Author: chris

1. determine the most commonly used population and individual measures used in providing healthcare today. Examine the primary impact that these measures exert on the choices that consumers make in order to address their own healthcare needs. Justify your response.

2.compare the magnitude of healthcare costs in the United States to that of other developed countries. Analyze at lea.st three (3) differences that you believe exist between the decisions that U.S. consumers and the consumers in other developed countries make regarding healthcare. Provide a rationale for your response.

3. compare the primary individual factors that influence demand, and explain the significant ways in which each affects the demand curve. Provide at least one (1) example of these factors to support your rationale.

4. Imagine a situation where consumers have incomplete information about their health status and about the productivity of medical care. Examine the roles of the principal and the agent in helping consumers to determine the demand for medical care in the described situation. Provide at least one (1) detailed example of such roles in action to support your response.

5. compare the healthcare-based factors in the issues that you reviewed that, in your opinion, cause the cost curve of healthcare to shift. Provide at least one (1) example showing the manner in which the cost curve shifts in your response.

6. Suggest at least three (3) attributes that cause the supply curve in healthcare to fluctuate. Provide specific examples of each of the suggested attributes to support your response.

A 50-year-old male presents to the community clinic. He has just relocated to the area and has no primary provider. He is a long distance truck driver and requires a physical examination as a requirement for his continued employment.

Physical examination demonstrates a BMI of 33, blood pressure of 180/90 mm Hg, diminished femoral pulses and bilateral varicose veins with 1+ pitting edema in both ankles. He has a 30 year history of smoking two packs of cigarettes per day.

Initial Discussion Post:

• Identify the risk factors for cardiovascular problems that need to be modified for this patient.
• Using evidence based research, determine which risk factor the RN will address first.
• Describe how the RN will implement a patient centered plan to address the priority risk factor for this patient.

Base your initial post on your readings and research of this topic.

 

MUST BE IN APA FORMAT WITH 2 REFS NO OLDERS THAN 5 YEARS 

Assignment 3: Parenting Practices Over Generations

You learned in your readings that parenting practices and techniques used to shape child development are influenced by many factors including culture, socioeconomic status, non-normative life events, and cohort effects. To understand cohort effects, consider that the experiences of a child growing up in the 1940s are different in many ways from a child growing up today.

Read the article: Kotchick, B.A. & Forehand, R. (2002). Putting parenting in perspective: A discussion of the contextual factors that shape parenting practices. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 11(3), 255-269.

http://www.thecampuscommon.com/library/ezproxy/ticketdemocs.asp?sch=auo&turl=http://search.proquest.com/docview/210500919

Synthesize what you learned in your readings as well as the above article to address the following:

• Using the chart/table below, list at least 4 parenting practices of 3 generations. (Note: Parenting practices are not the same as parenting styles, which will be discussed later in the course). You can describe parenting practices of 3 generations of your family members, another family you interview, or general practices of generations based on research you find. For example, how did each generation address issues such as education, extracurricular activities, breastfeeding, sleeping arrangements, religious involvement, etc.?  Include brief demographic information (e.g., sex, age, region of the country) Note: 3 different generations means 3 different time periods, not 3 different people.
• Now review the chart/table and discuss the following:
  • How were the parenting practices similar and different between generations?
  • Explain the concept of cohort effects. What cohort effects (e.g. historical or social events) might have influenced the parenting practices of each generation you described?
  • Identify and explain contextual factors (other than cohort effects) described by Kotchick and Forehand (2002) that might have influenced the parenting practices of each generation you described.
  • Why is it important to understand contextual factors, including cohort effects, when researching differences in parenting practices?

Present the chart or table and your comments in a 3-page paper in Word format. Be sure to include introductory and concluding paragraphs in your paper, and an APA style reference page. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M1_A3.doc. For example, if your name is John Smith, your document name should be SmithJ_M1_A3.doc.

By Wednesday, January 13, 2016, deliver your assignment to the M1: Assignment 3 Dropbox.

Please read carefully

Research Paper

Focus of the Research Paper

Use at least one project you have been a team member of, or a project manager for, as an example to contextualize the research topics below:

All of the following topics must be addressed in order for the paper to be complete:

• Define the importance of purchasing and supply management and how this relates to selecting a qualified supplier.
• Discuss how to select strategies for negotiating prices.
• Assemble the steps of the creation of a project supply, service, and material budget from detailed requirements.
• Illustrate the benefits and costs of outsourcing, and the growth pattern of outsourcing.
• Evaluation of the various organizations that are benchmarks in purchasing and supply management, and their best practices. Provide specific examples of companies who show market leadership in purchasing and supply management.

This is an assignment with a length of eight to ten pages that should integrate the reading, multi-media and class discussions. It is mandatory to have research from the classroom text, as well as three sources from scholarly sources to support your views.

Consider the validity of your resources carefully before using them in academic papers. It is recommended to use examples from your professional experience where possible, or build from your learning in the discussion boards.

The Final Paper:

1. Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
2. Must include a title page with the following:

   a. Title of paper

   b. Student’s name

   c. Course name and number

   d. Instructor’s name

   e. Date submitted

3. Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
4. Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
5. Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
6. Must use at least three scholarly sources, other than the textbook.
7. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
8. Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center

Assignment 2: Utility, Elasticity, and Demand

For this assignment, suppose that you are in charge of designing a product campaign for a new shampoo.

Assignment Guidelines, Part 1

Prepare a 2-3 page paper in Microsoft Word to address the following:

• Describe the ultimate goal of the product campaign for the new shampoo.
• Discuss your methods for achieving this goal.
• Identify the components of marketing, pricing, and distribution for the campaign.
• Include in your response a discussion and analysis of the concepts of utility, price elasticity, and demand.

Assignment Guidelines, Part 2

Using Microsoft Excel:

• Prepare a graph which illustrates the desired effect of the marketing campaign as a shift in market equilibrium with reference to price and quantity adjustments.
• Prepare another graph to illustrate how a change in consumer utility affects the price elasticity of demand.
• Copy and paste or import these graphs into the MS Word document you prepared in Part 1 of this assignment.

Remember, quotations, paraphrases, and ideas you get from articles, or other sources of information should be cited using APA style

Additional Information: The presentation that Shawn made to the board was a success. You and he both believe that the overview he gave to this leadership group helped them see the challenges associated with the effective management of global human capital and the value of recognizing human capital as the most important asset that a company can have. John and the board gave every indication that they understand the urgency in moving ahead to align key global human capital goals with those established for the global organization. In fact, they asked you to move ahead with the development of these goals and to return next week to initiate goal alignment.

“I’m relieved that my presentation went so well,” says Shawn. “I was braced for resistance.”

“Yes, it’s a major milestone, you say. Now that we have buy-in from the top, we can move forward with developing global human capital goals for AGC. It’s exciting!”

“Indeed it is,” he says. “I want to get this next step started as soon as possible.”

“Yes, developing goals will take time and lots of thought,” you say. “I recommend that you begin by evaluating the existing organizational cultures and leadership styles at AGC. They look to be very diverse.”

“That makes sense,” says Shawn. “Because the company has several global subsidiaries with significant cultural differences, this evaluation will be challenging.”

“Well, as I always say, as goes the leadership style, so goes the organizational culture. Keep that in mind as you work through this diagnostic process,” you say. “It will be foundational for the work that follows.”

“We should make time to discuss our combined knowledge and experience with managers who have diverse leadership styles and the organizational cultures that we’ve seen them create,” he says.

“AGC would benefit from an organizational culture that is more proactive and competitive,” you say. “One that focuses on the most important asset of any organization—the human assets—could turn this company around.”

“When you get back to your office,” you say as you hand him a piece of paper, “take a look at this list that I jotted down during your presentation. I think it will help you with developing goals.”

“This is great,” he says. “Thanks.”

The list you gave Shawn to help him develop goals is as follows:

• Define and evaluate the problem with the current organizational cultures at AGC.
• What components of the organizational culture should change, and why?
• What impact do the leadership styles have on the present organizational cultures at AGC?
• Describe problems that exist when a parent organization fails to acknowledge cultural differences at its other global locations.
• What challenges does AGC presently face in regard to its past lack of focus on cultural differences?
• What solutions can Shawn implement to correct these problems?

(6-8) page paper

1. Analyze the current health care delivery structure in Virginia. Compare and contrast the major determinants of health care market power.
2. Analyze the main competitive forces in the your health care delivery system in Virginia, and compare the major factors that influence the fundamental manner in which these competitive forces determine prices, supply and demand, quality of care, consumerism, and providers’ compensation.
3. Evaluate the positive benefits and negative aspects, respectively, of HMO managed care from the provider’s point of view—i.e., a physician and a health care facility—and from a patient’s point of view. Provide a rationale for your response.
4. Assess the efficiency of the types of economic incentives available to providers in the delivery of health care services in your own state.
5. Propose who bears the financial risk of a capitation payment system: the provider, the patient, or the consumer-driven health plan itself.

6. Use at least five (5) current references. Three (3) of these references must be from current peer-reviewed sources to support and substantiate your comments and perspectives

Assignment 2: Harley-Davidson: External and Internal Analysis

Instructions for this assignment: Perform all of the elements listed below.

This assignment has you complete two parts of a strategic business plan. To see how those parts fit into a full business plan, click here for a strategic business plan outline.

Part I – Analysis of the External Environment

As part of the Strategic Business Plan, you have been asked to:

• Identify and analyze the major driving forces for change in the external environment of the motorcycle industry.
• Analyze the dynamics of competition using Porter’s Five Forces Model of Competition. Correctly assess the dynamics of competition.
• Provide at least three statistics about the size of the motorcycle industry such as revenue, growth rate, number of units sold by manufacturer/country, etc.
• Summarize the strategic issues firms in this industry face and identify their biggest threats.

This section should be titled “The Analysis of H-D’s External Environment.”

Part II – Internal Environment Analysis

Financial

Gather the financial information necessary to do a complete ratio analysis and the Balance Score Card (BSC) key metrics information.

If you were going to create a BSC, what would be the key metrics you would measure in each of the four BSC areas:

• Financial
• Customer
• Internal Business Process
• Learning and Growth

Perform a ratio analysis using H-D’s five-year financial performance. Interpret the meaning of the ratios and financial performance.

This section should be titled “The Analysis of H-D’s Current Strategy: Two Views.” Be sure to include the ratio analysis. You may also include other graphics to support your narrative.

Competitors

Based on your analysis, you must decide which two competitors present the biggest competitive threat to H-D.

Perform a financial ratio analysis for the competitors after looking at trends in financial performance over five years, and compare the trends to industry averages.

Be sure you have a clear ranking of the industries’ competitors.

This section should be titled “Competitor Analysis.” Be sure to include the financial ratio analysis. You may also include other graphics to support your narrative.

This assignment should be 4 to 8 pages in length

• Using a specific control system as an example (position control, temperature control, pressure control, flow control, etc.), describe how you would apply the four design steps to meet the design criteria.
Background and topic information:
In this module, we use the example of a DC motor speed control system to introduce the concepts of a control system, control system design criteria, and the design steps.
A control system is made up of interconnected components forming a system configuration that provides a desired system output (response). There are two types of control systems: open-loop control and closed-loop control. An open-loop control system has the following block diagram:

Figure 1. Block diagram of an open-loop control system (Dorf & Bishop, 2011).
Notice that there is no feedback loop in the diagram, and as a result, the actual output cannot be compared to the desired output. On the other hand, a typical closed-loop control system has the following block diagram:

Figure 2. Block diagram of a closed-loop control system (Dorf & Bishop, 2011).
The major difference here is that the actual output is fed back and compared to the desired output, and any error can be dealt with by the controller. Let’s consider our DC motor speed control example. The input is the desired speed and the output is the actual speed. The actuator is a power amplifier, the process is the DC motor, the sensor is a tachometer, and the controller consists of op-amps and RLC components.
Suppose the input voltage is 10 V, representing an output speed of 1000 rpm, and the sensor ratio is 0.01. If the actual output is 1000 rpm, the feedback voltage is 1000*0.01 = 10 V, and the error is 0, so no action is needed from the controller. If, for some reason (like a sudden load increase), the actual rpm drops to 900, and the feedback voltage is now 9 V, then the error signal will be 10 – 9 = 1 V and is sent to the controller. The controller will send a signal to the actuator to increase its output to the process (motor) so as to increase the speed. This example shows that closed-loop (feedback) control in general works better than open-loop control because automatic speed control is achieved.
There are a few general criteria to follow when designing a control system:
1. Stability (absolute and relative): The system must be stable with a certain stability margin. This will be discussed more in Modules 5 and 7.
2. Steady-state error: This is the difference between the desired output and actual output at steady state. This value should be as small as possible. This will be covered more in Modules 3 and 4.
3. Transient response: This includes rise time, maximum overshoot, peak time, and settling time. These parameters must meet the requirements. We will cover this more in Module 4.
4. Sensitivity to parameter changes and disturbances: These values should be as small as possible and must meet the requirements. This will be discussed further in Module 3.
There are a few steps to follow in the design process in order to meet these design criteria:
1. Choose the sensors and actuators. Note that these are system dependent. For example, you will need a transducer, instead of a tachometer, as a sensor for a temperature control system.
2. Develop the process, sensor, and actuator mathematical models. Note that this is not an easy task in general and may require people with different areas of expertise. For example, a mechanical engineer is needed to develop a flow control model, while an electrical engineer is needed to develop a DC motor speed control model. The models can be in the forms of differential equations or transfer functions. This is covered further in Chapter 2 of the textbook.
3. Based on the models from step 2, design the controller to meet the control criteria. The controller is the only component in the block diagram whose mathematical model can be changed (or designed) at will. Therefore, the design of the controller is critical in meeting the criteria. We’ll see more on this in Chapter 10 of the textbook.
4. Evaluate the design analytically, by simulation, and by actual system tests. Since actual system tests can be costly, they should be the last step of the design process.