Category: Management

1. The fashion industry and advertisers promote an unrealistic body type. They use tall, skinny models to sell clothing. A public backlash has developed against the skinny top model image. People on both sides of the controversy have an opinion. They may love the fashion industry. They may hate it.
2. Critics accuse the fashion industry of creating impossible standards. Most models must fit into a size zero. They need a 32-inch bust, 23-inch waist, and 34-inch hips. That is an unhealthy size. It is more realistic for children. The average eight-year-old has a 22-inch waist. Also, in recent years, models have become younger and younger. In 2011, French Vogue used ten-year-old Thylane Loubry Blondeau in a sexy fashion layout. Additionally, the fashion industry affects males. Young men feel pressured to have perfect six-pack stomachs. Insecure adolescents often become addicted to intense exercise. Many people also develop dangerous eating disorders. Pro-anorexia websites use magazine images for “thinspiration.” They also use clips from programs such as Canada’s Next Top Model.
3. Most in the modelling industry have ignored the complaints. Some are getting the message. In 2006, fashion organizations in Spain banned super-thin models from catwalks. Italian fashion shows did the same thing a few years later. In 2012, Vogue editors promised to exclude underage and underweight models. They refused to stop Photoshopping images to make models look perfect. In 2012, Israel became the first country to ban underweight models from advertising. Maybe other countries will follow with legislation.
4. The skinny model controversy will continue. Many in the fashion industry refuse to change. H&M clothing company has defended its practice of using computer-generated bodies on its models. According to designers Karl Lagerfeld and Victoria Beckham, clothing looks better on thin models. Critics should stop complaining. The debate about underweight models is important. It may never be resolved.

Case Study Scenario
Your hypothetical employer, Park University, continues to be very pleased with your feedback and documentation on initial modeling efforts to support the new and coming payroll database. In fact, the University is very excited and pleased and is looking forward to the implementation of the database designed and proposed.
Going further into ideas and the implementation of this payroll database, Park University beyond payroll employee report stubs and other various payroll tracking reports wants other types of potential queries to support output of reports supporting statistical analysis or payroll analytics by offering suggestions based on the questions below:
Knowing that Microsoft Access or your recommended SQL-driven database will be used for the payroll database, and that use of queries and calculations could support statistical analysis, what would be the purpose of having queries to support reports for payroll analytics? Defend responses in scholarly detail!!
Based on the purpose and desired outcomes of payroll analytics, what types of queries and output would you envision in this case are needed and could this output also support business intelligence needs of university leadership to make decisions associated with cost controls? Defend responses in scholarly detail!!
Would analytical, cloud and non-relational database alternatives need to be used to further support these payroll analytic needs? Defend responses in scholarly detail!!
Would a secondary application like Microsoft Excel need to be used to further support these payroll analytic needs? Defend responses in scholarly detail!!
Finally, should there be some type of documented plan of action in place if in case the implemented payroll analytics queries and reports determine negative outcomes like fraud, waste, and abuse and what types of decisions would be made in this case? Defend responses in scholarly detail!!
Include any other important conclusions or content you see fit to support this assignment.

Company Background Your company, Dravities Industries, is being sued for discrimination, after audio of disparaging remarks made by a senior executive was leaked to the press. Your job is to proactively address these concerns (using course material from Chapters 5 and 15). Dravities Industries is a multinational conglomerate based in Norfolk, VA. It operates in a number of industries, but most heavily in building technologies, information systems, and infrastructure development. The company was founded in the early 20th century as a manufacturer of heavy equipment. Using mostly mergers and acquisitions, it grew in size and complexity until it gained a spot on the DOW Jones Industrial Average in 1979. Dravities Industries remained on the DOW Jones until 2001, when company performance declined following a series of poor investments. Dravities remains a global economic powerhouse but has a severely diminished capacity. Though it still draws hundreds of millions in profit every year, the company seems to lack a clear vision or the ability to make strategic moves in the evolving marketplace. The company has gone through three CEOs in the last eight years. None of them have been able to hit the three-year mark or affect any change in the company’s culture or performance. Productivity of work teams and individuals in the company appears stagnate and perhaps in decline. With no notable innovations in the last ten years, the company appears to be coasting on past successes. Overall, Dravities employs 87,000 workers across the globe with roughly a third of those being in the state of Virginia.
Prompt: (Address each 3 of these prompts using the Schema Theory)1. Identify how such issues come to be present in an organization such as Dravities.2. Explain how they may be detrimental to organizational goals such as productivity, innovation, employee retention, growth, etc.3. Propose a set of changes meant to address the problems. Your solutions should include both structural/design changes, as well as new management practices.

Company Background
Your company, Dravities Industries, is being sued for discrimination, after audio of disparaging remarks made by a senior executive was leaked to the press. Your job is to proactively address these concerns (using course material from Chapters 5 and 15). Dravities Industries is a multinational conglomerate based in Norfolk, VA. It operates in a number of industries, but most heavily in building technologies, information systems, and infrastructure development. The company was founded in the early 20th century as a manufacturer of heavy equipment. Using mostly mergers and acquisitions, it grew in size and complexity until it gained a spot on the DOW Jones Industrial Average in 1979. Dravities Industries remained on the DOW Jones until 2001, when company performance declined following a series of poor investments. Dravities remains a global economic powerhouse but has a severely diminished capacity. Though it still draws hundreds of millions in profit every year, the company seems to lack a clear vision or the ability to make strategic moves in the evolving marketplace. The company has gone through three CEOs in the last eight years. None of them have been able to hit the three-year mark or affect any change in the company’s culture or performance. Productivity of work teams and individuals in the company appears stagnate and perhaps in decline. With no notable innovations in the last ten years, the company appears to be coasting on past successes. Overall, Dravities employs 87,000 workers across the globe with roughly a third of those being in the state of Virginia.
Prompt
(Address each 3 of these prompts using the Social Identity Theory)
Identify how such issues come to be present in an organization such as Dravities.
Explain how they may be detrimental to organizational goals such as productivity, innovation, employee retention, growth, etc.
Propose a set of changes meant to address the problems. Your solutions should include both structural/design changes, as well as new management practices.

Tableman Supply Network (TSN), a member of the Liberia Chamber of Commerce, is a fast-growing Liberian multinational entity with branches in five countries in West Africa. The company is domiciled in Buchanan City with a presence in ten counties in Liberia. The company has contributed greatly to improving the business development and living conditions of people in its catchment area. In 2024, the Buchanar. City Corporation recognized the effort of Tableman Supply Network (TSN), by awarding the company the best corporate entity in in Grand Bassa County.The majority shareholder, Mi. Tableman, though not recognized in the company’s organizational structure brings a lot io the table with his extensive experience and exposure. He is actively invelved in management and day-to-day operations. Mr. Tableman gives directives and instructions to management and employces on accounting and other policy matters of the entity.Customers, employees and management are often affected in various ways by the decisions of Mr.Tableman.Mr. Tableman and the management team are contemplating a change to a new IT system to support the drive to expand into East Africa.The management team is currently in Nairobi holdingdiscussions with potential strategic lenders, partners and investors to expand Tableman Supply Nerwork (TSN) operations to East Africa. Foilewing the compietion of the Nairobi discussion, it has emerged that a consultant is needed to advise Mr. Tableman and his team on change strategy, and the major stakehoider groups, and analyze their power, interest and influence over the strategic decision-making of the company.
Required a)Identify FIVE stakeholders of Tableman Supply Network (TSN) (4 marks)b). Explain the nature of the interests of each stakeholder identified in (a) above and the type of information (both financial and non-financial) that is of interest to each of them in the company.c) Discuss the implication of unfreezing, moving, and refreezing in enhancing the change strategy of the Tableman Supply Network

As the Chief Innovation Officer (CIO), you are responsible for steering the organization’s innovation strategy to ensure it remains competitive, relevant, and forward-thinking. This strategy involves identifying, developing, and implementing innovative ideas, products, services, processes, or business models that create value and align with the company’s strategic objectives. A key milestone during your first 90 days is to identify a new opportunity. Your task is to craft a concept brief introducing a new product or service designed to drive business growth and capture emerging opportunities. A concept brief provides a clear and concise document that introduces the key elements of a project, idea, or initiative to ensure alignment among stakeholders. It serves as a communication tool that helps decision makers and stakeholders understand the scope, objectives, and vision of the idea, enabling informed decision making and collaboration. Your proposed product or service must stand out as unique within the industry, be difficult to replicate, and align closely with consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP). The perceived value of the product or service primarily drives a consumer’s WTP. The consumers will not be inclined to pay for it if they do not understand or recognize the value or if the offering fails to address their specific pain points. Therefore, the proposed idea must clearly demonstrate its value and effectively solve the problems that matter most to consumers.
Step One: Choose a U.S. company from the List of Companies linked in the Supporting Materials below.
Step Two: Research the market to gain a better understanding of the industry landscape, market trends, future forecasts, and the company’s financials and available resources.
Step Three: Identify 3 to 5 viable concepts to drive business opportunities for your U.S. company.
Step Four: Develop a concept brief.