Explain the three key components of the TBL framework and how each component benefits businesses and society.
Competencies
In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competencies:
Recommend operations management methods and techniques to increase value for customers
Evaluate how operations management generates value for an organization
Explain local, national, and global sustainability in relation to functional areas of business
Scenario
You work as the chief supply-chain officer at the large international corporation, NationaliTeas. NationaliTeas manufactures and sells tea worldwide. Its motto is “Keeping people and their taste buds awake (when they want to be awake).” Its mission is “Make the world more awake through rejuvenating and refreshing beverages and sustainable practices that uplift workers, communities, and souls.” Its vision is “to be the most respected tea manufacturer across at least three continents for our tea and our actions, which will be driven by a commitment ethical sourcing, minimal waste, and empowerment of our employees.”
You would like to establish an operational goal of having your corporation apply for a B Corp Certification within the next two years. You believe this would add value to the organization and help it to prioritize a stronger focus on sustainable operational practices. You have conducted a preassesment based on the recommendations for applying for B Corp Certification, and you’ve evaluated the corporation’s current strengths and areas for improvement.
Now you need to develop a proposal for the board of directors that explains why prioritizing the triple bottom line (TBL) through working toward B Corp Certification has organizational value. You must also propose three high-impact initiatives to help strengthen the corporation’s commitment to people, planet, and profit based on your evaluations.
Directions
Part One: Justification of Benefits: Justify the value of working toward more intentionally incorporating the TBL framework into organizational decision making, specifically how ethical business practices regarding people, planet, and profit can benefit society, the environment, and the company’s profit. Specifically, address the following:
Key Components: Explain the three key components of the TBL framework and how each component benefits businesses and society.
Organizational Value: Provide a justification regarding the value and benefits of using the TBL framework to inform corporate decision making, and explain connections between the organizational mission and the organizational vision.
B Corporation Benefits: Briefly describe the organizational benefits of attaining B Corp Certification.
Part Two: Operational Recommendations: Read through the Preassessment Evaluation Summary (located in the Supporting Materials section) for each aspect of the TBL (people, profit, and planet). You will need to provide a detailed description of the initiatives that will create the needed improvement. You should note the organizational and societal value of the initiative along with the operational management techniques recommended to plan and complete each initiative. For each of your three initiatives, address the following:
Organizational Impacts: Describe the organizational benefits of each initiative, specifically noting the expected positive impact of completing each. Examples of positive impacts include better alignment to the organization’s mission, vision, and culture statements; increased amounts of funds or resources saved; and improvements to the organization’s brand.
Societal Impacts: Describe the societal benefits of each initiative, specifically noting the expected positive impact of completing each. Examples of positive impacts include increased community building and positive environmental impact.
Customer Impacts: Describe the consumer benefits of each selected initiative, specifically noting the expected positive impact of completing each. Examples of positive impacts include increased alignment to target markets, improved product access and availability, and improved customer satisfaction.
Business Risks: Explain the business risks associated with prioritizing, planning, and resourcing each initiative and how these risks will be considered and monitored.
Operational Management Techniques: Recommend an operational management strategy or technique (e.g., project management, lean manufacturing, or Six Sigma) that is appropriate to implement for each selected initiative, and explain why.
Defining Requirements and Scope: Define the requirements for the successful implantation of each selected initiative as well as the scope of each. Describe how changes to the requirements and scope would impact timelines, budget, and risk.
Roles and Responsibilities: Explain the key internal and external stakeholders who would be involved in planning and implementing each selected initiative, as well as why each identified stakeholder is needed to successfully implement the initiatives.
Analyze the importance of stable dividend policies.
Stock Repurchases
In the short article “Royal Dutch Shell Finally Delivers Big Stock Buyback, But Shares Break Support” by Aparna Narayanan (see below), stock repurchases may produce favorable effects on key financial ratios.
After reading the article, address the prompts below.
Include an introduction that summarizes the article.
Analyze the importance of stable dividend policies.
Determine reasons behind stock repurchases.
Analyze how individual financial metrics are specifically affected by stock repurchase plans and returns.
Should be at least two pgs in length, not counting the title and reference pages. You are required to cite and reference at least your textbook and the article. Use APA format to cite in-text and reference citation
compose a brief essay where you will develop an opposing case in response to one of the following readings
For this assignment, you will compose a brief essay where you will develop an opposing case in response to one of the following readings
Does Patriotism Matter? (Chapter 9, p. 228)
Right to Bear Arms (Chapter 9, p. 229)
Why Prisons Don’t Work (Chapter 10, p. 238)
Multitasking: A Poor Study Habit (Chapter 10, p. 254)
As you write, keep in mind that this is not a critique of the existing case. Use the reading of your choice as motivation to form and advance your own claim about the same issue discussed in the reading.
Requirements:
Support your arguments with credible sources accessed through the library.
Follow the basic essay format.
Develop a thesis that includes three supporting ideas that will be repeated as level I headings.
Place the thesis at the end of the introduction.
Include level I headings for each body paragraph and the conclusion.
Use third person.
Cite at least two credible sources. One must be a scholarly journal article
What did you learn from your classmate’s posting?
Primary Task Response: Read the dialogue below. Within the Discussion Board area, write 400-600 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.
Michelle knows that MM needs to determine who the target customer is for the new product. She knows that marketing research needs to be done as part of this market segmentation and product development processes, but she is not well-acquainted with some of the details that are involved in the processes. She has stopped by your office to ask some questions.
“Thanks for canceling your other meeting this afternoon,” she says.
“No problem,” you say. “I rescheduled my meeting with multimedia; it actually works out better for them, too.”
“I’ve heard about quantitative and qualitative research, but I’m not sure I really understand the difference between the two,” she begins. “I’m sure there are advantages and disadvantages to each of them, but without knowing, I’m not sure which type of research we need to conduct. What do you think?”
Before you can respond, Michelle’s cell phone vibrates.
“Excuse me, I have to take this,” she says.
Michelle takes her call and then stands up.
“Well, I’m sorry to do this, but I have an emergency that I have to deal with right now,” she says. “Would you do me a favor? Send me a memo that explains the two types of research and include brief explanations about the advantages and disadvantages of each as related to how they could be used by MM. I’d like to be able to speak intelligibly to this at the next board meeting.”
“Sure,” you respond, thinking that this will make for a pretty lengthy e-mail. “I’ll also include how each method can help us define our target market. Will that help?”
“Yes, great idea,” she replies.
“Ok! I’ll get that to you by close of business tomorrow,” you say.
Responses to Other Students: Respond to at least 2 of your fellow classmates with at least a 100-word reply about their Primary Task Response regarding items you found to be compelling and enlightening. To help you with your discussion, please consider the following questions:
What did you learn from your classmate’s posting?
What additional questions do you have after reading the posting?
What clarification do you need regarding the posting?
What differences or similarities do you see between your posting and other classmates’ postings?
Identify the criminal justice agencies that may want to claim jurisdiction in all three of the case studies
Need an APA format paper for case studies regarding jurisdiction. Attached is the case studies and below are the requirements.
Part one:
In 250-500 words do the following for all three case studies
Identify the criminal justice agencies that may want to claim jurisdiction in all three of the case studies
Explain briefly why each agency would want to claim jurisdiction and what the benefit would be to each agency.
Explain briefly why an agency may NOT want to assume jurisdiction.
To what degree should ethical considerations, such as what is best for the victim, the community, or even the offender, factor into jurisdictional decisions?
Part two:
In 500-700 words
Select one of the case studies discussed in Part 1. Then, choose one of the agencies and imagine that you are going to argue to your superior that your agency deserves jurisdiction.
Write a report explaining why your agency deserves—or may not want—jurisdiction. Expand upon and build support for the brief explanation from above.
Be sure to state your position and draw upon examples from the case study and learning resources to support your position.
What should the company do to develop good customer relationships? How can managers of the company develop good business relationships?
Best Practice Paper: the objective of this paper is to apply the theories presented to you in the text and the lectures. You may choose a company, for which you will write a paper of approximately 2,000 words minimum, which contains answers or recommendations to the next seven questions.
What should the company do to develop good customer relationships? How can managers of the company develop good business relationships?
How can managers of the company design the customer journey? What is the role of technology in developing the customer experience?
What should the company do to measure the customer’s perspective? How can managers of the company measure, control and manage the operation?
What should the company do to manage and motivate service providers? How can customers be ‘managed’ and motivated?
What should the company do to use “value” to drive continuous improvement?
Identify PUV criteria of the company. What are the options for change?
What should company and its managers do to influence cultural change?
The role of internet marketing within UK fashion industry: Case study of ZARA Fashion apparel company
The role of internet marketing within UK fashion industry: Case study of ZARA Fashion apparel company
“Is environmental damage an inevitable consequence of the pursuit of growth in GDP?”
ASSESSMENT
You are a trainee at Odburn and Clear LLP (OC), a leading international law firm with offices in 11 major cities throughout the UK and Europe and its headquarters in London.
QUESTION 1
OC’s environmental lawyers are hosting a conference for existing and potential clients on current environmental law developments. As part of that conference OC will have stands in the foyer at which junior lawyers will present a short paper on a topical area into which they have researched. Attendees at the conference will circulate the stands and gain an insight into the issues so the paper needs to be short, professional in tone, thought provoking, well researched and demonstrate critical evaluation. The title for the paper you have been allocated is as follows:
“Is environmental damage an inevitable consequence of the pursuit of growth in GDP?”
You have been advised as a guide to:
• Use approximately 1000 words for the paper.
• Evaluate the component parts of the current calculation of the UK’s GDP from the point of view of the relationship between growth in GDP and environmental damage. Provide examples where you can from your research.
The component parts are:
GDP = C + I + G + (NX)
Where
C is private consumption I is private investment
G is government spending NX is imports minus exports
• Research alternative metrics which focus on sustainability and critically evaluate two of the most useful alternatives.
Total marks for Question 1: 30 marks
Given the flexible working patterns of their lawyers OC are considering reducing their city centre footprint nationally and instead opening hot desk office space close to public transport hubs. The footprint reduction will produce significant cost savings. A schedule of the likely cost savings and the estimated costs of the hot desk facilities is set out below.
Your supervising partner, Raul Patel is to attend a partners’ meeting at which the issues are to be discussed. When speaking to Raul you mentioned the payback method and net present value (NPV) as a way of analysing the data, he was impressed that you had such an insight. Raul has asked you to prepare a note for him to read prior to the meeting in which you provide:
(a) A payback period calculation based on the information in the grid below and an analysis of the usefulness of this method in this scenario.
(10 marks)
(b) An explanation of NPV including what it would add to the analysis together with any factors to take into account in using NPV.
(10 marks)
(c) Your analysis of the risks and benefits of the proposed plan. Please ensure your note covers the wider commercial implications as well as financial issues, drawing conclusions where you can.
(10 marks)
Year 0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5
Cost saving – reduction in city centre footprint (based on current cost) 7m 7m 7m 7m 7m 7m
Investment in setting up and running hot desk space (12m) (5m) (3m) (3m) (3m) (3m)
Total marks for Question 2: 30 marks
Question 3
You were recently involved in preparing a pitch for a client. Your team are going to prepare a pitch for the work of a large retail company but your seat in the department has come to an end. Your partner has asked you to prepare a note for incoming trainees in which you set out:
(a) Your reflections on what you personally learnt from the process, please include your initial view and how you adjusted your view as a result of the process; and
(5 marks)
(b) An instructional guide for new trainees in which you explain the rationale for the pitch process and provide instructions and guidance for preparing the content and delivering a pitch. Please reference useful resources throughout your guide which the trainees can use to explore points more deeply.
(15 marks)
Total marks for Question 3: 20 marks
QUESTION 4
Ruby Abara, the recruitment partner at OC, has drafted questions to be put to all candidates at the forthcoming trainee interviews. She has asked you to provide a brief answer to the following strategy question for use by members of the interview panel.
“Is the increasing use of legal technology by in-house lawyers a threat or an opportunity to OC?”
Review and provide a brief overview of peripheral arterial disease.
In your response, cover the following points:
1;Review and provide a brief overview of peripheral arterial disease.
2:Discuss the patient specific assessment for peripheral arterial disease.
3:Identify 2 disorders associated with peripheral arterial disease.
4:Who is at risk for the identified disorder?
What is your experience as a young adult age 21-35 with SCD transitioning from adolescent to adult care, specifically acquiring a primary care physician? How did it affect your daily living?
CHAPTER 1: Introduction to the Study
Sickle cell anemia disease (SCD) is an illness that impacts the blood and often results in recurring and unprompted crises of pain, organ dysfunctions, pulmonary problems, as well as several other infections (Puri, Haywood, Beach, Lanzkron, Guidera, Valenzuela-Araujo, Rothman, & Dugas, 2016). Even though advances in the treatment of SCD have reduced the pain and lengthened survival, people with SCD frequently experience random episodes of acute pain that necessitate health care visits (Evensen, Treadwell, Keller, Levine, Hassell, Werner, & Smith, 2016). According to Jenerette et al. (2014), such clinical manifestations can sometimes cause feelings of inadequacy about the patient’s ability to access care; patients may face stigmatization or questioned about their reports of pain (Treadwell, Bell, Leibovich, Barreda, Marsh, Gildengorin, and Morris, 2014).
One of the primary reasons individuals with SCD visit the emergency department (ED) is because they have a pain crisis, also known as vaso-occlusive pain episodes (VOE) (Treadwell et al., 2014). Some of the barriers they face are lack of appropriate and rapid care in treating VOE, systems-based staffing limitations where there are fewer nurses than patients, lack of primary care physicians that specialize in treating the disease, and constraints of facilities like the absence of enough ED rooms to use for attending to SCD patients (Treadwell et al., 2014). Other barriers associated with access to care at the ED include misunderstandings and biases among healthcare providers concerning sickle cell pain and sufficient dosing of medication (Treadwell et al., 2014). These provider biases frequently result in inadequate treatment of the pain, which may cause pseudo addiction in addition to a series of increased inpatient and ED utilization (Treadwell et al., 2014). Negative experiences with the delivery of health care received by patients with SCD in the ED have lead families and patients to delay or avoid seeking care regardless of the VOE pain (Treadwell et al., 2014). Recent research has indicated that patients have conveyed frustration for not being considered after reporting their pain, insufficient administration of analgesics, and preoccupation of the healthcare staff (Treadwell et al., 2014).
Feelings of inadequacy are other barriers that hinder SCD patients from accessing primary health care (Jenerette & Brewer, 2010). Medical manifestations of SCD frequently result in unpredictable feelings of inadequacy as well as pain concerning the care of SCD patients, which may be an outcome of health-related stigmatization (Jenerette & Brewer, 2010). Stigma induces negative beliefs and attitudes and often leads to the discernment of the institution or that of an individual in different ways of life (Jenerette & Brewer, 2010). Such a standard of shame may result in unfair drawbacks like direct prejudice in schools, within the families as well as at the workplace, and can impact the receipt of quality and timely healthcare (Jenerette & Brewer, 2010).
According to a survey conducted by Jenerette and Brewer (2010), adult patients suffering from SCD have previously reported lack of access to primary care physicians in addition to inadequate treatment of pain in the ED resulting in increased hospitalizations; recurrent pain; and consistent lack of employment. Thus, this study will explore how lack of access to primary care physicians affect young adults with SCD ages 21-35 when transitioning from adolescent to adult care. The theoretical framework, which may give an understanding of the beliefs and attitudes of people with SCD regarding healthcare, is discussed in Chapter 2.
Background of the Problem
SCD is a genetic condition, which affects nearly 100,000 people in the United States (Ribeil et al., 2017). In the African American community, about one out of 500 individuals have this disease (Ribeil et al., 2017). SCD is a multi-systemic condition that has several complications; for example, stroke, recurrent pain, pulmonary complications, anemia, and joint pain (Ribeil et al., 2017). The social environments of patients with SCD are associated with direct inferences, which profoundly impact the biological disease and assertively contribute to pain. Generally, patients with SCD come from low socioeconomic settings which add to the difficulties in accessing healthcare because a majority relies upon government health services as their insurance provider (Ribeil et al., 2017). Lack of quality education is high amongst people with SCD. For instance, youths who have the SCD condition have high absence rates in the learning or work environment (Ribeil et al., 2017). The absenteeism is due to uncontrolled and unpredicted pain episodes. People with SCD should undergo regular treatments that include procedures such as monthly blood transfusions and periodic screening (Ribeil et al., 2017). These treatments help to reduce some of the unquestionable complications that SCD patients face in their day-to-day lives (Jenerette & Brewer, 2010).
Generally, genetic conditions do not have definitive guidelines for primary health care (Cançado, 2011). Therefore, loss of adequate follow-up from the patent and lack of assistance from family may take place (Cancado, 2011). Furthermore, the focus of SCD has been on specialized treatment due to minimum guidelines concerning how to construct primary care in a situation associated with genetic diseases (Cançado, 2011). According to Cançado (2011), the difference between SCD and other genetic illnesses like diabetes mellitus is that SCD is not incorporated in the primary care treatment guidelines proposed by various states and different federal governments across the globe. Nevertheless, there is a lack of access to primary care providers specialized in treating SCD as compared to providers available who specializes in treating chronic ailments like diabetes mellitus and hypertension, to treat SCD (Cancado, 2011). This gap addresses difficulties of access to primary care physicians since healthcare professionals lack the knowledge of how to deliver quality care to SCD patients (Cançado, 2011).
With improvements in managing SCD in the pediatric age cluster, several patients with SCD survive to adulthood (Bemrich-Stolz, Halanych, Howard, Hilliard, and Lebensburger, 2015). Researchers of adolescent with SCD have explored the experience of patients before transitioning to adult care, but none have studied the experiences of young adults age 21-35 with SCD and acquiring primary care when transitioning from adolescent care to adult care (Bemrich-Stolz et al., 2015). According to Shi (2012), lack of primary care physicians destroy the cornerstone that builds an individual’s healthcare system effecting health outcomes and equity. Shi (2012), confirmed that having a primary care physician enhances access to healthcare services, leads to better health outcomes, and decreases hospitalization and use of emergency department visits. Shi (2012) further elaborated that having a primary care physician can help stabilize the negative effect of poor economic conditions on health. This study utilizes a phenomenological qualitative technique to examine the lived experiences of this transition of young adults between the age of 21 and 35 years and their perspectives when accessing a primary care physician.
Variations and gaps in the delivery of medical healthcare lead to poor results for adult youths suffering from SCD (Treadwell et al., 2014). There is a quality gap in the medical management of SCD patients because of lack of access to primary care physicians, lack of physician knowledge on how to treat the disease, and the cost to maintain a healthy life with this illness (Treadwell et al, 2014.). One of the issues to be explored is the participant’s perspectives on access to primary care physicians and how this impacts the delivery of healthcare services they receive to maintain a good quality life.
Stigmatization is the process of identifying an attribute of a person or group and describing or regarding that individual as someone worthy of disgrace or great disapproval (Jenerette & Brewer, 2010). People with SCD face health-related stigma because of their condition and are looked upon as a form of devaluation, pre-judged, or a type of social disqualification because of their illness (Jenerette & Brewer, 2010). Health-related stigma is on the rise becoming a serious public health issue that adds to the burden of individuals and families affected by SCD (Jenerette & Brewer, 2010). According to Jenerette and Brewer (2010), stigmatization might begin with a parent of the affected individual. Daily coping challenges reported by parents of people with SCD are fear of their children dying; separation anxiety; and feelings of vulnerability, seclusion, and isolation (Jenerette & Brewer, 2010). These insights and sensitivities of parents of children with SCD may lead to intensified levels of domineering behaviors that impact the child’s life and may negatively influence self-care behaviors and overall health outcomes (Jenerette and Brewer, 2010).
This qualitative research study embodies a phenomenological approach using the Health Belief Model (HBM) as the theoretical framework. Researchers have previously successfully used the HBM approach for highlighting the lived experiences of people suffering from genetic disorders and acquiring health care (Tanabe et al., 2010; Treadwell et al., 2014).
The nature of this study is qualitative phenomenological research because it is essential to understand the experiences of young adults with SCD between the ages of 21-35 and acquisition of a primary care physician when transitioning from adolescent to adult care. Because of the multifaceted nature of accessing quality care, phenomenological qualitative research was chosen to enable a generation of theoretical inductive literature on the topic of lived experiences of individuals with SCD and accessing primary care.
Statement of the Problem
The number of individuals who live with the SCD condition is not known (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2017), in collaboration with other health institutions, offer resource support to the health research projects that aim at understanding the patient population with SCD to improve the knowledge of how this disease affects health and well-being outcomes. According to a survey conducted by Batina et al. (2017), 93.6 % of their subjects reported that they were unable to access primary care associated with SCD since it was primarily unaffordable. Also, there is a lack of primary care physicians with accessible health care institutions that can manage SCD (Batina et al., 2017). Most SCD young adult patients experience different needs and challenges when it comes to handling and living with SCD and acquiring a primary care physician (Bemrick-stolz et al., 2011). It’s essential for primary care physicians to understand the needs and challenges of SCD patients in order to know how this disease affects the health and the well-being outcome of this population.
The research questions utilized to gain insight into the lived experiences of young adults with SCD acquiring a primary care physician are as follows:
Research Questions
1. What is your experience as a young adult age 21-35 with SCD transitioning from adolescent to adult care, specifically acquiring a primary care physician? How did it affect your daily living?
2. At what age did you obtain a primary care physician, and what was your experience?
3. Did you experience any challenges when seeking primary care services when transitioning from adolescent to adult care? Tell me about this experience?
4. What factors influenced you as a young adult with SCD to seek care from a primary care physician?
5. On a scale of 1-5 with 5 being extremely knowledgeable, what was your perceived knowledge as a young adult about SCD? How old were you when you gained this knowledge?
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to describe the experiences of young adults between the ages of 21-35 with SCD and acquisition of a primary care physician once they transition from adolescent to adults. There is a necessity to comprehensively understand the care needs of SCD-affected individuals to ensure that evidence-based therapeutic interventions can be done to address the gaps in health services. The literature in this study will provide an understanding that besides alleviation of physical debilities such as bodily pain, SCD-affected individuals experience challenges when accessing primary care physicians. The methodology used to investigate this phenomenological approach is provided in Chapter 3 and Appendix B.
