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“The Stickup Kids”

28
“The Stickup Kids”
In the book, The Stickup Kids, why does Randol Contreras call Pablo and Gus “Fallen Stars”?
What factors in their lives have led them to become “Fallen Stars”?
How does the author use Durkheim’s concept of “anomie” to make his case?

Do not review the book. The essay provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their writing skills, as well as the application of sociological concepts.

Provide examples from the book, including quotes. Long quotes should be single-spaced and indented (see page 130 of The Stickup Kids). Be sure to refer to specific pages of the book in your essay.
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reflection about Journalistic genres

reflection about Journalistic genres

Write a reflection essay about journalistic genres.
Cane toads of the air thrive on stupidity
I’m always amazed by how readily we let our buttons be pushed. It’s almost as though we want them to manipulate us. As though we like it. “Them”, here, obviously includes politicians, advertisers and spin merchants, but the worst offenders, partly because they’re the least explicit, are “shock jocks”.
They are the cane toads of contemporary culture: ugly, ubiquitous, toxic to most other life forms and adept at using their peculiar behaviour to force change in ours.
It’s not so much that they’re rude, lowbrow or just plain wrong, although these, too, are often the case. The most destructive effect of the shock-jockariat is the poisoning of the logic-well itself; followed by the incremental death of the argument tree that is root and branch of intelligent civilisation.
Take Alan Jones. Though it pains me to say it, he is forcing me to change my mind. Not on climate change, or cycling, or the right to public protest, all of which he opposes, but on censorship.

Foucault argued that unreason died with the enlightenment. But the shock-jock phenomenon proves repeatedly that if you make an argument sufficiently idiotic, the sheer scale of stupidity makes it hard to defeat. It was highlighted for me this week by a letter that argued, as Jones does, that anything so small as 0.04 per cent – the proportion of CO2 in the atmosphere – couldn’t possibly matter. “Please let me know,” concluded my correspondent, “how anyone could believe that CO2 is responsible for climate change?”

It’s like arguing that a virus is too small to give you AIDS. Or that a lethal dose of heroin, at about 0.0007 per cent of your body weight, couldn’t possibly kill.
Never mind that applying the same logic to asylum seekers would make you wonder what all the fuss was about (our total asylum applications – 8150 last year, including dependants – being a mere 0.04 per cent of the population.)
These climate-change rants deliberately ignore everything about eco-balance, homeostasis, the greenhouse effect and tipping points we’ve all been taught since primary school and instead raucously promote a red herring.
Yet it’s neither stupidity nor ignorance on Jones’s part. Quite likely he’s read Robert Thouless’s list of dishonest tricks in argument, including caricature, anecdote and non sequitur. Or even Schopenhauer’s list. Bombast, hyperbole, personal insult; certainly he employs most of them.
No, Jones’s position is more cynical. It’s a deliberate appeal to (our) stupidity by (his) intelligence. And it’s not just Jones, or just Sydney, or just climate change.
What’s truly alarming is how accepted it has become that these popular voices deliberately flout the rules of argument. And that, in doing this, they so manipulate the vote that politicians move to appease.
The Adelaide author Ruth Starke has written of her encounter with a South Australian shock jock, Ray Fewings. At issue was a book – Nicki Gemmel’s Cleave. Written for adults, it contained sexuality and was selected by a 12-year-old from the school library. Mother appalled. Controversy ensued.
“Porn!” screamed the jocks. When Starke suggested the mother might have discussed the book with her daughter, Fewings cut her short for “attacking the mother” and accused her of wanting “open slather” so that “12-year-olds could read filth”.
Fewings then twisted this into “What gives Ruth Starke the right to dictate to parents what they should discuss with their children?” and “You heard from a writer who wants open slather to write whatever she wants”. Caricature, insult, emotive language; all core shock-jock stock.
Jones’s infamous carbon tax interview with Julia Gillard in February was scarily similar. First he repeatedly reprimanded the Prime Minister for being 10 minutes late. “I’ve got my job and you’ve got your job . . . 7.10 is 7.10 isn’t it? . . . We’re all busy.” This was followed by dozens of cuttings-in and talkings-over, plus an outright accusation of lying: “There are people now saying your name is not Julia but Ju-liar, and . . . we’ve got a liar running the country.”
Ditto with Clover Moore last May. As the lord mayor arrived Jones was already in a lather, voice raised, epithets at the ready, describing Sydney’s new cycleway as “the virtual destruction” of the city. “Thirty-four thousand votes,” he told her, “you virtually speak for nobody . . . Clover, you haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about . . . For godsake, Clover Moore, can’t you read?”
If all else fails, Schopenhauer recommends clouding the issue through bluff, confusion and induced anger. But beneath the barrage of emotion and insult, the technique here is to make scapegoats of cyclists as the cause of all that angers motorists (when in truth, every bike is a car taken off the road).
Why do politicians tolerate it? Why do we? My theory is this. Most shock jocks, and their audiences, are pretty long in the tooth. Perhaps there’s just a certain kind of person who, as the hormones start to recede, needs this pseudo-emotion to feel alive.
Yet it’s dangerous. We’re used to arguments about civilisation but seldom do we notice just how deeply argument itself underpins civilised life. In the classical tradition, this – rhetoric – was taught in schools. As a basic thinking skill, it came to govern public discussion and debate.
We could do the same. The rules of logic are not difficult. As taught to philosophy sophomores, they cover deductive and inductive reasoning, true and false syllogisms, building arguments with consistency, validity and soundness and – crucially – how to spot a fallacy. Pretty basic.
Without them, however, parliamentary democracy would be impossible. We’d never have risen from the yah-boo of the playground or the might-is-right jungle of silverback tribalism.
You don’t have to look far to see what happens without logic’s civilising structures; it’s the cultural equivalent of those Indonesian abattoirs. Yet this is where shock jocks are coming from and where, if they had their way, they would take us, forcing me to wonder whether censorship mightn’t be reasonable after all.
But there is hope.
Last week, after my cane toads column, several Queenslanders wrote in to say they hadn’t actually seen serious toad numbers for some time. Something, they inferred, is killing them off.
Maybe it’s the same with shock-jockery. We can only hope it happens before it irreparably harms our civilisation, as well as our climate.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/cane-toads-of-the-air-thrive-on-stupidity-20110608-1fsuj.html#ixzz2TSayERX9

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Product development case description

Project Management

The case study simulates a project management scenario where the student takes on the role of project manager. Students are required to use project management software as part of this assessment task. The case information is not complete so where necessary students will have to make assumptions and argue the pros and cons for any recommendations they make.
If necessary, students are expected to find relevant information in the academic literature to justify their answers.
To assist students in their assessment solution development the following information is provided:
• Product development case description
• Specific assessment questions that must be answered
• Information regarding the submission of the assessment
• Marking guide
JJ Electronics Product Development Case Description
Background
JJ Electronics is a medium sized company that develops and manufactures electronic devices. You are an employee of JJ Electronics and work as project manager in the product development department. The people involved in this case are:
• You are Ms. Brown, the project manager.
• Mr. Howden is the Director of Product Development.
• Ms. Hodgson is the Director of Marketing and Portfolio Management.
• Functional line managers.
• Engineers and members of your project team.
You have been leading a small team of experienced electronic and software engineers conducting a technical feasibility study to investigate a new concept for an advanced, intelligent power monitor for the home market. The results of the feasibility study indicate that the concept is achievable, would be attractive to home owners and can be mass produced within the required budget.
You are planning to hold a M1 Milestone Concept Review meeting on 26th April 2013. (For the purposes of this assignment assume that this is next week.) If you assume that the project gets the “go ahead” at the concept review meeting, the M1 milestone represents the start of the project. The start date (and M1 milestone) should be on Monday 29/4/13.
The concept review is one of the milestones in the company’s product development process.
The potential for the new product was identified by the marketing department lead by Ms. Hodgson, Director of Marketing and Portfolio Management. Ms. Hodgson provided your small project team with a product brief and had also developed the business case for the product.
Schedule and Budget
Great Devices Milestones
The milestones your team will use are:
A. M1 Concept review (A go/no-go decision for detailed specification and design will be made at this milestone.).
B. M2 Design review (At this point the overall design will be complete and reviewed. A go/no-go decision for procurement will be made at this milestone).
C. P1 proto build start (Confirmation that everything is ready for the prototype build and that the product prototype is able to be manufactured with the quality level expected.).
D. M3 Testing complete (At this point the product quality has been verified based on the product validation testing carried out and the product has satisfied the regulatory approval tests. Assuming regulatory approval, production of 20 monitors for field testing can go ahead).
E. M4 Final review completed (A go/no-go decision. If all business areas are ready for market launch begin manufacture of devices in preparation for product launch). The schedule you are developing should stop at M4.
As the project manager you have accepted the tasks of creating the compiled project schedule and allocating resources. After M1 you hold a 2 day workshop with Mr. Software, Mr. Mechanics, Mr.
Electronics, Mr. Production, Mr. Documentation and Mr. Validation to plan the product development activities. They are members of your project team and very experienced managers and engineers
From the team workshop you have obtained the following information:
1. A work break down structure (WBS), resource estimates and some dependencies provided in Table 1 below.
2. Mr. Production did some preparations prior to the workshop and his input is summarized in the Activity-In-the-Box (AIB) network diagrams in Figure 1.
Note that the following abbreviations are used in the table below:
• Electronic Engineer (EE)
• Software Engineer (SE)
• Mechanical Engineer (ME)
• Test Engineer (TE)
• Technical Writer (TW)
• Production Engineer (PE)
• Printed Wire Board (circuit board) (PWB)
• Electromagnetic Compliance (EMC)
Table 1- Work Breakdown Structure
Activity
Description
Predecessor(s)
s or days of effort (and the type of resource required)
To be completed at the following milestone
PW: Planning Workshop
M1
2 days fixed duration. 1SE, 1TE, 1ME, 1 PE, 1EE, 1TW will be in attendance as described in the documentation
1. Requirements Gathering
1.1 Hardware requirements
PW
1 person-week of EE
1.2 Software requirements
PW
2 person-weeks of SE
1.3 Product requirement
specifications
1.1, 1.2
1 person-week of EE and 1 person-week of SE (Same resources involved in 1.1 and 1.2 – they will work together on the task 1.3)
2. Electronics
2.1 PWB outline
1.3
1 person-week of EE.
2.2 Component selection
Selection of electronic components.
2.1
2 person-weeks of EE.
2.3 P1 (Prototype 1) circuit
design and PWB layout
Creation of circuit diagram and PWB layout. Breadboard solution created. Must be started together with 2.2.
2.1
2 person-weeks of EE.
2.4 P1 electronics verification
tests
Electronic verification tests with the use of the P1 prototype.
P1 build complete
1 person-week of EE.
2.5 P1 Thermal verification tests
Verification that electronic heat generation and heat transmission through covers is acceptable with the use of the P1 prototype.
2.4
3 days of EE- fixed duration.
2.6 P1 EMC verification tests
Verification of compliance with electromagnetic compliance regulations with the use of the P1 prototypes.
2.5
3 days of EE – fixed duration.
3. Software
3.1 Design
3.1.1 Data acquisition design
Design of the data acquisition software
1.3
1 person-week of SE
3.1.2 User interface design
Design of the user interface
1.3
1 person-week of SE
3.1.3 Data Persistence (internal
and external) design
Design of the data persistence software
1.3
1 person-week of SE
3.1.4 Application functions design
Design of the software to perform the various application functions
1.3
3 person-weeks of SE
3.1.5 test harness
Design of the test harness software
1.3
2 person days of SE
3.2 Development
(note the effort for the tasks below include development and testing of individual modules)
3.2.1 Data acquisition software
development
Development and testing of the data acquisition software
6
2 person-weeks of SE
3.2.2 User Interface development
Development and testing of the user interface
6
2 person-weeks of SE
3.2.3 Data Persistence software
development
Development and testing of the data persistence software
6
2 person-weeks of SE
3.2.4 Application functions
software development
Development and testing of the software to perform the various application functions
6
6 person-weeks of SE
3.2.5 Test Harness development
Development and testing of the test harness software
6
1 person-week of SE
3.3 Integration Testing with Test
harness
3.2.1, 3.2.2, 3.2.3, 3.2.4, 3.2.5
1 person-week of SE
3.4 Integration and module testing
with prototype hardware
3.3, 9.5 (prototype hardware) built and tested)
1 person-week of TE
4. Development of Test Plans
3.1.1, 3.1.2, 3.1.3, 3.1.4,
1 person-week of TE and 1 person-week of SE (working together 100% of their time for 1 week)
5. Mechanics
5.1 Industrial design
Design of the industrial design for the device. Must be started in parallel with 1.1 and 1.2
M1
2 person-weeks of a ME/industrial designer.
5.2 PWB outline modifications
Modifications of the PWB to fit the industrial
5.1, 2.1, 22, 2.3
1 person-week of ME.
design, new components and usability requirements.
5.3 P1 mechanical CAD design
CAD design of mechanical plastic parts and metal parts for the device.
5.2
2 person-weeks of ME.
5.4 Tolerance stack analysis
Analysis of the mechanical tolerance stacks compared to part tooling and moulding capabilities.
5.3
1 person-week of ME.
6. Review of Designs and Test Plans
4, 5.4
3 days fixed duration. 1SE, 1TE, 1ME, 1 PE, 1EE, 1TW from the team will be in attendance.
M2
7.Validation and Regulatory Approval tests
7.1 Product validation tests
Test of product against reliability to various standard tests like drop and humidity, safety and end user requirements.
3.4, 2.6
1 person-week of TE
7.2 Technical Construction File
compilation
Creation of documentation for regulatory approvals.
7.1
1 person-week of TE.
7.3 Regulatory approval tests
Approvals from regulatory authorities.
7.2
4 weeks by regulatory authorities, Fixed duration. Assuming approvals this is M3 milestone.
M3
48.Documentation
1.3
3 person-weeks of TW
9 Prototype1 build
(see figure 1 for details)
10 Production of 20 monitors
M3
4 days fixed duration of PE
11 Field testing of 20 monitors
11.1 field testing
Field testing – 20 monitors in use
10,8
1 month fixed duration – no resources allocated
11.2 field test report
Analysis of results of field testing (and production of report)
11.2
1 week fixed duration. 1 TE, 1TW involved 100% of their time for the week
12. Final Review
11.2
2 days fixed duration (Senior management review – do not allocate team resources to this activity)
M4
Figure 1 – Activity in Box Network Diagram for Production
All durations shown in figure 1 are fixed durations.
Note to students: When you develop the schedule, you are only required to allocate the project team members as resources. You are not required to allocate yourself (the project manager), members of senior management involved in review tasks or suppliers.
Available Resources
The available resources are listed in table 2 below.
Table 2- Available Resources
Resource
$/hour
Number Available
Electronics Engineer
$90.00
2
Software Engineer
$85.00
4
Mechanical Engineer
$75.00
1
Test Engineer
$85.00
1
Production Engineer
$100.00
1
Technical Writer
$60.00
1
The functional managers have assured you that the engineers are able to do all the tasks within their engineering field (i.e. there are no differences in the abilities of the different engineers).
P1 component lead-time
9.1
3w
Suppliers
M2
P1 PWB manufacture and delivery
9.2
2w
Supplier
P1 mechanical part lead-time
9.3
2w
Supplier
P1 assembly and production test preparation
9.4
3w
Production Engineer
P1 prototype build + prototype tests
9.5
1w
P Engineer
P1
Additional Information
In addition to the work breakdown structure and AIB network diagram you have collected the following information:
• The project booking of the proto build (task 9.5) will have to be carried out at the latest two (2) weeks in advance of the build. This is the lead time required to include builds in the manufacturing master’s production schedule.
• The booking of the regulatory approval test house (task 7.3) has to be carried out 6 weeks prior to the approval testing.
• The following 2013 public holidays are to be observed in Queensland after the start date of the project: 10 June – Queen’s birthday; 7 October– Labour Day; 25 December – Christmas Day; 26 December – Boxing Day.
• JJ Electronics normally schedules all work by their staff and contractors on an eight hour day working Monday to Friday (except public holidays).
You are aware that there are items you did not address at the project workshop and that you may need to make some assumptions to complete your schedule and budget. Make sure that you list any assumptions you make at the beginning of your assignment submission.
Assessment Part A
For part A of the assessment you must complete the following tasks and questions. Read all the questions before you commence the tasks.
1. Mr. Howden has asked you to use Microsoft Project to develop the project schedule and to include the milestones at the top of the task list in your schedule. Develop the schedule and make sure that you
i. Include the milestones at the top of the task list (underneath the project summary task at the top of the task list).
ii. Include the resource allocation details on the schedule.
iii. Resolve any resource allocation issues. Assume that the project is constrained to the resources listed above.
iv. Have an appropriate project name at the top of the task list and have all other tasks indented below this heading. Note that by having the overall project summary task and the milestones at the top of the task list the automatically generated outline numbers / WBS numbers will not correspond to the WBS numbering in the specification. However, you should introduce a WBS column and manually enter the numbering required to keep the work breakdown numbering specified in the assignment. The WBS column should be placed before the task column.
v. Make sure that the Queensland public holidays are not included in the available working days for your project.
2. In this question you must identify the critical path in your schedule.
i. The bars of the tasks on the critical path must be automatically highlighted in the Gantt chart view of your project schedule (in the .mpp file). The marker should be able to view all tasks in the project when they open the .mpp file.
ii. List the tasks on the critical path in your answer to this question in the Word document.
3. a) Include additional “milestones” (tasks with 0 duration) in your schedule to show the latest date you need to contact:
i. the production manager to ensure that the facilities are booked for the prototype build.
ii. the type approval test house to ensure that the facilities are booked for the type approval.
Note that these additional milestones should be listed at the end of the milestones list at the start of the project and should be highlighted in the task list in yellow using the “background colour” icon on the task ribbon. This is to allow your marker to locate them easily.
b) According to your schedule when is the latest date that you need to contact:
i. the production manager to ensure that the facilities are booked for the prototype build?
ii. the type approval test house to ensure that the facilities are booked for the type approval?
4. Write a memo to the director of product development, Mr. Neilson, outlining
i. the expected completion date of the project, assuming it commences after the M1 concept review;
ii. the duration of the project
iii. the factors that cause the project to require the estimated length of time
iv. the estimated labour costs of the project after the M1 concept review. This should be presented in tabular form with a total cost for each of the following: planning workshop, requirements gathering, electronics, software, mechanics, validation and regulatory approval, documentation, prototype build, production of 20 monitor, field testing, final review and the total for the whole project).
5. Generate a “who does what report” using the Microsoft Project reporting facilities. The start of a “who does what report” for a different project is shown below. Include a screenshot of your “who does what” report as the answer to this question in your Word document.
6. Suppose that there were no constraints with respect to budget or resources, is there any way that the overall duration of the project can be shortened without removing any tasks or reducing quality? Justify your answer. Be specific. For example, specify tasks that you might target to shorten their duration and for each task explain :
i. why you would target that task
ii. what you might do to reduce the length of the task
iii. any impact or implication that the change might have on your project (other than reducing the duration).
You may also make suggestions that do not target specific tasks and again you should be specific, justify your suggestion and describe any implications that would need to be taken into consideration.
You must discuss at least two options for reducing the overall duration.
7. This question relates to risk management.
i. Describe in general terms how the project manager should manage risk throughout the project.
ii. Identify at least two risks for this project and how they might be managed.
8. a) Describe the procedures that the project manager should follow to manage the budget and to ensure that the project is completed within budget.
b) If you were the project manager and you found that the project was going over budget, what would you do? Note that it is not sufficient to say “take corrective action”, you need to make specific suggestions about the action you would take and make suggestions about how you might be able to reduce costs.
Assessment Part B
Mr. Production reviews your project schedule and requests the participation of one engineer from each of the following functional areas at the P1 (prototype 1) build: production, electronics, software and mechanics. Their involvement will not impact on the duration. You will have to update your schedule as you agree with this proposal.
You are now 2 weeks after the M1 milestone and you are advised that a new component supplier has been selected by the company and that the new supplier guarantees delivery 2 weeks after the order is received and not the 3 week lead-time required by the original supplier.
In addition the software engineer has completed the detailed software specification. However, this has meant that the estimated time for the development of the software application functionality is expected to take 8 weeks, not 6 weeks. The test engineer has also requested an extra week for integration and module testing with the hardware.
Based on the additional information given above complete the following tasks:
1. Amend the project schedule incorporating the request from Mr. Production, the change to the delivery time for the display and the new estimated times for the software tasks. Check that there is no resource over-allocation as a result of the changes and if necessary resolve any such issues.
2. Describe the impact of each of the changes upon the project? (For each change describe the impact of the change on both the schedule and budget).
3. This question is about the new critical path.
i. What is the duration of the critical path now?
ii. What is the expected finish date for the project now?
iii. Is the project duration longer, shorter or the same as the original estimates (part A) and if it has changed then by how much?
iv. List the tasks that are now on the critical path and make sure that they are highlighted in the Gantt chart view in your schedule.
4. Has the overall cost of the project changed? If so, by how much?
Assessment Part C
You have been advised that there will only be three software engineers available for the project.
1. Modify your resource details so that there are now only 3 software engineers available.
2. a) Does this result in a resource over-allocation issue in your schedule?
b) If so, resolve the resource over-allocation issue. If not, explain how you would resolve a resource over-allocation issue using Microsoft Project.
3. Has this change impacted on the duration of your project? Explain why/why not.
4. Has this change impacted on the sensitivity of the network? Explain why/why not.
Assumptions
You are free to make any assumptions necessary to complete the assignment. However each assumption must be justified and stated clearly in your assessment word document. Marks will be deducted for any unreasonable assumption or for stating an assumption and then ignoring it in your assignment.
Submission of Assessment
The assignment is to be submitted as four separate files using the electronic assignment submission system that can be accessed from the assessment item 2 link on the course website. The four files to be submitted are:
1. The Word document with the assumptions and solutions to the questions for Part A, Part B and Part C.
2. The Microsoft project files created for Part A, Part B and Part C. Please ensure that the names of these files clearly indicate their purpose, e.g. JJ_Part_A.mpp, JJ_Part_B.mpp and JJ_Part_C.mpp.
Marking Guide for Assessment item 2 – Individual Case Study
Assignment Question
Criteria
Marks available
Marks awarded
Part A
Q1
The adequacy of the Project Schedule
• Tasks; correct WBS; overall summary task; auto scheduling
• Durations/effort
• Resources allocated (+ no over-allocation)
• Milestones
• Predecessor relationships
• holidays

Critical path highlighted and tasks listed
Appropriateness of the Written Memo and all information correct according to the schedule

Who does what report

Details on shortening the Project

Risk management

a) Procedures to manage budget.
b) What you would do if you found that the project was going over budget.

The adequacy of the amended Project Plan (+ ensure no resource over-allocation)

Discussion of the impact of each of the changes (for each discuss impact on budget and duration)

The new critical path and comparison with Part A
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Deficit

Deficit

In Chapter 10, Carbaugh Asks, “Can the United States Continue to Run Current Account Deficits Indefinitely?” Since in the long term, the obvious answer is no, perhaps the question should be rephrased to ask the following:
•Does the United States’ unique position in the world economy allow the country to safely run persistent external deficits?
•Can persistent U.S. deficits in the current and payments accounts be adjusted without bringing about economic recession or crisis?
In a 4-6 page (12-point font, double-spaced) essay, summarize and critically evaluate the main positions provided on this in Carbaugh’s Chapter 10. (Our course book is International Economics 13th edition, Robert J. Carbaugh)
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The Influence of Female Leaders toward Organizational Performance

The Influence of Female Leaders toward Organizational Performance in ASEAN (AEC)
Read the case study titled ?F&C International? prior to doing this assignment.
1. Over time, there has been significant legislation passed, such as Sarbanes-Oxley, yet corporate
fraud is still pervasive in today’s business environment. Suggest three (3) new ways that you
believe will eradicate corporate fraud.
2. In the F&C case, inventory manipulation was used to enact the fraud. Discuss the proper internal
controls needed over inventory and how these controls will act as a deterrent to fraudulent
activities.
3. For a moment, step into the shoes of Catherine Sprauer at F&C International. Indicate what you
would have done following each of the confrontations she had with the two employees who
insisted that F&C executives were involved in a fraudulent scheme to misrepresent the
company’s financial statements.
4. Discuss how accounting firms should modify their audit procedures to ensure the risk of financial
fraud is minimized.
5. Discuss how the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) continues to fail to detect
fraudulent activities in publically traded companies. Suggest a recommendation for improvement.
6. Evaluate whether legislation and regulatory agency oversight will increase or decrease corporate
fraud. Explain your position.

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Diagnosis

Case: Outputs Diagnosis, SLP: Time Warp 3
Case for Whole Foods using Nadler-Tushman Congruence Model:

Use the Nadler-Tushman Congruence Module to analyze Whole Foods Market’s outputs. Start with the Organizational Level. Identify the Outputs – what does it produce and sell? What are its goals? How has it been performing? Then go the group level. What are some groups that Whole Foods Market identifies, and the goals and performance of these groups. Finally, discuss the Individual level. Here you will find it difficult to get much detailed information, so identify five to seven key jobs and their outputs. How can the performance of these jobs be measured? Finally determine the congruence of the outputs and make a strong argument for your case.

identify the outputs of the organization at each of three levels. Also identify the goals that it has set and its current performance. Include the following:
? Outputs at the organizational level are the products and/or services that it provides to its customers. What are these and how does the company categorize them? How does it measure its organizational performance (e.g., sales, net profit, return on sales, return on assets, market share, customer satisfaction, etc.). Provide some specific performance data.
? What are some ways the company identifies groups? For example, are there geographic groups (or divisions), functional groups, etc. What are the outputs of these groups? How does it (or how might it) measure performance of these groups?
? What are some of the key individual functions, and what are their outputs? How do these outputs contribute to the group outputs? How do they measure individual performance?
? Evaluate how the outputs at the different levels interact with each other. Determine if you think the congruence of the outputs is high, medium, or low. Then make a strong case. It is very important that you support your position with evidence and information that you have discussed earlier in the report.

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Analysis of Richard Nixon’s resignation speech

Richard Nixon’s

Analysis of Richard Nixon’s resignation speech
a. Brief biography of Richard Nixon
b. Description of the time period
c. Why do you feel the speech is an important part of American history
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Political Philosophy

21
Political Philosophy

 

1. What is new in Hobbes’ political philosophy, as against his predecessors? Discuss. You may wish to refer to the state of nature, the faith in ‘political science’, and the role of fear.
2. Can one reconcile Hobbes’ preference for undivided and unlimited sovereignty with his reputation as one of the founders of liberalism?
3. To what extent is Hobbes’ entire political thesis founded on a hedonistic psychology?
4. According to Locke, what makes political power legitimate? Under what conditions, if any, may people rightfully rebel against their government?
5. Compare Locke’s account of “the state of nature” with either or both of Hobbes’ or Rousseau’s accounts of the “state of nature”. Do you find either compelling? Or do they all share problems?
6. A long liberal tradition tends to suggest that although they are both considered founding figures of modern political liberalism, Locke is a genuine (classical) liberal, whereas Hobbes, (despite supporting many positions that are taken for granted in later liberal thought) has a far too authoritarian or even absolutist conception of government to qualify as genuinely ‘liberal’. With an eye to the similarities and differences between Hobbes and Locke, discuss how issues of ‘security’ have a potential to make “Lockean” liberalism reveal a “Hobbesian” side. Explain how political liberal theory, might handle the issue of a Hobbesian shadow raised by questions of sovereignty or security. [Note: aspects of Mill, Hayek and Rawls may all be helpful to this question].
7. In TheSocial Contract is Rousseau a defender or an opponent of the project of the Enlightenment?
8. What is Marx’s attitude toward capitalism and/or “globalization”? Is he against it? And if not, how and why not?
9. What does Marx mean when he says that the history of human relations has been one of ‘class struggle’? Critically discuss with the implications for political philosophy in mind.
10. Rousseau’s political philosophy has been an influence on both totalitarian and radical democratic thinkers. How do you interpret Rousseau? Does his philosophy contribute to freedom, or justify totalitarian government?
11. Compare and critically discuss Rousseau’s concept of the General Will and Mill’s concern with the “tyranny of the majority.” Is the General Will compatible with freedom for every member of society, or is Rousseau being overly idealistic?
12. Explain Rousseau’s criticism of representative democracy. Do you agree with this criticism? Do you think Rousseau offers a workable alternative?
13. Explain and critically discuss Mill’s “simple principle” of liberty (the “harm principle.”) Is this an adequate principle for regulating the relations between society and individuals? What, if any, limitations might it have?
14. Identify a current Australian law or government policy which may appear to conflict with Mill’s liberalism. Explain how you think Mill would criticize this law or policy, and then explain why you agree or disagree with Mill’s liberal views on this issue. (Some examples of laws and policies from which you might choose are the criminalization of recreational drug use, compulsory wearing of seatbelts, anti-terrorism laws, asylum seekers, and film, literature, and media censorship).
15. Mill’s liberalism seems to rest on the possibility of distinguishing between actions which only affect oneself (“self-regarding” actions) and actions which affect others (“other-regarding” actions). Do you think this distinction can always be made? If not, does this invalidate Mill’s liberal philosophy?
16. “All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned…” This sentence appears in TheCommunist Manifesto as what many commentators have regarded as a kind of paean to capitalism and to the bourgeoisie. What is it about capitalism (and the bourgeoisie) that endow them with such a revolutionary potential? Given that it has a revolutionary potential, what is a) wrong (for Marx) with capitalism and b) allows it to pave the way for human emancipation?
17. Compare and contrast Marx and Rousseau. To what extent is Marx the heir of Rousseau?
18. Explain Hayek’s criticisms of socialism. Do you agree with them? Justify why or why not.
19. Hayek argues, in effect, that mankind cannot be free unless the economy is free. Explain the reasoning behind this view. Do you agree? Explain why or why not.

20. Imagine yourself in Rawls’ “original position.” Explain what kind of society you would choose to live in. Explain why you agree or disagree with Rawls’ own conclusions.
21. Rawls’ related ideas of the “original position” and the “veil of ignorance” have often been criticized on the basis that it is simply not possible for anyone to detach themselves from their actual social position, even in imagination. Explain the “original position” and the “veil of ignorance,” and why you agree or disagree with this criticism.
22. Discuss the different understandings of freedom (or autonomy) in AT LEAST TWO of the following authors: Marx, Rousseau, Mill, Hayek, Rawls, Locke, Hobbes.

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Agricultural Science

Agricultural Science
Paper instructions:
Describe the conditions necessary for the successful completion of a malo-lactic fermentation with a desirable flavour profile

OR

Describe the various methods of “sugar” estimation in wine grapes and wine. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each method and where each of the methods would be used most appropriate.
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Finance Principle. Time Value of Money

Finance Principle
Q1. Time Value of Money (Ch 4) & Interest Rates (Ch 5)
Bank Investment Scenarios
David plans to invest $10,000 in a 6-month term deposit with National Australia Bank (NAB). (For this question please refer to the ‘NAB Indicator rates –selected term deposit products’ schedule attached to this assignment).
a) What will David’s investment be worth when the above term deposit matures? (4 MARKS)
b) Sofia decides to employ a different investment strategy. She invests $10,000 in a 90-day term deposit and upon maturity she:
• consumes the interest by enjoying an evening at her favorite restaurant AND
• She then re-invests the principal ($10,000) in another 90-day term deposit (assume term deposit rates do not change over time). How does the return on her investment strategy (i.e. interest earned) compare with David’s strategy? (6 MARKS)
c) Jack invested $10,000 in a 9-month term deposit and his friend Sandra deposited $10,000 in a 12-month term deposit.
Jack wishes to have the exact same amount of monies available at the end of the 12 months as his friend Sandra. Thus Jack is aware he must re-invest the principal and any interest earned at the expiry of the 9-month term deposit.
2
What rate of interest on a 3-month investment must Jack earn on the monies at his disposal at the end of 9 months in order to ensure his and Sandra’s wealth is identical at end of month 12? (10 MARKS)
HINT (The correct answer must be given at the nominal interest rate (APR).
3
Q2. Interest Rates (Ch 5)
Lending Scenarios
Part I
You plan to borrow $380,000 from ANZ Bank to fund an investment opportunity. The Bank offers you a reduction in principal loan (in this type of loan repayments comprise principal plus interest) with a nominal interest rate (APR) of 6.8% compounded monthly over a 12-year period.
a) Calculate your monthly repayments to the Bank on the negotiated loan contract. (4 MARKS)
b) What will your outstanding dollar liability be to the Bank at the end of 6 years – assuming you choose not to negotiate a new loan facility with the Bank? (10 MARKS)
Part II
You have $100,000 at your disposal today. You wish to endow a college scholarship. You structure the scholarship so that, beginning today, it will pay out the same amount of money per year forever. The endowment discount rate is 7%.
c) Calculate the amount of money your donation will provide each year in perpetuity. (Note: The first payment to the scholarship does NOT begin next year but DOES begins today) (6 MARKS)
4
Q3. Net Present Value & Internal Rate of Return (Ch 8)
Capital Investment Scenarios
Dreamliner Airline is considering investing in several new aircraft. The initial investment will cost them $675 million. The investment is expected to produce revenue of $118 million per year over the next 25 years. The cost of running the new planes is $23 million per annum over the 25-year period.
a) Provide a graph showing the NPV (y-axis) over a range of the cost of capital (x-axis) from 0% to 20%. (Hint: Use of an excel spreadsheet is recommended. Please show workings) (10 MARKS)
b) Provide the IRR point to 2 decimal places. (4 MARKS)
c) Using the WACC you calculated in Q5 (you will not be able to answer this question until you complete Q5!) and following the IRR investment rule, should Dreamliner Airline take on the investment opportunity to buy the new planes? Explain why or why not? (4 MARKS)
d) Theory suggests the WACC calculation is simply an estimated figure for the cost of capital. Thus by how much could the company WACC deviate before Dreamliner Airline company managers would consider changing their investment decision? (2 MARKS)
5
Q4. Return and Risk (Ch 12)
Market Investment Scenarios
The following table shows monthly closing prices in dollars for four of Australia’s major stocks for given periods. These stocks are BHP Billiton (BHP), QBE Insurance (QBE), Wesfarmers (WES) and Woolworths (WOW). No dividends were paid by any of these companies during these periods.
Date
BHP
QBE
WES
WOW
3-Sep-12
$31.34
$12.37
$35.42
$30.56
1-Aug-12
$31.79
$13.03
$34.52
$29.62
2-Jul-12
$31.93
$14.04
$32.59
$28.57
1-Jun-12
$31.45
$13.38
$29.90
$26.80
1-May-12
$31.97
$12.38
$29.20
$26.44
2-Apr-12
$35.55
$13.84
$30.28
$25.94
You may answer this question using an EXCEL spreadsheet OR you may answer the question using CALCULATION or you may answer the question using both EXCEL and CALCULATION methods.
a) Determine the actual monthly historical returns for each of these stocks. (4 MARKS)
b) Determine the overall expected return for each stock given their historical returns for the complete period given. (4 MARKS)
c) Determine the overall volatility of each stock for the complete given period. (4 MARKS)
d) Plot the four stocks on a risk-return diagram. Label each stock with stock code. (4 MARKS)
e) Which stock appears the best investment on past performance, and why? (4 MARKS)
6
Q5. Cost of Capital (Ch 13)
Cost of funds Scenarios
Dreamliner Airline has 100,000 outstanding shares and is currently trading at $26 per share. The company expects the company dividend to be $2 per share next year. Thereafter the dividend will grow by 2 percent every year.
a) Calculate the cost of equity for this Company (Round the value to 4 decimal places). (4 MARKS)
This company’s only source of debt funding is by use of a perpetual note. This note is currently priced at $55. The note pays quarterly interest on a $100 face value. Assume a constant nominal rate of 4% (in practice the rate changes over time). The total number of notes on issue equal 50,000.
b) Calculate the cost of debt for this Company (Round the value to 4 decimal places). (8 MARKS)
c) Calculate the WACC for this Company (Note the tax rate is 30%). (Round the value to 4 decimal places).

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