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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 3 and chapter 4 in our textbook, by talking about NAFTA and the meaning behind the trade agreement.

I found this video to be helpful, because it gave me a better understanding of NAFTA. I also felt like this video was important to my learning, because it taught me why NAFTA was controversial, what it accomplished, and how it has affected American jobs.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 3 and chapter 4 in our textbook, by talking about influencing people in multinational corporations.

I found this article to be interesting, because it talks about how a leaders' decision making, communication style, and other tendencies are often influenced by the geographical region in which they operate. I also like how this article includes six examples of leadership styles that support the idea of good leadership being personality in the right place.

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What makes a great leader? Although the core ingredients of leadership are universal (good judgment, integrity, and people skills), the full recipe for successful leadership requires culture-specific condiments. The main reason for this is that cultures differ in their implicit theories of leadership, the lay beliefs about the qualities that individuals need to display to be considered leaders. Depending on the cultural context, your typical style and behavioral tendencies may be an asset or a weakness. In other words, good leadership is largely personality in the right place.

Research has shown that leaders' decision making, communication style, and dark-side tendencies are influenced by the geographical region in which they operate. Below we review six major leadership types that illustrate some of these findings.

Decision Making

The synchronized leader. Follow-through is key to being seen as leadership material in regions such as Northeast Asia (e.g., Mainland China, South Korea, and Japan), Indonesia, Thailand, the UAE, and much of Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile). In order to ascend the organizational ranks, such leaders must seek consensus on decisions and drive others through a keen process orientation. Business cycles can take longer as a result. But once all stakeholders are onboard, the deal needs to close fast or there is risk of jeopardizing the agreement. Synchronized leaders tend to be prudent and are more focused on potential threats than rewards.

The opportunistic leader. Leaders who self-initiate and demonstrate flexibility on how to achieve a goal tend to be more desirable in Germanic and Nordic Europe (Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway), the UK, Western countries on which the UK had substantial cultural influence (the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand), and Asian countries that based their governing and economic institutions on the British model (India, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong). More or less individualistic, these leaders thrive in ambiguity. However, checking in frequently with team members is advised to ensure others keep up with changing plans. Opportunistic leaders tend to be ambitious risk takers.

Communication Style

The straight-shooting leader. In some regions employees expect their leaders to confront issues straightforwardly. In Northeast Asia and countries like the Netherlands, excessive communication is less appealing in the leadership ranks - people just want you to get to the point. Accordingly, task-oriented leaders are preferred. Impromptu performance review meetings with direct reports occur more commonly in these locations, and leaders address undesirable behaviors from team members as soon as they are observed. Straight-shooting leaders tend to be less interpersonally sensitive.

The diplomatic leader. In certain countries communication finesse and careful messaging are important not only to getting along but also to getting ahead. In places like New Zealand, Sweden, Canada, and much of Latin America, employees prefer to work for bosses who are able to keep business conversations pleasant and friendly. Constructive confrontation needs to be handled with empathy. Leaders in these locations are expected to continuously gauge audience reactions during negotiations and meetings. These types of managers adjust their messaging to keep the discussion affable; direct communication is seen as unnecessarily harsh. Diplomatic leaders tend to be polite and agreeable.

Dark-side tendencies

The "kiss up/kick down" leader. When organizations emphasize rank, emerging leaders tend to develop unique coping skills. It is a leader's job to implement mandates from above with lower-level employees. If overused, this strength can lead to a "kiss up/kick down" leadership style, characterized by excessive deference or sudden attention to detail when reporting up, and issuing fiery directives or refusing to compromise when commanding subordinates. Though never a good thing, this derailer is tolerated more in certain countries, such as Western Asia (Turkey, India, UAE), Serbia, Greece, Kenya, and South Korea. "Kiss up/kick down" leaders tend to be diligent and dutiful with their bosses but intense and dominating with their reports.

The passive-aggressive leader. Some leaders become cynical, mistrusting, and eventually covertly resistant, particularly under stress. These reactions usually occur when the individual is forced to pursue an objective or carry out a task without being won over or in the absence of sound rationale. Though being overtly cooperative while maintaining a level of skepticism can be beneficial in group settings, these behaviors can also hinder execution. Leaders with this style are more widely accepted in Indonesia and Malaysia, where it doesn't seem to impede their advancement. Passive-aggressive leaders tend to be critical and resentful. Ironically, their aversion to conflict often generates a great deal of conflict.

To be sure, it is possible for any individual to adjust their leadership style to fit the relevant context. However, it requires a great deal of effort to go against one's natural tendencies and predispositions, and habits are hard to break. It is also important to take into account the culture of the organization, which requires a much more granular level of analysis to identify the qualities that promote and inhibit success. When senior leaders succeed, they often redefine culture in a way that is a direct reflection of their own personality. Thus culture is mostly the sum of the values and beliefs of influential past leaders.

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What Leadership Looks Like in Different Cultures

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What makes a great leader? Although the core ingredients of leadership are universal (good judgment, integrity, and people skills), the full recipe for successful leadership requires culture-specific condiments. The main reason for this is that cultures differ in their implicit theories of leadership, the lay beliefs about the qualities that individuals need to display to be considered leaders.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 3 and chapter 4 in our textbook, by talking about license agreements.

I found this article be very helpful, because it lists three ways to avoid pitfalls in license agreements. I also like how it promotes the idea that a solid understanding by both parties of a license agreement will help to ensure that everyone gets off on the right foot.

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Whether you are a licensee manufacturing a product or the brand owner licensing your product, the definitions, requirements and terms stipulated in the licensing contract are crucially important. Since many of us have no idea how to go about finding a brand licensing professional, we relegate negotiation of the business terms to our attorneys.
Related: Why Licensing is the Best Way to Get Your Product on Store Shelves
The truth is, attorneys are qualified to address the legal language, such as reps & warranties, indemnification and infringement, but in most cases are not familiar enough with licensing agreement terms, including test protocols, authorized channels, approvals and quality controls, to negotiate them properly on our behalf. Unless you, or someone on your team, has experience in negotiating licensing agreements, you risk falling into one of the three most egregious business term pitfalls in standard licensing contracts. Watch out for:

Nets sales. This may be the most important definition in any licensing contract. The royalties owed are dependent on this definition. The definition contemplates that items such as returns, allowances and discounts are not subject to royalty.

It is critical that both the manufacturer and brand owner understand the definition and can live with it. Each party should pay particular attention to the deducted amounts. Often, the amount is limited to a specific percentage of the gross sales. Both parties must understand what items cannot be deducted from net sales. If the parties are unaware, the unplanned costs can turn out to be significant and, if caught in an audit, can be subject to penalty.
Related: Brand Licensing Provides More Outlets for Profit and Exposure
Royalties and guaranteed payments. Royalties are calculated by multiplying net sales by the royalty rate. The royalty rate is the percentage of net sales to be paid by the licensee to the licensor. Licensing contracts often stipulate that royalties are to be paid on inter-company, as well as, third-party transactions.

Guaranteed periodic minimum royalty payments, also referred to as "minimums,'' are calculated based on a percentage of the forecasted net sales and royalties earned. It is customary for the minimums to become fully earned upon execution of the agreement, even if the agreement is legally terminated. That is why it is critical that the licensee be prepared to make an investment in the license over the entire life of the agreement.

Quality control and compliance. This is one of the most important sections to the licensor. If the licensed products do not meet the quality standards stipulated in the contract, they will not be approved for sale. Most licensing agreements will stipulate the licensor's quality standards as a test protocol.

Test protocols are standards set out by the industry for each product category. If no standards are provided, the licensee should inquire as to what the standards are to ensure the licensed product will be approved in time to meet committed ship dates. The licensee must comply at all times with all laws in the development of their licensed product. Any breach of the compliance standards can result in recalls, with devastating impact to both the licensor and the licensee.

While licensing agreements by their nature tend to be one-sided to protect the brand owner, a solid understanding by both parties will ensure everyone gets off on the right foot.
Related: Licensing Your Product

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3 Pitfalls to Avoid in Licensing Agreements

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Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Whether you are a licensee manufacturing a product or the brand owner licensing your product, the definitions, requirements and terms stipulated in the licensing contract are crucially important. Since many of us have no idea how to go about finding a brand licensing professional, we relegate negotiation of the business terms to our attorneys.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 3 and chapter 4 in our textbook, by showing the 4 different levels of international involvement.

I like this photo, because it helped me understand the primary ways that companies operate within the international arena and it also helped me understand which organizations have no or low international involvement and which organizations have higher international involvement.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 2 and chapter 2 in our textbook, by discussing corporate social responsibility.

I found this video to be helpful, because it gives a wonderful representation of corporate social responsibility and why it's important. Another thing that I like about this video, is that it provides excellent real life examples of sustainability and the stakeholder theory.

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Business Ethics: Corporate Social Responsibility

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Visit Study.com for thousands more videos like this one. You'll get full access to our interactive quizzes and transcripts and can find out how to use our videos to earn real college credit. YouTube hosts only the first few lessons in each course. The rest are at Study.com.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 4 and chapter 5 in our textbook, by showing the top two organizational plans and what they consist of.

I found this photo to be helpful, because it gave me a better visual of the different types of standing plans and the different types of single use plans. It also helped me understand that standing plans can be used over and over again and that single us plans can only be used once.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 2 and chapter 2 in our textbook, by talking about ethics and how it's an important part of management practices.

I found this article to be interesting, because it lists six traits that your current employees and individuals you are planning on hiring, should have, because those six traits are known to predict ethical behavior within the workplace.

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Trust and openness are crucial elements of an ethical organizational culture. Only when employees are able to voice the problems they see can ethical lapses be discussed and resolved. A first step in building this kind of culture involves a hiring approach in which companies actively seek those individuals inclined to speak up when ethical challenges surface. Based on findings from the behavioral sciences, some individual dispositions deserve every screening committee's attention.

First, you want employees who will notice when something unethical is happening. In this respect two dispositions are very relevant:

Conscientiousness: Individuals showing this trait are careful, reflective, and reliable, which means that they tend to be responsible organizational citizens. Research shows that conscientiousness is indeed positively associated with higher levels of moral reasoning, leading people high in this trait to display less antisocial, unethical, and even criminal behavior.

Moral attentiveness: This describes the extent to which individuals are aware of the various ethical dilemmas at hand. A morally attentive person will see ethical issues where others may see none. It may sound a bit obvious to say, but being aware of the ethical dilemmas at hand are a prerequisite to start talking about it.

Building an ethical culture not only requires that people be aware of ethical challenges, but also that they have the intention to take them seriously. Two types of orientations can influence this in particular:

Duty orientation: Individuals with a strong sense of duty tend to be loyal and mission-oriented, and motivated to take action on what they perceive as a problem. Research has shown that a high sense of duty orientation leads employees to voice their concerns more quickly.

You and Your Team Series

Creating an Ethical Workplace

Customer orientation: Employees who are strongly motivated to prioritize the needs of customers also tend to adopt more ethical attitudes in the experience and execution of their job. Customer oriented employees tend to be more ethical because they value the others' needs as highly as their own and create fewer conflicts of interest in their relationships with others. As a result, they are more likely to notice and willing to address challenges that violate ethical rules and expectations. Research shows that exactly those serving qualities make that customer oriented sales agents engage in less unethical behavior than their sales-oriented counterparts.

Finally, in addition to noticing ethical issues and being motivated to address them, employees need to act. In this respect, two personality types are especially important:

Assertiveness: Although assertive individuals can sometimes be regarded as grating, the trait of assertiveness is essential in building ethical cultures. In any group, the pressure to conform is high. As a result, the default is often not to question decisions - much less ethically questionable ones. Assertive individuals are the ones who can prevent such groupthink by standing up to the pressures of conformity even (or especially) when doing so carries risk.

Proactivity: Individuals with a proactive personality feel less constrained by situational forces. When it comes to ethical issues, this tendency helps them be more active in keeping a moral course. Research has shown that employees with a proactive personality engage more often and more quickly in acts of whistle-blowing. Other research has found this to be even more likely in cases where the companies' stated ethical values conflict with what's happening. In other words, when companies are serious in stressing the importance of an ethical culture, those employees with a proactive personality will be extremely useful in voicing any initial ethical failures or threats to the companies' integrity.

Screening job applicants on the traits mentioned above can help develop companies a blueprint of the kind of employee they are looking for who will endorse, shape, and push an ethical culture. Of course, individuals do not act in isolation - whether they will speak up ultimately also depends on the extent to which the broader organization legitimizes their behavior. But hiring more ethical employees is one way to build the kind of organization that makes values a priority.

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6 Traits That Predict Ethical Behavior at Work

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Trust and openness are crucial elements of an ethical organizational culture. Only when employees are able to voice the problems they see can ethical lapses be discussed and resolved. A first step in building this kind of culture involves a hiring approach in which companies actively seek those individuals inclined to speak up when ethical challenges surface.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 2 and chapter 3 in our textbook, by talking about workforce diversity and women in organizations.

I found this video to be interesting, because it talks about the benefits of having more women in the workforce. In this video, Sandy Peterson (Executive Vice President of Johnson & Johnson), is being interviewed, and she gives us examples of how having more women in her company and in management has been beneficial to Johnson & Johnson.

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johnson & johnson baby powder lawsuit h...

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How Having More Women in the Workplace Benefits Everyone I Fortune

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According to this Johnson & Johnson exec. Subscribe to Fortune - http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=FortuneMagazineVideo FORTUNE is a global leader in business journalism with a worldwide circulation of more than 1 million and a readership of nearly 5 million, with major franchises including the FORTUNE 500 and the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 2 and chapter 3 in our textbook, by talking about how to manage a multi-generation workforce.

I found this article to be interesting, because author Janice Celeste does an excellent job at explaining each generation and discussing how to manage a multi-generation workforce. She also provides examples of how creating teams of multi-generation employees can be helpful.

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Multigenerational management refers to managing the four generations of employees that are now entering the workforce and one-size does not fit all. Each group is uniquely individual. Today's multigenerational workforce includes the Pre-Boomers (Born 1925-1945), also know as The Silent Generation and Traditionalists, the Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964), Generation X (Born 1965-1976), and Generation Y, also know as The Millennials (Born 1977-1994). If you manage or own a business that hires employees, a good chunk of your time is easily spent finding countless ways for this group to work in harmony and it can be a total hit or miss unless you know what motivates each group. One of the most challenging aspects of managing multiple generations in the workplace is getting each group to respect the unique talents of the other.

"We have to move beyond stereotypes and always have an open mind," said Dr. James Johnson, Professor of Entrepreneurship and national speaker with WeSpeakWorldwide.com speakers bureau. "Managers and employees have to understand that great ideas, creativity and innovation come in all shapes, sizes and ages. We have to have a greater respect across generations to understand that everyone comes to the workplace with a set of skills and contributions."

Each generation, the Pre-Boomers, Baby Boomers, X and Y, all come to the workplace with a distinct set of values, attitudes and behaviors. In addition, each has their own expectations, priorities, approaches, work and communication styles. When managed properly, businesses will discover their competitive edge by utilizing the talents and skills of each generation to get the optimal performance from each group. Because each group is very different from the other, managers have to rethink hiring practices, managing styles, rewards, training and retention of their employees.

Creating Teams of Multigenerational Employees Can Help

Help each generation to understand each other and to work more effectively together. Host an initial training on each generational style and characteristics.

Create effective multigenerational teams by publicly identifying each person's skills in the group. i.e., "Richard has years of experience in graphic design which may benefit your group's presentation."

Develop clear goals and expectations for each team.

Hold every member accountable for their individual group participation, i.e., "What role did you play in this project?"

Offer ongoing formal feedback to modify behavior and performance. Meet with each team individually to monitor their success and challenges.

Managers are forewarned not to ignore the differences of each generations' characteristics. Best practice is to conduct regular training sessions for all employees and to require supervisors to attend multigenerational management training.
Janice Celeste travels and speaks at conferences and conventions on the topic of multigenerational management, which includes her seminar on "Managing Millennials For Optimal Performance." You can find out more information at WeSpeakWorlwide.com.

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How to Manage a Multigenerational Workforce and Not Go Totally Insane

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Multigenerational management refers to managing the four generations of employees that are now entering the workforce and one-size does not fit all. Each group is uniquely individual. Today's multigenerational workforce includes the Pre-Boomers (Born 1925-1945), also know as The Silent Generation and Traditionalists, the Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964), Generation X (Born 1965-1976), and Generation Y, also know as The Millennials (Born 1977-1994).

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 4 and chapter 6 in our textbook, by talking about the decision making process that is recommended for managerial use.

I found this video to be helpful, because it taught me more about the five different steps of the decision making process. I also really enjoyed this video, because it presented great real life scenarios that involved using the decision making process.

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Created using PowToon -- Free sign up at http://www.powtoon.com/join -- Create animated videos and animated presentations for free. PowToon is a free tool that allows you to develop cool animated clips and animated presentations for your website, office meeting, sales pitch, nonprofit fundraiser, product launch, video resume, or anything else you could use an animated explainer video.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 4 and chapter 7 in our textbook, by talking about the SWOT Analysis tool.

I found this article to be interesting, because it gave a wonderful description of SWOT Analysis and it also provided alot of helpful information about this tool. I like how it goes through the different steps of a SWOT Analysis and how it gives examples of what each step should look like.

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Credit: patpitchaya/Shutterstock

A successful business is founded on a series of sound decisions, so the way you analyze situations and choose to react is essential. When trying to assess the lay of the land, few tools are more useful than the SWOT analysis. It stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; the SWOT analysis is a planning process that allows your company to overcome challenges and determine what new leads to pursue.

The primary objective of a SWOT analysis is to help organizations develop a full awareness of all the factors involved in a decision. This method was created in the 1960s by Edmund P. Learned, C. Roland Christensen, Kenneth Andrews and William D. Book in their book " Business Policy, Text and Cases" (R.D. Irwin, 1969).

"It is impossible to accurately map out a small business's future without first evaluating it from all angles, which includes an exhaustive look at all internal and external resources and threats," said Bonnie Taylor, chief marketing strategist at CCS Innovations. "A SWOT accomplishes this in four straightforward steps that even rookie business owners can understand and embrace."

You could employ SWOT before you commit to any sort of company action, whether you're exploring new initiatives, revamping internal policies, considering opportunities to pivot, or altering a plan midway through its execution. Sometimes it's wise to perform a general SWOT analysis just to check on the current landscape in which your business finds itself. Performing a SWOT analysis is also a great way to improve business operations, said Andrew Schrage, partner and editor-in-chief of Money Crashers.

"It allowed me to identify the key areas where my organization was performing at a high level, as well as areas that needed work," said Schrage, who expanded on his thoughts about business decision making in a blog post. "Some small business owners make the mistake of thinking about these sorts of things informally, but by taking the time to put together a formalized SWOT analysis, you can come up with ways to better capitalize on your company's strengths and improve or eliminate weaknesses."

While the business owner should certainly be involved in creating a SWOT analysis, it could be much more helpful to include other team members in the process. Shawn Walsh, founder and CEO of Paradigm Computer Consulting, said his management team conducts a quarterly SWOT analysis together.

"The collective knowledge removes blind spots that, if left undiscovered, could be detrimental to our business or our relationship with our clients," Walsh said.

A SWOT analysis focuses on the four elements comprising the acronym, allowing companies to identify the forces influencing a strategy, action or initiative. Knowing these positive and negative elements can help companies more effectively communicate what parts of a plan need to be recognized.

When drafting a SWOT analysis, individuals typically create a table split into four columns to list each impacting element side-by-side for comparison. Strengths and weaknesses won't typically match listed opportunities and threats, though they should correlate somewhat since they're tied together in some way. Billy Bauer, managing director of Royce Leather, noted that pairing external threats with internal weaknesses can highlight the most serious issues faced by a company.

"Once you've identified your risks, you can then decide whether it is most appropriate to eliminate the internal weakness by assigning company resources to fix the problems, or reduce the external threat by abandoning the threatened area of business and meeting it after strengthening your business," Bauer said.

The first two letters in the acronym, S (strengths) and W (weaknesses), refer to internal factors, which means the resources and experience readily available to you. Examples of areas typically considered include:

Financial resources (funding, sources of income, investment opportunities)

Physical resources (location, facilities, equipment)

Human resources (employees, volunteers, target audiences)

Access to natural resources, trademarks, patents and copyrights

Current processes (employee programs, department hierarchies, software systems)

External forces influence and affect every company, organization and individual. Whether these factors are connected directly or indirectly to an opportunity or threat, it is important to take note of and document each one. External factors typically reference things you or your company do not control, such as:

Market trends (new products and technology, shifts in audience needs)

Economic trends (local, national and international financial trends)

Funding (donations, legislature and other sources)

Demographics

Relationships with suppliers and partners

Political, environmental and economic regulations

Once you fill out your SWOT analysis, you will need to come up with some recommendations and strategies based on the results. Linda Pophal, owner and CEO of Strategic Communications consulting firm, said these strategies should be focused on leveraging strengths and opportunities to overcome weaknesses and threats.

"This is actually the area of strategy development where organizations have an opportunity to be most creative and where innovative ideas can emerge, but only if the analysis has been appropriately prepared in the first place," Pophal said.

Bryan Weaver, a partner at Scholefield Construction Law, was heavily involved in creating a SWOT analysis for his firm. He provided Business News Daily with a sample SWOT analysis template used in the firm's decision to expand its practice to include dispute mediation services.

STRENGTHS

Construction law firm with staff members who are trained in both law and professional engineering/general contracting. Their experience gives a unique advantage.

Small (three employees) - can change and adapt quickly

WEAKNESSES

No one has been a mediator before or been through any formal mediation training programs.

One staff member has been a part of mediations but not as a neutral party.

OPPORTUNITIES

Most commercial construction contracts require mediation. Despite hundreds of mediators in the marketplace, only a few have actual construction experience.

For smaller disputes, mediators don't work as a team, only as individuals; Scholefield staff can offer anyone the advantage of a group of neutrals to evaluate a dispute

THREATS

Anyone can become a mediator, so other construction law firms could open up their own mediation service as well.

Most potential clients have a negative impression of mediation, because they feel mediators don't understand or care to understand the problem, and rush to resolve it.

Resulting strategy: Take mediation courses to eliminate weaknesses and launch Scholefield Mediation, which uses name recognition with the law firm, and highlights that the firm's construction and construction law experience makes it different.

"Our SWOT analysis forced us to methodically and objectively look at what we had to work with and what the marketplace was offering," Weaver said. "We then crafted our business plan to emphasize the advantages of our strongest features while exploiting opportunities based on marketplace weaknesses."

The SWOT analysis is a simple, albeit comprehensive strategy for identifying not only the weaknesses and threats of a plan but also the strengths and opportunities it makes possible. However, a SWOT analysis is just one tool in the strategy toolbox. Additional analytic tools to consider include PEST (political, economic, social and technological), MOST (mission, objective, strategies and tactics) and SCRS (strategy, current state, requirements and solution) analyses.

SWOT can also prompt businesses to examine and execute strategies in a more balanced, in-depth way. The following websites can help you conduct a thorough SWOT analysis of your own business:
Additional reporting by Adam C. Uzialko. Some source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.

Nicole Fallon

Nicole received her Bachelor's degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She began freelancing for Business News Daily in 2010 and joined the team as a staff writer three years later. Nicole served as the site's managing editor until January 2018, and now leads Purch's B2B copy and production team. Reach her by email, or follow her on Twitter.

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SWOT Analysis: What It Is and When to Use It

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A successful business is founded on a series of sound decisions, so the way you analyze situations and choose to react is essential. When trying to assess the lay of the land, few tools are more useful than the SWOT analysis.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 4 and chapter 7 in our textbook, by talking about the cost leadership strategy.

I found this article to be interesting because it talks about cost leadership and competitive advantage and lists some advantages and disadvantages of the two.  This article helped me to better understand the concept of cost leadership and it also helped me to understand that this strategy may only work for select industries.

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Sometimes, a company can improve its net profits by making a product different rather than becoming a cost leader -- selling items for the lowest price on the market. Even if a company attains cost ...

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 5 and chapter 8 in our textbook, by explaining the organizing process.

I found this photo to be helpful, because it lists the five steps of the organizing process and the order they should go in. What I like about this photo is that with the direction of the arrows, we can see that managers should continually repeat these steps in order to improve their organization.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 5 and chapter 9 in our textbook, by talking about delegation.

I found this video to be very helpful, because it explains delegation and how it can be useful for organizations. It taught me that not only can delegation take some of the stress off of managers,  but it can also open up a door of opportunities for employees and it show employees that their manager trusts them.

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Delegation Skills Training | Corporate Trainer Dana Brownlee

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I included this artifact because it relates back to module 5 and chapter 16 in our textbook, by talking about code of conduct.

I found this article to be interesting, because it talks about code of conduct and how it can influence an organizational culture. This article did a great job at explaining some of the positive impacts of establishing a code of conduct and setting expectations for employees behavior.

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How Does a Code of Conduct Influence an Organizational Culture?

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To build a sustainable employee culture in your small business, it's essential to set the expectations for employee behavior. You cannot leave the matter of how employees conduct themselves in the ...

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 5 and chapter 16 in our textbook, by giving an example of the ethics dimension of organizational culture.

I found this article to be interesting, because it talks about Starbucks and how it has remained one of the most ethical companies according to Ethisphere magazine. I enjoyed reading this article and learning more about Starbucks and how they emphasize not only what is good for their organization, but also what is good for other human beings.

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Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX) is more than just a ubiquitous and dependable place to get your daily cup of coffee. It has a role in driving positive change in the business community and societies around the world. Each year Ethisphere recognizes the world's most ethical companies, and Starbucks has made the cut every year since the firm began publishing its list of honorees in 2007.

This year, Starbucks is in such august company as Ford, GE, Intel, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Target, T-Mobile and more than 100 others. Starbucks CEO and founder Howard Schultz is no stranger to activism. Earlier this year, in reaction to the new Trump refugee ban, the company said it will hire 10,000 refugees worldwide over the next five years. Schultz's message to workers was titled "Living Our Values in Uncertain Times," and it laid out several related initiatives, including supporting employee health benefits, despite attacks on Obamacare.

Starbucks also has a goal to hire 10,000 veterans and veteran spouses by 2018. Back in 2015, the company offered to pay for the college educations of the spouses and children of its employees who were veterans.

Schultz has never reacted to the question about whether his stances cost Starbucks customers. The rapidity of his response to a U.S. ban on refugees shows that he does not care about the customer issue, at least in this case.

While Schultz will soon depart the day-to-day operations as CEO of the company, he is set to become executive chairman, where he will focus on retail innovation and will accelerate the growth of Starbucks ultra-premium retail formats. He also will lead the company's social impact initiatives.

As of April 3, 2017, Kevin Johnson, president and chief operating officer, will expand his responsibilities as president and chief executive officer. Johnson also has been a member of Starbucks' board of directors for seven years.

Starbucks also made the 24/7 Wall St. customer service hall of fame. Not only was the high satisfaction of customers driven by product quality, the popular rewards loyalty system and comprehensive online engagement, but Starbucks also ranks high in satisfaction among its employees. Starbucks has one of the highest employee satisfaction scores of any company on Glassdoor.

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Starbucks Remains One of the Most Ethical Companies

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Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX) is more than just a ubiquitous and dependable place to get your daily cup of coffee. It has a role in driving positive change in the business community and societies around the world.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 6 and chapter 10 in our textbook, by talking about EEOC.

I found this article to be interesting, because it talks about the EEOC filing lawsuits against employers in order to eliminate hiring barriers for people with disabilities. I think this article does a great job at giving a real world example of EEOC and why it is so important.

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Two recent lawsuits that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed against employers highlight the agency's focus on eliminating hiring barriers for people with disabilities.

The EEOC is suing Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas for failing to accommodate a deaf applicant's hearing disability when the applicant filled out an online application. The agency also filed a class-action lawsuit against a Dollar General warehouse facility in Bessemer, Ala., for conditioning job offers on applicants' passing "extensive, and often, highly invasive" medical examinations.
[SHRM members-only toolkit: Screening and Evaluating Candidates]
Failure to Accommodate

The EEOC claimed that Dallas-based Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas refused to assist a deaf applicant for a claims examiner job in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Sheryl Meador could not complete the audio portion of an online assessment because of her disability. She could not hear the audio portion of the exam, and there were no captions or other visible accommodations that would allow her to complete the application. She told her recruiter that she was deaf and requested a reasonable accommodation. The recruiter acknowledged the request, Meador claims, but allegedly then stopped communicating with Meador and didn't respond to her follow-up communications.

"Sheryl Meador ... made repeated efforts to communicate with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and asked for an accommodation so she could apply," said EEOC attorney Joel Clark, who is based in Dallas. "For her to be ignored is both unconscionable and unlawful."

A spokesman for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas said the company does not comment on pending litigation.

Cracking Down on Post-Offer Medical Exams

The EEOC lawsuit against discount retailer Dollar General asserts a class-action claim against the warehouse facility for requiring job candidates who had been offered jobs at the company to undergo medical examinations in violation of the ADA.

The commission claims that Dollar General discriminated against the candidates when it used medical exams to screen out people with disabilities using criteria that were neither job-related nor consistent with business necessity. The exams included the taking of vital signs, drug testing, a vision test, a medical and family health questionnaire, a review of medications, and a physical. Requirements included having at least 20/50 vision in both eyes. Dollar General disqualified candidate Vincent Jackson when he revealed that he can't see out of his right eye.

The company imposed additional medical standards that tended to screen out people with disabilities, according to the EEOC's suit. For example, candidates whose blood pressures exceeded 160/100 and those with a blood sugar level over a certain threshold were disqualified from employment.

"Employers cannot use post-offer medical examinations to weed out individuals with disabilities," said EEOC District Director Delner Franklin-Thomas, who is based in Birmingham, Ala. "The imposition of selection criteria not rooted in business necessity, but rather in stereotypes about what individuals with certain impairments can and cannot do, violates the ADA."

In addition to its allegations under the ADA, the EEOC's suit asserts a class claim against Dollar General under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). GINA prohibits employers from making employment decisions based on a worker's family medical history or other genetic information and prohibits soliciting a job applicant's family medical history.

The warehouse unlawfully asked for protected genetic information from candidates as part of the medical exams, according to the EEOC.

Dollar General said in a statement that the company "denies the EEOC's allegations and will vigorously defend the lawsuit."

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EEOC Targets Hiring Barriers for Applicants with Disabilities

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Two recent lawsuits that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed against employers highlight the agency's focus on eliminating hiring barriers for people with disabilities. The EEOC is suing Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas for failing to accommodate a deaf applicant's hearing disability when the applicant filled out an online application.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 6 and chapter 12 in our textbook, by giving examples of emotional intelligence.

I found this photo to be interesting because it lists ten skills possessed by emotionally intelligent managers, according to Daniel Goleman. Im happy I came across this photo, because I feel like these are all very important in building a positive organization culture.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 6 and chapter 15 in our textbook, by comparing formal and informal groups in organizations.

I found this article to be interesting, because it explains the top seven differences between formal and informal groups in organizations by explaining the different types of authority, nature, behavior of members, communication pattern, supervision, and superiors that each group consists of.

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Organisation is the activity, authority, structure of the enterprise. Organizations are social systems. Organizations combine science and people - technology and humanity. Various methods are used to classify the types of groups that exist in our organizations. The organization structure is of two types, they are

1. Formal Organisation
2. Informal Organisation.

The formal organizations are formed with pre-determined objectives. The authority and responsibility are defined by the management. The line of communication is formalized and the relationship between superiors and subordinates is fixed.

INFORMAL ORGANIZATION

Informal Organisations develops simultaneously, these are based on the informal authority attached to the person but not to the position. Informal organizations are not created by the manager or management of the organization.

COMPARISON TABLE

Now let us see some of the top differences between FORMAL and INFORMAL groups.

Formed on the basis/purpose by the management.

Formed voluntarily when people have dissatisfaction towards the management.

Authority structure is given by the top management

Authority is given by the people in the peer group

Formed for a specific purpose, it may be permanent or temporary.

The informal group is permanent group, members may join or leave the group with their own interest

Behavior of Members

Behaviour of the members of the formal group is according to rules and regulations set by the management.

Behaviour of the members of the informal group is according to the individual and group interests.

Communication Pattern

A systematic communication pattern is followed while communication in the formal organisation.

Members of the informal group communicate according to the relationship what they maintain with others in the group.

Supervision

The Job of managing the people in the formal organisation is easy.

The Job of managing the people in the informal organisation is difficult.

The members of the formal group face pressures from the superiors.

The members of the informal group have no pressures from superiors and have freedom.

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Top 7 differences between Formal and Informal groups

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Organisation is the activity, authority, structure of the enterprise. Organizations are social systems. Organizations combine science and people - technology and humanity. Various methods are used to classify the types of groups that exist in our organizations. The organization structure is of two types, they are 1. Formal Organisation 2.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 6 and chapter 15 in our textbook, by giving an example the phenomenon called "groupthink".

I found this video to be interesting, because it gave a great example of the phenomena called "groupthink". Not only did this video help me to better grasp the concept of groupthink, but I found it to be pretty entertaining as well.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 7 and chapter 13 in our textbook, by talking about Fiedler's Contingency Theory.

I found this video to be helpful, because it taught me about the Fielder's Contingency Theory and it's significance to organizational behavior. This video helped me understand that in order to solve employee problems, you have to look at different variables that effect employees, such as independent and dependent variables.

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Contingency Theory: Definition and Significance to Organizational Behavior

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 7 and chapter 14 in our textbook, by explaining Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

I found this photo to be helpful because it not only lists the five different needs but it also shows their relative positions in the hierarchy of importance.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 7 and chapter 13 in our textbook, by talking about servant leaders.

I found this article to be interesting, because it defines the term servant leader and it also lists nine qualities of servant leaders. I enjoyed reading this article and learning about servant leaders and how they can benefit an organization.

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At first blush, you may think a servant leader literally takes on the role of a servant. Taken to an extreme, that definition would look like this:

As you pull into work, the leader meets you at your car, opens your door, and welcomes you to the office. Maybe the leader gets you coffee mid-morning and drops by in the afternoon to see if you need anything. When you need assistance on a project, or maybe just someone to do the grunt work, there your leader is, waiting for you.

No, that isn't servant leadership.

Servant leadership is a blend and balance between leader and servant. You don't lose leadership qualities when becoming a servant leader.

A servant leader is one who:
1. Values diverse opinions.
A servant leader values everyone's contributions and regularly seeks out opinions. If you must parrot back the leader's opinion, you are not in a servant-led organization.
2. Cultivates a culture of trust.
People don't meet at the water cooler to gossip. Pocket vetoes are rejected.
3. Develops other leaders.
The replication factor is so important. It means teaching others to lead, providing opportunities for growth and demonstrating by example. That means the leader is not always leading, but instead giving up power and deputizing others to lead.
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4. Helps people with life issues (not just work issues).
1: Values diverse opinions 2: Cultivates a culture of trust 3: Develops other leaders 4: Helps people with life issues 5: Encourages 6: Sells instead of tells 7: Thinks you, not me 8: Thinks long-term 9: Acts with humility 5. Encourages.
It's important to offer opportunities for personal development beyond the job. Let's say you run a company program to lose weight, or lower personal debt, or a class on etiquette. None of these may help an immediate corporate need, but each may be important.
6. Sells instead of tells.
The hallmark of a servant leader is encouragement. And a true servant leader says, " Let's go do it," not, " You go do it."
7. Thinks "you," not "me."
A servant leader is the opposite of a dictator. It's a style all about persuading, not commanding.
8. Thinks long-term.
There's a selfless quality about a servant leader. Someone who is thinking only, "How does this benefit me?" is disqualified.
9. Acts with humility.
A servant leader is thinking about the next generation, the next leader, the next opportunity. That means a tradeoff between what's important today versus tomorrow, and making choices to benefit the future.

The leader doesn't wear a title as a way to show who's in charge, doesn't think he's better than everyone else, and acts in a way to care for others. She may, in fact, pick up the trash or clean up a table. Setting an example of service, the servant leader understands that it is not about the leader, but about others.

Like this? Please share!

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At first blush, you may think a servant leader literally takes on the role of a servant. Taken to an extreme, that definition would look like this: As you pull into work, the leader meets you at your car, opens your door, and welcomes you to the office.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 7 and chapter 14 in our textbook, by discussing the concept of flextime.

I found this article to be interesting because it discusses the concept of flextime and lists several benefits of flextime to employers. I like how this article included research that backed up these several benefits.

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When you think of your ideal job, what's comes to mind? Great salary? Potential to move up? Well, if you're like 95 percent of employees, it's flexibility, according to a Discover study.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, only a bout half of employers often flextime--the ability to work a flexible schedule. Yet, flexibility is the word du jour, at the tip of every employee's tongue, and possibly as desirable to today's overworked employees as, dare I say, sleep. And a recent report by Corporate Voices for Working Families found that companies that champion flexibility yield a number of benefits. Here are five:

Workers are more likely to stay put if their company offers flexibility. About 80% of Accenture employees said that their ability to manage work and home life affects their career choices and their desire to stay at the company. Of respondents to AstraZeneca's flexibility survey, 80% of women said that flexibility was very important in their decision to stay at the company as did 61% of men. Another 23% of men and women said that it was somewhat important.

Flexibility is a cheap way for companies to "reward" employees. When Accenture employers were asked to compare flexibility to other benefits or rewards, flexibility ranked in the top three, challenging the notion that compensation and advancement are employees' primary motivators.

Employees have a greater sense of work-life balance. An IBM survey of 42,000 employees in 79 countries found that work-life balance-of which flexibility is a significant component-is the second leading reason for potentially leaving IBM, behind compensation and benefits. Since the survey IBM has beefed up their flexibility policy and found improved retention.

Employees with flex-times tend to be happier at work. After Eli Lilly instituted a flex week option, a survey found that the employees with the most flexibility and control over their hours reported more job satisfaction. There was no difference in supervisors' performance rating.

Flex-time may cut medical costs too. Employees at Bristol-Myers Squibb who use flexible work arrangements scored, on average, 30 percent lower in stress and burnout than those without flexibility.

Does your company offer flexibility? Have you seen any benefits--or negatives?

is an award-winning health journalist who writes for the New York Times, national magazines and websites. Follow her on twitter . Photo courtesy of Flickr user Canon in 2D.

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When you think of your ideal job, what's comes to mind? Great salary? Potential to move up? Well, if you're like 95 percent of employees, it's flexibility, according to a Discover study. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, only a bout half of employers often flextime--the ability to work a flexible schedule.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 8 and chapter 17 in our textbook, by talking about total power of a manager.

I found this article to be interesting, because it listed five steps to increase your influence as a manager. I like how the five steps reflected the idea of that the person with the most influence has the most power.

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When was the last time you thought about how you influence others -- how you change minds, shape opinions, move others to act?

The ability to influence is one of the essential skills for leaders at all levels. It's more art than science, and it can be tough to get your arms around. But the bottom line is that influence matters. And as we continue to morph (at breakneck speed) into an interconnected, interdependent, increasingly global workplace, it will matter more.

In traditional hierarchical organizations, power is typically based on position. The higher you are on the organization chart, the more power you wield. There are clear, top-down rules where the person at the top calls the shots. The person with the power has the influence.

Today, organizations are moving toward flatter, matrixed and team-based models. The theory is that with change and complexity comes the need to be more nimble, more inclusive of diverse thought, and more collaborative. In this model, power is more about one's ability to influence and get things done outside of traditional reporting lines. In other words, the person with the influence has the power.

To be an effective influencer, you need both substance and style. Without a solid foundation of credibility, even the most interpersonally adept leaders will fall short. On the flip side, highly credible people can struggle with influence if they don't understand the interpersonal dynamics at play.

In 2009 and 2010, Discovery Learning, Inc. and Innovative Pathways conducted research to identify and measure influence styles. They created five categories:

Asserting: you insist that your ideas are heard and you challenge the ideas of others

Convincing: you put forward your ideas and offer logical, rational reasons to convince others of your point of view

Negotiating: you look for compromises and make concessions to reach outcomes that satisfy your greater interest

Bridging: you build relationships and connect with others through listening understanding and building coalitions

Inspiring: you advocate your position and encourage others with a sense of shared purpose and exciting possibilities

Each of these styles can be effective, depending upon the situation and people involved. A common mistake is to use a one-size-fits-all approach. Remember that influencing is highly situational.

Here are five steps to increase your influence.

1) Understand your influencing style. It all begins with self-awareness. What's your dominant style? Do you assert, convince, negotiate, bridge or inspire? Do you tend to apply the same approach to every situation and individual? Understanding your natural inclination is a good place to start. If you're not sure, consider taking a quick assessment. The Influence Style Indicator by Discovery Learning is a good one.

2) Take stock of your situation. Who are the critical stakeholders you need to win over to achieve an objective or overcome an obstacle? What influencing style might be more effective as you interact with them? For example, if you're dealing with a hard-nosed CFO, consider using a convincing approach, which is based in logic, data and expertise. If you're in a crisis situation where people are relying on you to be decisive and fast on your feet, an asserting style may be more effective. If you're working cross-functionally and need to win the support of a peer, a bridging or negotiating style may be the way to go.

3) Identify your gaps. Once you understand your natural orientation and the appropriate styles to influence those around you, figure out where you're on solid ground and where you need to shift gears and use a different approach to be more effective.

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The ability to influence is an essential leadership skill that's growing even more important as organizations move toward flatter, matrixed and team-based models. The first step in improving your influence is to understand the various approaches and figure out your dominant style.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 8 and chapter 18 in our textbook, by talking about automation.

I found this article to be interesting, because it talks about automation, how it is being combined with the human workforce, and how we can go about preparing for an increasingly automated future. I didn't know much about the term automation before, but this article definitely helped me understand the concept much better.

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The future is automated. Here's how we can prepare for it

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A good receptionist should have certain characteristics: helpful, friendly, organized. But do they need to be human? Not anymore.

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 8 and chapter 18 in our textbook, by talking about the four categories of ratio.

I found this article to be helpful because it taught me what financial ratios were and it also  taught me about the four basic types of ratios and what they indicate.

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Four Basic Types of Financial Ratios Used to Measure a Company's Performance

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Financial ratios express relationships between financial statement items. Although they provide historical data, management can use ratios to identify internal strengths and weaknesses, and estimate ...

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I included this artifact, because it relates back to module 8 and chapter 18 in our textbook, by talking about the concept of control cost.

I found this article to be helpful and very informational, because it taught me about control cost and explained the four main stages of the general cost control process.

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4 Main Steps in Control Process in Management

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4 main steps in control process in management are: Control as a management function involves the following steps: 1. Establishing Standards: Standards are criteria against which results are