Category: Business

Use ONE current event article, assess the article’s content, and share a fact-grounded prediction for the future. The steps for this activity are as follows:
Source a current event article (written within the past 6 months) that features a food business or venture that has been impacted (positively or negatively) by the challenges and / or opportunities presented by evolution and / or sustainability within the food system.
Analyze and share the details of the article (do not summarize the article). Using the content from this module and / or your own research, determine what may have contributed to the impacts.
Complete a fact-based prediction on the future outcome of the business, including any key thoughts, ideas, or next steps the business should undertake to drive (or continue driving) a positive outcome. What innovations could help the business?
Your completed post should include three to five complete paragraphs, at a minimum, in order to provide a thoughtful and comprehensive response.
https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolution-101/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3836823/
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine/28nutritionism.t.html?ei=5087&em&en=ce28063f61d4a925&ex=1170219600&pagewanted=all
https://slate.com/culture/2007/12/michael-pollan-s-in-defense-of-food.html

Read the case, Snowie’s Shaved Ice Business -Planning and Decision Making (pdf)Open this document with ReadSpeaker docReader Download Snowie’s Shaved Ice Business -Planning and Decision Making (pdf)Open this document with ReadSpeaker docReader
Answer the case questions for Part 1 and Part 2 in Excel, showing your work as necessary. Please note that this case may use analysis techniques from both Modules 3 and 4.
For your initial discussion post, answer the following question:
Do you accept Main Street Kent’s special price offer? Why or why not?
Be sure to support your answer. (Your Excel sheet should be attached as additional support.)

Read the case Pounds of Trouble: Pounds of Trouble – Analyzing Exchange Rate Variance.pdf Download Pounds of Trouble – Analyzing Exchange Rate Variance.pdfOpen this document with ReadSpeaker docReader
Complete Questions 1-4 at the end of the case document.
Please utilize Excel to work out your responses and to show your work in yellow.
Please submit your completed Excel worksheet using this assignment link.

history & origin, geographical location, statistical demographics, governmental structure, and military and trade structure

This research writing is included in your final grade and is scored out of 18 points.
Students will choose an empirical article that directly relates to the major theories, practices, and models of organizational communication and/or an aspect of coaching culture or coaching in the workplace for managers or leaders. Write in APA style with refrences Included

The organization of the critique should,
(a) state clearly the concern or need in 2-5 succinct sentences and the chapter the concern supports.
(b) give a well-written summary of the author’s main points.
(c) discuss how you see this article’s ideas, point of view contentions, and/or conclusions
(d) offer an analysis of how you might successfully use these ideas to address the need or concern of your current workplace.
(e) identify and connect clearly the article and/or issue to one of course objectives (see p. 3).

In The Road to Character, David Brooks makes a distinction between resume virtues and eulogy virtues. Based on completing Brooks’ reading and the other readings, you will draft your own obituary, in which you will dedicate 50 percent of your obituary summary to resume virtues and 50 percent to eulogy virtues.
Resume
In my tenure as Director of Culinary Innovation / Executive Chef, I’ve honed a distinctive blend of culinary innovation and operational efficiency, directing a multi-concept food service enterprise. Our team’s commitment to quality and profitability is evident in every dish we serve and the robust health and safety protocols we uphold.
With a keen eye for process improvement and a dedication to building collaborative teams, I’ve successfully implemented manufacturing enhancements that resonate with our commitment to excellence. S & J Concessions thrives on our ability to adapt and grow, always with the mission of delivering exceptional culinary experiences that enrich our communities.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Sales and Marketing Initiatives
● Identified areas of opportunity in P&L management, including adjusting pricing and using sales forecasting data to inform market-positioning strategy.
● Encouraged targeted employee participation in community events and building relationships with other local businesses.
● Exceeded projected yearly revenue growth by focusing on developing a more robust online ordering process and delivering on points of service requested by guests to increase satisfaction.
Employee Management, Training, and Retention
● Advanced General Management progress with tools adjusted to proper par levels, including daily and weekly inventory management systems.
● Enriched General Management experience and job satisfaction with a professional development program that included training opportunities and reinforcement of a positive work culture through the “we care about our people” ideology.
● Interviewed and hired new staff members in alignment with organizational standards.
● Provided additional training and appropriate disciplinary measures to ensure staff compliance with all corporate standards and best practices.
Budget and Resource Management
● Streamlined business operations and inventory management processes using integrated P&L, payroll, supply ordering, and equipment maintenance monitoring software.
● Monitored and maintained an automated purchasing system and menu selection cycles within specified budget constraints.
● Tracked daily sales and reviewed P&L weekly and monthly, providing reports to senior officers as necessary, taking appropriate action independently and with advice from meetings with company leadership.
Customer Service and Community Care
● Stabilized product and service quality, maintaining a consistent customer experience and establishing actionable protocols for resolving guest dissatisfaction.
● Planned and analyzed menus, including incorporating USDA nutritional requirements into the curriculum and providing adaptations and information to serve special needs populations.
PROGRESSIVE MANAGEMENT ROLES
Director of Culinary Innovation / Executive Chef,
S & J Concessions – New Mexico | Texas | Arizona | Nevada | Michigan May 2021 – Present
Annual revenue achieved: 6.3 million.
Veterinary Practice Manager II,
Mars Pet Partners – Texas – San Antonio | Houston | Georgetown. March 2016 – May 2021
Banfield Pet Hospital March 2016 – February 2020
Annual revenue achieved: 2.6 million.
BluePearl Specialty and Emergency February 2020 – May 2021
Annual revenue achieved: 27 million.
District Manager, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers – Shenandoah, TX December 2014 – March 2016
Annual revenue achieved: 4.5 million per location.
General Manager, Panera Bread Company – The Woodlands, TX April 2013 – December 2014
Annual revenue achieved: 2 million.

General Manager, Smashburger – Texarkana, TX June 2012 – April 2013
Annual revenue achieved: 3.5 million.
Area Supervisor, Hallmark LLC – Wiesbaden, Deutschland October 2008 – June 2012
Executive Chef, Savior-fair Culinaire – Wiesbaden, Deutschland August 2008 – June 2012

Cookie Business
Assignment objective: In this project, you will be opening your own specialty cookie company to see how product costing methods and changes in production affect business decisions. You will be creating a series of reports and analyzing the results using the template provided to guide you through the project.
The learning objectives of this project are as follows:
Gain an understanding of product costing (direct materials, direct labor, and overhead).
Review job order costing.
Review process costing.
Make business decisions based on analyzing accounting data.
Length: You will prepare a four- to five-page written report (including spreadsheets) using the Unit III Project Template.
References: A minimum of 2 peer-reviewed references are required, any additional resources used are required to be scholarly/academic in nature and found in the CSU Library. APA formatting is required be used for citations and references. Use this definition to define the term in the instructions.
Definitions: Scholarly journals are sometimes called academic journals. The terms are often used interchangeably to describe the same type of publication. These types of publications are published by universities, academic institutions, professional associations, and commercial enterprises and are compiled by scholars, academics, and other subject authorities.
Details:
First, start the paper with an abstract and introduction section per the assignment template provided above.
Part 1: Establish a cookie business selling only one type of specialty cookie with two employees making the cookies.
Create a name and establish a location for the business.
Construct a mission statement for the business.
Decide on the type of cookie you want to make and sell.
Part 2: Develop costing and sales information for 1,000 cookies (this is the first and only order).
Estimate and explain the cost per cookie based on job order costing (manufacturing overhead is 30% of direct labor costs). Prepare a job order cost sheet by researching and identifying the top five ingredients and their estimated costs as your direct materials. Research and identify the cost of wages for your two employees as your direct labor. It typically takes two days to make 1,000 cookies.
For process costing, examine the costs per 1,000 cookies looking at these top three processes (departments): Mixing, Add-ins, Packaging.
The Mixing Department will be examined in depth (only do this department).
All materials will be added in at the beginning of the process.
The cookies will be in the Mixing Department for a total of 8 hours (use two employees, 4 hours each as your direct labor). The cookies will be 100% complete with respect to materials, and only be 40% complete with respect to conversion costs (labor and overhead) before they are transferred to the Add-ins Department. Manufacturing overhead is 30% of direct labor costs.
Estimate and explain the sales price you plan to set per cookie based on the cost data.
Part 3: Compare and contrast the costing methods used in this project (job order vs. process costing), including which you believe provides the most useful information as a manager.
Part 4: Discuss what will happen to revenue if the number of the cookies sold increases or decreases.
End this paper with the key observations and present any future recommendations. Use the Unit III Cookie Project Spreadsheet Templates for your job order, and process costing spreadsheets to be embedded in your case study document.

Learners will research an approved business topic or consulting activity. The purpose of this assignment is to develop and refine a learner’s research knowledge, skills, and abilities concerning written reports and presentations.
This should be a draft of the body of the direct research project paper which focuses on the published information on your topic. Should not necessarily have the conclusion nor the introduction completed. It should have a purpose statement, a drafted body, and a bibliography. This is not meant to be a “final draft” but one that can illustrate your work and obtain feedback.
The direct research project written core is a draft of the paper that focuses on the body of the research project. This is a formal objective document (not an essay or advocacy piece) that should have citations throughout with a partial bibliography. The minimum expectation is that the Core has the purpose statement placed within a partial introduction. The purpose statement guides the sections and subsections of the paper. These should have citations throughout. There is no requirement for an abstract or table of contents. The conclusion should not be formed at this time unless there has been significant research.
Research proposal submitted is attached with the score and feedback.
Final draft is due 11/22. Total page count required is 10 pages of just text (doesn’t include visuals or table of content or bibliography).

3 PL Major Project: FEDEX Project Description – Each student will select a 3PL company (that is to be approved by me) and create both an oral and written presentation about the company. You are required to use multiple sources of information (more than just the company website) in your research. As part of the presentation, each team should provide a SWOT analysis of the company. This will prevent the presentation from being a “commercial” for the company. Your written presentation should be 10-15 pages in length, not including references and appendices. APA formatting is required and this document is to be uploaded in our my.ncwc.edu class. Your oral presentation will be a 20-minute narrated video presentation (.mp3 format) that may be completed using various tools such as Zoom, PowerPoint, etc. Make sure, however, that the video is saved in .mp3 format and is submitted as a shareable web link within your uploaded written presentation. Each portion of the presentation, oral and written, will count as 50% of your 3PL Major Project grade. Note that a grading rubric for this project is presented at the end of this syllabus. This rubric provides specific information on how this assignment will be graded Key elements of the presentation should include: History Who is this organization? How did they get started? What is their primary business / what type of 3PL are they? What divisions/subsidiaries make up the corporation? Operations What is their geographic scope of operations? What range of services do they provide? Who are their primary customers and competitors? How big are they? (revenues, employees, customers, facilities, etc.) SWOT Analysis Strengths and capabilities Weaknesses and challenges Opportunities for growth and expansion Threats to their continued success Career Opportunities What types of entry-level management jobs are available? What skills are sought by this company? Who should you contact for more information? Suggested Outline for Major Project: 1. Introduction 2. Company History 3. Company Operations 4. SWOT Analysis Strengths and capabilities 5. Career Opportunities 6. Conclusion 7. References

Use ONE current event article, assess the article’s content, and share a fact-grounded prediction for the future. The steps for this activity are as follows:
Source a current event article (written within the past 6 months) that features a food business or venture that has been impacted (positively or negatively) by the challenges and / or opportunities presented by evolution and / or sustainability within the food system.
Analyze and share the details of the article (do not summarize the article). Using the content from this module and / or your own research, determine what may have contributed to the impacts.
Complete a fact-based prediction on the future outcome of the business, including any key thoughts, ideas, or next steps the business should undertake to drive (or continue driving) a positive outcome. What innovations could help the business?
Your completed post should include three to five complete paragraphs, at a minimum, in order to provide a thoughtful and comprehensive response.
https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolution-101/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3836823/
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magazine/28nutritionism.t.html?ei=5087&em&en=ce28063f61d4a925&ex=1170219600&pagewanted=all
https://slate.com/culture/2007/12/michael-pollan-s-in-defense-of-food.html