Assignment 1: Monitoring Our Home Planet

Assignment 1: Monitoring Our Home Planet

The Internet is a powerful tool that provides the ability to monitor natural phenomena and disasters that happen all over planet Earth.

In this assignment, you will research resources available on the Internet for monitoring natural phenomena including earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, global climate, and weather.

Based on your research, do the following:

Identify a minimum of three different natural phenomena that are typically responsible for natural disasters. Analyze the potential impact of these disasters.
Analyze how these phenomenon are monitored, or not, via the Internet. Critique available Web sites, which publicly display up-to-date monitored information related to each of the natural phenomena you have identified. Focus on the following aspects:
Geography
What parts of the world are potentially affected by these phenomena? Specifically identify the countries.
Resources
What kinds of resources are allocated toward monitoring these phenomena and why?
What types of Web resources monitor the phenomena and provide up-to-date information about them?
What kinds of technology are involved in monitoring the phenomena?
Politics
What political ramifications would this disaster-preparedness technology cause between more-developed countries and less-developed countries?
What kinds of issues could this technology cause between less-developed countries?
Economics
How would this technology directly impact the economies of those countries that have the technology versus those countries that do not?
Do you predict any indirect impacts? What current evidence supports your position?
Disaster Preparedness
What types of systems are in place in terms of disaster preparedness related to these monitored phenomena?
Summarize your findings. Evaluate how this technology will impact the future of humanity, both positively and negatively. Be sure to consider the political and economic issues discussed in your future predictions.
Support your statements with examples. Use a minimum of six reliable references, two of which should be peer-reviewed articles.

Write a 7–8-page paper in Word format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M5_A1.doc.

By Saturday, August 16, 2014, deliver your assignment to the M5: Assignment 1 Dropbox.

Grading Criteria and Rubric

Assignment 1 Grading Criteria
Maximum Points
Identify a minimum of three different naturally occurring phenomena that are typically responsible for natural disasters and analyze the potential impact of the disaster. 104
Analyze ways different Web sites monitor phenomena by critiquing available Web resources. Analysis should include topics such as geography, resources, political/economic issues, and disaster preparedness. 104
Summarize and discuss future projections on humanity regarding the use of technology. Include research on political and economic issues. 28
Writing Components:
Organization (16)
Usage and Mechanics (16)
APA Elements (24)
Style (8) 64
Total: 300

Note: This assignment will be graded using a rubric. Download and read the rubric to understand the expectations.

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MGT 460 Week 5 Assignment

MGT 460 Week 5 Assignment

Ashford 6: - Week 5 - Final Paper



Final Paper

Focus of the Final Paper
This paper will be an application of the leadership practice concepts learned throughout your degree program to a real-world situation. In an eight- to ten-page paper, discuss one significant organizational challenge, within your organization or an organization you have researched. How did the leadership of the organization address the challenge? Could it have been done more effectively? How would you recommend future leaders strategically plan to avoid encountering a similar challenge within their own organizations? Provide suggestions for overcoming the challenge based on your own research and concepts presented in your degree program and grounded in leadership theory. Some challenges to consider would be (but are not limited to): an ethical challenge, a challenge occurring because of changes in the economy, a globalization challenge, or a challenge of organizational culture. Please request instructor approval of the challenge you would like to use as your focus before beginning your paper.

The Final Paper should, at minimum, include:
1. A description of the organization and its primary stakeholders. Include the vision and mission statement if they are available to the public, and the code of ethics if the company has one (if it is long, an excerpt or description is an acceptable alternative).
2. A detailed analysis of one challenge facing the leadership of the organization.
3. A strategy for overcoming the challenge based on outside research, the textbook, and concepts discussed during your degree studies.

Writing the Final Paper
The Final Paper:
1. Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length and formatted according to APA style, as outlined in your approved style guide.
2. Must include a cover page with:

o Title of Paper
o Student’s name
o Course name and number
o Name of paper
o Instructor’s name
o Date submitted

3. Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.
4. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
5. Must conclude with a restatement of the thesis and a conclusion paragraph.
6. Must use at least four scholarly sources to support your analysis and recommendations.
7. Must use APA style as outlined in your approved style guide to document all sources.
8. Must include, on the final page, a reference list that is completed according to APA style, as outlined in your approved style guide.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

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Private Sector, First Responders, and Volunteer Experience

Private Sector, First Responders, and Volunteer Experience



Primary Task Response: 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:

How do you think the perception of first-responder jobs has changed since September 11, 2001? Explain.
What expectations do most people have regarding first-responder responsibilities?
How might applying for a position in the private sector differ from applying in a first-response agency?
How do you think volunteering can help to get a job in a homeland security or emergency management profession?
Have you volunteered for any emergency management or homeland security-related positions?
If yes, what were your experiences?
If no, what volunteer opportunities do you intend to pursue? Why?

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MGT 460 Week 5

MGT 460 Week 5

MGT 460 Week 5 Discussion Question 1


Leading Organizational Change

As this week’s material points out, we are living in times of immense change. One of the essential tasks of an organization’s leadership is to lead organizations in a way that ensures that the entire organization is committed to the change and that support mechanisms are in place to sustain change. Research several online industries that are currently stressed by changing marketplaces and demographics: the newspaper and publishing Industries, entertainment media outlets, brick and mortar retail, and even campus bookstores.        
                                                                                                     
1. Choose an organization within one of the industries listed above, or one of your own choosing that is currently impacted by a changing marketplace.

2. How would you apply Kotter’s eights steps toward leading change within that organization?

3. Provide examples of the desired outcomes and support mechanisms you would utilize.

Guided Response: Analyze several of your peers’ posts.  Let at least two of your peers know how their chosen approach would be useful in your scenario as well.  Suggest any approaches you have found that may be helpful in their environment.



MGT 460 Week 5 Discussion Question 2


Adaptive Leadership


Adaptive work is accomplished by finding a solution to seemingly intractable problems facing leaders; the solution is neither technical, nor obvious. As the material illustrates, leaders must motivate organization members to face demanding situations that arise from the organization’s own culture and values. Using the organization you chose within this week’s first discussion, analyze an adaptive challenge facing this organization.      
                                                                                                                                                   
1. Describe the adaptive work that needs to be accomplished.

2. Analyze your approach to resolving the problem. Be certain to include questions that would arise, and what trade-offs may be required in your analysis.

3. Describe the desired outcome.  
                                                                                                                     
Guided Response: Analyze several of your peers’ posts.  Give advice to at least two of your peers suggesting any approaches you have found that may prove to be helpful in conducting their adaptive work.

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MGT 460 Week 4

MGT 460 Week 4

MGT 460 week 4 Discussion Question 1


Efficacy

Discuss a time when you have been a member of a team that has not performed well.  Why was the team not effective?  What role did the leader play in the team’s inability to perform?  What steps should have been taken to address the issues? Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts with constructive ideas, comments, or suggestions.





MGT 460 week 4 Discussion Question 2


Empowerment

In Chapter 4, London and London (2007) outline eight steps to creating and leading a high performance team.  Assume you are the leader of one of the case studies in this chapter and discuss the method you would take to empower your team.
Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts with constructive ideas, comments, or suggestions.

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MGT 460 week 3 Assignment

MGT 460 week 3 Assignment



Goal Setting Framework

Goal-Setting Framework

The first of six steps of performance management consists of goal setting, as detailed in Chapter Three. Assume that you work for the Los Angeles Tribune, a large but struggling newspaper publisher with distribution throughout the Los Angeles region. Various problems have arisen that need to be addressed:

The cost of paper is rising
The cost of distribution is rising
Circulation revenue is down
Advertising revenue is down, largely due to free online listings offered by Craigslist and other online advertising services
Customers are largely in the 40+ age range
The current number of employees cannot continue to be supported if revenue continues to shrink
You have been selected by the CEO to construct a goal-setting framework that focuses on three of the six issues above. In your APA formatted two- to three-page paper, include a goal statement for each of the three issues you’ve chosen and describe the corresponding strategies, tactics, activities, measures of success, and goal measurements you recommend. Support each with your rationale, citing the textbook as necessary, and be sure to provide specific examples within the activities section. In addition to your two to three pages of written content, a title page and reference page are required.

For this assignment, it is possible to make reasonable assumptions regarding the organization’s economic situation and business climate. Be sure to specifically mention any such assumptions that you are making within your paper.


Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.

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MGT 460 week 3 Quiz

MGT 460 week 3 Quiz


MGT 460 Leadership Priorities & Practice

Question1        

With regard to feedback, a leader should…

Be clear about what characteristics a subordinate possesses that are dysfunctional

Ask others for feedback

  Provide reports to each subordinate so that subordinates can compare their performance to others

subordinates know when they do not have the capability to improve their performance



Question 2.      

What are the two main types of interviews:

 Unstructured and projective

Unstructured and stress

Structured and unstructured

 Structured and situational



Question 3.      

A way to undermine trust in leadership is to…

Encourage your direct reports to speak the truth

Explain a situation in different ways to different subordinates so they will understand

Reward direct reports who are contrarians

 Encourage direct reports to challenge leadership

Question 4.      

An overarching goal or strategies for a top leader might be to be sure each vice president understands the meaning of…

Delighting customers

 Monitoring subordinates

 Having detailed roles and responsibilities for each direct report

 Timing announcements to match stock market expectations and report dates



Question 5.      

What type of question is focused on understanding how a candidate may behave in a hypothetical situation:

Behaviorally-based

 Job-related

 Job knowledge

 Situational

Question 6.      

What is the best strategy for making recognition an effective motivator?

 Recognize only the people who had substantial input to accomplishing a goal

 Waiting until you are certain that the goal has been achieved

Giving a cash bonus

Recognizing everyone involved in an accomplishment, even those in the back office who were behind the scenes



Question 7.      

How often should a leader evaluate a subordinate’s performance?



 Once a year when the organization requires a formal performance appraisal form be completed and shared with the subordinate

 Every day if possible

 After major accomplishments have been completed

 Whenever the subordinate acts in a way that demonstrates one or more weakness



Question 8.      

How does a goal statement differ from a strategy or tactic statement?

A goal statement indicates what you want to accomplish

A goal statement indicates what you plan to do

 A goal statement indicates what you expect from subordinates

 Strategy is the overall direction of the company whereas a goal statement is what each person needs to do to affect that



Question 9.      

One-to-one leadership requires competencies that support…

 Time management

 Setting parameters and controls over human resource practices

Performance management

Distributing and explaining corporate financial reports to employees



Question 10.    

Which would not be considered a developmental assignment?

 Being given a highly visible task that is important to the organization’s success

 Being given feedback and asked to use it to improve one’s performance

  Leading a start-up—for instance, a new support department or line of business

Opening a new office

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