Assume that your team represents four area directors under Dr. J.K. Suresh, the Principal Knowledge Manager at InfoSys. Dr. Suresh has asked you to consider your next steps, and make a recommendation on how to move forward. InfoSys is changing its business model from primarily being an outsourcing service provider (and a world leader in the area, by the way) to selling and supporting its own ERP style solutions. Making the switch is going to impact a number of business processes, and thereby, influence how the organization of about 150,000 employees manages its vast knowledge resource. The challenges are myriad. Dr. Suresh’s time is already stretched thin. The old system is a tough act to follow, it works extremely well in supporting the knowledge management activities of a client service firm. But Dr. Suresh knows better than to wait for the new business processes to expose the limitations of the existing Knowledge Management System (KMS). And as noted in the case, the new KMS should do a better job of identifying and incorporating information which resides outside the organization and not only that which lives in the heads of InfoSys employees. He has asked you to create a proposal, outlining his options in developing the new KMS. A few ideas have been identified in the case: Adapt the current system to reflect the needs associated with the change in business focus, or build a new system from the ground up. While Dr. Suresh thinks these ideas might make sense, he is convinced that there are other options, and he blames your team for not thinking far enough outside the box. So here is your ultimatum: With the goal of supporting the KM requirements associated with the switch in focus to a product provider (as defined in the case), identify at least one new approach not already discussed. Evaluate your approach, along with those identified already, and write a recommendation and action plan. This effort will require some research. Remember to cite your sources appropriately. Time is short, and you have a number of other projects going on, so you had better get started straight away. In your report, make sure you address the following: 1) Identify at least one alternative approach to achieving your objective 2) Establish several criteria that the new system must meet 3) Analyze each approach including evaluation against each criterion 4) Select and support one approach to recommend based on a complete synthesis of all information 5) Create a roadmap to the implementation of the approach that you decide to recommend (if new costs emerge, tell us how they will be funded) with a timeline that shows which resources would need to be mobilized at each phase of implementation

Question 1. What are the pricing factors smb and hml and how have they been computed? (hint: read the Fama and French (1996) paper – its on iLearn) (2 marks)

Question 2. Open the excel data file in EViews (File/Open/Foreign data as workfile). a) Create a new variable (mkt_rf) for excess returns of the market over risk free, also known as daily market risk premium, i.e. mkt_rf = market – rf. (hint: If you do this correctly the first value of mkt_rf will be -0.710.) Next, create a new variable for excess returns on the SMALL_HiBM portfolio, i.e. SH_rf = SMALL_HiBM – rf. (hint: if you do this correctly the first value of SH_rf will be -0.531.) (1 mark) b) Provide a graph of rf and comment on its behaviour before and after the global financial crisis in 2008. (1 mark)

Question 3. Provide a graph and descriptive statistics for both the SH_rf and mkt_rf returns, and compare them. Highlight any important differences between them. (3 marks)

Question 4. Repeat the exercise from Question 3 for a different sample period: 3 January 2000 – 31 December 2007. You do not need to repeat the preliminary steps. Use the “sample” tab in Eviews to set the new sample period. Comment on the performance of the SMALL_HiBM portfolio relative to the market portfolio during this period. (2 marks)

For the following questions restore the sample period to the full period in EViews for the remainder of the assignment, unless a question specifically asks you to do otherwise.

Question 5. Estimate the following model for the full sample period:

0 1 2 3 __ t t t t t SH rf mkt rf smb hml      = + + + + (1)

Present the fitted equation showing coefficient estimates, standard errors and t-statistics (type the results in your assignment, do not simply copy and paste the EViews output). (4 marks)

Question 6. Is the estimate of 0 
significant at the 5% level? Explain your finding, do not just answer yes or no. How do you interpret this result? (2 marks)

Question 7. a) Explain whether we should expect the estimates of 12 , 
and 3 
to be positive or
negative. (2 marks) b) Are the signs of your actual estimates the same as what you expected? If not, how do they differ? (1 mark)

Question 8. a) Conduct a hypothesis test to determine whether 𝛽0, 𝛽2 and 𝛽3 are jointly significantly different to zero, i.e. test the following null hypothesis 𝐻0: 𝛽0=0 and 𝛽2=0 and 𝛽3= 0. Set out all of the steps for a formal hypothesis test and state the conclusion. Use a 5% significance level. (hint: in Eviews click View Coefficient diagnostics/Wald test) (2 marks) b) What does your test result imply in relation to the validity of the CAPM? Why? (1 mark)

Question 9. Conduct the basic diagnostic tests on the estimated model, i.e. autocorrelation (use 5 lags of residuals), heteroskedasticity (White’s test with no cross product), non-normality, misspecification of functional form (only one fitted term, quadratic). You do not need to write out all of the steps of the hypothesis tests and you may copy the EViews output of the tests into your
assignment. However you must clearly write out the null and alternative hypotheses in each case, and clearly state the conclusion of each test. Use a 5% significance level. (4 marks)

Part B Total number of marks: 25

Question 1. Conduct ADF and KPSS unit-root tests on the market series for the full sample period (conduct the tests in levels, not differences, with an intercept and no time trend, and use default values for the remaining settings). Be careful to properly state the null and alternative hypotheses for the two tests. You may copy in the relevant parts of the EViews output. Comment on your findings. (4 marks)

Question 2. Plot the ACF and PACF functions for market (include 12 lags). Comment on the magnitude and significance of the correlations. What optimal ARMA(p,q) model would you choose based on these graphs? Why? (4 marks)

Question 3. Select an optimal ARMA(p,q) model for the returns based on an information criterion (see below). Select from the set of models up to and including the largest model of ARMA(3,3). You may use the automatic procedure (set no transformation, max.-difference=0 and max SAR=0) or you may undertake this task manually. (hint: Refer to examples in the Week 7 tutorial) a) Present a single table of the criterion values for AIC, SBIC and HQ over all combinations of p and q. What is the preferred model on the basis of the AIC criterion? (2 marks) b) What is the preferred model on the basis of SBIC? (1 mark) c) Do both information criteria select the same model? Explain why the two criteria may select different models. (1 mark)

Question 4. a) Estimate the ARMA(1,1) model for the market series. Report the fitted equation and comment on the significance of the parameter estimates. (3 marks). b) Present the ACF and PACF graphs and statistics for the residuals (use 12 lags) and comment on them. (2 marks)

Question 5. a) Perform a test for fifth order ARCH effects in the estimated residuals of the model in Question 4. (hint: After you estimate the model for Question 4, click on View from the
Equation Window and select Residual Diagnostics and then Heteroscesdasticity tests. In the ‘Test type’ box, choose ARCH and the number of lags to include is 5). Write out the null and alternative hypotheses for the test. Explain your conclusion from the test. (3 marks) b) Estimate the ARMA(1,1)‐ARCH(5) model for the market series (hint: select Quick, Estimate Equation, under method select ARCH. In the mean equation box type market c ar(1) ma(1) and in the variance part, specify the order of ARCH as 5 and the order of GARCH as 0). Report the fitted equation. Do all of the parameter estimates satisfy the ARCH restrictions? (2 marks) c) Graph the conditional variance from part (b) and comment on its behaviour. Explain why a GARCH(1,1) specification might be more effective for modelling persistent volatility clustering than the ARCH(5) specification (you are not required to estimate the GARCH model). (3 marks)

QUESTION 1

1. Fielding is interested in the stratification system in the United States and how it is perpetuated through time. Fielding decides to examine the experiences of minority students who seek college counseling in high school. He interviews minority students in four high schools to learn whether their personal experiences tell him something about stratification in the United States. After interviewing the minority students Fielding interviews non-minority students, school administrators, guidance counselors, teachers, parents, and social workers at the same four high schools.  Fielding is probably using a(n) _____ approach.

3 points   

QUESTION 2

1. Michael is spending three months living in a commune doing participant observation in order to fully understand and document the lives of the people who reside there. What is the likely result of Michael’s research?

3 points   

QUESTION 3

1. Which of the following is the best example of a breaching experiment?

3 points   

QUESTION 4

1. Sara wanted to learn about battered women. She entered the world of a battered women’s shelter and lived with the women in order to fully learn about the views of these women. She wanted to write a detailed and accurate description about the lives that the women reported. Which of the following approaches best describes Sara’s research paradigm?

3 points   

QUESTION 5

1. Professor Milne is preparing to do qualitative interviewing in a field research project. Milne knows that you are a research methods student and asks for your advice. You tell Milne:

3 points   

QUESTION 6

1. To examine the social interactions of online role-playing gamers, a relatively recent social phenomenon, Kyoko developed a rough outline of what to look for before setting out on observation. This outline was intended to guide, but not specifically structure, the observations. What approach did Kyoko use?

3 points   

QUESTION 7

1. Jennifer is interested in understanding the dynamics within an economically diverse high school. She interviews a wide variety of students, as well as the staff and faculty to understand how race has an effect on their education. Jennifer is using what sort of research paradigm?

3 points   

QUESTION 8

1. Jessica is concerned with the problem of reactivity in her study of a local diet group. Which of the following is NOT one of her reactivity concerns?

3 points   

QUESTION 9

1. _____ combines a naturalist approach with a positivist concern for a “systematic set of procedures” in doing qualitative research.

3 points   

QUESTION 10

1. Jenny wants to do research that tells the stories of rape victims. She wants to tell “their stories” the way they “really are.” Jenny is using a(n) _____ paradigm.

The micro-sociological approach examined in this course aims to provide an analytic framework applicable to a wide range of “real life” situations, ranging from our mundane routines to the more exceptional and unusual situations and forms of social interaction. We’ve examined the SI model from the elementary features of human consciousness, to ‘self” and situated identity, all the way up to features of the social order typically examined from a macro-sociological perspective.

For this assignment you will be required to apply what you have learned during the course to an actual ‘real life’ case. Specifically, you will be asked to find a recent news story that you will use as the basis for micro-sociological analysis, perform an analysis on the ‘case’ you have selected and submit your analysis in the form of a brief essay.

Your choice of topic should be limited to one (or more) of the themes that list below, namely gender, race/ethnicity, age and youth, or deviance. For example, you may want to focus on former juvenile offenders who have completed a  rehabilitation program, and focus on what this experience has meant in terms of their self-concepts, social interactions, and personal accounts. You might, alternately, want to focus on how female dramatic performers manage ‘age’ in an industry that places a great deal of emphasis on youth.

The ideal place to start is by looking through recent news stories, and select one of the these as the “case’ you are going to analyze. You may want to do a bit of digging to see if the same story has been covered by different news sources. You may also want to select a story that includes self-descriptions, personal accounts, or large sections where the person or persons involved get to tell their own stories. Some of the concepts you may (emphasis on MAY) want to focus on would include personal accounts related to identity, features of unique or novel social situations that influence social interactions and situated self, the management of problematic identities, or how different social elements converge to produce social order.

FORMAT: The assignment should be presented in essay form. Please keep font sizes reasonable, preferably 12 point Times New Roman. Be sure to properly reference and cite all sources.

Improvement Evaluation

A health care organization may have highly qualified doctors and nurses who meet quality indicators for technical quality; however, due to a lack of communication, empathy, and scheduled office hours, patient satisfaction is low. In the corporate world, the phrase “the customer is always right” is frequently used to emphasize the importance of meeting the needs and expectations of the consumer. How does this approach apply to health care?

Health care industries are now using quality improvement models that are very business-centric to improve the quality of care delivery, patient satisfaction, and safety. In this Discussion, you evaluate various quality improvement models and determine which model would best be applied in your practice setting to address a specific need. You also develop a mission statement for addressing the practice problem.

To prepare:

• Reflect on the various quality improvement models and their application in health care presented in the Learning Resources.
• Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each model.
• Consider how these metrics facilitate change and improve the management of chronic disease.
• Consider how these models have been, or could be, applied in your practice setting.
• Based on your selected area of need, define a practice problem and create a corresponding mission statement.
• Investigate baseline data, and evaluate why this practice problem is a priority for improvement. Ask yourself: How does this practice problem in my organization compare to other organizations?

By Day 3

Post a cohesive response that addresses the following:

• Summarize any practice problem relevant to your setting of interest and share a potential measurable goal for a QI team.( Please use CLABSI as a QI) Be sure to include the data that justifies why you feel a change is needed in this specific area.
• Explain how the PDSA model might be applied , giving specific reasoning as to why this model best fits the needs of your practice problem. Describe how the practice problem you describe might be of interest to any accreditation initiative.

For this assignment, students will analyze a case study to determine the disorder. Students will synthesize current evidence to support the case analysis and create an in-depth case discussion of the disorder. (Case study chosen is consistent with STROKE)

Case Study

Brandi is a 70-year-old woman who lives alone. One evening she felt lightheaded and dizzy. When her head began to ache, she decided to take an analgesic and go to bed early. The following morning, upon awakening, she was unable to move the bed sheets with her right arm. At this point, she was experiencing tingling sensations in her limbs, and she had difficulty keeping her balance. She dialled 911 for help, and by the time the ambulance arrived, she was confused and unable to articulate her words, although she knew what information he was asking of her. She has a history of high blood pressure. She was taken to the emergency room for evaluation.

Assignment Criteria:

Create a scholarly paper that addresses the following criteria:

1. Identify and describe the condition depicted in the case (STROKE)
2. Identify the epidemiological trends for condition [prevalence rate]
3. Identify risk factors for developing the condition and the population mostly affected
4. Clinical manifestations [signs and symptoms] of the condition
5. Discuss the most common causes of the condition
6. Describe the pathophysiology of the condition and corresponding signs/symptoms
7. Identify patient education strategies for the condition [include health promotion and disease prevention]
8. Describe and discuss a general diagnosis and treatment approach for the condition
9. Select one patient factor: genetics, gender, ethnicity, age, or behavior and discuss the impact of the patient factor selected on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and education of the condition in the case scenario.
10. Identify at least one other condition that could also explain the patient presentation in the case scenario with a supporting rationale.
11. The scholarly paper should be in narrative format, 5 pages excluding the title and reference page.
12. Include an introductory paragraph, purpose statement, and a conclusion.
13. Include level 1 and 2 headings to organize the paper.
14. Write the paper in third person, not first person (meaning do not use ‘we’ or ‘I’) and in a scholarly manner. To clarify: I, we, you, me, our may not be used. In addition, describing yourself as the researcher or the author should not be used.
15. Include a minimum of two (2) professional peer-reviewed scholarly journal references to support the paper (review in Ulrich Periodical Directory) and be less than five (5) years old.
16. APA format is required (attention to spelling/grammar, a title page, a reference page, and in-text citations).
17. Review the originality report, and make any needed changes.

Practices

Kotter (2001) identified creating a vision as one of the defining characteristics of leadership. Academics and business leaders alike seem to echo the sentiment; however, each offers his or her own guidelines and advice on how this critical task of setting a vision can be accomplished. As a scholar-practitioner in the field of business, you must draw on the work of others and add your voice to those developing a strategy for accomplishing this crucial leadership responsibility. More than that, you must develop a concrete mechanism for verifying the successful adoption of that vision. Even if you do not occupy a central leadership role, you can use the strategy you develop to help guide others in the field.

To prepare for this Assignment, reflect on Dr. Craig Marsh’s case study. Consider his challenges as well as his strengths and how you have adopted a model for corporate change. This model should include your organizational change or cultural change model, steps you would take to change the culture, and the dissection and explanation of how these steps will influence each of the challenges you face. Also included will be the mitigation plan to address the challenges, the creation of your vision statement, and a description of how you will translate your vision into measurable objectives. This week you compile these elements into one PowerPoint presentation that is your strategic plan to sell your vision to your organizational team.

Write an essay of 1000 to 1200 words (4 to 5 double-spaced pages, not including title and reference pages) on the topic given below. Your essay should conform to a standard university essay, including a strong thesis statement and structural organization.

Topic

What are the arguments for and against globalization and free trade?

Should anything be done by the Canadian state to ensure that globalization and free trade benefit all? If yes, why and how? If no, why not?

Investigate the effect of state anxiety level in healthy population using emotional Stroop test to find out the effect of threat-related words on decreasing the reaction time as distractors compared with neutral words. State anxiety will be evaluated using State-trait Anxiety Inventory—Short form (Marteau & Bekker, 1992). Hypophysis will be there will be an interaction effect between the level of state-trait anxiety and valence of emotional stimuli, threat related stimuli will increase Stroop interference the most when anxiety level is high