***THREE different papers for THREE different classes*****

**********FIRST PAPER**********************BUSINESS CAPSTONE CLASS

Assignment 4: Merger, Acquisition, and International StrategiesDue Week 8 and worth 300 points

Choose two (2) public corporations in an industry with which you are familiar – one (1) that has acquired another company and operates internationally and one (1) that does not have a history of mergers and acquisitions and operates solely within the U.S. Research each company on its own Website, the public filings on the Securities and Exchange Commission EDGAR database (http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml), in the University's online databases, and any other sources you can find. The annual report will often provide insights that can help address some of these questions.

Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you:

1. For the corporation that has acquired another company, merged with another company, or been acquired by another company, evaluate the strategy that led to the merger or acquisition to determine whether or not this merger or acquisition was a wise choice. Justify your opinion.
2. For the corporation that has not been involved in any mergers or acquisitions, identify one (1) company that would be a profitable candidate for the corporation to acquire or merge with and explain why this company would be a profitable target. 
3. For the corporation that operates internationally, briefly evaluate its international business-level strategy and international corporate-level strategy and make recommendations for improvement. 
4. For the corporation that does not operate internationally, propose one business-level strategy and one corporate-level strategy that you would suggest the corporation consider. Justify your proposals.
5. Use at least three (3) quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not quality as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.
• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Identify various levels and types of strategy in a firm.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in business administration.
• Write clearly and concisely about business administration using proper writing mechanics.

*************************SECOND PAPER************************************************COMPENSATION MANAGEMENT CLASS

Students, please view the "Submit a Clickable Rubric Assignment" in the Student Center.  Instructors, training on how to grade is within the Instructor Center.Assignment 2: Compensation Plan OutlineUsing the same company you researched in Assignment 1, evaluate the company’s compensation plan to determine how it could be improved.Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you:

• Evaluate the existing compensation plan to determine if it is the most appropriate for your company. Explain your rationale.
• Determine the most beneficial ratio of internally consistent and market consistent compensations systems for the company you selected.

• Evaluate the current pay structure used by your company and assess the recognition of employee contributions.

• Make two (2) recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the discretionary benefits provided by the company you selected.

• Evaluate the types of employer-sponsored retirement plans and health insurance programs provided by the company you selected and compare them to that company’s major competitors.

• Use at least three (3) quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources.

Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

• Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Evaluate the effectiveness of traditional bases for pay (seniority and merit) against incentive-based and person-focused compensation approaches.

• Compare and contrast internally consistent and market-competitive compensation systems.

• Evaluate the role of benefits in strategic compensation.

• Use technology and information resources to research issues in compensation management.

• Write clearly and concisely about compensation management using proper writing mechanics.

Grading for this assignment will be based on answer quality, logic / organization of the paper, and language and writing skills, using the following rubric.

*****************************THIRD PAPER**************************************TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT CLASS

Assignment 2: Designing a Training ProgramDue Week 8 and worth 300 points

Create a written proposal in which you detail the complete design of an employee training program.

Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you:

1. Design a two (2) day training program for a group of twenty (20) employees.
2. Identify two to three (2-3) training needs though a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) and justify an approach for this training.
3. Develop the training objective for this program based on an analysis of the business.
4. Determine the training cost for the training program you are proposing. Include a detailed breakdown of time allotted for each piece, the subsequent cost analysis, and the total cost for the project as a whole.
5. Select key training method(s) to deliver the program to employees, such as an e-Learning module or a one-day face-to-face training program.
6. Create an agenda of activities for the training program.
7. Use at least five (5) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as academic resources.
8. Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
9. Typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
10. Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
11. Include a reference page. Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.

The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:

• Identify when to conduct a Training Needs Analysis (TNA).
• Analyze the various approaches to performing a Training Needs Analysis.
• Develop strategies for training design.
• Use technology and information resources to research issues in training and development.

• Write clearly and concisely about training and development using proper writing mechanics.