sociology discussion homework 9

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Describe the theory that colonialism explains how the world’s nations became stratified. (550 words minimum)

Use details and examples from the text and outside sources, if you choose.

respond no.1

  

Colonialism is defined as one nation taking over another with the aims of exploiting resources or sourcing for labor. It is further defined as the acquisition, maintenance, expansion, and establishment of a protectorate by countries from other territories. The burden of poverty among the nations may be attributed to social inequality and economic inequality. The inequality degree is higher in countries with high industrialization. Two theories can be used to explain how world nations became stratified. These theories are; modernization theory and dependency theory.

Modernization theory explains that most countries are rich because they were able to discover the right beliefs, practices, and values. These countries were able to develop the right ideas for trade, economic growth, and industrialization to occur. The traits include abandoning outdated cultural practices and adopting new ideas and adopting future orientation, rather than remaining conservative to the present ideas. Modernization is more relevant to Western Europe. The countries in Western Europe emerged centuries ago because their population adopted the new culture and values. This was possible because the Protestant Deformations dealt a blow to the traditional mistrust of the Catholic Church’s material success economic and social change and material success in the lifetime of the individuals rather than the traditional beliefs from the church that people would be rewarded in the afterlife. Poor nations are therefore remained poor because they did not abandon the old ideas to pave ways for new practices and beliefs. 

Dependency theory is another explanation of the relationship between colonialism and stratification. However, this theory challenges the theory of modernization sharply. As much as the modern stratification blames the poor countries for being conservative and not adopting new cultural practices, Dependency theory states the contrary. The latter theory blames the rich countries for exploiting the poor countries and therefore hindering their economic growth. The poor countries were colonized by the wealthy European countries and thus denied the chance to develop economically. The European nations stole the poor nation’s natural resources and enslaved the population or exploited them for cheap labor. The European governments took over the poor nations denied them proper education.

The two theories despite their differences have their advantage and faults. The modernization theory blames the poor countries for not adopting new ways, values, and practices. The theory however fails to see the exploitation these poor countries faced when they were colonized by the wealthy European countries and also the international companies. On the other hand dependency theory cannot explain how countries that were never colonized are still poor up to date. The theory also does not explain how countries such as Hong Kong that were colonized are too wealthy to be grouped as poor right now. Both theories clearly explain stratification, Sociologists however prefer dependency theory because it emphasizes social structure in the global current and historic Economy. 

respond no.2

  

As the world grew, so to did the ideas which existed within each nations respective borders. As colonialism and expansion took place, these ideas and practices were shot-gunned all over the world, which resulted in varying levels of inequality and unequal distribution of resources and opportunity. As richer nations continued to gain influence in new parts of the world, they depended on the poorer nations to continue operating under them instead of along side of them. This unfortunately ensured stability and growth for the developed nations of the world and solidified their position of dominance on the countries they reigned over. 

Modernization and globalization both refer to this interconnectedness of countries to the overall global economy. Though colonialism has dwindled away, its processes and structures remain across the globe. Many of the nations which are considered developing are directly tied to the success and well-being of more developed countries. This usually happens through a process of exploitation in which the wealthy (core countries) keep the poor (peripheral countries) at arms reach through unjust economic policies. Many poor nations have grown massive debts and dependencies to outside entities and are becoming less equipped to fight inequalities and injustices as a result. 

Outsourcing is also a major contributor to the stratification of the worlds nations. Because laws vary by country, certain industries look elsewhere to cut back on operating costs and increase their profitability in whatever they’re doing. Because the world is becoming increasingly connected thanks to the internet, outsourcing tech jobs to other parts of the globe to support U.S. based entities have contributed to the growing divisions of labor both in our country and abroad. 

Because the rich continue to get richer, the global network of power is mainly tied to the wealthiest and most developed countries and the economic and social disparities between nations will continue to grow unless steps are taken to improve the process of globalization. 

Discussion Post 2 Reply 2

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Provide a 250-word reply to the following post using at least one scholarly article.

 Scenario

 

Bioglass, Inc. specializes in sales of a wide array of glass products. One area of the company, the commercial sales division (CSD), specializes in selling high-tech mirrors and microscopes and photographic lenses. Sales associates in CSD are responsible for selling the glass products to corporate clients. In CSD there are four levels of sales associates, ranging in pay from $28,000 to $76,000 per year. There are also four levels of managerial positions in CSD; those positions range in pay from $76,000 to $110,000 per year (that’s what the division president makes).

Tom Caldwell has been a very effective sales associate. He has consistently demonstrated good sales techniques in his 17 years with Bioglass and has a large and loyal client base. Over the years, Tom has risen from the lowest level of sales associate to the highest. He has proven himself successful at each stage. An entry-level management position in CSD opened up last year, and Tom was a natural candidate. Although several other candidates were given consideration, Tom was the clear choice for the position.

However, once in the position, Tom had a great deal of difficulty being a manager. He was not accustomed to delegating and rarely provided feedback or guidance to the people he supervised. Although he set goals for himself, he never set performance goals for his workers. Morale in Tom’s group was low, and group performance suffered. The company felt that demoting Tom back to sales would be disastrous for him and present the wrong image to other employees; firing such a loyal employee was considered unacceptable. Therefore, Bioglass decided to keep Tom where he was but never promote him again. It was also considering enrolling Tom in some expensive managerial development programs to enhance his management skills.

Meanwhile, Tom’s replacement, although successful at the lower three levels of sales associate positions, was having a great deal of difficulty with the large corporate contracts that the highest-level sales associates must service. Two of Tom’s biggest clients had recently left Bioglass for a competitor. CSD was confused about how such a disastrous situation had developed when they seemed to make all the right decisions.

  1. What is the likely cause of CSD’s problems?

A drawback to internal promotion is that your pool of employees that you can select from is limited and may not have all the KSAO’s needed to be effective at the position. CSD faces a common promotional challenge in this case as they promoted a highly capable salesperson to a management role and the promotion does not seem to be a good fit for the organization or the employee. This is likely because the competitive, independent skills needed as a salesperson, have less value as a team leader. Team leaders need to work together, delegate, support, train, and motivate others to sell more products and better serve customers.

            The organization needs to carefully select and train the right people for each vacant position and if an employee is struggling in their position, it is an organization’s responsibility to help support that employee to do better. This may require training, mentoring, or even college classes, but it is not helpful or fair allowing a failing employee to stay in their position. If an employee is failing to meet expectations, they likely are not enjoying their role any more than the subordinates that they are failing to support. Tom should be given the opportunity to improve his skills and if in an acceptable timeline he cannot meet minimum expectations he should know his next step is to go back to being a salesperson or finding a new position that he can be successful in.

  1. How might CSD, and Bioglass more generally, make better promotion decisions in the future? Be specific.

Bioglass must determine if relying on an internal promotional policy gives it the best chance to remain competitive. Faria & Mixon (2020) find with internal promotional policies because the labor market is limited by internal candidates, it makes it difficult to pursue a competitive hiring model. In other words, an organization’s human capital is limited by the skills, ability, and performance of existing employees. 

If Bioglass and CSD are going to continue to utilize an internal promotional policy, they need to put more thought and planning into employee skills inventory and ensure the right KSAO’s are considered for each position. Heneman et al. (2019) find selecting the right KSAO’s or “predictors” requires a well-crafted selection plan. Planning can be improved by maintaining employee skills inventory and understanding future needs. A healthy planning process can help an organization to develop the right people for the right positions so that both the employee and the organization have a better chance for success.

  1. In general, what role should performance appraisals play in internal selection decisions? Are there some cases in which they are more relevant than others? Explain.

Performance appraisals can be a helpful tool in the selection process. This tool can help leaders get a better understanding of the employee’s past experiences and outcomes with the organization. Performance appraisals can give an organization a good general indicator as to a person’s attitude, professionalism/behaviors, quality of work, and ability to meet deadlines under stress. These are all benefits of having records of past appraisals. Faria & Mixon (2020) recognize that the growth of the internal labor market is based on past employee behavior and performance. Generally speaking, past behaviors and performance are indicative of how an employee will perform in the future. 

Performance appraisals can have great value in situations when both positions share some of the same skill sets. For example, if both the past job and promotional opportunity require planning, multitasking, communication, deadlines, or similar KSAO then appraisals can help an organization see how the promotional candidate was previously appraised in those areas. Appraisals can give great insight into how a promotional candidate may perform, reducing the risk and speculation for the organization, but this only works if the skill sets are transferable from one position to another. If there are limited shared skillsets required for one job to the other, then the appraisals should carry less weight. Appraisals can only help predict the future based on past performances, and if an employee has not been required to “perform” certain tasks in the past, then an organization can only get a general idea of how an employee may respond and perform their new responsibilities.

References

Heneman, H. G., Judge, T., & Kammeyer-Mueller, J. (2019). Staffing organizations. Pangloss Industries.

Faria, J. R., & Mixon, F. G. (2020). The peter and dilbert principles applied to academe. Economics of Governance, 21(2), 115-132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10101-020-00235-6

Current Research Findings [WLO: 1] [CLOs: 2, 6]

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 Current Research Findings [WLO: 1] [CLOs: 2, 6]

Prepare

Prior to beginning work on this discussion,

  • Read Chapter 2: Purposes and Characteristics of Educational Assessments
  • Complete the following tutorial to help you conduct your research: How to [email protected] tutorial (Links to an external site.)
  • Search for a peer-reviewed journal article in the Ashford University Library about current research findings in classroom assessment that explores the purposes and limitations of assessments for learning. Your article should be no more than five years old. Here are some topics you may want to consider:
    • Test Bias
    • Bell Curve Controversy
    • Standardized Testing
    • Test Anxiety
    • Grade Inflation
    • Academic Cheating
    • Portfolio Assessment
    • Computer Adaptive Testing
    • Grades and Grading
    • Testing learners with disabilities
    • Performance-Based Assessment
    • Subjectivity of Rubrics

Reflect

Consider how your chosen article exposes potential limitations of assessments for learning.

Write (Post Initial Response by Thursday, Day 3)

Complete the following:

  • Include the topic of your article before you write your summary.
  • Provide a brief summary (about 250 words) of your peer-reviewed article that includes the major ideas, arguments, and findings.
  • Share your own thoughts and comments about the article. What did you find interesting or what surprised you? Use the course readings to support your response.
  • Develop one question that you have about your particular topic that would require a bit more research. Place this question at the end of your response.
  • Be sure to cite and reference your article using APA formatting. For further assistance, refer to Introduction to APA (Links to an external site.).

Module 02 Course Project – The Myth of Lobbyists

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The Myth of Lobbyists

Description

Part I: Lobbyists have been part of the U.S. Government system since the early 1800s. Lobbyists play an important role in healthcare, as they are advocates for their interest group. In a 4-5 page paper, analyze two examples of how lobbyists affect healthcare legislation. Conclude your paper with your opinion about whether the actions of lobbyists have a positive or negative effect on healthcare legislation in the United States. Please keep in mind the position and facility you selected. Make sure to include the following:

  1. Discuss the specific interest of the lobbyist in each example.
  2. Discuss in detail some of the ethical issues and moral disputes for each example.
  3. Discuss your position on whether the lobbyists’ actions are positive or negative on healthcare legislation in the United States and support your points with details.
  4. This portion of your assignment will require you to research and examine information from various sources. Use a minimum of five credible sources for your paper, with three being an academic source from the Rasmussen College Online Library (don’t forget to include in-text citations throughout your paper with paraphrasing or quoting)
  5. Make sure to include your APA formatted reference page.

Part II: An agenda can set the tone for a meeting. It’s an important tool to ensure meetings are staying on track and meeting all of the objectives. Create a detailed meeting agenda for a meeting you will hold with your supervisor and fellow department heads discussing your findings (Hint: Microsoft Word has many agenda templates). SkillSurfer in the online tutoring platform offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced tutorials on Microsoft Office products. Make sure to include the following in our agenda:

  1. Explain each example
  2. The majority of the agenda should be focused on whether the actions of lobbyists have a positive or negative effect on healthcare legislation in the United States.

Make sure to use audience specific language and tone in your agenda. Remember, your supervisor and other department heads will be in attendance. Also, make sure to follow proper agenda/business formatting guidelines and make sure document is professional in appearance.

Submit your completed assignment to the drop box below. Please check the Course Calendar for specific due dates.

Save your assignment as a Microsoft Word document. (Mac users, please remember to append the “.docx” extension to the filename.) The name of the file should be your first initial and last name, followed by an underscore and the name of the assignment, and an underscore and the date. An example is shown below:

4w

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Write a research report based on a hypothetical research study.  Conducting research and writing a report is common practice for many students and practitioners in any of the behavioral sciences fields.  
 

A research report, which is based on scientific method, is typically composed of the different sections listed below:

  • Introduction: The introduction states a specific      hypothesis and how that hypothesis was derived by connecting it to      previous research. 
  • Methods: The methods section describes the details of how      the hypothesis was tested and clarifies why the study was conducted in      that particular way. 
  • Results: The results section is where the raw      uninterpreted data is presented. 
  • Discussion: The discussion section is where an      argument is presented on whether or not the data supports the hypothesis,      the possible implications and limitations of the study, as well as      possible future directions for this type of research. 

Together, these sections should tell the reader what was done, how it was done, and what was learned through the research.  You will create a research report based on a hypothetical problem, sample, results, and literature review.  Organize your data by creating meaningful sections within your report. Make sure that you:

  • Apply key concepts of inferential      hypothesis tests.
  • Interpret the research findings      of the study.
  • Examine the assumptions and      limitations of inferential tests.
  • Develop a practical application      of the research principles covered in this course.

Focus of the Research Report
To begin, create a hypothetical research study (you do not have to carry out the study; you will just have to describe it) that is based on the three pieces of information listed below.  Once you have your hypothetical study created, write a three- to four-page research report (excluding title and reference pages) that outlines the study.  You are encouraged to be creative with your research study, but be sure to follow the format outlined below and adhere to APA formatting as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Your hypothetical research study should be based on the following information:

  • Recent      research has indicated that eating chocolate can improve memory.       Jones and Wilson (2011) found that eating chocolate two hours before      taking math tests improved scores significantly.  Wong, Hideki,      Anderson, and Skaarsgard (2009) found that women are better than men on      memory tests after eating chocolate.
  • There      were 50 men and 50 women who were randomly selected from a larger      population.
  • A t-test was conducted to compare men      and women’s performance on an assessment after eating chocolate. The      results showed an independentt-test      value of t .05(99) =      3.43; p < .05

Your research study must contain the following:

  1. Title Page 
    1. Title of       your report
    2. Your name
    3. The course
    4. Instructor
    5. Date
  2. Introduction 
    1. Introduce       the research topic, explain why it is important, and present the purpose       of the paper and the research question and hypothesis. 
    2. Discuss how       this study is related to other research on the topic.
    3. Elaborate on       the information from the references you were given.  State how they       relate to your hypothesis.
    4. Your       introduction must:
      • Consist of        a paragraph explaining what you are studying and why. Use previously        cited research to explain your expectations and discuss how those expectations        led to your hypothesis.
      • State a        clear and testable hypothesis and whether it is one-tailed or        two-tailed.  Make sure it is understandable to someone who has not        read the rest of your paper yet.  State the null hypothesis. 
      • Include a        justification of the direction of your hypothesis.  In other words,        explain why you chose the direction of your hypothesis if it is        one-tailed (e.g., previous research suggests that people with big feet        are more likely to score higher on math tests; therefore the hypothesis        is one-tailed) or if it is two-tailed (e.g., previous research is not        clear on which group will perform better; therefore, the hypothesis is        two-tailed).
      • Describe        why this study is important.
  • Method
  1. Design: State the experimental      design of your study, the independent and dependent
         variables, and what the task was (e.g., what you had the participants do).
  2. Participants: Identify and      describe your sample, how the participants were selected
         to be in the study, and why you chose them.  Provide details for how      each individual was
         assigned to each group.
  3. Procedure: Describe the      precise procedure you used to conduct this research (i.e., exactly
         what you did).  It should be clear enough that anyone could replicate      your study.  This is the
         subsection where you tell the reader how you collected the data.
  4. Data Analysis: Describe the      statistical procedure used in the study to analyze the data.
  • Results: In this section, you will describe the statistical      results: 
    1. State the       statistical tests that were used.          
    2. Justify the       choice of test.
    3. State the       observed value and significance level and whether the test was one or       two-tailed.
    4. State your       conclusion in terms of the hypothesis. 
    5. Did you       accept or reject the null hypothesis?
  • Discussion: Discuss your results as they relate to your      hypothesis. 
  1. Did you accept      the hypothesis or reject it? 
  2. Compare your      results to the previous studies mentioned in the introduction.  Are      your results similar or different? Discuss why.
  3. Tell the      readers what your findings mean.  Why did you get the results you      did?
  • Identify limitations to your      study.
  • Suggest ways your study could      be improved.
  • Suggest ideas for future      research, not just a continuation of your study, but research that is      similar to this study.  Perhaps one of the variables could be changed      or a different sample could be investigated.
  • Finish with a concluding      paragraph that is a statement of your findings and the key points of the      discussion.
  • Conclusion: Write a paragraph detailing your experience with      writing a research report.  Discuss how easy/difficult it was to      write a false report that reads like real results, and how this experience      might affect you review research in the future.  Do you think this      experience will provide you with a useful skill in your potential career?
  • References: You will create a minimum of three fictitious      references in the following format based on the information you have      created in the preceding sections of the report: 
    1. Author, A.,       & Author, B. (Publication year). Title of the article. Journal Name, volume number(issue       number), page numbers.
    2. Example:        Jones, A., & Williams, B. (2013). Why monkeys are good pets. Journal of Silly Science, 23(4), 221-222.

You may access the Critical Thinking Community (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. website for tips on how to formulate your report in a logical and meaningful manner.
Writing the Research Report
The Assignment:

  1. Must be three      to four double-spaced pages in length (excluding title and reference      pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford      Writing Center.
  2. Must include a      title page with the following:
  3. Title of paper
  4. Student’s name
  5. Course name      and number
  6. Instructor’s      name
  7. Date submitted
  • Must document      all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
  • Must include      the sections with the appropriate headings and content listed above.

Unit VII Article critique (HRD)

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Instructions 

As  a leader, it is expected for you to be able to identify with the workers   within  the organization. This process can take place during basic observation,   performance evaluations, attendance, interaction with others, and basic characteristics or behaviors. The leader must identify different personality types or behaviors and apply the suggested tactics for properly handling each type. Research the CSU Online Library or another external source for an article(s)  that addresses different personality types or behaviors in the work place and how to  apply tactics for properly handling of each type. Provide  your opinion on the article as it appliesto the following questions: 

What is the author’s main point?

Who is the author’s intended audience?

Do the author’s arguments support his or her main point? Explain different personality types or behaviors and how to apply the suggested tactics for properly handling of each type.  

What evidence supports the main point? 

What is your opinion of the article? (Do not simply summarize the article.) 

What evidence, either from the textbook or additional sources, supports your opinion? 

Your  article critique should be at least two pages in content length,including an  introduction, a body of supportive material (paragraphs), and a conclusion. Be sure to include a title page and a reference page and follow all  other APA formatting requirements. The title page and reference page do not count toward  the total page requirement.  
 

Discussion 1: Cultural Influences of Social Policy

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Cultures, regardless of where they are or how long ago they existed, share a few common characteristics. Among these characteristics is a structure to care for their children and to socialize them in the culture. Children are taught, both directly and indirectly, the values of the culture, their role in the culture, and the expectations the culture has for them. Children absorb the rules, dynamics, and values, which they will later pass these on to subsequent generations.

As a social worker, you will deal with families from different cultural backgrounds. Understanding the cultural background of the families you work with will help you to effectively intervene and advocate for policies that support their needs. How prepared are you to identify and advocate for social policies that are just and support families from all cultures?

For this Discussion, review this week’s resources, including the Hernandez Family video case. Consider how cultural considerations might affect child welfare policy. Then, think about what your responsibilities, as a social worker, might be in supporting the Hernandez family in addressing their child welfare needs through the accessibility of services.

By Day 3

Post an explanation of how cultural considerations might affect child welfare policy. Then, explain what your responsibilities, as a social worker, might be in supporting the Hernandez family in addressing their child welfare needs through the accessibility of services.

Support your post with specific references to the resources. Be sure to provide full APA citations for your references.

 

Required Readings

Popple, P. R., & Leighninger, L. (2015). The policy-based profession: An introduction to social welfare policy analysis for social workers. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
Chapter 10, “Child Welfare: Family Preservation Policy” (pp. 212-242)

Edwards, H. R., Bryant, D. U., & Bent-Goodley, T. B. (2011). Participation and influence in federal child welfare policymaking. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 5(2/3), 145–166.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Plummer, S. -B., Makris, S., & Brocksen, S. (Eds.). (2014). Sessions: Case histories. Baltimore: MD: Laureate International Universities Publishing. [Vital Source e-reader].
Part 1, “The Hernandez Family” (pp.3–5)

Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer). (2013). Sessions: Hernandez family (Episode 3 of 42) [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu

Accessible player –Downloads–Download Video w/CCDownload AudioDownload Transcript

1. On history, society, and the origins, the evolution, and the context of business (Modules 2 and 3)

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This is a graded discussion forum set up for discussing the historical, economic and social context of business. Note that the very idea of business, especially the notion of a for-profit business that is operated to benefit its stakeholders, is a rather recent phenomenon in human history.

Your discussion contribution grade for this forum will not be final until after June 3th, or after this discussion board has closed. You may receive up to 25 points for your participation in this particular discussion board.

To receive all of the 25 points for participation in this discussion forum I expect you to do the following:

1. Make sure that you post your first contribution in this forum well before June 7th (the closing date for this discussion forum).
2. Make a minimum of at least two significant original contributions with arguments and examples (generally at least a full page) plus you must also interact with other posters. Note that for a post to count as a significant contribution, it must elaborate on a new point related to the discussion at hand, or else present a new perspective or argument and be supported by logic and/or specific examples. A significant post can either be made as the start of a new thread or else in response to a thread started by someone else.
3. You should also engage in continuing additional interactions with other posters over time (in other words, you should not be posting all your contributions in this forum at the same time). Moreover, you should respond to any posts that are made by others that challenge original posts that you made. Note that this means that you must make your posts early enough that you can interact with others before this discussion board closes. Posts that are made right before the discussion closes will probably neither be read, nor responded to, by other posters and hence posts that are made at the last minute do not represent the same contribution to the discussion as earlier posts.
4. Remain civil and respectful of other posters in the forums. We welcome disagreements and contrary opinions that we can debate and respond to. After all, that is what makes for a good discussion, but we also want to make sure that, even as we disagree about the issues, we will still remain cordial in responding to each other.

planning

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Objectives:

  • Describe how a service culture can be created within a business
  • Interpret whether a company utilizes product-oriented or customer-oriented marketing
  • Evaluate internal marketing concepts that support overall marketing strategy

 explore research planning for the a Seafood restaurant. 

To start, explain the role marketing research should play in helping a firm to implement the marketing concept. Then, use your identified business as an example to demonstrate how that role would be performed. Necessary elements for your analysis include:

  • Determine if your business should use product-oriented or customer-oriented marketing
  • Identify data collection methods and sources
  • Explain how market research could be used to establish/sustain a service culture
  • Evaluate internal marketing tactics to support overall marketing strategy
  • Explain the importance of gathering information in gaining insights about the marketplace and customers.

**These identified elements should be addressed in the writing but the writing should not be limited to these elements. 

Use outside research to provide validation, corroboration, or contrasting perspectives in order to support your perspective.

Writing Expectations

  • Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
  • APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to the current edition of the APA handbook for style and formatting.
  • Length is less important than content. Each element should be sufficiently discussed without “fluff”.

Creating a Personal Financial Plan

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 Imagine that you are in a position where you need to move – this could be because of a change in job, a need to modify your living arrangements, or something else. In addition to searching for different housing, you want to begin saving for a specific financial goal.

You will use the Assignment Template (an Excel file) to create a budget that satisfies the scenario. You’ll also answer reflection questions related to your goals.

ASSIGNMENT: This assignment has two parts. In part 1, you will create a financial plan based on the scenario described above. You’ll use your productivity skills to organize your plan, and you’ll use your problem solving skills to determine a reasonable rate of savings to reach your goals. Finally, you’ll apply your technology skills to ensure that your budget is balanced, and expenditures (like housing) don’t exceed your employment income.

In part 2, you will answer reflection questions about the decisions you made and the skills you leveraged while building your plan.

For this assignment, you will:

  • Create a budget for a financial plan using Microsoft Excel, ensuring that the information is organized, accurate, and complete.
  • Identify a personal savings goal and a time frame for reaching it.
  • Explain how your choice of housing will help you achieve your personal savings goal.
  • Align your expenditures to support your goal.
  • Reflect on how creating a step-by-step and organized approach to the assignment helps you adjust the financial priorities in your plan.

Download the Excel template below, which further breaks down the steps involved in this assignment. You will return the completed template as your Touchstone submission.

Assignment Template

A. Assignment Guidelines

DIRECTIONS: Refer to the lists below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.

1. Creating a Financial Plan

❒ Have you populated the table cells for income, savings, housing, and other expenditures?❒ Have you selected a rate of savings that is realistic in terms of achieving your financial goal?❒ Have you verified that the sum of your expenditures (including savings) equals your employment income?❒ Have you verified that the percent column for the expenditures totals 100%?

2. Reflection Questions

❒ Have you directly answered each question that was asked?❒ Have you provided sufficient evidence to support each of your answers?❒ Have you made clear and logical connections between your conclusions and the data used in the annual budget?❒ Have you referred to the skills in this course, if required by the prompt?❒ Have you included sufficient detail in your answers?