THE ATTACHED FORM NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED
Overview
In this module, you have learned about the importance of prioritizing people, whether it be employees, the local community, or customers. In this assignment, you will explore important considerations for culturally competent business practices, which can help strengthen and maintain relationships.
Scenario
You are a procurement manager working on training a new sourcing analyst. As part of their training, they will be traveling with you to meet with new and existing suppliers for specialized parts your company needs. This will allow your colleague first-hand experience and help them develop relationships with the business professionals they will be working with in the future.
You need to make sure that they are familiar with cultural business practices for the places you will be visiting so that existing business relationships remain strong and new relationships start off well. You have decided to create a brief guide that includes the cultural considerations they will need to be aware of while doing business.
Prompt
Use the Module Two Assignment Template Word Document to create a guide that provides a brief overview of culturally considerate business practices for three countries of your choosing that are outside of the United States. Use course and external resources (such as the Shapiro Library) to gather information on your selected countries and their cultural business practices.
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
Authority Figures: Describe how figures of authority are treated and shown respect in each selected country, as well as actions or communications that may cause unintended offense.
Levels of Formality: Describe the level of formality that business professionals follow in each selected country. Examples are things like language, dress, or etiquette.
Social Norms: Identify common social norms that should be used in business in each selected country, as well as hand gestures and body language that should be avoided or that may cause unintended offense.
Time and Scheduling: Describe how the concepts of time and scheduling are treated in each selected country, as well as considerations for business-meeting etiquette that should be considered to avoid causing unintended offense.
Business Practices: Describe general business practices that should be taken into consideration when conducting business in the selected countries. Examples include meals, cultural holidays and events, and the use of formal contracts.
What to Submit
Submit the Module Two Assignment Template to complete this assignment. Use bullet points when completing the template. Sources should be cited according to APA style.
Category: QSO
Competencies
In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competencies:
Recommend operations management methods and techniques to increase value for customers
Evaluate how operations management generates value for an organization
Explain local, national, and global sustainability in relation to functional areas of business
Scenario
You work as the chief supply-chain officer at the large international corporation, NationaliTeas. NationaliTeas manufactures and sells tea worldwide. Its motto is “Keeping people and their taste buds awake (when they want to be awake).” Its mission is “Make the world more awake through rejuvenating and refreshing beverages and sustainable practices that uplift workers, communities, and souls.” Its vision is “to be the most respected tea manufacturer across at least three continents for our tea and our actions, which will be driven by a commitment ethical sourcing, minimal waste, and empowerment of our employees.”
You would like to establish an operational goal of having your corporation apply for a B Corp Certification within the next two years. You believe this would add value to the organization and help it to prioritize a stronger focus on sustainable operational practices. You have conducted a preassesment based on the recommendations for applying for B Corp Certification, and you’ve evaluated the corporation’s current strengths and areas for improvement.
Now you need to develop a proposal for the board of directors that explains why prioritizing the triple bottom line (TBL) through working toward B Corp Certification has organizational value. You must also propose three high-impact initiatives to help strengthen the corporation’s commitment to people, planet, and profit based on your evaluations.
Directions
Part One: Justification of Benefits: Justify the value of working toward more intentionally incorporating the TBL framework into organizational decision making, specifically how ethical business practices regarding people, planet, and profit can benefit society, the environment, and the company’s profit. Specifically, address the following:
Key Components: Explain the three key components of the TBL framework and how each component benefits businesses and society.
Organizational Value: Provide a justification regarding the value and benefits of using the TBL framework to inform corporate decision making, and explain connections between the organizational mission and the organizational vision.
B Corporation Benefits: Briefly describe the organizational benefits of attaining B Corp Certification.
Part Two: Operational Recommendations: Read through the Preassessment Evaluation Summary (located in the Supporting Materials section) for each aspect of the TBL (people, profit, and planet). You will need to provide a detailed description of the initiatives that will create the needed improvement. You should note the organizational and societal value of the initiative along with the operational management techniques recommended to plan and complete each initiative. For each of your three initiatives, address the following:
Organizational Impacts: Describe the organizational benefits of each initiative, specifically noting the expected positive impact of completing each. Examples of positive impacts include better alignment to the organization’s mission, vision, and culture statements; increased amounts of funds or resources saved; and improvements to the organization’s brand.
Societal Impacts: Describe the societal benefits of each initiative, specifically noting the expected positive impact of completing each. Examples of positive impacts include increased community building and positive environmental impact.
Customer Impacts: Describe the consumer benefits of each selected initiative, specifically noting the expected positive impact of completing each. Examples of positive impacts include increased alignment to target markets, improved product access and availability, and improved customer satisfaction.
Business Risks: Explain the business risks associated with prioritizing, planning, and resourcing each initiative and how these risks will be considered and monitored.
Operational Management Techniques: Recommend an operational management strategy or technique (e.g., project management, lean manufacturing, or Six Sigma) that is appropriate to implement for each selected initiative, and explain why.
Defining Requirements and Scope: Define the requirements for the successful implantation of each selected initiative as well as the scope of each. Describe how changes to the requirements and scope would impact timelines, budget, and risk.
Roles and Responsibilities: Explain the key internal and external stakeholders who would be involved in planning and implementing each selected initiative, as well as why each identified stakeholder is needed to successfully implement the initiatives.
What to Submit
To complete this project, you must submit the following:
Submit your project using one of the two formats listed below. Please note that your submission should include both Part One and Part Two of your project. For either format, sources should be cited according to APA style.
Written Report: Submit a 1,500- to 1,700-word Word document. Use APA style.
Slideshow Presentation: Submit a 10- to 12-slide presentation with speakers notes. Your slideshow should be submitted as a PowerPoint or PDF document. Example tools that could be used to create your slideshow include:
PowerPoint
Canva
Prezi
Supporting Materials
The following resource support your work on the project:
Reading: Project Preassessment Evaluation Summary PDF
This document presents the results of NationaliTeas’ preassessment for attaining B Corp Certification.