Unit 6 discussion: careers in human services
Select a career in human services that interest you. Visit the Occupational Outlook Handbook http://www.bls.gov/ooh/ and answer the following questions: 1) What are the primary tasks associated with this career (in other words, describe the career)? 2) What are the educational requirements, salary and projected growth of this career? 3) What motivated you to choose this career path? What values or characteristics would be reflected in this work?
600 week 4 | Nursing homework help
Points: 10 | Due Date: Week 4, Day 3 & 7 | CLO: 3 | Grade Category: Discussions
Discussion Prompt
Discuss how you intend to implement your evidence-based findings. What are your anticipated challenges? How do you intend to overcome some of those challenges?
FOCUS on JEAN WATSON THEORY
Expectations
Length: A minimum of 250 words, not including references
Citations: At least one high-level scholarly reference in APA from within the last 5 years
UAG The Importance of Work Ethics in Todays Global Society Essay
Library Assignment instructions: Prepare a White Paper titled The Importance of Work Ethics in Todays Global Society.” Typically, a white paper is brief and written for an audience outside of the profession. You must be factual and concise. As a leader in your community, you need to summarize the importance of work ethics in todays global society. Your audience will be your peers, your superiors, and the community at large.
I need in 12 hours! | QSO 510 – Quantitative Analysis
I need to submit a 3-4 page paper that describes the scenario provided in the attached case study, identifies quantifiable factors that may affect operational performance, develops a problem statement, and proposes a strategy for resolving a company’s problem.
Calculate the central tendency for the dependent variable
Develop a histogram of the gift amount
Develop scatterplots for the gift amount for each independent variable.
I need to be able to upload the paper and calculations
Social worker | Social Science homework help
How did you develop your interest in social work?
Identify your personal qualities, strengths, and weaknesses that you consider relevant to your future career in social work.
What areas of social work practice appeal to you as possible career fields? Why?
The statement should be written in first person, active voice using proper grammar. The statement will become a permanent part of the students record in the social work files. All information is confidential.
Clinical information systems | NURSING | Chamberlain College of Nursing
Electronic health records (EHRs), by streamlining how health care is provided, can improve the efficiency of medical records and the quality of care (Jette, 2019). Clinical documentation needs to reflect and be consistent with the care provided (Jette, 2019). Tracking patients records and their care has improved the quality of care by reducing errors (Balestra, 2019).
Briefly describe the selected EHR software solutions. Include three features of each software in the description.
EPIC EHR
Epic is an electronic medical record that is a centralized solution for health care communication and documentation. It delivers and coordinates care through dedicated modules for many specialties, including hospitals, long-term care, labs, rehab, urgent care, and many more. This software offers many features, including but not limited to telehealth, analytics, and clinical.
Telehealth
Telehealth has a patient portal for patients to manage their care through electronic access to their healthcare information. They can schedule appointments, attend electronic telehealth visits, message their doctors, provide better health outcomes, and be accessible and available on tablets and phones. It also allows for monitoring patients in ICU, manages chronic diseases, has central deterioration monitoring, and allows case managers to manage care and coordinate discharge plans in acute care settings, hospitals, and rural settings.
Analytics
Analytics collects all the information that has been imputed and curates all the information at one point so that users can access it; it provides dashboards and reports that are utilized for benchmarking and quality improvement of patient care. Analytics allows the health care team to investigate through the built-in dashboards and quickly provide adequate care to the patient. The management of data allows for quick answers to complicated questions by combining the clinical data that has been inputted by care staff, allowing for quick decision-making.
Clinical
The clinical program is tailored to fit the organizations needs, from workflow to the layout of screens. Clinical documentation, care planning, medications administration and orders, physician updates are at the fingertips of all staff. Data inputted by the health care professionals are linked and streamlines to get patients healthier faster, connecting physicians through the web, mobile phones, and high other tech methods. The staff has access to one point of care date, real-time, allowing for quick response, solutions, and positive patient outcomes.
iCare Manager
iCare manager is software primarily used by assisted livings and small group homes for the elderly. It focuses specifically on the elderly and their diagnosis and plan of care. It is a relatively new system focusing on the small providers of long-term healthcare. iCare is an electronic medical record that is a centralized electronic solution for assisted livings, providing documentation at one point that is accessible to other users within the same organization. It delivers and coordinates care through dedicated modules specific to assisted livings. This software offers analytics, Emar, assessments, care tracker, clinical documentation, staff licensure, and staffing schedules.
EMAR
Electronic medical records can coordinate all medications based on scheduled administration time, allow staff to sign medication administration, and send alerts to managers for any missed mediations, allowing for quick follow-up. It can set parameters, create a face-sheet with all patient demographics, including physician and pharmacy information. Its clear screen display allows for streamlined medication administration by care staff and links with a pharmacy for accurate updates and changes with new medication orders.
Assessments
The assisted living completed routine and regular assessments on all residents based on health care regulations. iCare Manager has a component designed to meet the specific documentation requirement for delegating nurses and managers by health care regulatory requirements.
Care Tracker
Assisted Livings are required to track and document the ADLs of all the patients. Care tracker is a component of iCare, where care staff can log in and document all care provided daily. It can scan documents that can be integrated into the patients chart and easily accessible to the healthcare team. It tracks and sends alerts to the manager and delegating nurse any abnormal issues or concerns. For example, if a patient has not had a bowel movement for three days, an alert will be sent to quickly take the appropriate action, resulting in better patient outcomes.
All components of the iCare manager are integrated, allowing for access on mobile phones and pads. Physician, nursing team pharmacy all have access to one point allowing for seamless, efficient care and outcomes.
Compare and contrast the benefits of the two selected EHR software solutions.
EPIC and iCare are both web-based electronic health record software. Epic is aimed for use at hospitals and acute care settings; iCare is specific for assisted livings. Both have a good workflow and are easy to use; EPIC can be customized, iCare is not customizable. Epic provides a patient portal for patients to log in and manage their health care; iCare does not have a patient portal. Both allow providers to scan documents and save them in the patients portal, and both are easily accessible from mobile phones. Acute care and hospitals settings use EPIC, which has been around for some time and can meet their communication and documentation needs. iCare is relatively new and is still going through growing pains, but it is by far one of the best soft wares for small assisted livings with less than 16 residents. Both have issues related to web-based access. If power or connection is lost, it places the health care providers in the difficult position of trying to care without access to the patient portal and could increase errors.
Select an EHR software solution that is best suited for your workplace environment. Identify the workplace environment (hospital, stand-alone private practice, etc.) and provide your rationale for the selected software.
iCare is best suited for my care environment. As a small assisted living provider with 16 residents and low staff numbers, meeting the regulatory requirements can be challenging. iCare, with its user-friendly software, allows for easy documentation of assessments, care plans, nursing notes, and direct connectivity with pharmacy and physicians, makes it a cost-effective and user-friendly solution that meets our needs. The staff has direct access to EMAR for daily medication administration, and the caretaker tracks activities of daily living required by our regulatory board. iCare sends alerts directly to mobile devices if medications are missed or omitted or any abnormal readings of vital signs, weights, bowel movements. Continued upgrades are needed to accommodate the changing needs of small assisted livings, according to Schopf et al. (2019), substantial development is required to improve the EHR to support patients health information for healthcare providers accurately. An abundance of healthcare information can be managed through databases by using electronic medical records, and this makes data more easily shared between providers and organizations (Kruse et al, 2018. p.14)
References
Balestar, M.L. (2019). Electronic health record: Patient care and ethical and legal implications for nurse practitioners. JNP. 13(2), 105-111
Jetté, N., & Kwon, C. (2019). Electronic Health RecordsA system only as beneficial as Its data. JAMA. 2(9), DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.11679
Kruse, C. S., Stein, A., Thomas, H., Kaur, H. (2018). The use of electronic health records to support population health: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of Medical Systems, 42(11), 2-16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-018-1075-6
Schopf, T.R., Nedrebø, B., Hufthammer, K.O., Daphu (Links to an external site.), I.K., Lærum (Links to an external site.), H. (2019). How well is the electronic health record supporting the clinical tasks of hospital physicians? A survey of physicians at three Norwegian hospitals. BMC Health Serv Res. 19(934). DOI: org/10.1186/s12913-019-4763-0
I NEED A COMMENT FOR THIS DISCUSSION BOARD WITH AT LEAST 2 PARAGRAPHS AND USE 3 SOURCES NO LATER THAN 5 YEARS.
Busi 342 db3 replies | Business & Finance homework help
1 day ago
Randy Shepherd
Randy Shepherd DB 3
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Coca Cola began a pay for performance program in 2014 according to news reports from CNBC. Then in 2015 the company revamped this system, “Beginning in 2015, performance metrics applied to long-term awards will provide a balanced approach to incentives, increase alignment with local operations and pay for results that employees can more directly influence,” (CNBC, 2014).
Coca Cola has a Compensation Committee which oversees all compensation programs for the company. In describing the reasons for the compensation systems used at Coca Cola, the Compensation Committee issued this quote. (We are) focused on fostering a high-performance culture and continuing to align pay and performance against the key strategic drivers of long-term growth. (Coca Cola Unbottled Our Blog, 2016). This is a component of performance management. Performance management is a series of activities designed to ensure that the organization gets the performance it needs from its employees (Mathis, 2017, Chapter 10-1)
The majority of the focus of the Compensation Committee is on the performance compensation of the executives of Coca Cola. The compensation program is guided by three principles.
1. Pay for Performance. The great majority of pay for executives should be at-risk and performance-based with metrics aligned to the Companys financial results and business strategy and have a clear connection to the employees individual performance.
2. Maintain programs that will attract and retain critical talent, while reinforcing a high-performing and accountable culture. Compensation programs should be competitive in the marketplace and designed to retain talent over the longer term, while holding employees accountable to the Companys strategy and values.
3. Consider the Coca-Cola system. Employees are required to operate and have influence in the context of a broad and complex global Coca-Cola system, which includes the independent bottling partners. While the Company had approximately $42 billion in reported net operating revenues in 2016, the Coca-Cola system generates more than $100 billion in revenues, operates in over 200 countries and employs more than 700,000 people. The executives and employees must not only manage the business but also support its bottlers and other partners. This alignment and a shared vision of success are critical to drive long-term growth.
This compensation program rewards top executives with bonuses and stock options which more than double their salaries. The executives who benefit are expected to deliver results in leading the company in growth in the beverage industry. The long term incentive program will continue to provide awards to a broad-based population of employees. The majority of employees currently eligible for long-term awards will begin receiving long-term incentives as performance cash awards in 2015, which will continue to provide competitive incentives consistent with the Companys pay for performance philosophy.
Coca Cola has also expanded this concept of Pay for Performance to its advertising agencies. If the agency doesnt deliver advertising that works to increase profits, then Coca Cola only pays them for the cost of the advertisement but not additional profits. This has led to increased innovation in the advertising of their product. This pay for performance model is risky for the advertising agency, because they may have hundreds of employee hours invested in a television commercial and if it doesnt do well in the market place, then that advertiser doesnt make a profit. On the other hand, Coca Cola is a large wealthy company, and the advertising agency would be rewarded handsomely for a successful campaign. If the agency is able to really add value to the Coke products, the agency can earn as high as 30 percent profit (Trendsupdates.com)
In looking at the history of Coca Cola and what brought about this pay for performance change, the article Corporations as Partners: Connected Capitalism and The Coca-Cola Company by Robert J. Foster alludes that former CEO Neville Isdell, the CEO of the company from 2004 to 2008, had a mindset of partnering with other corporations and NGOs to improve the companys brand as well as change the world for the better. Profits and progress, Isdell claims, need not conflict: In fact, one demands the other (Foster, 2014). It appears this mindset of the company led ultimately to the current compensation program.
The American dream is built on hard work and being rewarded for that work. While everyone needs money and resources to sustain life, the most important thing is to live for Christ in all we do and put his cause above all worldly pursuits. Proverbs 14:23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.
References
Foster, R. J. (2014), Corporations as Partners: Connected Capitalism and The Coca-Cola Company. PoLAR, 37: 246258. doi:10.1111/plar.12073
Mathis, R. L., Jackson, J. H., Valentine, S. R., & Meglich, P. A. (2017). Human resource management.
https://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/01/coca-cola-revises-pay-plan-after-consulting-with-shareholders.html
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/coca-cola-unbottled/coca-colas-board-of-directors-outlines-compensation-strategy
http://www.coca-colacompany.com/content/dam/journey/us/en/private/fileassets/pdf/investors/2017-proxy-statement.pdf
http://www.iaauae.org/en/news-archive/coke-leads-pay-for-performance-model.html
1 day ago
Jennifer Comer-Acker
Forum: Forum 3 (Modules 5 and 6)
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Forum: Forum 3 (Modules 5 and 6)
Pay-for-performance philosophy A financial reward system for employees where some or all of their monetary compensation is related to how their performance is assessed relative to stated criteria. Performance related pay can be used in a business context for how an individual, a team or the entire company performs during a given time frame (Performance Related Pay, n.d.).
Auto makers are a large corporation that use the pay-for-performance philosophy. After many years of assembly line workers putting cars together it is now evolved into several departments working to bring a vehicle together. Auto Makers are providing incentives and using the pay for performance model to make high quality cars faster. The United Auto Workers Union have already settled with General Motors and have a tentative agreement with Ford and they are wrapping up talks with Chrysler (DuBois, 2011).
The driving reason behind the United Auto Workers Union and the auto manufacturers to create a pay-for-performance model, is to create the incentive to its employees to work better and faster. Incentives to make the same car, but with less errors and less time give an employee something to strive for and not just come in for a solitary paycheck. United Auto Workers and the auto manufacturing companies are trying to create more auto jobs in America; therefore, GM and Ford have offered sign on bonuses and profit sharing plans for the entry level workers coming in at lower salaries (DuBois, 2011).
Many major companies and the government included, are considering going to a pay for performance model to help in the low cash flow issues. In the tough economic times, top working employees need to be compensated for their superior performance. Companies must make sure that they clearly communicate the types of compensation that they will offer in the pay for performance models. When getting the employee geared up for making more by working harder there will be a shift in the overall performance that will help in the end keep companies open. All workers can work to a common goal to perform better to create a better produce and in the end, make more money for themselves and the companies that they work for (DuBois, 2011).
There are some not so nice side effects of the pay to perform models that can lead to criminal activity or the undoing of the entire company. With enough money to be had good people can do some bad things and when selfishness takes over there can be a mess. There must be clear boundaries for incentives, what is and is not allowed, before any wrong doing can begin. Several examples of Pay-to-Perform gone wrong are Enron, Galleon, UBS and Wells Fargo to name a few (Khan, 2016). If corporations want to promote conscientious behavior, then conscious needs to be given a breathing room. How much for your integrity? Does everyone has a price? George Washington supposedly said few men have the honor to withstand the highest bidder (Khan, 2016).
References
DuBois, S. (2011, October 07). Why automakers are adopting pay for performance. Retrieved from Fortune: http://fortune.com/2011/10/07/why-automakers-are-adopting-pay-for-performance/
Khan, R. (2016, October 12). There’s a problem with ‘pay for performance’. Retrieved from Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/theres-a-problem-with-pay-for-performance-2016-10
Performance Related Pay. (n.d.). Retrieved from Business Dictionary: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/performance-related-pay.html
Fin 571 week 6 final ( fin571 week 6 finals exam mcq ) fin/571
FIN571 Week 6 Finals EXAM (****** 30/30 Correct Answer ******) 100% A+ Score
Multiple Choice Question 51
Which of the following is considered a hybrid organizational form?
[removed]
sole proprietorship
[removed]
limited liability partnership
[removed]
partnership
Multiple Choice Question 59
Which of the following is a principal within the agency relationship?
[removed]
the CEO of the firm
[removed]
the board of directors
[removed]
a company engineer
[removed]
a shareholder
Multiple Choice Question 78
Which of the following presents a summary of the changes in a firms balance sheet from the beginning of an accounting period to the end of that accounting period?
[removed]
The statement of retained earnings.
[removed]
The statement of working capital.
[removed]
The statement of cash flows.
[removed]
The statement of net worth.
Multiple Choice Question 57
Teakap, Inc., has current assets of $ 1,456,312 and total assets of $4,812,369 for the year ending September 30, 2006. It also has current liabilities of $1,041,012, common equity of $1,500,000, and retained earnings of $1,468,347. How much long-term debt does the firm have?
[removed]
$803,010
Multiple Choice Question 63
Efficiency ratio: Gateway Corp. has an inventory turnover ratio of 5.6. What is the firm’s days’s sales in inventory?
[removed]
57.9 days
Multiple Choice Question 70
Leverage ratio: Your firm has an equity multiplier of 2.47. What is its debt-to-equity ratio?
[removed]
1.47
Multiple Choice Question 84
Which of the following is not a method of benchmarking?
[removed]
Conduct an industry group analysis.
[removed]
Identify a group of firms that compete with the company being analyzed.
[removed]
Utilize the DuPont system to analyze a firms performance.
[removed]
Evaluating a single firms performance over time.
Multiple Choice Question 67
Present value: Jack Robbins is saving for a new car. He needs to have $ 21,000 for the car in three years. How much will he have to invest today in an account paying 8 percent annually to achieve his target? (Round to nearest dollar.)
[removed]
$19,444
Multiple Choice Question 62
PV of multiple cash flows: Ferris, Inc., has borrowed from their bank at a rate of 8 percent and will repay the loan with interest over the next five years. Their scheduled payments, starting at the end of the year are as follows$450,000, $560,000, $750,000, $875,000, and $1,000,000. What is the present value of these payments? (Round to the nearest dollar.)
[removed]
$2,815,885
Multiple Choice Question 64
PV of multiple cash flows: Ajax Corp. is expecting the following cash flows$79,000, $112,000, $164,000, $84,000, and $242,000over the next five years. If the company’s opportunity cost is 15 percent, what is the present value of these cash flows? (Round to the nearest dollar.)
[removed]
$429,560
Multiple Choice Question 72
Future value of an annuity: Jayadev Athreya has started on his first job. He plans to start saving for retirement early. He will invest $5,000 at the end of each year for the next 45 years in a fund that will earn a return of 10 percent. How much will Jayadev have at the end of 45 years? (Round to the nearest dollar.)
[removed]
$3,594,524
Multiple Choice Question 57
Serox stock was selling for $20 two years ago. The stock sold for $25 one year ago, and it is currently selling for $28. Serox pays a $1.10 dividend per year. What was the rate of return for owning Serox in the most recent year? (Round to the nearest percent.)
[removed]
16%
Multiple Choice Question 62
Bond price: Regatta, Inc., has six-year bonds outstanding that pay a 8.25 percent coupon rate. Investors buying the bond today can expect to earn a yield to maturity of 6.875 percent. What should the company’s bonds be priced at today? Assume annual coupon payments. (Round to the nearest dollar.)
[removed]
$1,066
Multiple Choice Question 57
PV of dividends: Next year Jenkins Traders will pay a dividend of $3.00. It expects to increase its dividend by $0.25 in each of the following three years. If their required rate of return is 14 percent, what is the present value of their dividends over the next four years?
[removed]
$13.50
Multiple Choice Question 79
Capital rationing. TuleTime Comics is considering a new show that will generate annual cash flows of $100,000 into the infinite future. If the initial outlay for such a production is $1,500,000 and the appropriate discount rate is 6 percent for the cash flows, then what is the profitability index for the project?
[removed]
1.11
Multiple Choice Question 88
What decision criteria should managers use in selecting projects when there is not enough capital to invest in all available positive NPV projects?
[removed]
The profitability index.
[removed]
The internal rate of return.
[removed]
The modified internal rate of return.
[removed]
The discounted payback
Multiple Choice Question 60
How firms estimate their cost of capital: The WACC for a firm is 13.00 percent. You know that the firm’s cost of debt capital is 10 percent and the cost of equity capital is 20%. What proportion of the firm is financed with debt?
[removed]
70%
Multiple Choice Question 85
If a company’s weighted average cost of capital is less than the required return on equity, then the firm:
[removed]
Must have preferred stock in its capital structure
[removed]
Is financed with more than 50% debt
[removed]
Is perceived to be safe
[removed]
Has debt in its capital structure
Multiple Choice Question 68
The cost of equity: Gangland Water Guns, Inc., is expected to pay a dividend of $2.10 one year from today. If the firm’s growth in dividends is expected to remain at a flat 3 percent forever, then what is the cost of equity capital for Gangland if the price of its common shares is currently $17.50?
[removed]
15.36%
Multiple Choice Question 32
A firm’s capital structure is the mix of financial securities used to finance its activities and can include all of the following except
[removed]
preferred stock.
Multiple Choice Question 54
M&M Proposition 1: Dynamo Corp. produces annual cash flows of $150 and is expected to exist forever. The company is currently financed with 75 percent equity and 25 percent debt. Your analysis tells you that the appropriate discount rates are 10 percent for the cash flows, and 7 percent for the debt. You currently own 10 percent of the stock.
If Dynamo wishes to change its capital structure from 75 percent to 60 percent equity and use the debt proceeds to pay a special dividend to shareholders, how much debt should they issue?
[removed]
$375
Multiple Choice Question 69
Multiple Analysis: Turnbull Corp. had an EBIT of $247 million in the last fiscal year. Its depreciation and amortization expenses amounted to $84 million. The firm has 135 million shares outstanding and a share price of $12.80. A competing firm that is very similar to Turnbull has an enterprise value/EBITDA multiple of 5.40.
What is the enterprise value of Turnbull Corp.? Round to the nearest million dollars.
[removed]
$453.6 million
Multiple Choice Question 86
External financing needed: Jockey Company has total assets worth $4,417,665. At year-end it will have net income of $2,771,342 and pay out 60 percent as dividends. If the firm wants no external financing, what is the growth rate it can support?
[removed]
25.1%
Multiple Choice Question 46
Which of the following cannot be engaged in managing the business?
[removed]
a sole proprietor
[removed]
a general partner
[removed]
a limited partner
[removed]
none of these
Multiple Choice Question 80
Which of the following does maximizing shareholder wealth not usually account for?
[removed]
Government regulation.
[removed]
The timing of cash flows.
[removed]
Amount of Cash flows.
Multiple Choice Question 41
The strategic plan does NOT identify
[removed]
working capital strategies.
[removed]
the lines of business a firm will compete in.
[removed]
major areas of investment in real assets.
[removed]
future mergers, alliances, and divestitures.
Multiple Choice Question 67
Firms that achieve higher growth rates without seeking external financing
[removed]
have a low plowback ratio.
[removed]
have less equity and/or are able to generate high net income leading to a high ROE.
[removed]
are highly leveraged.
Multiple Choice Question 75
Payout and retention ratio: Drekker, Inc., has revenues of $312,766, costs of $220,222, interest payment of $31,477, and a tax rate of 34 percent. It paid dividends of $34,125 to shareholders. Find the firm’s dividend payout ratio and retention ratio.
[removed]
55%, 45%
Multiple Choice Question 30
The cash conversion cycle
[removed]
begins when the firm uses its cash to purchase raw materials and ends when the firm collects cash payments on its credit sales.
[removed]
estimates how long it takes on average for the firm to collect its outstanding accounts receivable balance.
[removed]
shows how long the firm keeps its inventory before selling it.
[removed]
begins when the firm invests cash to purchase the raw materials that would be used to produce the goods that the firm manufactures.
Multiple Choice Question 58
You are provided the following working capital information for the Ridge Company:
Ridge Company
Account
$
Inventory
$12,890
Accounts receivable
12,800
Accounts payable
12,670
Net sales
$124,589
Cost of goods sold
99,630
Cash conversion cycle: What is the cash conversion cycle for Ridge Company?
FIN/571 Week 6 Final Exam Quiz
FIN571 Week 6 Final Exam
FIN 571 Week 6 Finals
Hr management mcqs | Human Resource Management homework help
(1) A concern about political correctness is that it often leads to
A. creating too many categories of people.
B. blandness and imprecision in language.
C. making many people feel inferior.
D. conflict between majority- and minority-group members. (2) According to the triarchic theory of intelligence, a person with good street smarts would be strong in the ____________ subtype of intelligence.
A. analytical
B. practical
C. creative
D. multiple (3) A person with a high degree of self-management can readily
A. react with appropriate anger to situations.
B. develop passion about the work he or she is performing.
C. respond to the unspoken feelings of others.
D. understand his or her own moods. (4) Tony rates high on positive affectivity. He is likely to be a(n)
A. risk taker and thrill seeker.
B. pessimist.
C. optimist.
D. emotionally unstable. (5) An example of a cultural blooper would be for an American to
A. pressure an Asian job applicant to brag about personal accomplishments.
B. deemphasize organizational rank when conducting business in Scandinavia.
C. upon first contact, address a French executive by title and last name.
D. give a small gift to a Japanese business associate.
(6) Which of the following is not an aspect of cultural intelligence?
A. personality (the psychological)
B. cognitive (the head)
C. emotional/motivational (the heart)
D. the body (physical) (7) When dealing with a person who is open to experience, it would be effective for you to
A. appeal to the person’s intellect.
B. avoid presenting fresh information to him or her.
C. avoid talking about cultural trends.
D. talk about traditional approaches to solving problems.
(8) Larry wants to be politically correct, so when introducing Janis Stewart, the vice president of marketing in his company, to friends at a party, he says, “I would like you to meet Janis Stewart,
A. our woman vice president of marketing.”
B. the highest placed girl in our company.”
C. one of the best female minds in marketing.”
D. our vice president of marketing.” (9) A conclusion based on many studies found that there was a tendency for relations-oriented diversity (such as race and gender) to lead to high performance in
A. mills and mines.
B. prison settings.
C. manufacturing settings.
D. service industry settings. (10) Cultural fluency includes
A. using a computer program to translate from one language into another.
B. wearing latex gloves to avoid germs when visiting other countries.
C. getting homesick on long visits overseas.
D. knowledge of the international business environment
(11) The term individual differences refers to the fact that
A. members of the same group behave approximately the same.
B. members of the same group often behave quite differently.
C. many individuals have personality problems.
D. many individuals have intellectual problems.
(12) Jason scores high on the personality trait, openness. He most likely is
A. well developed intellectually.
B. conscientious only on the job.
C. disagreeable in many situations.
D. emotionally unstable. (13) A major aspect of cultural sensitivity is a willingness to investigate
A. the reasons why people from another culture act as they do.
B. why one dislikes people from another culture.
C. opportunities for overseas work.
D. opportunities for overseas travel (14) Manfred was raised in a culture with a strong value of social support seeking, so on the job he is likely to
A. ask for help and comfort when facing a difficult problem.
B. take members of the custodial staff to lunch.
C. be persistent in asking for salary increases.
D. avoid assignments that would require him to work on weekends. (15) A recommended tactic for overcoming cross-cultural communication barriers would be to
A. use the same nonverbal communication behaviors from one culture to another.
B. make extensive use of idioms and figures of speech.
C. use complicated language to capture the attention of the person from another culture.
D. be sensitive to differences in nonverbal communication. (16) The results of research studies suggests that employees the most likely to quit their job tend to be
A. high on consciousness.
B. high on agreeableness.
C. low on openness to experience.
D. low on emotional stability.
(17) The theory of multiple intelligences contends that people possess
A. various ways of multiplying their intelligences.
B. two different types of intelligences, or faculties, in different degrees.
C. eight different intelligences, or faculties, in different degrees.
D. an almost unlimited number of intelligences. (18) In cross-cultural relations, being attentive to individual differences in appearance helps overcome the problem of
A. confusing the identity of people from the same racial or ethnic group.
B. being politically correct.
C. appearing cold and distant to people from a different culture.
D. being too informal toward people of another culture. (19) Being a little pessimistic will often help job performance when
A. worrying about negative outcomes is irrelevant.
B. positive interactions with work associates is essential.
C. prevention of problems is an asset.
D. being outgoing with people is a major part of the job. (20) A contributing factor to the increased profits associated with diversity is that
A. cultural diversity is used to justify lower wages.
B. the workforce is similar to the customer base in appearance and customs.
C. the conflict associated with diversity leads to better product decisions.
D. customers are usually willing pay higher prices to companies with a diverse workforce
Set 2
1- A recommendation for improving listening skills is to
A. judge delivery, not content.
B. restate what you hear.
C. let listening come more naturally.
D. listen for facts. 2- Multitasking in the presence of another person or persons can result in a positive display of interpersonal skills when the
A. parties are of equal rank in the organization.
B. parties are of unequal rank in the organization.
C. parties are working close to each other physically.
D. purpose of the multitasking is to engage in joint problem solving. 3- To become a persuasive communicator,
A. be adamant about selling your proposal.
B. speak in the second person.
C. do not listen to people’s objections.
D. establish a yes pattern at the outset 4- The purpose of nonverbal communication is to
A. convey the feeling behind the message.
B. clarify the spoken word.
C. repeat the spoken word.
D. prevent the spoken word from being interpreted too literally. 5- Supervisor Barney often consults his BlackBerry while coaching people in his department. Most employees are likely to think that Barney
A. cares about them enough to electronically record their conversation.
B. is on the fast track to the executive suite.
C. dislikes being a supervisor.
D. does not think they are very important.
6- When in a vehicle with a coworker during working hours and you are driving, a positive interpersonal skill would be to
A. avoid using your cell phone for calls or text messaging.
B. send the person with you a text message, just for fun.
C. make repeated calls, using hands-free equipment.
D. use your cell phone just when you have stopped your vehicle for a red light or stop sign. 7- To get a quick read, based on nonverbal cues, of a person’s happiness, look carefully at his or her
A. hand gestures.
B. communication setting.
C. face.
D. physical distance from you. 8- Your manager discusses your job performance with you. She says, “Could you summarize for me what I’ve told you?” Your manager is attempting to overcome communication barriers by the method of
A. asking for feedback.
B. appealing to human motivation.
C. being a positive person.
D. using multiple channels. 9- When you neatly organize your work area to appear efficient, you are using the form of nonverbal communication called
A. personal space.
B. public distance. .
C. environment or setting.
D. work signals. 10- Should you have to take a cellphone call while interacting with a work associate, it is recommended that you
A. take the call on the spot to avoid wasting time.
B. move about fifteen feet away to take the call.
C. use the speakerphone function so your work associate will understand the importance of the call.
D. invite your work associate to speak to the caller. 11- A recommended technique for dealing with a stressful conversation is to
A. rehearse in advance what you intend to say.
B. use intimidation tactics during the conversation.
C. hold the conversation on Monday.
D. hold the conversation on Friday 12- Which of the following is not a recommended technique of participating in a webcam interview?
A. Create an uncluttered area around your computer.
B. Place a bright light behind your back.
C. Dress as if you were having an in-person interview.
D. Place your face about six inches from the computer screen. 13- A recommended way of demonstrating positive interpersonal skills through social networking is to
A. avoid embarrassing people by complimenting them on social networking sites.
B. post well-deserved criticisms of your employer
C. substitute online contact for almost all face-to-face contact.
D. establish meaningful contact with coworkers far and wide. 14- The aspect of nonverbal communication offering the clearest indication of interpersonal attitudes is
A. facial expressions.
B. gestures.
C. interpersonal distance.
D. posture. 15- To help overcome communication barriers, after you receive a message,
A. check for the feelings related to the message.
B. take the message at face value to avoid communicating distrust.
C. ask the sender to repeat the message twice.
D. immediately respond, “Are you telling me the truth?”
16- With respect to taking medical or legal calls in the office on your cellphone,
A. keep your cell phone at hand so you can take the call immediately.
B. take the call, but act as if you are angry because your work is interrupted.
C. advise work associates in advance that you might be receiving such a call.
D. politely tell your work associates to stop talking so you can better hear this important call. 17- Which of the following characteristics of a message is the least likely to encounter barriers?
A. factual
B. complex
C. emotionally arousing
D. clashes with the receiver’s mental set 18- Which of the following is the least likely to contribute to persuasive communication?
A. keeping your pitch about the same at the start and finish of a sentence
B. backing up conclusions with data
C. focusing on the screen rather than the audience during a slide presentation
D. getting a yes response early on 19- A recommended way of demonstrating positive interpersonal skills through social networking is to
A. invite anybody you can find to be a friend or follower.
B. show loyalty by making gracious comments about your employer.
C. lower your level of writing skills to that of the silliest bloggers.
D. blitz managers in the company with flattering messages. 20- A major problem with accessing social networking sites for nonbusiness matters during working hours is that it will often be interpreted as a(n)
A. overemphasis on technical skill in contrast to interpersonal skill.
B. desire to be fired.
C. sign of insensitivity and immaturity.
D. unsuccessful attempt at attaining a work and personal life balance.
Attitudes vs beliefs | Management homework help
What are some of the differences between “attitudes” and “beliefs,” as described in Ch. 4 of the text? Must be atleast 300 words!!!
Please use the reading material below!!
The primary message of this chapter can be summarized by the Boy Scout motto Be prepared! Have you ever spent an hour or two at a group or team meeting only to find out no one was ready to make a meaningful, informed contribution? Many wasted meetings boil down to the fact that group members just havent done their homework. GIGO is the acronym that computer programmers use for the expression Garbage in, garbage out. If you put poor information (garbage) into a computer program, you get poor results as output. It works the same way in group discussions.1 To achieve a quality decision, a group needs quality information gleaned from research as well as effective reasoning and critical-thinking skills.2 In this chapter we delve into the processes by which groups accomplish their work and achieve their goals. Well discuss how to prepare effectively for a group discussion and how to use research and critical-thinking skills to enhance the quality of the work accomplished by group members. The Greek philosopher Socrates believed that the primary goal of dialogue and discussion was the search for truth. Today, group discussion continues to be a trusted method of seeking answers to tough questions. Our legal system is based on the idea that a jury of adults, after hearing evidence and using their best critical-thinking and analysis skills, should be able to decide whether someone is guilty of a crime. In corporations, teams and task forces hammer out key decisions. Regardless of a groups composition, goal, or context, its discussion will be more productive if group members have prepared and if they know how to critically evaluate information used to reach reasoned conclusions.3 How to Develop a Discussion Plan Imagine the instructor in your group communication class has assigned you to a group or committee, perhaps, so that you can make a recommendation, solve a problem, or make a decision. What should you do first? How would you develop a plan to get your work accomplished? What should you not do? Its tempting for members to jump in with both feet and start deciding what to do without adequate research or preparation. The most effective groups develop a plan for accomplishing their goal. Groups are more likely to deliberate wisely and effectively if group members clarify their goals, have good discussion skills, and are motivated to do a good job.4 Suggesting solutions or making final recommendations at your first meeting is not a good idea. Effective groups prepare for discussion.5 Well outline the general parts of a discussion plan and then spend the rest of the chapter describing these strategies in detail. Get Acquainted with Your Group Members Lets get down to business, What are we supposed to do, and Get to the point are typical statements heard at most first team or group meetings. Its important, however, to take a few minutes to get better acquainted with group members before focusing on the task. A consistent conclusion from teamwork research is that it is vital to ensure that group members know one another in order to develop appropriate roles and responsibilities.6 In fact, often the most serious problems group and team members encounter are not caused by task issues, but rather because people have difficulty relating to each other. Taking time to establish good working relationships and trust can help a group or team be more productive in the long run.7 Do more than just announce your name to the group. Research has documented that if you and other group members take the time to identify who has special expertise or information, the group can work more effectively.8 Perhaps you can provide information about how much experience you have with the topic, or, if no specific task has been articulated, you can talk about your experience in working on group and team projects. You may want to exchange phone numbers and e-mail addresses so that you can contact one another. You need not artificially prolong this initial orientation period, but it will be useful for group or team members to spend some time getting to know their fellow members. Some groups appoint someone to help facilitate their discussion, but most groups figure out the best way to get started on their own. One research team found that self-managing groups can be quite effective, especially with routine tasks.9 Sharing personal information can establish a climate of cooperation. Research suggests that its important to encourage all members to participate early in the groups history. Communication researcher Joseph Bonito found that groups that had higher rates of participation within the first minute of their discussion had higher-quality discussion during the entire meeting; the group members made more task-relevant contributions (that is, they made comments that helped the group make a decision or solve a problem).10 So make sure all group members are contributing early in the groups history. In addition to taking time to get acquainted with group members, avoid the temptation to make quick decisions. Groups sometimes feel pressure to get something accomplished. One team of researchers found that some groups encounter a speed trap when group members focus too much on speed and not enough on quality.11 In essence, the researchers found that an overemphasis on making fast decisions results in a groups getting caught in a spiral of emphasizing speed and efficiency over quality of decision making. Since norms are established early in the groups history, make sure the speed of decision making doesnt become the groups goal. Clarify the Goals of the Group Once youve completed introductions, make sure you know what the groups purpose, goal, and assignment are. A key question to ask as the group begins focusing on the goal is, When do you know youre finished with your task? When developing the groups goal, visualize what the completed project will look like. Is the goal to produce a written report or to deliver an oral presentation in which you will make recommendations? You should be able to summarize the groups goal in your own words. Most work-group goals boil down to one of three tasks: (1) generating ideas, information, or options; (2) making a choice, often about how to solve a larger problem; and (3) putting an idea into action. Your team may be involved in only one of these tasks, or all three. Whatever the group goal, it should be expressed in the form of a question that the group will discuss. Later in this chapter, we suggest that you formulate a discussion question as either a fact (something did or did not happen), a prediction (something will happen), a value (something is better or worse than something else), or a policy (something should be done). Consider writing your question or group goal on a chalkboard or flipchart for all team members to see. When the group starts to wobble or get offtrack, point group members back to the central reason for the discussionto achieve the goal of the group. As we noted in Chapter 1, having a clear, elevating goal is one of the essential requirements for an effective team. Leadership expert Stephen Covey suggests that to be successful you should begin with the end in mind.12 If you find that your group is not achieving its goals or that youre just not making the progress you expect, the reasons may be one of the following: Your team has an unclear vision of what it wants to accomplish. Team members dont know what is expected of them; they need help clarifying their roles. Team members arent clear about the process of how work gets done. They have such questions as Do we work individually or together? Do we report our findings at each group meeting? Team members arent getting along. They need to focus on developing greater trust and managing tensions before getting down to business.13 Establishing clear goals can help group members have a clearer vision, understand their individual roles, develop a work plan, and address the uncertainty that is present when the group first get together.14 Develop a Plan for Gathering Information and Analyzing Issues Once you develop your discussion question and clarify your goal, you need to collect information and research conclusions to help answer your question. Research consistently finds that developing a collaborative plan to accomplish the work results in higher-quality results.15 Research has also found that groups tend to be too optimistic in judging their efficiency. It typically takes more, rather than less, time to accomplish group tasks than group members realize.16 So be realistic in estimating how long it will take the group to complete its work. Developing a step-by-step plan that involves all group members will help your group work effectively and create a realistic timetable for accomplishing its goal.17 However, although planning is important, research also suggests that it is beneficial to adjust your plans as your group continues its work. Group communication researchers Leslie DeChurch and Craig Haas found that groups that appropriately adapted to situations and problems that were encountered along the way had a higher-quality solution than groups that didnt deviate from their plan.18 Their conclusion: Have a plan but give yourself permission to react and respond to what you discover as you seek to make a decision or solve a problem. Before you start surfing the Internet for information, find out what you and your group members already know about the topic and issues. As we have noted, researchers have found that one of the most important things you can do early in a groups history is to identify who in your group has special skills or is an expert on the topic youre discussing.19 Once you identify information experts, make sure that they contribute to the groups conversation.20 After assessing your groups knowledge, figure out what kind of information you need. Identify who is most interested in specific aspects of your topic. Groups that figure out how to learn together do a better job of managing conflict are overall more effective in achieving their goal.21 Begin to divide and conquer. Assign membersor ask for volunteersto begin researching the topic. Coordinate your groups research efforts rather than having group members scatter and then plunge into the research process. Without coordination, you may needlessly duplicate your research efforts. In developing a coordinated plan to do the work, educator Lisa Snyder suggests that you will be more effective and efficient if you do these things: Focus on the purpose of the project. Encourage all members to participate by positively reinforcing the contributions of others. Establish a timeline of the due dates. Keep the project on track by periodically reviewing whether you are adhering to the timeline.22 Besides just divvying up the work, be sure to give yourselves specific deadlines when the information will be collected. Allow plenty of time for the group to discuss the information (rather than just compiling the facts and data) before you make final recommendations. Research suggests that groups that have more time to solve a problem tend to do a better job of sharing information among group members; this finding is especially true of virtual groups sharing information via the Internet.23 The more time allotted to solve a problem, the greater the chance that group members will share what they know. So, in addition to making assignments, indicate when the information should be shared with the group. Develop a concrete plan for structuring the workload. Especially if you have limited time, divvying up the research tasks is a good idea. However, some research suggests that with a longer time period and low levels of information, it may be best to work collaboratively rather than independently to gather information.24 Whats important is to make sure that group members share among themselves the information they gather. According to a research team led by communication researcher Charles Pavitt, once a group member shares information or a proposal with the group, all group members will join in the discussion and talk about the ideas presented.25 However, evidence also suggests that some people may dominate the discussion, as indicated in a classic study by Robert Bales. He found that some group members can dominate at least 40 percent of the talk time.26 To maximize the benefits of information sharing and group deliberation, avoid letting one person run the show. Seek balanced participation and sharing of ideas and information. Follow a Structured Agenda to Accomplish the Task © 2012 Scott Adams, Inc./Dist. by Universal Uclick Heres a powerful principle for effective group discussion: Groups and teams need an agenda to help them organize their discussion. An agenda is a thoughtfully prepared list of the issues, topics, and questions that the group will discuss. There is an art to preparing an agendait is not just a list of topics that come to mind. Appendix A presents principles and practices for developing meeting agendas, as well as strategies for facilitating meeting discussion. A group needs not only an agenda for each meeting but also an overarching plan of how to accomplish the groups goal. If your group is solving a problem, then a straightforward problem-solving agenda should provide the necessary structure. In Chapter 11 we share several techniques and methods for organizing a problem-solving discussion. The most basic problem-solving structure includes these steps: 1. Identify and define the problem. 2. Analyze the problem. 3. Generate several possible solutions. 4. Select the best solution or combination of solutions. 5. Test and implement the solution. Organizing your overall work plan around these steps can help keep your group on track. Share Information with Others Groups typically make better decisions than individuals because there is typically more information among a group of people than in one person.27 Researchers have consistently found that groups that have more information are more likely to arrive at a better solution or outcome.28 But theres a problem: Group members sometimes dont share what they know.29 Research has documented that we often talk about and think about ourselves rather than consider making the group goals our concern.30 What factors make group members more willing to share their knowledge? According to one study, you are more likely to share information if: (1) everyone in the group already knows the informationthat is, there is a common core of information that group members talk about; (2) at least one person knows the same information you know; (3) you are perceived to be an expert on the topic at hand;31 or (4) you want to enhance your position or influence in the group. Group members may share even those information that everyone already knows to confirm that they are in the know and part of the groups core of well-respected members.32 In addition, we tend to share information with people we like and withhold information from people we dont like.33 There are several reasons why its important to share information with the entire group. In addition to groups having more information on which to base their deliberations, shared information can help allay group conflict and tensions and sort through disagreements.34 Researchers have also found that not only sharing information with one another but also talking about how information should be shared helps a group perform better.35 It helps to develop a plan to share information with other group members.36 Besides resulting in better-quality outcomes, another advantage to group members sharing what they know is more overall satisfaction with their participation in the group.37 Also, when groups dont share all of the information that they have with one another, they forge ahead and make a decision or solve a problem based on incomplete information.38 So what can group members do to ensure that they share information with one another? Consider these practical tips: Work to develop a positive, conforming, and, cohesive group climate.39 Celebrate when your group achieves a short-term goal; find ways to catch group members doing things well and then offer a positive, reinforcing comment such as Good job of finding that key piece of information. Help the entire group as well as each member feel valued. Group members who feel positive about the groups goal, as well as believe they are making important contributions, are more likely to share information with other group members.40 Assess the range of knowledge, education, and information among group members. Research suggests that group members who have different levels of information and education are likely to share information among team members only up to a certain point.41 An educationally diverse group will tend to share less information among team members. Dont let differences in education, knowledge, or culture keep group members from sharing what each of them knows. Assess the groups cultural diversity. Sometimes people who are in the cultural minority are less likely to share what they know, so encourage them to share information with the entire group. Encourage quiet members to participate. Some group members are shy, while others are just apprehensive about speaking up in any situation. Use the write-and-then-speak technique. Ask group members to first jot down some of their information on a piece of paper and then take turns sharing what they have written. Having a written script may encourage quieter members to speak up. Use online, e-mail, text, or instant messages to contribute information. Consider asking group members to first provide a written report via e-mail or other electronic means to every group member. Using the structure provided by having information in written form may gently prod each group member to share what he or she knows.42 Explicitly talk about the problem of unshared information. Also talk about the importance of being open to new information and new ideas.43 Make it a group concern. Some groups have found that group members who receive training in the importance of sharing information do, in fact, share more information.44 Work together to find research and information; dont worry whether group members are finding similar information. One study found that if several group members found the same information, it was more likely to be shared with the entire group. So duplicating each others research can increase the likelihood that the information will be shared with the entire group.45 Determine How to Present Your Information Once you have developed your conclusions, youll need to decide how best to present your information to others. Appendix B describes three common formats for doing this: (1) a panel discussion, (2) a symposium presentation, and (3) a forum presentation. In addition to presenting your conclusions orally, you may need to prepare a written report. Consider organizing your written report around the problem-solving steps noted earlier (definition of the problem, analysis of the problem, possible solutions, best solution or solutions). Most written reports are prepared for a specific individual or group. Keep your reader in mind as you develop the written report. Follow any specific guidelines or structure prescribed for you. PUTTING PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE: What Should You Do with Group Members Who Dont Pull Their Weight? A common disadvantage of working in groups and teams is that sometimes a team member may not follow through on assignments, actively contribute, or, even worse, may not attend team meetings. This behavior, known as social loafing, creates much discord and anguish, especially for group members who are following through on assignments and tasks. One of the biggest triggers of conflict is someone who thinks he or she is unfairly doing more work than others. Rather than ignore the problem (especially if a loafing group member is significantly hindering the work of the entire group), group members should confront the issue. But how can the problem be addressed without adding to the stress? Understanding the Problem First, it helps to understand why someone may be loafing. Why do some people not contribute to the group? Consider these possibilities: APATHY: The loafing group member may simply not care whether the group succeeds or not. WORK CHALLENGED: The slacking group member may just not like to work very hard. Perhaps he or she has gotten by with doing minimal or no work on other projects and this is just another opportunity to let others do the work. TOO BUSY: The loafer may have too much to do and has made working in the group a low priority, hoping that others will pick up the slack. NO GROUP ACCOUNTABILITY: There may be no way tracking who does what; the loafer can skate through the process because there are no consequences of not doing the work. Addressing the Problem Regardless of the reason for loafing, you and your team members simply want the social loafer to loaf less and work more. Understanding why someone may be goofing off may be interesting, but what you may really want to know is What do we do to get someone to do his or her work? DEVELOP CLEAR GROUND RULES: Early in your groups history, establish an explicit rule that each group member is expected to complete his or her assignments. Even if your group has been meeting for a while, if youve not developed ground rules and explicit operating procedures, it may be useful to do so. Talking about how the work should be accomplished makes the issue a group concern rather than a contentious issue between one or two group members. MAKE MEMBERS ACCOUNTABLE: Build in greater accountability so that assignments and due dates are clear and each member has to report to the entire group on the status of work accomplished. How do you make people accountable? As a group, develop specific assignments for individual team members. Then provide deadlines for when the work should be completed. Group members could periodically provide a status update on this individual work, either as part of the groups regular agenda or by providing a status report via e-mail or texting or on a team Web page. Perhaps each meeting could begin with a status report from each group member. If theres no accountability for individual effort, its easier to let others do the work.46 MAKE THE ISSUE A GROUP CONCERN: What if youve developed a system of accountability, and the social loafer is still not doing his or her work? One person should not attack the offending group member; that will only add to a climate of defensiveness and create more stress. Instead, the group as a whole should address the loafer, calmly describing how the lack of individual productivity is creating a problem for the group.47 REPORT THE PROBLEM. Rather than bearing the problem alone, if the problem seems to continue without any change, let your instructor or supervisor know that a problem exists. Also, when sharing the problem, let your instructor or supervisor know what you have done to address the issue. Although weve offered several suggestions, realize this: You ultimately cant change another persons behavior. Despite what group members do (or dont do), there are no surefire strategies to spur a loafing member to action.48 The rest of the group may simply have to pick up the slack. REVIEW: HOW TO DEVELOP A DISCUSSION PLAN What to Do How to Do It Get acquainted with your group members Introduce yourself Share your contact information Discuss the experience youve had with the topic Clarify the goals of the group Explicitly write down the purposes and goals of the group Identify whether your key purpose is to (1) gather information, (2) make a choice or solve a problem, (3) put an idea into action, or (4) achieve two or more of these purposes Describe what it will look like when your group is finished with its task. Answer the question: How will you know when you are done? Develop a plan for gathering information and analyzing issues Identify and assess the information you already know Develop a written plan that indicates what you already know and what you need to know Give members assignments or ask for volunteers for gathering or analyzing information with a date for reporting back to the group Follow a structured agenda to accomplish the task Identify the topics and issues you need to discuss at each meeting Consider using the traditional problem solving agenda to develop the overarching plan: Identify and define the problem, analyze, generate several solutions, select the best solution, test and implement the solution Develop a written agenda for each meeting using agenda development skills discussed in Appendix A Share information with others Develop a positive climate so group members feel comfortable sharing what they know Explicitly ask other group members if they have information to share Sometimes during meetings have group members first write information they know and then share it orally Explicitly talk about the problem of unshared information and then work together to make sure group members share what they know Determine how to present your information Decide whether you will use a (1) panel discussion format, (2) symposium presentation, or (3) forum presentation (or some combination of all three) when presenting your information to an audience Decide what written materials you need to develop and share with others Consider using the traditional problem-solving structure (identify and define the problem, analyze the problem, generate several solutions, select the best solution, test and implement the solution) or organize both oral and written information using this structure How to Formulate Discussion Questions Before most scientists begin an experiment or conduct research, they have some idea of what they are looking for. Some researchers start with a hypothesis, a guess based on previous theory and research about what they will find in their search for new knowledge. Other investigators formulate a research question that provides a direction for their research. Like scientific research, problem solving seeks answers to questions. It makes sense, then, for group members to formulate a question before searching for answers. By identifying a specific question they must answer, members can reduce some of the initial uncertainty accompanying their discussion. A discussion question should be phrased with considerable care. This is an important part of initiating and organizing any group discussion, particularly problem-solving discussions, because the quality and specificity of a question usually determine the quality of the answer. The better a group prepares a discussion question, the more clearly articulated will be the groups goal, and the greater will be the chances for a productive and orderly discussion. For some group discussions and conferences, the questions are predetermined. Government committees and juries exemplify such groups. But usually groups are faced with a problem or need and are responsible for formulating a specific question to guide their deliberations. There are basically four types of discussion questions: (1) questions of fact, (2) questions of prediction, (3) questions of value, and (4) questions of policy. To help you determine which type is most appropriate for your various group discussions, we discuss each in the following sections.49 Questions of Fact Some questions of fact are phrased such that the answer to the question is either yes or no. Something either did or did not occur. (Although, of course, a yes or no response can be qualified in terms of the probability of its accuracy.) The question Did the New York Yankees win the World Series in 2009? is a question of facteither they did or they did not. Questions of fact like that can simply be looked up online or in library sources and probably dont require group deliberations. On the other hand, a group may be asked to investigate a question such as Did John Smith violate our company ethics policy last year? VIRTUAL GROUPS When working on a group or team project, it may be useful to share your initial research findings electronically via e-mail, a group Facebook page, or other electronic means. A study by Carol Saunders and Shaila Miranda concluded that virtual groups that collaborate only via e-mail or text typically have access to more information.50 According to the research, although face-to-face group meetings result in more information-sharing initially, over the long term, exchanging information via e-mail may ensure that more information is shared and that all members of the group receive the information. In addition to using e-mail, consider the following strategies to facilitate sharing information. Develop a group listserv through which any group member can send information to every other group member simultaneously. For an extensive group project, consider developing a group Web page, or use Facebook or other collaborative software program to develop a common virtual space in which to collaborate. In addition, your university may have its own e-learning system, such as Blackboard, to assist in virtual collaboration. Consider assigning roles to different members for maintaining the Web page, such as posting minutes of previous meetings, serving as the Web master of the site, and keeping track of whether projects are completed on time. Periodically ask group members if they have information to share with all group members. Dennis Gouran suggests that one way to investigate a question of fact is to construct a story or narrative to answer the discussion question.51 To determine, for example, whether John Smith did violate an ethics policy, the group should reconstruct what John Smith did or did not do. The reconstruction involves developing a story with a beginning, a middle, and an end to answer the question. In trying to answer a question of fact, make sure that all group members understand the key words and phrases in the discussion question. For example, faced with the question Are there more incidents of terrorism in the United States today than there were before September 11, 2001? a group will want to clearly define what an incident of terrorism is before answering the question. Does it mean any act of violence? By reducing the ambiguity of a question, a group can save considerable time in agreeing on a final answer. Your groups objective will determine whether or not you should investigate a question of fact. If the group needs to discover what is true and what is false, then formulate a question of fact and define the key words in the question to give it greater focus and clarity. If the group needs to make a less objective value judgment or to suggest solutions to a problem, choose one of the types of questions discussed below. Questions of Prediction Will a tuition increase result in the universitys having a balanced budget? Will the levee withstand a force-3 hurricane? Will the new airport security measures make air travel safer? A question of prediction asks whether something is likely to occur or may occur under a certain set of circumstances. In the question Will a tuition increase result in the universitys having a balanced budget? the set of circumstances is a tuition increase. How does a group attempt to answer such a question? Groups look for examples of what happened in similar situations. For instance, the university might survey other universities to see how their budgets were affected when tuition was increased. Groups may also simply use logic and reasoning based on the available evidence to determine what will or will not happen in the future. Will you use questions of prediction when communicating with others in small groups? Thats a question of prediction that youll answer based on your past experiences. Group researcher Dennis Gouran suggests that, when investigating questions of prediction, an appropriate agenda for groups to follow would include these four steps:52 1. Develop if-then statements: Identify one or more if-then statements to focus and clarify the issues. Heres an example of an if-then statement: If tuition is increased, then the university will have a balanced budget. Heres another if-then statement: If tuition is increased, then the university can continue its exp
