Evaluate Your Learning Skills and Strengths

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Instructions

This week we focused on learning, how we are constantly learning new things, how it is beneficial to have a growth mindset approach to learning, and how it is helpful to reflect on our strategies as a learner. As you reflect on these strategies, think about how you previously learned a new skill, subject, or process. What strategies and approaches did you use? How can you apply those to learning new concepts and skills while you’re a student at University of Maryland Global Campus? Even if the university environment is new to you, you come to learning with skills, strengths, and strategies you can draw from to connect new knowledge to what you already know. 

For example, think about how you learned to cook a new dish by following a recipe. Perhaps you first blocked out time to read the recipe all the way through, noting the ingredients and tools you would need to make the dish. When it came time to make the dish, you might have followed the recipe step by step, then asked your partner or a friend to taste it and share his or her opinion. Based on that feedback, you adjusted and customized the recipe. After that, you practiced making the dish several times, adding your own flavors and spices to perfect the recipe to your liking. Once you became familiar with the recipe, you may have progressed to making the dish from memory. 

As a university student, you can apply this same learning process and strategy to your academics. Let’s look at the correlation between the two. When you’re learning a new concept or skill in one of your courses, first, set aside time in your schedule to learn. Next, read about the topic and take notes to deepen your understanding. Practice what you learned, maybe by using flashcards or completing a set of exercises. Next, share what you learned with others, such as your instructor or classmates, to get their feedback on your work and to enhance your learning from their input. Finally, practice a few more times until you can readily transfer what you learned to different contexts. 

For this assignment, take some time to reflect on the following questions:

  1. Consider a learning experience that was successful for you. What were you able to learn?
  2. What did you do that helped you succeed in your learning?
  3. How would you apply those strategies to your classwork at University of Maryland Global Campus? 

In one to two double-spaced pages provide your answers to the questions in a Word document. A template for this assignment is available for your use. Upload it to the Assignments Folder by 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday of Week 2.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE , INFLATION RATE

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Format of the Project:

The Data Exercise must be posted to the LEO Student Assignments as a Attachments are limited to a maximum two files in doc, docx., xls. xlsx., or rtf. formats. OTHER FORMATS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE, will not be reviewed or graded.

Please note that hand-written and scanned works, pdf. files, jpg. files, as well as files posted in google drive, will not be accepted or graded.

Please note that starting from the Fall 2020 semester the UMGC moved to the 7th Edition of the APA Style. The links to the 7th Edition of the APA Style methodology are posted in Content – Course Resources – Writing Resources.

No more than 20% of the text of the project should be made up of quotes.

Please note that Use of the 7th Edition APA Citation Methodology is required for all parts of the assignment

Written projects:

  1. Must be typed, double-spaced, in 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font, with one-inch margins
  2. Must have the title page in APA-7th style
  3. Must have in-text citations in APA-7th edition style
  4. Must have reference list in APA-7th edition style. Please note that you must reference the data you are using for the project
  5. Must be prepared using word processing software (Microsoft Word preferred)

DATA EXERCISE #2

Consists of three parts

Part 1: The Unemployment Rate (weight 30% of the assignment grade)

Complete the following exercise

Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics Web Site, www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.toc.htm

(http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.toc.htm). Select Employment Situation Summary.

Please note that using the data from previously published releases and summaries will produce grade zero for this part of the project.

Write a report (1 – 2 pages double spaced) in your own words to answer the questions:

  1. What month (and year) is summarized? What was the unemployment rate for that month? How does that rate compare with the rate in the previous month?
  2. What were the unemployment rates for adult women, teenagers, blacks, Hispanics, and whites? How did these rates compare with those a month earlier?
  3. What factors make it difficult to determine the unemployment rate?
  4. Why is unemployment an economic problem?
  5. What are the noneconomic effects of unemployment?
  6. Who loses from unemployment?
  7. Please analyze and discuss the significance of the data that you received for this Data exercise.
  8. Reflect on what you have learned from this exercise.

Part 2: The Inflation Rate (weight 30% of the assignment grade)

Complete the following exercise:

Visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics Web Site,

www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.toc.htm (http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.toc.htm). You will be using “Consumer Price Index Summary” and the “Table 1 Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): U. S. city average, by expenditure category “.

Please note that using the data from previously published releases and summaries will produce grade zero for this part of the project.

Write a report (1 – 2 pages double spaced) in your own words to answer the questions:

  1. What month (and year) is summarized? What was the level of the CPIU for that month? (See Table 1 “Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers”). What does this number represent?
  2. What was the rate of inflation (percentage change in the CPIU) for the last available month? How does that rate of inflation compare with the rate in the previous month?
  3. What was the rate of inflation (percentage change in the CPIU) for the last 12 months for “all items”?
  4. Which two categories of goods or services had the greatest price increase for the last 12 months? Which two categories of goods or services had the lowest price increase for the last 12 months?
  5. Which two categories of goods or services had the largest price decrease for the last 12 months?
  6. Who loses from inflation?
  7. Who benefits from inflation?
  8. Please analyze and discuss the significance of the data that you received for this Data Exercise.
  9. Reflect on what you have learned from this exercise.

Part 3: Unemployment Data by Labor Force Groups and Duration (30% of the project grade)  

Go to https://www.govinfo.gov/app/collection/erp

This is the home page of the Economic Report of the President.

Click on the last available Report, scroll down, and download individual tables as Excel.

Please note that using the data from previous Reports will produce grade zero for this part of the project.

  1. Find unemployment data (Table B–27.—Civilian unemployment rate) for each year 2000 to present. Use three labor force groups: men 20 years and over, women 20 years and over, both sexes 16 to 19 years of age.
  2. Present the result in your project as a table.
  3. Create one or more charts (line graph, bar graph, etc.).
  4. Find unemployment data (Table B–27.—Civilian unemployment rate) for each year 2000 to present by educational attainment (25 years and over). Use the following groups: less than an high school diploma; high school graduates, no college; some college or associate degree; bachelor’s degree and higher.
    1. Present the result in your project as a table.
    2. Create one or more charts (line graph, bar graph, etc.).
  5. Use the Economic Report of the President (Table B–28.—Unemployment by duration and reason) to find data on the duration of unemployment for each year 2000 to present.
  6. Present the result in your project as a table.
  7. Create one or more charts (line graph, bar graph, etc.).

Write a report (2 pages double-spaced) in your own words about the results you received.

In this paper consider, but do not be limited to the following:

  1. Which years had the highest and lowest unemployment rates? How do the rates compare among these groups?
  2. Compare the unemployment rates by educational attainment. How do the rates compare among these groups? What relationship, if any, do you find?
  3. Compare the distribution of unemployment by duration over these years. Which years had the highest and lowest unemployment duration? What relationship, if any, do you find?
  4. Demographic studies show that the proportion of teenagers and minorities in the U.S. population is likely to increase in the near future. In your opinion, what implications, if any, will this trend have on the unemployment rate?
  5. Please analyze and discuss the significance of the data that you received for this Data exercise.
  6. Reflect on what you have learned from this exercise.

PRESENTATION OF THE DATA EXERCISE AND USE OF APA CITATION METHODOLOGY (10%) of the project grade):

-Organization, Format and Presentation of the Data Exercise. The project should have the Title page. Each part of the Data Exercise must begin with sub-headings. Please use the sub-headings included in the assignment. Please use double space, with one-inch margins, and 12-point Times New Roman font. (3% of the project grade)

Use of Tables, Figures and Other Graphics to Summarize and Support Analysis Presented in the Paper. All tables and charts should have the numbering system, like “Table 1…”, the title, and the note to reference the source of the information. (3% of the project grade)

Research Sources and Significance of Research Information and Data, Use of APA Citation Methodology (4% of the project grade).

Statistics Help

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  1. Purpose: What was the purpose of your analysis, and what is your approach?
    1. Define a random sample and two hypotheses (means) to analyze.
  2. Sample: Define your sample. Take a random sample of 100 observations for your region.
    1. Describe what is included in your sample (i.e., states, region, years or months).
  3. Questions and type of test: For your selected sample, define two hypothesis questions and the appropriate type of test hypothesis for each. Address the following for each hypothesis:
    1. Describe the population parameter for the variable you are analyzing.
    2. Describe your hypothesis in your own words.
    3. Describe the inference test you will use.
      1. Identify the test statistic.
  4. Level of confidence: Discuss how you will use estimation and conference intervals to help you solve the problem.

1-Tail Test

  1. Hypothesis: Define your hypothesis.
    1. Define the population parameter.
    2. Write null (Ho) and alternative (Ha) hypotheses.
    3. Specify your significance level.
  2. Data analysis: Analyze the data and confirm assumptions have not been violated to complete this hypothesis test.
    1. Summarize your sample data using appropriate graphical displays and summary statistics.
      1. Provide at least one histogram of your sample data.
      2. In a table, provide summary statistics including sample size, mean, median, and standard deviation.
      3. Summarize your sample data, describing the center, spread, and shape in comparison to the national information.
    2. Check the conditions.
      1. Determine if the normal condition has been met.
      2. Determine if there are any other conditions that you should check and whether they have been met.
  3. Hypothesis test calculations: Complete hypothesis test calculations, providing the appropriate statistics and graphs.
    1. Calculate the hypothesis statistics.
      1. Determine the appropriate test statistic (t).
      2. Calculate the probability (p value).
  4. Interpretation: Interpret your hypothesis test results using the p value method to reject or not reject the null hypothesis.
    1. Relate the p value and significance level.
    2. Make the correct decision (reject or fail to reject).
    3. Provide a conclusion in the context of your hypothesis.

2-Tail Test

  1. Hypotheses: Define your hypothesis.
    1. Define the population parameter.
    2. Write null and alternative hypotheses.
    3. State your significance level.
  2. Data analysis: Analyze the data and confirm assumptions have not been violated to complete this hypothesis test.
    1. Summarize your sample data using appropriate graphical displays and summary statistics.
      1. Provide at least one histogram of your sample data.
      2. In a table, provide summary statistics including sample size, mean, median, and standard deviation.
      3. Summarize your sample data, describing the center, spread, and shape in comparison to the national information.
    2. Check the assumptions.
      1. Determine if the normal condition has been met.
      2. Determine if there are any other conditions that should be checked on and whether they have been met.
  3. Hypothesis test calculations: Complete hypothesis test calculations, providing the appropriate statistics and graphs.
    1. Calculate the hypothesis statistics.
      1. Determine the appropriate test statistic (t).
      2. Determine the probability (p value).
  4. Interpretation: Interpret your hypothesis test results using the p value method to reject or not reject the null hypothesis.
    1. Relate the p value and significance level.
    2. Make the correct decision (reject or fail to reject).
    3. Provide a conclusion in the context of your hypothesis.
  5. Comparison of the test results: See Question 3 from the Scenario section.
    1. Calculate a 95% confidence interval. Show or describe your method of calculation.
    2. Interpret a 95% confidence interval.

Final Conclusions

  1. Summarize your findings: Refer back to the Introduction section above and summarize your findings of the sample you selected.
  2. Discuss: Discuss whether you were surprised by the findings. Why or why not?

PowerPoint Presentation – 7 Slides

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  MUST BE ORIGINAL WORK

7 – Slides 

Religion to Use: Islam Goal: The goal of this assignment is for the student to create a presentation that reviews a specific world religion, how geography impacts the religion and the people, and deliver this information in the form of a presentation.

Description:You are to develop a creative PowerPoint Travel Show Slide Presentation playing the role of a Human Aid Worker who is seeking the involvement and soliciting additional voluntary workers to accompany you on a humanitarian mission to a certain locale throughout the world where your team will study Islam  AND will be actively engaged in a humanitarian relief effort with the local residents as a way to experience the religion first-hand.Your Travel Show Slide Presentation should include the following components:

  • The clear      identification of Islam .
  • A purpose      statement and objective for studying this religion and your humanitarian      relief effort.
  • The      identification and application of the most effective academic perspective      of religious studies for your team
  • Provide a      brief description of the major religious beliefs of your selected      religion.
  • The clear      identification of a specific location in the world – not a generalization      like – India.
  • The      significant role geography plays within this region and the impact on      religion and the people.
  • Research      this religion in an actual area of the world in need of humanitarian      relief efforts. Possible areas of assistance for your topic may be found      in (United Nations Website),      (Access specific Christian Missions for examples, or Non-Profit      Organizations.).  You will need to design your humanitarian mission      to include the following:
    • The       reason humanitarian aid is needed in this area of the world
    • The type       of humanitarian aid is needed and will be provided
    • The       types of service projects your team will be engaged for distributing this       aid
    • The       anticipated results of your humanitarian relief effort
    • The       benefits your team members will gain by participating in this effort
  • You will want to generate excitement for the service      and religious study opportunities for persuading people to partner with      you as member of your Mission Team.
  • You will want to maximize the advanced functions of      your software to communicate your message with such things like:
    • Voice-Overs
    • Continuous Loop Presentations
    • Zero-Touch or Zero-Click Advancements
    • Or other multi-media software presentations
  • This is a research presentation and you will      need to use in-text citations directly on your slides to identify your      resources and avoid plagiarism using your favorite academically approved      citation format and resource page.

Unit 3 DB: Emotional Intelligence

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Unit 3 DB: Emotional IntelligenceAfter watching the Unit videos, discuss the relationship between your emotional intelligence and your effectiveness in developing relationships and working with others. Base your discussion on deep reflection of your past experiences of influencing others at work, in your close personal relationships, and on the following questions:Self-Awareness:

  • Do you understand your emotions?
  • Do you know what your strengths, weaknesses, drives, values, and goals are, and do you recognize their impact on others while using gut feelings to guide decisions?

Self-Regulation:

  • Are you able to control or redirect your disruptive emotions and impulses and adapting to changing circumstances?

Social Skill:

  • Are you skillful at managing relationships in order to move people in the desired direction?

Empathy:

  • Are you skilled at recognizing, acknowledging, and considering other people’s feelings especially when making decisions?

Relationship Management:

  • Are you skilled at guiding and motivating others with a compelling vision?
  • Do you have a wide range of tactics to persuade others?
  • Do you help develop others’ abilities through feedback and guidance?
  • Are you a skilled change agent that is able to initiate, manage, and lead in a new direction?
  • Are you skilled at conflict management and successful at resolving disagreements?
  • Are you skilled at cultivating and maintaining a web of relationships?
  • Are you able to bring people together to work effectively as a team?

Deliverable 2 – Using Visuals to Enhance Viewer Perception ( PowerPoint) 8Slides

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Competency

Analyze and interpret perceptual elements of visual media communication to identify effective visual messages.

 

Scenario

You have been hired by a large law enforcement agency to analyze the images used on advertising billboards in both urban and suburban regions. The billboards visually display a new campaign message to improve neighborhood safety.

During your analysis, you find that the images used on billboards in the urban areas are exactly the same as the images used in the suburban areas. Both images show parents happily talking with law enforcement officers while children run over green lawns having a fun balloon fight. You decide that these images are not sending proper perceptual messages. You decide to create a visual analysis presentation for the law enforcement agency to share with the administration.

For the video visual analysis, you realize you will need to find two new images that are quite different from one another. One image will be used on the urban billboard, and the other image will be used on the suburban billboard. In your  presentation, you will compare and contrast how each image utilizes the following:

  1. Compare and contrast the visual elements of cultural familiarity. Explain why it is important to use culturally familiar visuals that are quite different in the urban and suburban billboard images. Include specific visuals in your visual analysis.
  2. Identify specific visual examples of the following cognitive elements: memories, experiences, and expectation. Compare and contrast how urban and suburban viewers may be affected differently by those specific cognitive visual elements.
  3. Explain the difference between urban and suburban viewers’ emotionally engagement with each of the billboard images.
  4. Identify visual semiotic codes in both images: metonymic, analogical, displaced, and condensed. Discuss the importance of using these codes. Include specific visuals in each part of your visual analysis.

Essay 1

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Essay 1 – Evolutionary Psychology 

Evolutionary psychology has had a significant influence on the discipline of psychology but some take issue with its foundational assumptions.

·  Describe your worldview.  Some of the constructs from the BWVI are relevant and may help you think through your worldview. 

·  Is evolutionary psychology compatible with your worldview? 

·  What are the strengths and weaknesses of evolutionary psychology

Essay Instructions:   

In General Psychology, you will write several essays throughout the term.  For each essay you will answer a question about the week’s topic(s), writing in a way that is engaging and furthers discussion on the topic. Use the guidelines below to write a substantive essay:

1.  Each essay must include at least 400 words. 

2.  While meeting the word count is important, it is possible to write an essay that is long enough, but not substantive enough to earn full credit.  The second criteria of a good essay is including a clear and substantial answer to the prompt.  When preparing your essay, ask yourself, 

·  Does my essay answer the question or questions being posed? 

·  Does it clearly answer all parts of the question, supported by course materials?

3.  When answering the essay question, it is important to use concepts, research, and/or theories from the week’s material to support your thoughts.  A good essay will:

·  Offer a thoughtful response on the topic being discussed, and 

·  Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the topic by using material from the resources provided for that week in your answer. Using anecdotes or personal experiences are not as substantial or scholarly as using research and/or theory to advance the discussion.

 

4.  A good essay offers something new and fresh. 

·  Avoid simply answering the question with a simple response or reiteration of what the textbook says. 

·  Present information in a way that advances thought on the topic and shows a clear understanding of and reflection on the material.  

·  Demonstrate your knowledge by presenting facts.

·  Demonstrate your understanding by providing practical application.

·  This does not mean that you write and write and write, but rather that you present a thought-filled and reflective essay that addresses the question being asked in a way that demonstrates a true depth of understanding of the week’s material.  

5.  A good essay is written in a scholarly way. Each essay:

·  Is free of grammatical and spelling errors,

·  Uses current APA format (Student Standards),

·  Includes in-text citations and a reference section,

·  Includes an APA-formatted title page,

·  Demonstrates a solid understanding of course concepts by using scholarly sources rather than personal experience or anecdotes.

Consumer Behavior, Market Segmentation & Positioning

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MRKT 310 Principles of Marketing

Week 4 Writing Assignment

Consumer Behavior, Market Segmentation & Positioning (Chipotle)

Learning Outcomes

  1. Consumer decision-making process.  Student can identify how marketing strategy can influence each of the steps in the consumer decision-making process.  
  2. Segmentation.  Students can use the segmentation characteristics to identify and describe market segments.
  3. Target market & strategy. Students can identify a usable market segment to be a target market and determine an appropriate target-market strategy
  4. Positioning.  Students can develop and interpret a perceptual map.

Directions

  • Refer to the product or service you selected for your first writing assignment. This week, you want to take a closer look at what consumer factors may be relevant for customers who are considering buying your product or service offering.  This will require some critical thinking on your part based on your own behavior if you are a customer yourself, or you may want to talk to others who have purchased the product.  Sometimes you can find clues when looking at the marketing messages that may be addressing some of these factors. 
  • So far, you have only been considering the customers of your product or service as one big group, or a mass market.  More astute marketing breaks down this large group into smaller market segments of consumers who have similar characteristics.  For any specific product or service, there could be numerous market segments.  However, company resources may only allow a company to pursue one or two or these market segments, which then become target market(s).  In this paper, you should divide the mass market for your product or service into at least two market segments and then pick one target market you think would have the most potential for future growth.  
  • Chances are you picked a product with which you are familiar. That is a good starting point, and you may represent one target market.  But you may represent a target market that is saturated and therefore not the best target market to pick for the remainder of the semester.  So be sure your second target market is different enough and represents growth potential. 
  • If you did not do a thorough analysis of the competition in the prior writing assignment, you may need to go back and figure out the nature of the product’s or service’s competition.  This will be important when you address the positioning of your product for your newly identified target market inasmuch as positioning is a competition-based concept.  

Part 1

  1. Consumer decision-making process.  Go through the six steps of the purchase process outlined in the readings and identify where marketing can influence each of the six steps.   For example, if a consumer just identified a need for your product in step one, then the company can advertise how your product fills that need.  Or, if a consumer purchased your product, the consumer can be called and asked about their satisfaction with the product and if there is any dissatisfaction steps can be taken to ensure the customer satisfaction.  Be sure to be more specific with respect to your product or service than this example.
  2. Segmentation.  View Table 5.1 of your Week 4 Reading, in Section 5.2, How Markets are Segmented.  Using the various criteria of the segmentation bases described in Table 5.1, identify at least two distinct market segments for your product or service.  Each market segment description must include at least three (more if needed) of the characteristics from amongst any of the four bases categories (e.g. one from demographic variables, one or two from psychographic variables, and one from behavioral variables, or a similar scheme).  Be sure to explain your choices based on what customer need the product or service offering can fill for each segment. 

Part 2

  1. Target market & strategy.  Select one of the market segments you described in your segmentation response as the one you believe is or can be the most profitable for your product or service offering and explain why you feel they can represent growth for the company.  Refer to the six criteria for an attractive market segment as described in Section 5.3 of the reading ‘Selecting Target Markets’.  Name your target market so you can use this name throughout all of your remaining writing assignments.  Your name should be descriptive of the segments’ characteristics like ‘savvy young shoppers’ or ‘educated baby boomers’, or ‘urban hipsters’, or the like.  The goal is for your faculty member to get a mental image of your target market for the remainder of the semester. Should the company focus all their resources on this new target market (concentrated marketing) or should they continue to pursue both the new and the existing target market as well as other market segments (multi-segment marketing)?  Alternatively, is the market so saturated might they be more successful by focusing solely on an even more narrow market segment, perhaps an even narrower version (niche marketing) of your selected target market, as their best chance for growth?  What is your reasoning?
  2. Positioning.  Draw a perceptual map as illustrated in the week’s readings or the website in the directions. Be sure to pick two criteria that are important to your new target market for your two axes, perhaps two of the criteria you used in Week 1 in your competitive analysis.  Map at least the two major competitors you noted in the previous writing assignment and add any others that you may have discovered since then.  You may want to visit this resource for more information on how to construct a perceptual map.  Describe what the perceptual map is telling you regarding how each product is perceived in the minds of the new target market you described above.  You may have to make a series of educated guesses for some of the data points.  Ideally, you want to find uncontested space. If your product overlaps with a competing offering discuss whether or not your product or service should try for an ‘uncontested’ space on the map and ‘reposition’ itself; or if it should keep the same position and compete head on with the other product.  

Readings:

 Consumer Behavior: How people make buying decisions. (2015). Principles of Marketing. University of Minnesota Libraries https://open.lib.umn.edu/principlesmarketing/part/chapter-3-consumer-behavior-how-people-make-buying-decisions/ 

 Market segmenting, targeting, and positioning. (2015). Principles of Marketing. University of Minnesota Libraries https://open.lib.umn.edu/principlesmarketing/part/chapter-5-market-segmenting-targeting-and-positioning/ 

5 – Forecasting Methods and Applications

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Scenario

The Corporate Controller has called you into a planning session and asked you to help with the preparation of an income statement forecast for the coming three years. You both discuss the project and decide that the data you will need it is:

  1. The last 5 years of income statements
  2. A forecast of economic data for key economic indicators
  3. The basic assumptions the company is making in their business plan

Instructions

The Corporate Controller would like you to use Excel to prepare a high-level, 3-year forecast (income statement format) incorporating the historical, economic forecast, and assumptions provided by the Corporate Controller. The Corporate Controller also states that the Board of Directors loves to see “pictures” of summary data rather than a “bunch of numbers.” The Corporate Controller suggests that on a separate tab in Excel to use the graphing function to display total revenues and expenses for the periods covered.

Create and Excel spreadsheet with two tabs labeled:

  • Tab 1: 3-Year Income Statement Forecast
  • Tab 2: Graphs
  • On Tab 1: 3-Year Income Statement Forecast, use the same income statement format and titles as the historical data provided.

ATTACHED IS A SPREADSHEET TO USE FOR YOUR DATA SETS AND ANOTHER TEMPLATE SPREADSHEET TO USE AND FILL OUT THEN SUBMIT AS YOUR ASSIGNMENT. 

Answer the corresponding questions in 750-1,000 words. APA guidelines

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Franklin Equipment, Ltd. (FEL), with headquarters and main fabrication facilities in Saint John, New Brunswick, was founded 75 years ago to fabricate custom-designed large machines for construction businesses in the Maritime Provinces. Over the years its product lines became strategically focused on creating rock-crushing equipment for dam and highway construction and for a few other markets that require the processing of aggregate. FEL now designs, fabricates, and assembles stationary and portable rock-crushing plants and services its own products and those of its competitors. In the 1970s, FEL began to expand its market from the Maritime Provinces to the rest of Canada. FEL currently has several offices and fabrication facilities throughout the country. More recently, FEL has made a concerted effort to market its products internationally. Last month, FEL signed a contract to design and fabricate a rock-crushing plant for a Middle East construction project, called Project Abu Dhabi. Charles Gatenby secured this contract and has been assigned as project manager. This project is viewed as a coup because FEL has wanted to open up markets in this area for a long time and has had difficulty getting prospective customers to realize that FEL is a Canadian firm and not from the United States. Somehow these customers view all North American ven-dors as the same and are reluctant to employ any of them because of international political considerations. A project of this scope typically starts with the selection of a team of managers responsible for various aspects of the design, fabrication, delivery, and installation of the product. Manager selection is important because the product design and fabrica-tion vary with the unique needs of each customer. For example, the terrain, rock char-acteristics, weather conditions, and logistical concerns create special problems for all phases of plant design and operations. In addition, environmental concerns and labor conditions vary from customer to customer and from region to region. In addition to the project manager, all projects include a design engineer; an oper-ations manager, who oversees fabrication and on-site assembly; and a cost accoun-tant, who oversees all project financial and cost reporting matters. Each of these people must work closely together if a well-running plant is to be delivered on time and within cost constraints. Because international contracts often require FEL to employ host nationals for plant assembly and to train them for operations, a human resource manager is also assigned to the project team. In such cases, the human resource manager needs to understand the particulars of the plant specifications and then use this knowledge to design selection procedures and assess particular training needs. The human resource manager also needs to learn the relevant labor laws of the customer’s country. FEL assigns managers to project teams based on their expertise and their availabil-ity to work on a particular project given their other commitments. This typically means that managers without heavy current project commitments will be assigned to new projects. For instance, a manager finishing one project will likely be assigned a man-agement position on a new project team. The project manager typically has little to say about who is assigned to his or her team. 414 Chapter 11 Managing Project TeamsCase 11.3Franklin Equipment, Ltd.*Franklin Equipment, Ltd. (FEL), with headquarters and main fabrication facilities in Saint John, New Brunswick, was founded 75 years ago to fabricate custom-designed large machines for construction businesses in the Maritime Provinces. Over the years its product lines became strategically focused on creating rock-crushing equipment for dam and highway construction and for a few other markets that require the processing of aggregate. FEL now designs, fabricates, and assembles stationary and portable rock-crushing plants and services its own products and those of its competitors. In the 1970s, FEL began to expand its market from the Maritime Provinces to the rest of Canada. FEL currently has several offices and fabrication facilities throughout the country. More recently, FEL has made a concerted effort to market its products internationally. Last month, FEL signed a contract to design and fabricate a rock-crushing plant for a Middle East construction project, called Project Abu Dhabi. Charles Gatenby secured this contract and has been assigned as project manager. This project is viewed as a coup because FEL has wanted to open up markets in this area for a long time and has had difficulty getting prospective customers to realize that FEL is a Canadian firm and not from the United States. Somehow these customers view all North American ven-dors as the same and are reluctant to employ any of them because of international political considerations. A project of this scope typically starts with the selection of a team of managers responsible for various aspects of the design, fabrication, delivery, and installation of the product. Manager selection is important because the product design and fabrica-tion vary with the unique needs of each customer. For example, the terrain, rock char-acteristics, weather conditions, and logistical concerns create special problems for all phases of plant design and operations. In addition, environmental concerns and labor conditions vary from customer to customer and from region to region. In addition to the project manager, all projects include a design engineer; an oper-ations manager, who oversees fabrication and on-site assembly; and a cost accoun-tant, who oversees all project financial and cost reporting matters. Each of these people must work closely together if a well-running plant is to be delivered on time and within cost constraints. Because international contracts often require FEL to employ host nationals for plant assembly and to train them for operations, a human resource manager is also assigned to the project team. In such cases, the human resource manager needs to understand the particulars of the plant specifications and then use this knowledge to design selection procedures and assess particular training needs. The human resource manager also needs to learn the relevant labor laws of the customer’s country. FEL assigns managers to project teams based on their expertise and their availabil-ity to work on a particular project given their other commitments. This typically means that managers without heavy current project commitments will be assigned to new projects. For instance, a manager finishing one project will likely be assigned a man-agement position on a new project team. The project manager typically has little to say about who is assigned to his or her team.Managing Project Teams 415 Because he secured Project Abu Dhabi and has established positive working rela-tionships with the Abu Dhabi customer, Gatenby was assigned to be project manager. Gatenby has successfully managed similar projects. The other managers assigned to Project Abu Dhabi are Bill Rankins, a brilliant design engineer, Rob Perry, operations manager with responsibility for fabrication and installation, Elaine Bruder, finance and cost accounting manager, and Sam Stonebreaker, human resource manager. Each of these managers has worked together on numerous past projects. A few years ago, FEL began contracting for team facilitator services from several consulting firms to help new project teams operate effectively. Last month, FEL recruited Carl Jobe from one of these consulting firms to be a full-time internal con-sultant. A number of managers, including Gatenby, were so impressed with Jobe’s skills that they convinced FEL top management of the need to hire a permanent inter-nal facilitator; Jobe was the obvious choice. Because Gatenby was instrumental in hiring Jobe at FEL, he was excited at the prospect of using Jobe to facilitate team building among Project Abu Dhabi team members. Gatenby was very proud of having secured this project and had expected to be appointed project manager. He knew that this project’s success would be instrumen-tal in advancing his own career. Gatenby told Jobe, “This project is really important to FEL and to me personally. I really need for you to help us develop into a team that works well together to achieve the project’s goals within budget. I’ve observed your success in developing teams on other projects, and I expect you’ll do the same for Project Abu Dhabi. I’ll take care of you if you help me make this work.” Jobe outlined for Gatenby how he would proceed. Jobe would begin by interview-ing team members individually to learn their perceptions of each other and of the promises and pitfalls of being involved in this project. Meetings of the entire team would follow these interviews using the information he collected to help establish a team identity and a shared vision. Jobe interviewed Bruder first. She expressed skepticism about whether the project could succeed. During the interview, Bruder appeared to be distant, and Jobe could not figure out why he had not established good rapport with her. Bruder intimated that she expected a lot of cost overruns and a lot of missed production deadlines. But not know-ing Jobe well, Bruder was reluctant to identify any specific barriers to the project’s success. While she would not directly say so, it was clear to Jobe that Bruder did not want to be a part of Project Abu Dhabi. Jobe left this interview confused and wonder-ing what was going on. Jobe’s next interview was with Perry, the operations manager. Perry has worked at FEL for 15 years, and he immediately came to the point: “This project is not going to work. I cannot understand why upper management keeps assigning me to work on projects with Rankins. We simply cannot work together, and we don’t get along. I’ve disliked him from day one. He keeps dropping the fact that he has earned all these advanced degrees from Purdue. And he keeps telling us how things are done there. I know he’s better educated than I am, and he’s really smart. But I’m smart too and am good at what I do. There’s no need for Rankins to make me feel like an idiot because I don’t have a degree. Jobe, I’ll be honest with you. Rankins has only been here for five years, but I hold him personally responsible for my problem with alcohol, and for its resulting effect on my marriage. I got divorced last year, and it’s Rankins’s fault.” Jobe next talked with Rankins, who said, “I don’t care what you do. Perry and I simply can’t work closely together for the nine months it will take to get it done. One of us will kill the other. Ever since I arrived at FEL, Perry has hated my guts and does everything he can to sabotage my designs. We usually worry about customers creating change orders; here it’s the fabrication and operations manager who is responsible for them. Perry second-guesses everything I do and makes design changes on his own, and these are always bad decisions. He is out of control. I swear he stays awake at nights thinking up ways to ruin my designs. I don’t have this prob-lem with any other manager.” Jobe left these interviews thoroughly discouraged and could not imagine what would come up in his interview with Stonebreaker. But Stonebreaker was quite posi-tive: “I enjoy these international projects where I get to travel abroad and learn about different cultures. I can’t wait to get started on this.” Jobe asked Stonebreaker about the ability of various team members to work together. Stonebreaker replied, “No problem! We’ve all worked together before and have had no problems. Sure, there have been ruffled feathers and hurt feelings between Rankins and Perry. Rankins can be arrogant and Perry stubborn, but it’s never been anything that we can’t work around. Besides, both of them are good at what they do—both professionals. They’ll keep their heads on straight.” Jobe was even more bewildered. Gatenby says this project’s success rides on Jobe’s facilitation skills. The finance manager appears to want off this project team. The design engineer and operations manager admit they detest each other and cannot work together. And the human resources manager, having worked on projects with Perry and Rankins before, expects a rosy working relationship and anticipates no problems. Jobe had a second meeting with Gatenby. Before discussing the design of the team-building sessions, he asked questions to learn what Gatenby thought about the ability of team members to work together. Gatenby admitted that there has been very bad blood between Perry and Rankins, but added, “That’s why we hired you. It’s your job to make sure that the history between those two doesn’t interfere with Project Abu Dhabi’s success. It’s your job to get them to work well together. Get it done.” Their dialogue toward the end of this meeting progressed as follows: Jobe: “Why do you expect Rankins and Perry to work well together, given their history? What incentives do they have to do so?” Gatenby: “As you should know, FEL requires formal goal setting between project managers and functional managers at the beginning of each project. I’ve already done this with Bruder, Stonebreaker, Perry, and Rankins. Perry and Rankins have explicit goals stating they must work well together and cooperate with each other.” 

Jobe: “What happens if they do not meet these goals?” 

Gatenby: “I’ve already discussed this with top management. If it appears to me after two months that things are not working out between Perry and Rankins, FEL will fire Rankins.” 

Jobe: “Does Perry know this?” 

Gatenby: “Yes.”