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1. Critical thinking

• Consider the fallacies of relevance listed in Chapter 8 of our textbook. Consider a recent conversation or a recent news or magazine article you have read. Identify two fallacies of relevance you noticed in the conversation or article. Consider how you, personally, might avoid committing fallacies of relevance, and list two ways you can avoid them in the future. In your replies to students, note some polite ways to point out when someone commits a fallacy of relevance.

• Repond to Ryan

When discussing a Christmas budget with my wife, she can have a tendency to use a fallacy of relevance as chapter 8 refers to as a red herring. When this topic comes up she will change the subject to something else to avoid talking about the budget. My wife does enjoy shopping and tends to go overboard with gifts. I think she feels that if we don’t talk about money then she doesn’t have to worry about it. I try to nicely bring it up in a very factual manner to avoid anyone getting defensive. I have learned that one of the worst things you can do when you disagree with your spouse is to attack the person's character, ad hominem, as that will surely end badly. 

1. General psychology

• In this unit, you have learned about several factors related to human cognition. Choose something you have learned related to thinking, intelligence, or language, and teach your classmates what you have discovered.

• Respond to Brian

Sternbergs's triarchic theory. 

This theory of intelligence includes analytical, creative and practical intelligence. I think for me I strongly agree with this theory. There are many book smart people out there, also referred to as analytical intelligence, that lack the other 2 categories, especially practical intelligence or street smarts as they are more widely known. In the culture I grew up, being street smart was extremely important, in fact it was the ability to work on your own car, fix your own appliances, a way to save money by doing all your own work, it took the lead over actual school-based intelligence, many people in other countries outside of America thrive on trade-based jobs, electricians, mechanics and plumbers. Practical and creative intelligence will see you through life, it allows you to understand many different fields of study, perhaps you are not a master in one field but have a general knowledge of many that allows a person to better mold into society, to have a more balanced level of intelligence and general aptitude, it also seems to allow a person to adjust their personality based off their surroundings to better fit in. I have met many highly intelligent analytical people in my life that often appear socially awkward, they also have so much knowledge in one designated field that they seem to lack the common everyday street smarts like changing a flat tire, or basic house repair jobs. 

1. Project Stakeholder

• Disney launched a new theme park in Europe in 1992 and faced immediate disappointing results. Read the articles in Required Resources, and, in addition, feel free to search for additional articles in the CSU Online library to use in answering the following questions:

Discuss the following:

Assume that you were the project manager for the Euro Disney theme park launch. What in your view are the top five stakeholder groups that you would have identified?

What categories would you assign to each of the identified categories? (Use unaware, resistant, neutral, supportive, and leading as your categories.)

What strategies would you employ to address resistant stakeholder groups? Would your selected strategies differ in any way from managing stakeholders within your home country? Why, or why not?

Briefly describe what you believe Disney got wrong in their stakeholder identification and management.

• Respond to Angela

Based on the articles provided regarding Euro Disney, the venture seems to have been doomed from the start. Not only did Disney fail to consider cultural differences between the United States and Europe, they also didn’t consider the differences in economy and weather. As I’ve noticed several classmates state, it appears Disney assumed its reputation and success in other areas would carry Euro Disney on to success as well. In addition, local stakeholders were not carefully analyzed to determine their interests and needs in such an attraction. Had Disney considered these things, it may have been possible to create a theme park more suitable to potential Euro Disney patrons, leading it to success rather than failure.

As a project manager for this effort, I would consider key stakeholder groups to be investors, the local community (Paris), potential customers, local government, and employees. Depending on the level of familiarity investors might have had with the project location, weather, culture, and economy, they would likely be resistant or supportive. Those who were familiar with these topics would likely resist development of a theme park there. Afterall, as the articles mentioned, families make less money, the weather isn’t overly conducive to all day outdoor activities much of the time, and the desire to spend a lot of money on this kind of activity isn’t as appealing as it is for Americans. Those who were not familiar with the project location would likely be supportive of the effort simply based on Disney’s success elsewhere. To win over the resistant investors, a demonstration of the successes of the other theme parks would be highlighted, along with a pitch for lower costs for park patrons to generate attendance and eventual revenue would be a good place to start. 

The local community might be resistant to the project because it will cause changes to the status quo. Things like traffic, numbers of people in the area, increased building of hotels to support Disney, restaurants, and increased litter are just a few concerns residents might have. To garner support from this group, I would highlight Disney’s good stewardship policies that promote positivity and a clean environment, as well as the fact that Disney typically offers shuttles between lodging and its parks, thereby reducing traffic. Additional benefits the park would bring to the community would also be promoted to better educate the public about the impact the project will have. In the United States, we would most likely advertise how the Disney experience is desirable due to a multitude of perks, however this approach would fail for Euro Disney because the culture there finds these kinds of activities to be superficial.

Local government would likely be supportive of the effort because the theme park would generate additional revenue, and employees would also be supportive due to new job opportunities. Potential customers would either be supportive, neutral, or unaware based on their knowledge of and desire for a more convenient Disney destination. Media advertising and introducing Disney products in local stores during construction of the park would help to entice those who were neutral or unaware about what Disney parks offer.

1. Corporate Finance

• Discuss a possible agency conflict between inside owners/managers and outside shareholders. What could be done to mitigate this issue?

• Respond to Melissa

This is a great topic. I see it a lot in the dental field. There are these big corporate businesses that open up several offices to grow quickly and they give the doctors the option to become partial owners in the practice. In my experience, when the clinic doesn't do well after being a devono office (new office) for a year or two, the owner doctor will likely want to do certain things to bring in more patients to ensure they meet production expectations to continue a smooth operation and continue to grow, but with corporate, they tend to do things specifically across the board. For example what works for an office in a major city, may not be the same as what works for a small town dental office. This is where the decision making happens, and from my experience the corporate business offers ownership at a 49% to 51% ratio, specifically for decision making rights, but even then there is likely always conflict when money starts to slow down. Corporate has the money to fork up, but the doctors are the ones that are more likely wanting to do more due to to being their personal business or at least half theirs. Mitigating it means critical conversations. Uncomfortable as they can be, communication rules the nation when it comes to making the best decisions. We use the facts we know, and discuss amongst stakeholders and owners, the areas that need improvements, and how to make that happen. 

1. Health Unit Coordinator

• In Chapter 4 of our textbook, McConnell introduces five overarching management functions: controlling, coordinating, directing, organizing, and planning. If you had to pick one function as the most important to the overall success of a manager, which one would you pick, and why? Which one do you believe might be the least important, and why? Provide specific examples.

• Respond to Bridget

If I had to pick one function from the five overarching management functions as the most important to the overall success of a manager, I would choose planning. Planning helps managers set goals, make decisions, and allocate resources effectively. There are a few key elements to remember when it comes to effective planning. First, it's important to set clear and specific goals that are achievable and measurable. This helps provide direction and focus for the planning process. Second, gathering and analyzing relevant information is crucial. This includes understanding the current situation, considering external factors, and identifying potential challenges or opportunities. Third, developing a well-defined action plan is essential. This involves breaking the goals into smaller, manageable tasks, setting timelines, and assigning responsibilities. Lastly, regular monitoring and evaluation are important to ensure that the plan is on track and to make any necessary adjustments along the way. By considering these elements, managers can create effective plans to increase the chances of achieving desired outcomes. While all functions are important, if I had to choose one that might be considered less important, it could be controlling. Controlling involves monitoring performance and taking corrective actions if necessary. While it's important to ensure things are going according to plan, other functions like planning, organizing, directing, and coordinating are more focused on proactive actions to achieve goals. All the functions work together to help managers stay on top of things and make necessary adjustments to achieve desired outcomes. 

1. Budget in Healthcare

• The healthcare manager, department director, and administrators all need to be aware of the budgeting costs and calculations to project future budgets and remain fiscally responsible for their departments or the facility. Which budget analysis is most important to a department, and why?

• Respond to Nicholas

Departmental budget analysis for any department leadership is crucial as they must understand the day-to-day expenses and the operating period's budget. The department budget will focus on personnel salaries, training expenses, unit supplies, and the equipment that must be purchased in capital or cash. There are several budget analysis models that departmental leadership can use depending on the department's specific goals. The first is Performance-based budgeting, which is a budget that emphasizes revenue flow based on services provided. This type of budget analysis allows for an understanding of how well the department is doing to meet its financial objectives. Activity-based budgeting starts with departmental goals and then works backward to determine the cost and requirements to obtain the goal. This analysis will help leaders mobilize the workforce to understand and work toward departmental objectives. There is Zero-based budgeting (which has been in the political news lately), where the budget is set at zero dollars each year and then is built upwards to the allocation of the objectives of the department. Finally, the Static-budget or incremental-based budget allows for historical data to be used to predict a new budget based on the historical data and cost and then estimated to establish a new budget based on new departmental objectives. 

Each type of budget analysis has strengths and weaknesses, but departmental leaders must find the best model for analysis and the creation of future budgets. Combining these analysis types will provide a comprehensive understanding of a departmental budget. 

1. Principle of accounting

• If you were to open your own business (a business that would require you to keep an inventory), what inventory costing method would you prefer? Discuss why you chose the particular inventory costing method and if your costing method would follow the actual flow of your inventory.

• Respond to Maritza

The choice of inventory costing method depends on various factors, but common methods include FIFO, LIFO, and Average cost. Each has its advantages and suggestions for financial reporting. If I had my own business, I would consult with an accountant to determine the best fit based on my business needs. But if I had to choose, I would prefer the FIFO method. I believe this method is beneficial because the oldest items are sold, or at least considered first. This method can result in a more accurate representation of the cost of goods sold. Additionally, FIFO is also considered for tax purposes. 

1. Computers

• Reflect on what you have learned about computer hardware in this unit. Identify and discuss an input or output device that you would like to add to your computer system in the future and why. Examples are 3D printers, biometric scanners, game controllers, graphic tablets, graphics accelerators (GPUs/FPGAs), and adaptive devices.

• Respond to Hannah

fter doing my research I would like to have the Graphic Tablet because I like to draw and create and that tablet would allow me to create and draw digitally. It would also allow me to create and show my marketing in ways that one couldn't do with just a keyboard and a mouse. Yes having everything else would be nice but some somethings are needed and used more than others. I don't know what I would do with a 3D printer so honestly it would sit in the corner look pretty and collect dust. So having something that I would use for my line of work would get used.