General Discussion Instructions

You are required to post to this discussion THREE TIMES, on THREE DIFFERENT DAYS. Please refer to the Discussion Grading Rubric for details regarding how your performance will be assessed. NOTE: Please be certain to read the entire discussion assignment since in some cases there is more than one question you need to discuss, respond to, or address. Be sure that you have answered the entire question!

Post 1: Initial Post

This posting should be a minimum of one short paragraph and a maximum of two paragraphs. Word totals for this post should be in the 100–200-word range. Whether you agree or disagree, explain why with supporting evidence and concepts from the readings or a related experience. Include a reference, link, or citation when appropriate.

Preparation

1. Select one of the external factors discussed in the text that influences business.
2. Choose a company that is being significantly influenced by the factor you selected. For example, there has been a great deal of consumer concern about the use of GMOs in food, and Monsanto has been on the receiving end of a great deal of criticism. See the article “Monsanto in the middle of upcoming congressional fight over GMO labeling”

Now that you have a company and an external factor (Monsanto and GMOs, for example), the next step is to research your company’s activities during the past six to twelve months, as they relate to this external factor. You will want to start at the company’s Web site. Find out what the company owners and managers are doing/saying about the issue. Consider the stakeholders, as well, and look for information on how they are influencing company reaction/action.

For Discussion

Using the research you performed in the preparation steps, craft your initial discussion posting. In this initial post you will:

• Provide a brief background on the company and the external factor you selected.
• Explain how this external factor is currently influencing the internal functional areas of the business/company. In other words, what short-term changes, actions, or decisions are needing to be made within the functional, internal areas of the company as a result of the external factor?
• How do you think the company will address this external factor over the long term?
  • For example, if you selected the Ronald McDonald House and the external factor of corporate citizenship, you might surmise that the slow economy and high unemployment will put additional pressure on McDonald’s to provide more assistance to families and people in need. However, in a slow economy people are less likely to make donations. They are being asked to do more but may have less to do it with. In the long term, if donations do not increase and demand remains high, the company may have to look for other means besides donations to support their mission. Marketing may need to increase, and the finance department may start to look for ways to cut costs.

Posts 2 and 3: Respond to Classmates’ Posts

Instructions

After you have created your initial post, look over the discussion posts of your classmates and give at least two thoughtful responses to two different classmates (one per classmate) as outlined in the Discussion Grading Rubric.

A response posting should be a minimum of one short paragraph. Word totals for these posts should be in the 75–100-word range. Whether you agree or disagree, explain why with supporting evidence and concepts from the readings or a related experience. Include a reference, link, or citation when appropriate. The goal of your response posts is to extend discussions already taking place or pose new possibilities or opinions not previously voiced. Your goal should be to motivate the group discussion and present a creative approach to the topic.