In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:

Apply communication techniques to effectively negotiate and manage conflict

Scenario
JM&P Health Communications and Results Health Communications Company Merger
You have been hired as a consultant to provide support during a major company merger. Following the resignation of its CEO, JM&P Health Communications will merge with Results Health Communications. Prior to the merger, JM&P Health Communications was rife with communication and management issues that led to a poor organizational climate. 
Results Health Communications is excited to welcome JM&P Health Communications employees; however, they recognize that working in such a difficult environment may have impacted the JM&P Health Communications employees significantly. Situations like those at JM&P Health Communications are often a catalyst for distrust and uncertainty.
JM&P Health Communications
About the Company
JM&P Health Communications is a healthcare telecommunications company that offers the following services:

Payment collection
Technical support
Customer service
Prospecting for new customers

Company Culture Statement
JM&P Health Communications strives to support its clients and customers by providing compassionate, accurate, and timely support to the clients it serves.
The Downfall of JM&P Health Communications
It was known widely that the CEO, Victor Armstrong, avoided conflicts whenever possible. He avoided both internal company conflict and, as the reality that the company was struggling economically came about, he seemingly avoided that as well. Victor was also notorious for having a short temper. As such, all employees were reluctant to come forth with information that Victor would not be happy with for fear of inciting his wrath. In fact, Victor had explicitly stated that he only wanted to hear good news.
The two other high-ranking company executives, CFO Donald Putnam and CIO Jason Venim, were part of Victor’s close-knit inner circle (and they were virtually the only people Victor discussed anything with). Previously, they worked with him at another telecommunications company. It was common that, when a new idea was brought to the table, it would be dismissed because that was not how it had always been done at their previous company. New ideas were generally discouraged, and employees were encouraged to “keep their heads down and do their work.”
Initially, Victor managed to increase the company’s profits from $1 million to $9 million over a period of 10 years through various acquisitions. Their economic success would soon plummet. As JM&P grew, technology increased rapidly. Customer service and technology issues became more complex, as did the need for better technology in order for employees to be efficient in their day-to-day work.
Victor turned the other way when these issues were presented to him. It was well known that, in fact, Victor openly refused to use email to communicate with his employees. For onsite employees, this meant weekly meetings that were becoming increasingly frustrating. Both more tech-savvy and newer employees especially expressed frustration with the basic updates and “too little, too late” tidbits of information that would be much better communicated via email.
Despite its reluctance to embrace technology, JM&P did have a significant number of employees who worked virtually and who lived all over the world. The virtual team members helped ensure that the company could have round-the-clock coverage. Virtual employees reported receiving very little communication from leadership and feeling disconnected from the company. When there were issues such as customer complaints, employees felt that they were treated unfairly by management. Employees were typically written up immediately without an opportunity to share their side of the story, and often little communication was provided about how they could improve or what the issue was.
Jason, the CIO, turned the blame on employees when they voiced a need for better technology resources. He told them, “People have made do with this for the past 10 years. Make it work.” He knew that requesting expensive technology upgrades would make Victor angry.
Victor saw the company revenue decreasing and blamed the employees for being lazy. Donald Putnam encouraged Victor to put the blame on the employees (better them than himself). Though he was part of Victor’s inner circle, he still was not eager to bring him bad news. Instead of creating a long-term financial plan that would work, Victor and Donald enforced sales goals, and if employees did not meet these goals after a specified amount of time, they were fired.
Victor encouraged employees to be dishonest with customers to make sales, and was known for saying things like, “Shareholders are the only people we care about. We need to keep them happy.” He continued to put pressure on employees, and made public examples of those who failed to meet goals. Clients began filing lawsuits, alleging that they had been pressured into making purchases they did not actually need, and claiming that representatives outright lied to them to make a sale. Despite his efforts, stock prices declined, and Victor resigned under pressure from the board of directors.
Moving Forward With Results Health Communications
Results Health Communications is new to the healthcare communications field, but it expanded quickly and continue to grow. When an opportunity for a merger with JM&P came up, the company took it, knowing that it would take some work to get JM&P back on its feet. Results Health Communications strongly believes in and lives by its mission and passion to change people’s lives through offering the right solutions at the right times. The company encourages employees to treat every customer they interact with like they would a friend or family member. Employees describe their work environment as positive, fun, and encouraging. Many employees report that they consider their coworkers friends, and they enjoy coming to work.
Results Health Communications is excited to support its new colleagues through this transition, and it is hopeful that its new colleagues will be much happier with their new home. Often, when a company has been dealing with poor management and inadequate conflict resolution approaches, it can be difficult to adapt to a new culture. Employees might have a difficult time trusting and opening up to new management if they have been accustomed to a culture that discouraged transparent communication.
You have been hired as an outside consultant to provide an action plan and to avoid resistance that may be caused from using a representative from either company. It is important to outline specific steps that should be taken so that management can support employees and ensure an effective transition. For virtual and international employees, consider approaches for communicating information without having the ability to communicate face-to-face as well. These employees are hopeful that, with the merger in place, they will feel more included in company initiatives and will feel empowered to voice potential issues and concerns.
Directions

Analyzing the Situation: In this section, gather as much information as you can and highlight the factors that led to the conflict in the scenario, including potential gaps in communication.
 

Using the scenario, analyze the factors contributing to the conflict, including communication techniques and the conflict management style used for determining how these factors contributed to the conflict. In analyzing the conflict factors, consider what issues caused the conflict: Who were the contributors? What caused the conflict to escalate, and why? What are some examples of noncommunicative techniques and other factors that contributed to the negative environment in the scenario?

After analyzing the factors contributing to the conflict, analyze the scenario for potential impacts related to corporate culture. Consider how communication techniques used or not used would have impacted employees and the overall workforce environment. Consider the emotional aspects the CEO and leadership demonstrated and their influence on the workplace environment. Provide examples to support your claims.

Conflict Resolution: In this section, provide a resolution for the conflict presented in the scenario. Use examples from the scenario to support your ideas.
 

Begin by specifically stating the desired outcome of the conflict resolution.

Next, recommend specific action steps that should be taken for effectively managing the conflict and achieving the desired outcome stated above. For each action step, be sure to indicate specifically how the step contributes to the conflict solution, and propose a recommended timeline for completing the action step.

Communication Strategies: One goal of the action plan is to outline strategic approaches that will be used moving forward to prevent conflict and foster a positive workplace environment.
 

After recommending specific steps for conflict resolution, describe a strategic communication approach for employing the recommended conflict resolution approaches. This should include appropriate communication platforms to relay the information to the intended audience, including virtual employees.

Next, suggest best practices that will be used moving forward to communicate effectively, and highlight approaches to using the communication strategies and platforms outlined above for conflict prevention, communication, and effective collaboration.

In addition, describe specifically how the identified best practices can be applied to support ethnically and generationally diverse and virtual teams for maximizing communication efficiency and to facilitate a communicative and positive environment.

Recommendations: In this section, build on the action steps outlined in the conflict resolution and communication strategies to outline recommendations to maintain the success and momentum that will result when the action steps are implemented.
 

Describe corrective actions that must be taken by leadership to achieve the desired outcome, highlighting which stakeholders must be involved. For example, what actions will help prevent unhealthy conflict, and how much should leadership be involved? Provide examples that demonstrate how these actions foster a communicative and positive environment. Consider how these actions will support the diverse workforce and virtual employees.

IntroductionThe United States is one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world. Diversity refers to the idea that people are different based on age, race, gender, marital status, lifestyle, religion, and other factors (Daft, 2015). Health care leaders must be able to work with colleagues, followers, patients, and any internal or external stakeholder different from them. Leaders must recognize that everyone, regardless of their background, have something to contribute.You will be required to explore cultural intelligence (CQ) in this assessment. Cultural intelligence refers to the idea that an individual can successfully read or interpret unfamiliar situations and verbal and non-verbal communication and respond appropriately (Daft, 2015).As a health care leader, you will work with people from different countries, different backgrounds, and different beliefs. It is important that you respect and understand people (patients, employees, physicians, and all stakeholders) who are different from you while operating in an environment of dynamic change and thus exceed the standards of care that patients deserve. Being aware of these cultural differences is one of the first steps to becoming an inclusive leader.ReferenceDaft, R. L. (2015). The leadership experience (6th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage.Demonstration of ProficiencyBy successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the course competencies through the following assessment scoring guide criteria:Competency 1: Assess one’s leadership style in a professional setting.Discuss the results of cultural diversity assessment.Describe areas of improvement of cultural diversity skills.Competency 2: Explain cultural competence and its relevance to health care management.Analyze the relationship between cultural competence, teamwork, and collaboration.Distinguish between cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural competence, and cultural sensitivity.Competency 3: Analyze communication styles and its impact on teamwork and collaboration.Explain how verbal and non-verbal communication may be misunderstood due to cultural differences.Competency 4: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and respectful of the diversity, dignity, and integrity of others and is consistent with health care professionals.Demonstrate effective communication through writing and proper use of APA style.Communicate in a professional and effective manner, writing content clearly and logically, with the correct use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.PreparationThis assessment is based on the media piece in the Culture, Diversity, and Out-Groups in Leadership activity.To prepare to complete the assessment, work through the presentation and questionnaire in it. Reflect on the results by considering the following:Discuss the results of your cultural diversity assessment. What was your score? Were you surprised by the results?Discuss at least two areas of improvement that you would like to focus on over the next year.You may also want to begin conducting independent research using the Capella University Library for this assessment. View the assessment instructions and scoring guide to ensure you meet all grading criteria.InstructionsThis assessment has two main parts. The first is a self-reflection of your results on the questionnaire from the media piece, as well as a description of areas in which you would like to improve your skills with regards to cultural competence and diversity. The second part is an analysis of the various cultural components that go into leadership and how they drive teamwork and collaboration.Part 1: Cultural Competence Self-ReflectionRelevant Scoring Guide Criteria:Discuss the results of cultural diversity assessment.Describe areas of improvement of cultural diversity skills.Demonstrate effective communication through writing and proper use of APA style.Communicate in a professional and effective manner, writing content clearly and logically, with the correct use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.In this first part of the assessment, relate your findings and self-reflection with regards to the Culture, Diversity, and Out-Groups in Leadership media piece. Consider the following as you construct this part of your assessment:What was your score?Were you surprised by the results? If so, in what ways were you surprised?How was working through this exercise informative with regards to your current personal and professional cultural competence?Describe at least two areas of improvement that you would like to focus on over the next year.What potential benefits will you have in your career by improving in these areas?What plans do you have to ensure you are making progress towards improvement?Part 2: Analysis of Culture, Leadership, and TeamworkRelevant Scoring Guide Criteria:Analyze the relationship between cultural competence, teamwork, and collaboration.Distinguish between cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural competence, and cultural sensitivity.Explain how verbal and non-verbal communication may be misunderstood due to cultural differences.Demonstrate effective communication through writing and proper use of APA style.Communicate in a professional and effective manner, writing content clearly and logically, with the correct use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.This second part of the assessment focuses on differentiating between various aspects of culture, examining how verbal and non-verbal communication can be impacted by cultural differences. It also explores how culturally competent leaders in an organization can help to encourage teamwork and collaboration. Consider the following as you work to complete this section:How does cultural competence impact teamwork and collaboration?Based on any relevant personal or professional experiences, what are the differences (if any) that you have observed with how individuals collaborate with the cultural competence of the organization or individuals?How are cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural competence, and cultural sensitivity related yet different?Why is it important for a health care leader to understand all?In what ways can verbal and non-verbal communication be misunderstood due to cultural differences?What are the potential impacts of these misunderstandings?How can a health care leader minimize these misunderstandings?Additional RequirementsStructure: Include a title page and a reference page.Length: 6–9 pages, not including the title and reference page.References: Cite at least 3 current scholarly or professional resources.Format: Use APA style for references and citations.You may wish to refer to the following APA resources to help with your structure, formatting, and style:APA Style and Format.APA Paper Tutorial.APA Paper Template.Font: Times New Roman font, 12 point, double-spaced for narrative portions only.SCORING GUIDEUse the scoring guide to understand how your assessment will be evaluated.VIEW SCORING GUIDECRITERIANON-PERFORMANCEBASICPROFICIENTDISTINGUISHEDDiscuss the results of cultural diversity assessment.Does not discuss the results of cultural diversity assessment.Identifies the results of cultural diversity assessment.Discusses the results of cultural diversity assessment.Explains the results of cultural diversity assessment.Describe areas of improvement of cultural diversity skills.Does not describe areas of improvement of cultural diversity skills.Indicate areas of improvement of cultural diversity skills.Describes areas of improvement of cultural diversity skills.Analyzes areas of improvement of cultural diversity skills, providing examples of action.Analyze the relationship between cultural competence, teamwork, and collaboration.Does not analyze the relationship between cultural competence, teamwork, and collaboration.Describes the relationship between cultural competence, teamwork, and collaboration.Analyzes the relationship between cultural competence, teamwork, and collaboration.Synthesizes the relationship between cultural competence, teamwork, and collaboration.Distinguish between cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural competence, and cultural sensitivity.Does not distinguish between cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural competence, and cultural sensitivity.Defines cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural competence, and cultural sensitivity.Distinguishes between cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural competence, and cultural sensitivity.Distinguishes between cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural competence, and cultural sensitivity, and provides reasons why it is important for a health care leader to understand each.Explain how verbal and non-verbal communication may be misunderstood due to cultural differences.Does not explain how verbal and non-verbal communication may be misunderstood due to cultural differences.Identifies how verbal and non-verbal communication may be misunderstood due to cultural differences.Explains how verbal and non-verbal communication may be misunderstood due to cultural differences.Explains how verbal and non-verbal communication may be misunderstood due to cultural differences, and includes ways in which a health care leader can minimize these misunderstandings.Demonstrate effective communication through writing and proper use of APA style.Does not demonstrate effective communication through writing and proper use of APA style.Demonstrates communication through writing and proper use of APA style with a few errors.Demonstrates effective communication through writing and proper use of APA style.Demonstrates effective communication through writing and proper use of APA style with no significant errors, and supports analysis.Communicate in a professional and effective manner, writing content clearly and logically, with the correct use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.Does not communicate in a professional and effective manner. Written content is unclear or unorganized, and there are many errors in the use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.Communication is not consistently professional, clear, and logical; there are errors in the use of grammar, punctuation, or spelling distract from the message.Communicates in a professional and effective manner; writes content clearly and logically with the correct use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling.Communication is professional, effective, and insightful; content is clear, logical, and persuasive; grammar, punctuation, and spelling are without errors.

DISCUSSION 1 (JOIN)77 unread replies.77 replies.GENERAL DISCUSSION BOARD PROTOCOL (READ FIRST!)Purpose: The board is a chance for you to express your own opinions and personalities, as long as you’re clearly responding to the assigned topic. I want everyone to feel their opinions are respected and equally valid (whether you consider yourself a “good” writer or not), so as long as you do this to my satisfaction, you’ll likely get full credit. You must write on two of the prompts assigned here (materials include the essays, lyrics, films, etc.). That way you’re always involved in a discussion at least two different topics. Feel free to post images, linked articles, etc. I might award extra points to clever and relevant links. But please – no tired memes or tweets, and absolutely nothing cruel or off-color. Task: Write two separate comments on your chosen topics. First, choose one of the numbered options (four, in this case) and write a coherent and reflective consideration of the particular topic. This initial post must be at least 200 words and must include a word count at the end. Treat it like a short essay; this is your major statement on one aspect of what we’ve studied so far.Title your post (always) with a reference to the name(s) of the article or a brief summary of the content, so people know at a glance your focus (e.g., “My response to Frederick Douglass,” “My reaction to Amistad,” etc.). You can be creative, but the intent and subject should always be clear. Once this first comment posted, it will allow the board to open and connect you with your peers. See what they have to say.Then respond (at least 50 words each) to a second topic (you can be briefer here) and to one student post. These peer responses might be a means for you to comment on a topic you haven’t previously written on (a third topic!) or react to a very different interpretation than your own. Either way, you should be sympathetic to and interested in what your peers have to say, and it should be clear from your response that you’ve read/viewed the material in question. Frivolous, mocking, fake, or obviously undeveloped responses will earn No Credit.Criteria: Style, clarity, and content matter!All materials referred to in the prompts are in the previous modules(1a & 1b, in this case). Review them before writing. You’re expected to read all topics and materials, which are testable on the exam.You get an initial 5 points for writing a post on-topic (as opposed to chatting about your love life, your favorite foods, etc.). You get a further 10 points for writing a coherent and reflective consideration of that chosen topic. Take it seriously; think of it as a mini-essay. This initial post must be at least 200 words and must include a word count at the end. Again, once posted, it will allow the board to open and connect you with your peers.You get 5 points each for a response to an additional topic (there are always two, at least), meaning on a different article/subject than your own initial post, and one response to a student post on any topic (you’re welcome to talk to multiple students too, of course). That way you’re always discussing at least two different topics. These must be at least 50 words each. If there’s no second topic under discussion yet, be the first and start a new thread!You must write in complete sentences, with proper grammar and syntax (sentence structure). Paragraphs need a good topic sentence providing a thesis (opinion) that encompasses what follows. You should provide details from the source materials (essays, video, your own relevant experiences) to illustrate and support your ideas as you develop them.You will lose points for any missing, off-topic, or poorly developed elements (initial post/second post/peer response).Do NOT attach a separate document with your typed comments. Instead, write/reply directly in the thread. You can always write elsewhere and then cut & paste here, if that’s easier for you.DISCUSSION BOARD #1: CHOOSE FROM OPTIONS 1, 2, 3, or 4. In all cases, there’s no “wrong” answer as long as you show us that you’ve thought about the issue. Good luck!Option 1: How I Learned To ReadFrederick Douglass’s essay is a chapter from his autobiography, a celebrated piece of American literature and probably the greatest example of a grim genre known as “Slave Narratives,” in which people who lived as slaves recount their experiences, either firsthand or having told the details to someone else who then wrote them down. Most such slave narratives date from the 18th and 19th centuries, the period from when the slave trade was at its zenith to when it ultimately ended. A close, thoughtful reading of this excerpt should enlighten you further to the brutal experience of black men and women who lived under slavery in the Americas before the 20th century, the United States in particular.Consider the analytical comments at the very end of the Douglass essay and, adhering to the general D-Board protocol, answer one or more of these points:Demonstrate what methods Douglass resorts to in his quest for the ability to read and write. Give at least three examples of the actions he takes, or considers taking, and explain why.Explain the progression of his mental state as his self-awareness grows.Discuss the issues/concepts/themes that his experience raises (i.e., slavery, justice, freedom, friendship).You may also tie this into the life of Olaudah Equiano, whose own slave narrative, a different experience but no less appalling and dehumanizing, is summarized in his autobiographical entry (see module 1b).Option 2: Amistad / Middle Passage / The Sorrow SongsHaving viewed the Steven Spielberg film and read the Robert Hayden poem and the W.E.B. Du Bois excerpt (and the Eric Foner essay for accuracy), consider two or more of these points. You must make at least two connections to details in Hayden and Dubois, using relevant quotes to illustrate your points. The historical details and images concerning the slave trade will prove useful here (see the first slideshow in 1a).How does the Amistad trial, in John Quincy Adams’s words, pave the way for “the last battle of the American revolution?”What cultural parallels or contrasts are made between the American-European and African worlds? What scenes stand out for you in the film, and why? Discuss two or three illustrations, at least.Consider what the circumstances of the African rebels say in relation to America at the time. How can their defenders argue for their freedom in the context of a world that considers them less than human, or at least too uncivilized to make their own decisions?Also, as Baldwin attempts, how would you explain to an outsider the court system, with all its complexities (appeals, counter-appeals).Option 3: Desiree’s BabyKate Chopin was an important Southern writer in the late 19th century (le fin de siècle, as the French call it), whose style is an example of what’s called regional realism, for its accurate portrayal of the Creole culture of Louisiana in particular. Chopin would endure professional and personal scandal and was largely forgotten until her proto-feminist novel The Awakening was rediscovered in the late 20th century, bringing her fleshed-out, psychologically convincing characters, with their rich historical settings, to new life and a new readership. Both the novel and short stories like “The Storm,” “Story Of An Hour,” and “Desiree’s Baby” are surprisingly modern in their attitudes towards marital relationships, sexuality, and infidelity in particular.“Desiree’s Baby” dramatizes the impact of slavery and miscegenation (interracial sexual relationships), and with bitter irony, mocks the cruelty and utter ridiculousness of racism. Irony means a reversal of expectations, when the result is opposite of what was intended or attempted, as is clearly the case in the tragic story’s final twist. Pudd’nhead Wilson, an 1894 novel by the great satirist and fellow regional realist Mark Twain, uses a loosely similar premise and Southern historical setting to achieve that same kind of mocking moral lesson about the evils of slavery and racism.For Option 3, answer A and/or B:A) Consider one or more of the ways that race and racism drive the plot (story) and themes (big ideas):i.e., a marriage ruined and lives lost because of racist attitudes and assumptionsthe social and material difficulties of having/being a biracial childthe racist fear of having married a person who is unknowingly/secretly someone you (or Desiree’s husband, in this case) have been taught to despiseB) Consider whether the content of the story, or how it impacts you upon reading it, is in any way affected by the fact that it comes from the highly respected pen of a white woman writing over 100 years ago.Option 4: Minstrelsy (proto-Blues)Minstrelsy originally referred to black and, later, white performers in the late 19th century deliberately exaggerating racial characteristics and mannerisms (clothing, facial make-up) as part of a stage performance, because white audiences decidedly liked black music even if they held racist attitudes towards black people. This practice (also called “blackface”) continued in cinema and theater well into the 20th century. More recently, the term has also been applied to recorded music (unfairly, perhaps), with African-American performers supposedly playing up their “blackness” to appeal to a white audience or, conversely, with white musicians accused of cultural appropriation by playing “black” music (i.e., blues, rap, R & B).See Francis Davis 36-38 for his observations on the topic. Then, with those definitions in minds, see the second slideshow in 1b and consider the editorial cartoon in a response that answers two (or more) of these questions:Is rap’s appeal to a suburban white audience any different than minstrelsy’s popularity back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries?How is it that “blackface” was an acceptable part of an performer’s repertoire until well past the mid-20th century?Note that the editorial cartoon is dated 2005. Has Black America made any social progress since then in the entertainment world?How has the renewed focus on issues of race, the “racial reckoning” of 2020/21, changed anything, in your opinion?Give some thought to at least one of these films (Blazing Saddles, White Christmas, Song Of the South, Bamboozled), all of which have elements of minstrelsy — though in some cases clearly meant satirically.

For part 1 and 2 it should be 150-200 words for each part. Part 1(A) In order to have a realistic estimate of where the firm presently stands and what the future holds, entrepreneurs should establish financial plans and thorough financial ratio analysis. One of the most significant realities of being a business owner, in my opinion, is the ability to create income and make a profit. For new entrepreneur it may be to his/her advantage to have a financial planner or advisor to help explain the financial risk of the startup company. “The explanation is fairly simple: most start-ups are funded through personal savings, and millennials, saddled with student loan debt, simply lack the funds” (Jurinski, JD, CPA & Down, PhD, 2016). Multitasking and prioritizing may be a problem for entrepreneurs who are still learning how to operate a firm. It might be difficult to coordinate marketing, SWOT analysis, and mission/vision statement fulfillment. Adding the company’s financial planning to the mix could mean the difference between a corporation surviving and thriving. References Jurinski, JD, CPA, J., & Down, PhD, J. (2016). Helping Older, Encore Entrepreneurs Anticipate Financial Risks. Journal of Financial Service Professionals, 81-90. Part 1(B) According to Investopedia, a financial plan is a document containing a person’s current money situation and long-term monetary goals, as well as strategies to achieve those goals. When starting a business investors whether its the bank or people the want to know where their money is going. And they want to know about the return on investment. Nobody will invest in your product without a sound financial plan with clear goals in place. In its simplest form, a financial projection is a forecast of future revenues and expenses (Sullivan, 2020). Every entrepreneur should have a financial projection so they can predict sales and have money set aside for expansion, maintenance. or material cost. Following the projection can prevent some hefty financial surprises from wrecking your budget and causing financial hardship. It’s really just budgeting and spending the company money with an end goal or purpose. Financial ratios are relationships determined from a company’s financial information and used for comparison purposes. Examples include such often referred to measures as return on investment (ROI), return on assets (ROA), and debt-to-equity, to name just three. These ratios are the result of dividing one account balance or financial measurement with another. Usually these measurements or account balances are found on one of the company’s financial statements—balance sheet, income statement, cashflow statement, and/or statement of changes in owner’s equity (Editorial, 2020). Having a financial plan will make or break a business, entrepreneurs need to understand financial projections and financial ratios to not only understand where the money is coming and going but to know if the business is healthy. Owners have to know this to get other to invest in them and to keep the business doors open. Whether that’s by their own hand or by the guidance of a financial planner helping along the way. Work Cited Contributor, C. (2021, May 17). Why is it important for entrepreneurs to develop financial plans for their companies? Small Business – Chron.com. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/important-entrepreneurs-develop-financial-plans-companies-73993.html. Editorial, I. (2020, February 6). Financial ratios – encyclopedia – business terms. Inc.com. https://www.inc.com/encyclopedia/financial-ratios.html. Kagan, J. (2021, July 28). Understanding financial plans. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/financial_plan.asp. Sullivan, M. (2020, September 8). Understand financial projections & forecasting. QuickBooks. https://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/forecasting/understanding-financial-projections-forecasting/. Part 2 (A) According to our book (Lawrence & Weber, 2017), “intellectual property (IP) are the ideas, concepts, and other representational inventions of the human mind” (pg. 262). I feel that internet information is not free to everyone, and copyrighted music and software should be protected in the creator’s best interest. A web source for IP stated that IP is protected in law, for example, patents, copyright, and trademarks, which allow people to earn recognition or financial benefit from what they invent or create. By reaching the right balance between the interests of innovators and the broader public interest, the IP system strives to promote an environment in which creativity and innovation can flourish (What is intellectual property? n.d., para. 2). A crucial step in securing the protection of IP is to research the idea or invention. A crucial part of protecting intellectual property is staying informed and researching as much as possible to protect it. According to Capirino (2017), “registering IP with the U.S. Copyright Office, speaking to patent attorneys, through a solid trademark branding and enforcement” (Capirino, 2017, para. 12 & 13). one can start by taking some of these steps in ensuring the future success of their newly developed IP. There are plenty of ways to ensure IP stays protected, and talking to the right people and finding the proper resources will be the way to do it. References Caprino, K. (2017, February 27). How to protect your intellectual property the right way. Retrieved August 06, 2021, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2017/02/… Lawrence, A. T., & Weber, J. (2017). Business and Society: Stakeholders, Ethics, Public Policy (15th ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill/Create Custom What is intellectual property (IP)? (n.d.). Retrieved August 06, 2021, from https://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/ Part 2 (B) Free isn’t free. The information available on the internet is free per se; there isn’t a cost to Google and look for something. However, to use the internet, one must pay for the service to access the internet through the local provider. So free isn’t free, sure we can google anything and have ‘free’ information instantly. Information is easily accessible in many forms of music, audiobooks, documents, articles, and so many more. It’s no secret that technology is continuously advancing, making it more challenging to keep information protected. “Governments also have protected individuals and companies’ ideas-their intellectual property. With advances in technology, protecting the ownership of intellectual property has become more challenging than ever.” (Lawrence & Weber, 2017, 262) However, steps can be taken to protect the property while including these on your site or online content is not necessary. It does help to inform those visiting the site that what is available on your site is not meant to be replicated. Steps that can be taken to protect the property are: Establishing a privacy approach, patent innovations, get all crafts copyrighted. Businesses usually have a manual, and in this manual, the business should include a privacy approach section. This section is to inform the government of the guidelines and purpose of the business and how they will be implemented. This section doesn’t need to be lengthy, short and to the point will be just fine. Patents can get tricky, so it is best to invest in a lawyer specialising in patents. Copyrights are a great way to protect one’s property because even after the owner’s death, the copyright continues for years after the death. The copyright can continue for a minimum of 70 years after the author’s death and up to 120 years from its creation. It all depends on certain factors. “The term of copyright for a particular work depends on several factors, including whether it has been published, and, if so, the date of first publication.” (Copyright.gov, n.d.) References: Copyright.gov. (n.d., n.d. n.d.). How Long Does Copyright Protection Last? Copyright.gov. Retrieved 08 05, 2021, from https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-duration.ht… Lawrence, A. T., & Weber, J. (2017). Business and Society: Stakeholders, Ethics, Public Policy. Retrieved from https://platform.virdocs.com/r/s/0/doc/573978/sp/174445243/mi/561729268?cfi=%2F4%2F4&menu=table-of-contents Part 3 It has been a little more than two years since Angela Crawford and Martin Rodriquez purchased the Bluffton Pharmacy from Frank White, the previous owner and founder, who had stated the pharmacy in 1969. Although Crawford and Rodriquez have prepared budgets for Bluffton Pharmacy and have analyzed their financial statements using ratio analysis, they have not created a cash flow forecast. During a recent meeting, their banker explained the importance of reliable cash flow forecasts, telling them that banks traditionally are “cash flow lenders.” Bankers appreciate strong balance sheets and income statements, but they are most interested in a company’s cash flow because they know that positive cash flow is required to repay a loan. Crawford and Rodriquez expect sales to increase 4.5 percent next year, to $2,504,368. Credit sales account for 79 percent of total sales, and the company’s collection pattern for credit sales is 11 percent in the same month in which the sale is generated, 63.5 percent in the first month after the sale is generated, and 22 percent in the second month after the sale is generated. The pharmacy’s cost of goods sold is 77.4 percent, and vendors grant “net 30” credit terms, which means the pharmacy pays for the goods it purchases every month in the following month. Crawford and Rodriquez have been working with their account to develop estimates for their expenses for the upcoming year (see the accompanying table on page 783). Actual sales for the last two months, November and December, were $272,357 and $315,458. The company’s cash balance as of January 1 is $74,473. The interest rate on Bluffton Pharmacy’s current line of credit is 8.25%, and whatever the pharmacy borrows must be repaid the following month (with interest), even if it must borrow again in that month. The entrepreneurs have established a minimum cash balance of $15,000. Questions Develop a monthly cash budget for Bluffton Pharmacy for the upcoming year. What recommendations can you offer Angela Crawford and Martin Rodriquez to improve their pharmacy’s cash flow? Using APA formatting guidelines, in 2-3 pages, respond to questions 1 and 2 making sure to integrate the core value of integrity. https://www.saintleo.edu/mission-values-identity

Initial Post at least 750 words and two replies of at least 250 words. For each thread, you must support your assertions with at least two scholarly citations in current APA format. Each reply must incorporate at least one scholarly citations in current APA format. Any sources cited must have been published within the last five years. Acceptable sources include Textbooks, the Bible, and peer reviewed literature.
Topic: Dealing with Terrorism
After having read the text and any additional research you choose, provide at least 1 detailed example for each phase of emergency management as it would apply to dealing with terrorism. Include the 4 original phases (mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery), and prevention. You may approach this from a micro or macro level in other words a local, state, regional, or a national level or a combination of them as you deem appropriate for each phase.
https://www.rand.org/topics/domestic-terrorism.htm… 

Peer Response #1

This week we were able to give an example for each phase of emergency management related to dealing with terrorism. Whether it is man-made or a natural disaster, the planning process is interchangeable. You will still need police, fire, and medical for either type of disaster.
Prevention
Prevention of a terrorist attack is complex when you do not know where the attack will come from. Developing programs that will allow the public to help identify possible threats is an excellent way to help with prevention. “September 25 has been designated as national “If You See Something, Say Something” Awareness Day. The campaign works with partners year-round to inspire, empower and educate the public on suspicious activity reporting.” (Department of Homeland Security, n.a., section National Awareness Day, para 1)
Mitigation
Build a team to work began planning for a terrorist attack. This team should include the city manager, police chief, fire department representative, IT representative, EOC director, and a representative from the local hospitals. First, this team would be tasked with identifying potential risks at the city level for natural or man-made occurrences. After they know the chance, they can start to create a plan of action should a natural or man-made event happen.
Preparedness
Identify State programs for educating and training the health workforce. The works force must be educated in how to respond and work with emergency medical systems at all levels of government. (Ziskin & Harris, 2007, section “Education and Training,” para 1) The Bioterrorism Act of 2002 authorized funding for states, municipalities, and territorial governments through cooperative agreements with the Health Resources and Services Administration and the CDC.” (Ziskin & Harris, 2007, section “Funding for the States’ Preparedness Efforts”, para 1) All states need to take advantage of this funding to ensure that their workforce is educated should an event happen.
Response
During the response period, it is essential to keep the public informed. Keeping people informed will help prevent widespread panic, and we as advise them of what area they need to avoid. This is also an excellent way of getting the word out if they need to evacuate. This would hold for natural or man-made occurrences. Partnering with local news channels should be considered in the Mitigation stage; this will ensure that the word can be distributed to the general public during an event.
Recovery
After the response phase is over, a community resiliency center (CRC) should ensure that services and assistance are provided to victims, family members, first responders, and anyone else affected by this disaster. (Office for Victims of Crime, 2015, Recovery: Victim Assistance, para 1) The CRC team should be planned for during mitigation. This would ensure that the team is ready to step in as soon as the response phase is over.
“By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith, he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.” (New International Bible, 1978/2011, Hebrews 11:7) Our City, state, and National Governments have plans to deal with disasters brought on via natural and Man-made. I am a firm believer that we should also have plans with our families for disasters. Noah was warned, and he followed God’s direction to prepare to take care of his family. Tornadoes are the disaster that will most likely affect where I live. A tornado shelter was installed in our garage to help protect our family. We also have at least one week of food and water supply within the shelter. Being prepared to help yourself will enable you to help others if the need arises.

Peer Response #2

The phases of emergency management translate well with regard to terrorism. Each of the four phases, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery, have a critical role with terrorism and terrorist attacks. Additionally, a critically important phase of this process is prevention. As our nation continues to address the war on terror, these phases are vital in guiding that process.
Mitigation is focused on reducing or eliminating risk to people and property from hazards and their effects (Sylves, 2020). A useful tool in the mitigative process is a threat assessment focusing on a terrorist attack. A specific example of this entails identifying building and/or structures of concern. Some topics to consider would be the type of building, the location, and possible number of occupants that inhabit them. Also, another factor would be the likelihood of an attack at any of those locations for concern. Meaning, would a specific building be a target for a terrorist attack based on an affiliation or relationship to a particular government, group, etc. We have seen this play out in domestic terrorist issues with Planned Parenthood facilities being targeted due to the nature of their work and the strong beliefs of individuals and/or organizations actively seeking to disrupt their operations.
The next step could be to identify and consider potential consequences of an attack at any of the identified locations. Specifically, through the emergency management lens with a terrorism focus, what could be the potential result with regard to loss of life and property at the identified areas of concern. Another useful term for this would be a consequence assessment. If a attack were to be successful, what would the magnitude of damage be. For example, the Twin Towers housed a large amount of people in those buildings, thus making them a prime target to cause a catastrophically large damage to life and property.
The third and last step in this threat assessment process would be a vulnerability assessment. This evaluates if an attack was successful, what would the probability of damage, loss of life and affects to other entities related to the attacked location. Reducing vulnerabilities could be accomplished by identifying vulnerable areas that lack adequate security to prevent a breach.
The second phases, preparedness, focuses on developing a response plan and training for first responders to save lives and reduce property damage (Sylves, 2020). A perfect example of this would be active shooter training. Law enforcement nationwide have learned through experience of how to best respond to these situations. As such, curricula and training have been developed and implemented to respond to such incidents. Since then, we have seen law enforcement respond to numerous active shooter incidents where the training and plans have been utilized which helped prevent further loss of life. This training was initially optional but has since been made mandatory for most agencies.
The response phase deals with responding to an emergency incident which has already occurred, and is focused on preventing loss of additional life and property damage. Relating back to active shooter incidents, the response phase is critical. Historically, SWAT teams were called out and a much more timely and methodical approach was used. However, this tactic lacked urgency and allowed the unnecessary loss of life. Now when responding to an active shooter, law enforcement form a small team and begin to immediately search for and eliminate the threat(s). Responding in this manner aims to prevent additional loss of life. During 9/11, the response phase was unique in how long it took due to the vast amount of damage and missing people. Expansive searches were conducted for a prolonged period of time in search for survivors trapped by the collapsed buildings.
Recovery encompasses the restoration, rebuilding, and return to normalcy as much as possible. In 9/11, again this phases lasted an extremely long time, arguably still to this day. Due to the tragedy that occurred that day, after the clean up was accomplished the decision to not rebuild was made. Rather, the sites of the two Twin Towers is now a memorial dedicated to the lives lost that day, and those who continue to succumb to injuries or illnesses they sustained from that day.
Prevention, in my opinion, is the most important phase regarding terrorism. While some of its principles are encompassed in the mitigation and preparedness phases, it expands beyond that. Preventing something from happening is rooted in deterrence (Pelfrey, 2005). The United States has taken an aggressive response in deterring another terrorist attack from happening. Post 9/11 we have seen this play out in the form of increased airline security, the development of Joint Terrorism Task Forces, the creation of Fusion Centers, and so on. Information sharing and collaboration amongst various first responder agencies has increased to work collaboratively in preventing terrorist attacks, which was not a high priority before 9/11.
Preventing another terrorist attack is a collaborative effort. I was reminded of the battle when Israel defeated Amalek in the book of Ezekiel. In Chapter 17:11, it said whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, but whenever he lowered it Amalek prevailed. In verse 12 Moses became weary, so Aaron and Hur held up an arm on each side until the battle was won. I see a lot of significance with this that fighting terrorism is a team effort to win this battle. We need to help each other and work together to accomplish the mission of saving lives and property to keep the U.S. safe.