Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Employee Behavior



Employee Behavior
 Introduction
In most organizations, employee behavior should align with universal professional behavior implied in the conditions and terms of employment. The standards are similar in most workplaces upholding respectful employee relationships. If the employees understand the policies and procedures regulating the workplace, they are expected to behave appropriately. Employee behaviors also share the workplace culture as required in the organizational structure and guidelines. For instance, the code of conduct offers a comprehensive summary of the expected behaviors of the employees (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2008). In addition, most organizations require the employees to sign the code of conduct agreement upon employment into the organization.
Any employees who violate the standards he or she is subject to disciplinary actions that have severe consequences. Mostly, the punishment is progressive whereby employees may receive subsequent warnings, written letters, and then termination from the organizations. In order ensure the employee are aware of their behaviors, organization involves them in the rewritten of rules and regulations relating to their behavior in the workplace (Elias, 2013). For example, employees would like to include actions such as social media gossips not included in the organization’s standards and policies. Therefore, the paper provides a detailed report on dimensions of employee behavior as well as relevant procedures to enhance employee behavior in the organizations.
The subject of employee behavior remains essential in the overall management of the different organizations. The employees must all times follow the company’s policies and stipulations to avoid any violations. It is important to maintain appropriate employee behavior in the workplace.  Most of the employee behaviors are outlined in the job descriptions and the organization’s standards and policies. However, the expected employee behaviors may be unwritten that implies the socially acceptable actions in the society. People diagnosed with cognitive impairment conditions including spectrum disorder and other conditions such as anti-social personality disorder may behave inappropriately (Werner & DeSimone, 2008). Some of the unacceptable employee behaviors include the criticism of co-workers, being rude to the client, acting with disrespect, unacceptable touching, selfishness attitude, and aggressive while communicating with the co-workers among others. Therefore, the management should engage in increased awareness of the positive behavioral actions needed. It can be achieved by engaging relevant strategies and support in the organizations.
With the current perspectives of dynamic structural frameworks of employee behavior, the social media content is appropriate for employers to monitor the actions for the employees in the workplace. This indicates the aspects of trade-offs of employees between social media and work related content in the organizations. Some of organizations use the social media platforms for marketing purposes to expand external reputation.  However, the employees are required to use the social media for work related aspects rather than for leisure purposes. Multiple literatures have been written to analyze the aspects of employee behaviors in the society.  Sims (2002) concludes that employee behavior aspects of sales and marketing structure of the companies as it defines the capability of the workers to produce more products and services.


Ways of Enhancing Ethical Employee Behavior
            Corporate misconduct has increased in many organizations, but surveys on employee behaviors appreciate he need to follow the ethical standards stipulated in the employment terms and conditions. The employee behavior ethics cannot only be provided by the elimination of the unethical issues, but also by training the employees on the ethical behaviors (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2008). The good companies understand the need to train the employees on the workplace ethics. The companies can use three important steps in eradicating unethical employee behaviors in the workplace. The first step is to determine the potential areas of negative ethics among the employee. It involves examining the behaviors and qualities of the employees towards promoting god ethics and actions in the workplace. Hire business management help writer online. The individual traits of the employees are examined to determine whether the employees have a personality that fits the organization’s needs.
Employee diversification is also important in reducing the cases of negative employee behavior. Today, most companies are looking to hire employees from different nationalities and ethnic backgrounds. The diverse employees bring synergy and cooperation in the workplace.  Under the first step, Hellriegel and Slocum (2008) provide that engaging in international corporate relationships is crucial. Even though dealing with the different international companies, the ethical behaviors may vary. The employees are exposed to different ethical aspect giving them a better understanding of employee behavior. It is also crucial to understand how unethical influences affect the productivity and performance of the organizations (Sims, 2002). Second, the employee behavior in the workplace can be shaped by the application of positive workplace behaviors. When the management comes up with relevant workplace behavior ethics, the employees are understand the appropriate ethical behaviors and actions needed. Some of positive ethical practices include strong corporate image, professionalism, honesty, trust, and responsibility. The concept of responsibility insists that the employees should work on their roles and duties as indicated in the job descriptions. Since, the employee behavior should be made accountable to completion of the job responsibilities and duties.
 In addition, the management should be able to trust the employees to make informed decisions in the business scenarios. Honesty is a crucial positive workplace ethics that important the overall positive perception of the employees on the organization. Finally, the organizations are expected to continue training ethics in the workplace. The current workplace is dynamic and requires the employees are adjusting to environment (Abiodun, 2010). Continuous ethics training helps the employees to refocus on the core aspects of the ethical employee actions. The need for employee ethical behavior is always going to exists among the organizations. The organization should invest heavily in training and instilling actual ethics training and programs. Such ethics programs provide the employees with the strategy on how to act and react to the various business scenarios.
The employee engagement calls for commitment necessary to promote improved decision-making and the overall organization’s culture. Employee engagement is a relevant aspect in promoting the employee behaviors and actions in the society. The main purpose of the organization is developing trustful and confidence leads in the workplace. It also supports employee discretionary efforts understood as an essential incentive for ethical behavior (Elias, 2013). Employee engagement advocates for an appropriate ethic cultures in the organizations. The creation of an appropriate culture is relevant in ensuring that all employees understand the actions and behaviors expected of them by the management. The extent of organizations standards is defined by the ethical culture in an organization. The management expects more employees to be accountable for their actions with integrity.
Most importantly, the management is should set up appropriate ethical behavior models. It involves the ethical standards to be employed in the overall management of the company values and integrity. Thus, setting relevant behavior model is crucial in supporting the overall ethics in the workplace. Gouthier and Rhein (2011) discusses on the need to score and design indices required for making observations and reports regarding employee behaviors. In terms of employee promotion to leadership, the employee behavior is a major consideration. As a result, cases of ethics training in most organizations have increased as well as inclusion of ethical conduct in the performance measurements and employee evaluations. The companies are increasingly careful to impose better conditions to promote accountability and discipline among employees. It also promotes ethical commitment that supports ethical conduct in the organizations.
In spite of the provisions of employees to follow certain standard actions, there is employment tribunals set up to protect the employment rights as well as equality in the workplace. The employment tribunals organized consultation between the employers and employees to resolve the workplace disputes. Most important, it deals with unethical behaviors committed by employees includes corruption and embezzlement of funds (Elias, 2013).  Employee behavior is crucial in the workplace and thus the policymakers have come up with various initiatives to encourage employees to act appropriately.
There is no adequate evidence to confirm that employee personalities and behavioral perspectives influence their actions in the workplace. However, it is recognized that personality is a major factor that shapes the employee behaviors. It determines the employee’s interactions and relationships with other employees within the management and institutional frameworks. The intervention of the employment tribunals and other negotiations bodies appreciates the significance of employee behavior in the organizations. Based on the study by Robbins and Judge (2012), it suggests that employees who act appropriately are less likely to cause workplace conflicts. Workplace conflicts affect the relationships between the employers and employees. 
The employees and employers face conflict situation on the acceptable behaviors in the workplace.  The costs of resolving such conflicts are equal to the costs of not handling the issues.  Many observations have been that many conflicts arise from the job tasks assigned to the various employees in the organizations. Studies indicate that close to 30 to 40 per cent of the manager’s duties is to resolve employee inappropriate actions to the organizations (Wallace, de Chernatony, & Buil, 2013). The manager must be patient to resolve many inappropriate actions committed by the employees in the workplace in order to enhance productivity and influences other employees.  The inappropriate employee inhibits performance of the firms. Even it would be difficult to have perfect employee behavior, the employees should seek to create acceptable actions within the workplace. This promotes their personal interests and the overall productivity of the organizations (Griffin & Moorhead, 2009).
In most situations, the management has a crucial role to play in instilling good employee behavior. Since, the management is responsible for design regulations and rules that governs the behavior of the employees. Favorable policies and regulations make it easy for the employees to act appropriately (Raines, 2012). Also, the behavior of employee is directed by their emotions. Emotions are essential aspect of determining the behaviors and actions of the employees in the organization. In any interactions between, emotional communication is usually exposed. Thus, the management should not hurt the emotions of the employees to instill honest exchanges and boundaries. All employees have the right to be treated with respect as they treat the co-workers and the employers with respect too. The creation of strong relationship between the employers and the employees facilitate improved employee behavior (Robbins & Judge, 2012). It reduces the cases of inappropriate employee action such as bullying and rude responses to the clients. As a result, the managers are tasked with the role to create a culture that promotes respect for the employees.
Conclusion
 Employee behavior identifies the universally acceptable codes of conduct in the workplace. Most organizations indicate the expected employee behaviors in the conditions of employments. Any violations of the employee standards subject the employees to punishment such as suspension and termination from the job. There are some employee behaviors that can be classified as inappropriate including selfish attitude, aggressive discussion with co-workers, disrespectful actions, and rude interactions with the clients and poor communication with the co-workers. Although the managers might advocate for the elimination of inappropriate employee behaviors, they are required to train the employees on the expected actions within the organization including respect and integrity. The company managers have a duty to influence good employee behaviors in various ways. For instance, the managers could come up with appropriate regulations and rules that dictate the acceptable actions in the organizations. It is also important to create strong relationships between the employers and employees as it promotes the expected behaviors among the employees.
References
Abiodun, R. (2010). Leadership behavior impact on employee's loyalty, engagement and organizational performance: Leadership behavior and employee perception of the organization. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse.
Elias, M. S. (2013). Deviant and criminal behavior in the workplace. New York, NY: NYU Press.
Gouthier, M. H., & Rhein, M. (2011). Organizational pride and its positive effects on employee behavior. Journal of Service Management., 22(5), 633-649.
Griffin, R., & Moorhead, G. (2009). Organizational behavior: Managing people and organizations. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Hellriegel, D., & Slocum, J. (2008). Organizational behavior. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Raines, S. S. (2012). Conflict management for managers: Resolving workplace, client, and policy disputes. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.
 Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2012). Organizational Behavior 15th Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Sims, R. R. (2002). Managing organizational behavior. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood Publishing Group.
Wallace, E., de Chernatony, L., & Buil, I. (2013). Building bank brands: How leadership behavior influences employee commitment. Journal of Business Research., 66(2), 165-171.
Werner, J., & DeSimone, R. (2008). Human resource development. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.






Sunday, April 28, 2019

Gender Stereotypes and Comparison to ‘Twelfth Night’ and ‘She’s the Man’

Very desсrіptive MLA Format size 12 font Times New Roman Introduction Body and Conclusion Stereotypes of Viola in Shes the Man to Twelfth Night differences although similar plots 4 work cited references

MN501 Professionalism and Organisations Problem / Project Based Learning (PBL) Tutorial

MN501 Professionalism and Organisations 
Problem / Project Based Learning (PBL) Tutorial 
________________________________________ 
Assignment-2: Researching My Career. 
Description: 
In this assignment you will first conduct further research into your chosen career and then describe the outcomes of this research in a report of 1000 words, plus an appendix comprising of the transcribed interviews. 
The following steps will be helpful. 
1. Find one or more people working in the chosen profession and interview them. Ask questions such as: 
a) Why did you choose this profession? 
b) How did you get the job? 
c) How did you prepare for doing the job well? 
d) How do you find your job? 
e) Would you like to stay in this job or change? 
f) Any other aspects of the job you want to talk about. 
g) … 
2. Record your conversations on a recorder (e.g. your mobile phone) with their permission. 
3. Transcribe the conversation, i.e. type it word-by-word in a document that will become the appendix of your report. 
4. Write a report under the following heading; 
• Who did you interview and why. 
• What were the main points you learnt from these interviews? 
• What is your current thinking about the chosen profession? 
• What is your new plan for learning to join this profession? 
List of Reference: In this section list all the websites and other references you have used. Provide in-text references for your sources of information. Follow the APA / IEEE referencing style. 
Show your tutor drafts of the submission to get feedback. Submit your drafts on a weekly basis. 
A well-presented copy of the final report must be submitted in week-12

What would you do to implement the just-in-time production system?

 12 Font Times Roman Single 1. What would you do to implement the just-in-time production system? 2. What is about manufacturing cells and just-in-time systems that enable the sort of overhead cost reduction that Raychem was able to achieve? 3. What would you do to reduce the long lead times from tooling vendors? 4. Which of the strategic options outlined at the end of the case do you think ICD should pursue?

Strategic Business Risk Assessment, Inherent Risk Assessment and Preliminary Going Concern Assessment

One.Tel Case 

Strategic Business Risk Assessment, Inherent Risk Assessment and Preliminary Going Concern Assessment This Case is based on Week 5 to 8 

Nature of the Entity’s Business 

One.Tel was launched in Sydney, Australia in May 1995. They were described as a global telecommunications company offering a fully integrated product list including low-cost international and national calls, Internet services, prepaid and post paid calling cards plus GSM mobile phone services. Their strategies as customer-focused and dedicated to providing innovative, quality telecommunication services at reduced prices. Details of total revenue by geographic segment for the year ended 30 June 20001 are as follows: 

Country $M % 

Australia 429.4 64 UK 144.7 21 France 15.1 2 Netherlands 36.6 5 Hong Kong 39.2 6 Other 13.2 2 Total 678.2 

The Industry 

Australia’s telecommunications infrastructure with a fully digitised network is as sophisticated and as modern as any in the world. Land based phone lines penetrate about 96 per cent of all households, with 2 million Internet subscribers and over 7 million Internet users. Mobile phone services are well established in Australia with more than 8 million users or 42 per cent of the population, one of the highest user rates in the world. Telstra, Optus and Vodafone each operate separate GSM mobile networks. Telstra’s market share is around 57 per cent, Optus 31 per cent and Vodafone 11 per cent. (Source: US Department of State FY2001 Country Commercial Guide) 

Prior to the deregulation of Australia’s telecommunications industry on 1 July 1997, there were two carriers. There are now 35 carriers who are often former service providers and are generally reliant upon leasing network capacity from Telstra, although some are developing their own switching and network capability. 
The influx of smaller carriers into the telephony market has acted as one of the major developments in producing important competitive results in the deregulated market. These carriers typically provide international and long-distance calls and, more recently, complete telephony services. The 1 Note 22 of Financial Statements for year ended 30 June 2000 for One.Tel Limited, ACN 068 193 153, and Controlled Entities, One.Tel web site. 


growth in revenue does not correspond directly with growth in the number of telecommunication service providers due to greater market competition, reduced prices, and lower revenue per company. 
Telstra, the former monopoly carrier, is the dominant provider of Australia’s land-based telephony service. This network has nearly 10 million connections and an annual growth rate of five per cent. Telstra still dominates the telecommunications environment although its market share has dropped significantly in recent years. 
Mobile phone services are well established in Australia with more than 8 million users or 42 per cent of the population, one of the highest user rates in the world. Telstra, Optus and Vodafone each operate separate GSM mobile networks. Telstra’s market share is around 57 per cent, Optus 31 per cent, and Vodafone 11 per cent. 
Management 

The Board of One.Tel comprised nine members, including five non-executive directors and four executive directors. Due to the rapid growth of the industry described in the previous section significant managerial experience in the industry was limited. The functions of the board included: 

i. approval of corporate strategy, and financial plans; ii. identifying and addressing areas of significant risk facing the company; iii. reviewing and monitoring management processes and reporting mechanisms; iv. monitoring financial performance; v. appointment of the senior management team.2 
2 Statement of Corporate Governance in Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 June 2000 for One.Tel Limited, ACN 068 193 153, and Controlled Entities; One.Tel web site. 


3 Financial Statements for the Year Ended 30 June 2000 for One.Tel Limited, ACN 068 193 153, and Controlled Entities; One.Tel web site. 
Financial Statements3 

BALANCE SHEETS AT 30 JUNE 2000 

Consolidated Parent Entity Note 2000 1999 2000 1999 $M $M $M $M CURRENT ASSETS Cash 25 335.7 172.6 164.2 170.8 Receivables 9 218.4 72.0 104.0 58.9 Inventories 10 5.1 2.5 4.5 1.8 Other 11 68.9 49.1 50.8 35.3 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 628.1 296.2 323.5 266.8 NON CURRENT ASSETS Investments 12 – – 26.0 17.1 Receivables 9 – 2.9 356.7 62.0 Plant and equipment 14 155.7 41.0 85.9 28.1 Intangibles 15 559.8 28.0 522.3 – Other 11 91.9 157.9 71.1 132.3 TOTAL NON CURRENT ASSETS 807.4 229.8 1062.0 239.5 TOTAL ASSETS 1,435.5 526.0 1,385.5 506.3 CURRENT LIABILITIES Accounts payable 16 277.2 73.0 115.5 50.4 Borrowings 17 92.2 7.2 20.2 7.2 Provisions 18 5.8 4.7 5.2 4.4 TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 375.2 84.9 140.9 62.0 NON CURRENT LIABILITIES Accounts payable 16 – – 2.3 1.2 Borrowings 17 107.3 62.9 80.5 62.9 Provisions 18 8.2 15.2 8.1 14.6 TOTAL NON CURRENT LIABILITIES 115.5 78.1 90.9 78.7 TOTAL LIABILITIES 490.7 163.0 231.8 140.7 NET ASSETS 944.8 363.0 1,153.7 365.6 SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Share capital 19 1,225.6 355.6 1,225.6 355.6 Convertible notes 17 0.1 3.7 0.1 3.7 Retained profits/(accumulated losses) (282.1) 9.1 (68.7) 9.6 Reserves 20 1.2 (5.4) (3.3) (3.3) TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY 944.8 363.0 1,153.7 365.6 


FINANCIAL STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2000 

Consolidated Parent Entity Note 2000 1999 2000 1999 $M $M $M $M 

CASH FLOW FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Receipts from customers 510.9 300.1 283.3 250.2 Payments to suppliers and employees (684.8) (328.1) (327.4) (250.2) Interest received 16.9 1.9 11.1 1.9 Interest and other borrowing costs paid (11.9) (3.5) (7.5) (3.5) Income tax refunded – 0.7 – 0.7 

Net cash used by operating activities 25 (168.9) (28.9) (40.5) (0.9) 

CASH FLOW FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES Proceeds from sale of investments – 1.6 – 1.6 Proceeds from sale of plant and equipment – 19.2 – 19.2 Payment for plant and equipment (87.5) (34.0) (32.3) (20.0) Purchase of licences (525.6) (9.5) (523.1) - Purchase of Controlled Entities – (6.9) – (6.9) Payment of deferred consideration (1.8) – (1.8) - Loans provided to wholly owned entities – – (264.4) (53.8) Loans provided to other parties – (2.6) – (2.6) 

Net cash used by investing activities (614.9) (32.2) (821.6) (62.5) 

CASH FLOW FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES 

Proceeds from issue of shares 818.5 280.3 818.5 280.3 Proceeds from borrowings 139.8 59.0 50.0 59.0 Finance lease principal repayments (11.2) (4.2) (11.2) (4.2) Dividends paid (1.8) (2.5) (1.8) (2.5) Share buy-back – (106.4) – (106.4) Net cash provided by financing activities 945.3 226.2 855.5 226.2 Net increase in cash held 161.5 165.1 (6.6) 162.8 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year 172.6 8.4 170.8 8.0 Exchange rate adjustment 1.6 (0.9) – – 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of year 25 335.7 172.6 164.2 170.8 



PROFIT AND LOSS STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2000 

Consolidated Parent Entity Note 2000 1999 2000 1999 
$M $M $M $M Eamings/(loss) before depreciation,amortisation, 
interest, abnormal items and income tax (230.4) 25.2 (57.3) 24.7 

Depreciation and amortisation 2 (35.3) (12.3) (26.6) (9.8) 

Net interest (expense)/revenue and other 
borrowing costs 2 3.3 (1.6) 4.3 (1.6) 

Operating profit/(loss) before abnormal items and income tax (262.4) 11.3 (79.6) 13.3 

Abnormal items 4 (33.5) (1.4) (5.4) (1.4) 

Operating profit/(loss) before income tax 2 (295.9) 9.9 (85.0) 11.9 
Income tax (expense)/benefit attributable to 
operating profit/loss 3 4.8 (2.9) 6.8 (4.0) 

Operating profit/(loss) after income tax (291.1) 7.0 (78.2), 7.9 Retained profits at the beginning of the 
financial year 9.1 5.1 9.6 4.7 

Total available for appropriation (282.0) 12.1 (68.6) 12.6 

Dividends provided for or paid 7 0.1 3.0 0.1 3.0 

Retained profits/(accumulated losses) at the end 
of the financial year (282.1) 9.1 (68.7) 9.6 



Discussion Questions 

1. List and discuss several factors that would have contributed to an increased inherent risk assessment at the financial report level. Also identify which of these factors may be identified during the strategic business risk assessment. 

2. List and discuss several inherent risk factors that would have contributed to an increased inherent risk assessment at the account balance level. 

3. Do you believe that the area of going concern should be assessed as high, medium or low? Identify the factors that are the basis for your decision.

Friday, February 8, 2019

Assessment 1 Authentic tasks - Case study analysis report Topic Case Study analysis # 1 Length 1,000 words

Assessment 1 Authentic tasks - Case study analysis report 
Topic Case Study analysis # 1 
Length 1,000 words. This does not include references and appendices. 
Weighting 20% 
Due Date 02 Mar 2017 (Thursday in Trimester 1 Week 4) 
Type of Collaboration Individual assessment 
Marking Criteria Well-presented academic English, structure, style, formatting and referencing (15%); 
Relevant sources of information and analysis of case data (20%); 
Correct application of economic models and tools (30%); and 
Linking theory, concepts, and practice critically in the discussion (35%) 
Style and Format Style 
Font size: the font size should be 12 
Lines: lines should be double-spaced 
Pagination: all pages should be numbered at the bottom right of the page 
Printing: printing should be single-sided 
Length: the strict maximum is 1000 words (excluding Appendices and footnotes) 
You have to specify the number of words on the first page of your Case Study Analysis 
Format 
Business Report format is compulsory (to be posted on Moodle) 
Assessment Submission 
This assessment task has been set up to be checked by Turnitin, a tool for checking if it has unreferenced content. You can submit your assessment task to Turnitin prior to the due date and Turnitin will give you an originality report. You can then make any changes that may be required and re-submit your final version by the due date. 
Assessment Return In tutorial class (Week 5) 
Detailed Information 
CASE STUDY ANALYSIS # 1 
Hana: Financial Analyst or Pineapple Grower? 
1. Statement of the Case Study 
The present case study is of particular relevance for people willing to run a small business in the real world. Hana was a financial analyst earning $78,000 per year but she decided to take advantage of the globalization of the world economy. She was residing in a tax heaven country with tax rate on profits equal zero. To this end, she undertook activities as a pineapple grower attracted by the fact that a pineapple grower could sell any quantity of pineapples at $5.00 per kilo. She decided to produce 44 tonnes of pineapples. 
The costs of production incurred for this level of output were as follows: payments for land and equipment rental and for other supplies $36,000 per year; labour costs $44,000 per year; transportation costs $ 30,000; and administrative costs $10,000 per year. The only two inputs she supplied to her new business were her savings ($20,000) withdrawn from a special account paying a rate of interest of 10% per year and her own labour. Hana wanted $20,000 as a return for risk-taking. By mid-year, she took out $25,000 from the firm for her living expenses but she never returned a single cent. At the end of the year, she was uncertain about the profit earned and decided to consult an accountant and an economist. When she received the reports from the accountant and the economist she was confused and asked them whether it would make sense for her to remain in business. As to the responses, the accountant assumed no change in the economic circumstances for next year, but the economist predicted a jump in the price of pineapples from $5.00 to $10.00 per kilo with everything else remaining constant. 
2. Your task 
You have to write a Business Report where you address the following issues: 
(a) Profit figure that the accountant arrived at; 
(b) Profit figure that the economist arrived at; 
(c) Price elasticity of the demand curve facing Hana’s firm; and 
(d) Whether or not it is a good idea for Hana to remain in business. 
3. Compulsory Format 
The compulsory format for your Business Report will be posted on Moodle.

ICT110 Introduction to Data Science Task 2

ICT110 
Introduction to Data Science 
Task 2 
ATMC Semester 3, 2016 
Assessment and Submission Details 
Marks: 30% of the Total Assessment for the Course 
Due Date: 11:59pm Friday, Week 12 
Submit your assignment to Blackboard Task 2. Please follow the submission instructions in Blackboard. 
The assignment will be marked out of a total of 100 marks and forms 30% of the total assessment for the course. ALL assignments will be checked for plagiarism by SafeAssign system provided by Blackboard automatically. 
Refer to your Course Outline or the Course Web Site for a copy of the “Student Misconduct, Plagiarism and Collusion” guidelines. 
Assignment submission extensions will only be made using the official Faculty of Arts & Business Guidelines. 
Requests for an extension to an assignment MUST be made to the course coordinator prior to the date of submission and requests made on the day of submission or after the submission date will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. 
Background 
Cookies Limited is famous for its wide range of delicious cookie products. Currently, it has only one store in the city, with a local transaction management system in its desktop computer. That is, all transaction histories are recorded during the sales. 
Inspired by the boom of e-business, the company decided to expand its business online to boost the sale and accessibility. Therefore, it plans to build an online shopping system. 
One strategic goal of the company is to convert its business to be customer-centric and datadriven. The company owners are especially interested in the idea of recommendation systems. They has two key requirements for the system: 
1. Customers are included into the process of new cookie/flavour design. 
2. The system can find and recommend different types of cookies to customers based ontheir profiles and shopping history.
To achieve these requirements, a membership system, which allows users to rate and review cookie products, has to be introduced. It also helps to track the shopping history of each registered member. 
You are a new data manager hired by Cookies Limited to help them achieve their strategic goals of customer-centric and data-driven business model. You are required to plan a future proofing data-driven information system to better facilitate the business and improve sales. The design should address the future demands for the growth of data volume and computing capacity. 
You have been requested to prepare a report. Your target audience is executive business people, who have extensive business experience but limited ICT knowledge. They would like to be informed as to how new technologies may be beneficial to their business. Please note that standard report structure, including an executive summary, must be adhered to. 
The main body of the report should include the following topics. 
1. Data Collection and Storage 
• Data collection system (what kind of data should be collected and how) 
• Storage system (what are the requirements to the storage and how to achieve them) 
2. Data in Action 
• Consumer-centric product design (what is it and how to do it) 
• Recommendation system (what is it and how to do it) 
3. Business continuity 
• How online business can survive in case of power outage or other disasters? 
Note that you are requested to focus on the use of technologies into the proposed plan, but not the discussion of actual system design. The following two tips help prepare a better report: 
• Try to explain the technologies in your own words, making them easy to be understood by general audiences. 
• Write the technologies in the context of Cookies Limited, making them practical and appealing to the company executives. 
Report Format 
Your report should be no less than 1,500 words and it would be best to be no longer than 3,000 words long. 
The report MUST be formatted using the following guidelines: 
• Paragraph text – 12 point Calibri single line spacing 
• Headings – Arial in an appropriate type size 
• Margins – 2.5cm on all margins 
• Header – Report title 
• Footer – page number (including the word “Page”) 
• Page numbering – roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv) up to and including the Table of Contents, restart numbering using conventional numerals (1, 2, 3, 4) from the first page after the Table of Contents. 
• Title Page – Must not contain headers or footers. Include your name as the report’s author but DO NOT include any reference to your student ID, course code or course name. 
• The report is to be created as a single Microsoft Word document (version 2007, 2010, 2013 or Office 365). No other format is acceptable and doing so will result in the deduction of marks. 
The report is to be structured as a formal business report. Refer to the following references for details on report structures: 
Summers, J. & Smith, B., 2014, Communication Skills Handbook, 4th Ed, Wiley, Australia. 
Referencing 
The report is to include (at least 5) appropriate references and these references should follow the Harvard method of referencing. Note that ALL references should be from journal articles, conference papers, technical papers or a recognized expert in the field. DO NOT use Wikipedia as a reference. The use of unqualified references will result in the deduction of marks. 
Submission 
The completed assignment is to be submitted to Blackboard Task 2 by the due date of 11:59pm Friday, Week 12. 
The assignment will be assessed according to the marking sheet which is shown in the last page. Late submission will be penalised according to the policy in the course outline. Please note Saturday and Sunday are included in the count of days late. 
Assignment Return and Release of Grades 
Assignment grades will be available on the course web site three weeks after the due date. An electronic assignment marking sheet will be available at this time. 
Where an assignment is undergoing investigation for alleged plagiarism or collusion the grade for the assignment and the assignment will be withheld until the investigation has concluded. 
Assignment Guidelines 
This assignment will take a number of weeks to complete and will require a good understanding of data science and management for successful completion. It is imperative that students take heed of the following points in relation to doing this assignment: 
1. Ensure that you clearly understand the requirements for the assignment – what has to be done and what are the deliverables. 
2. If you do not understand any of the assignment requirements – Please ASK the course coordinator or your tutor. 
3. Each time you work on any aspect of the assignment reread the assignment requirements to ensure that what is required is clearly understood. 
Appendix A 
Marking Sheet for ICT110 Assignment 2 
Student name: Student ID: 
Items Maximum Marks Marks Obtained 
Report formatting (font, header and footer, table of content, numbering, referencing) 5 
Professional communication (correct spelling, grammar, formal business language used) 5 
Executive summary 10 
Report introduction 10 
Data Collection and Storage 20 
Data in Action 30 
Business continuity 10 
Conclusion and Recommendations 10 
Total = 100 0.0 
0.0 /30% 
OVERALL COMMENTS:ICT110 
Introduction to Data Science 
Task 2 
ATMC Semester 3, 2016 
Assessment and Submission Details 
Marks: 30% of the Total Assessment for the Course 
Due Date: 11:59pm Friday, Week 12 
Submit your assignment to Blackboard Task 2. Please follow the submission instructions in Blackboard. 
The assignment will be marked out of a total of 100 marks and forms 30% of the total assessment for the course. ALL assignments will be checked for plagiarism by SafeAssign system provided by Blackboard automatically. 
Refer to your Course Outline or the Course Web Site for a copy of the “Student Misconduct, Plagiarism and Collusion” guidelines. 
Assignment submission extensions will only be made using the official Faculty of Arts & Business Guidelines. 
Requests for an extension to an assignment MUST be made to the course coordinator prior to the date of submission and requests made on the day of submission or after the submission date will only be considered in exceptional circumstances. 
Background 
Cookies Limited is famous for its wide range of delicious cookie products. Currently, it has only one store in the city, with a local transaction management system in its desktop computer. That is, all transaction histories are recorded during the sales. 
Inspired by the boom of e-business, the company decided to expand its business online to boost the sale and accessibility. Therefore, it plans to build an online shopping system. 
One strategic goal of the company is to convert its business to be customer-centric and datadriven. The company owners are especially interested in the idea of recommendation systems. They has two key requirements for the system: 
1. Customers are included into the process of new cookie/flavour design. 
2. The system can find and recommend different types of cookies to customers based ontheir profiles and shopping history.
To achieve these requirements, a membership system, which allows users to rate and review cookie products, has to be introduced. It also helps to track the shopping history of each registered member. 
You are a new data manager hired by Cookies Limited to help them achieve their strategic goals of customer-centric and data-driven business model. You are required to plan a future proofing data-driven information system to better facilitate the business and improve sales. The design should address the future demands for the growth of data volume and computing capacity. 
You have been requested to prepare a report. Your target audience is executive business people, who have extensive business experience but limited ICT knowledge. They would like to be informed as to how new technologies may be beneficial to their business. Please note that standard report structure, including an executive summary, must be adhered to. 
The main body of the report should include the following topics. 
1. Data Collection and Storage 
• Data collection system (what kind of data should be collected and how) 
• Storage system (what are the requirements to the storage and how to achieve them) 
2. Data in Action 
• Consumer-centric product design (what is it and how to do it) 
• Recommendation system (what is it and how to do it) 
3. Business continuity 
• How online business can survive in case of power outage or other disasters? 
Note that you are requested to focus on the use of technologies into the proposed plan, but not the discussion of actual system design. The following two tips help prepare a better report: 
• Try to explain the technologies in your own words, making them easy to be understood by general audiences. 
• Write the technologies in the context of Cookies Limited, making them practical and appealing to the company executives. 
Report Format 
Your report should be no less than 1,500 words and it would be best to be no longer than 3,000 words long. 
The report MUST be formatted using the following guidelines: 
• Paragraph text – 12 point Calibri single line spacing 
• Headings – Arial in an appropriate type size 
• Margins – 2.5cm on all margins 
• Header – Report title 
• Footer – page number (including the word “Page”) 
• Page numbering – roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv) up to and including the Table of Contents, restart numbering using conventional numerals (1, 2, 3, 4) from the first page after the Table of Contents. 
• Title Page – Must not contain headers or footers. Include your name as the report’s author but DO NOT include any reference to your student ID, course code or course name. 
• The report is to be created as a single Microsoft Word document (version 2007, 2010, 2013 or Office 365). No other format is acceptable and doing so will result in the deduction of marks. 
The report is to be structured as a formal business report. Refer to the following references for details on report structures: 
Summers, J. & Smith, B., 2014, Communication Skills Handbook, 4th Ed, Wiley, Australia. 
Referencing 
The report is to include (at least 5) appropriate references and these references should follow the Harvard method of referencing. Note that ALL references should be from journal articles, conference papers, technical papers or a recognized expert in the field. DO NOT use Wikipedia as a reference. The use of unqualified references will result in the deduction of marks. 
Submission 
The completed assignment is to be submitted to Blackboard Task 2 by the due date of 11:59pm Friday, Week 12. 
The assignment will be assessed according to the marking sheet which is shown in the last page. Late submission will be penalised according to the policy in the course outline. Please note Saturday and Sunday are included in the count of days late. 
Assignment Return and Release of Grades 
Assignment grades will be available on the course web site three weeks after the due date. An electronic assignment marking sheet will be available at this time. 
Where an assignment is undergoing investigation for alleged plagiarism or collusion the grade for the assignment and the assignment will be withheld until the investigation has concluded. 
Assignment Guidelines 
This assignment will take a number of weeks to complete and will require a good understanding of data science and management for successful completion. It is imperative that students take heed of the following points in relation to doing this assignment: 
1. Ensure that you clearly understand the requirements for the assignment – what has to be done and what are the deliverables. 
2. If you do not understand any of the assignment requirements – Please ASK the course coordinator or your tutor. 
3. Each time you work on any aspect of the assignment reread the assignment requirements to ensure that what is required is clearly understood. 
Appendix A 
Marking Sheet for ICT110 Assignment 2 
Student name: Student ID: 
Items Maximum Marks Marks Obtained 
Report formatting (font, header and footer, table of content, numbering, referencing) 5 
Professional communication (correct spelling, grammar, formal business language used) 5 
Executive summary 10 
Report introduction 10 
Data Collection and Storage 20 
Data in Action 30 
Business continuity 10 
Conclusion and Recommendations 10 
Total = 100 0.0 
0.0 /30% 
OVERALL COMMENTS: