 (1976).

Answer the following case questions in a Word document and submit them to the drop box as instructed below. As always, write in effective sentences with proper mechanics.

Case Questions

  1. Why were the employees discharged? Were they actually guilty of such misconduct? Explain your answer.
  2. What is the basis of the employees’ claim that the union had breached its duty of fair representation? What is the effect of the arbitration board decision in this case?
  3. What must the employees demonstrate to establ