Project Management Challenge Paper

Project management skills are important to success in your career and personal life. While some of you may have experience with project management, many students do not have any experience with project management. Tools for project management methods come in many flavors: paper and pen, Excel Spreadsheet templates, desktop apps, and phone apps, to name a few.

Your challenge is to select a simple time management (free) method and manage your tasks for at least 2 days. (If you are already using a time management application, you may use that application.) Write a summary of your experience with the project management method (maximum 2 pages).

- Summarize the method your chose

- Describe the kinds of tasks you included you may provide specific examples

- Did it help/hurt your productivity (after you set it up)

- How do you think project management could help you in the future

The method I chose was the POSEC method. This method advises users address the areas of prioritize by organizing, streamlining, economizing, and contributing. The method provides users with a starting point to consider the senses of emotional significance and urgency that processes or tasks involve, including the existing state of financial security that the person is in (thereby affecting the sense of urgency in the tasks). The method advises that people give prioritization to their personal needs first, then give secondary priority to their collective responsibilities.

Beyond this, people are recommended to prioritize their time while defining their life by their goals, to organize what needs to be achieved on a regular basis, to streamline necessary tasks that may not be enjoyable, to economize what should or may be enjoyed to be done (but is not urgent), and contribute by considering anything left that may make a difference. The tasks included in this application were school, work, exercise, house duties, and family duties, which are my five main areas of necessity and prioritization. The method did not seem to help my productivity much after I set it up, because I feel I have generally been good with my time (and had already found ways to optimize the most important areas). However, it did help me to consider certain aspects of actions and freedoms, and the rigidity I had maintained seemed less necessary on their principles. The method therefore gave me insight into how I can prioritize more practically, rather than following imposed rules just for the sake of adhering to them. I think project management could help me in the future because experience with managing projects at work could give me insight into effectively managing my efforts and resources outside of work; meanwhile, I would naturally bring personal insights to the profession.

References

Gonzalez, L. How to Become an Extraordinary Manager. Bloomington, IN: Author House.

Strategy Research Paper (Buffalo Wild Wings)

Buffalo Wild Wings could best be described as a comfort food restaurant. It offers mid-priced, simple food in a relaxed atmosphere. Unlike Applebee's, a restaurant in a similar price category, Buffalo Wild Wings' targets a slightly younger demographic. Its core market is that of males who wish to watch sports on the many screens which decorate the walls of the various franchises in the chain. Football, baseball, NCAA basketball and NBA basketball are the main sports promoted by the chain and along with the menu, fans of Buffalo Wild Wings can look up the schedule of their favorite sport as well as different foods on the online menu.

The attraction of Buffalo Wild Wings is similar to that of many chains. It offers consistent pricing, tastes, and menu offerings for the many restaurant-goers who do not want to stray from what is familiar when they go to a local sports bar. Also, some individuals living in the suburbs do not necessarily have a place where they can go locally to watch sports, other than a chain restaurant. The menu of the restaurant is largely focused on wings, burgers, and other forms of junk food with a strong adolescent appeal. Unlike some other restaurants in the same demographic category, Buffalo Wild Wings has very few healthy menu selections other than some salads (and one of those is a prime rib salad). There are no vegan, gluten-free, or any special diets to be catered to, reflecting the beliefs of the chain that the demographic is relatively narrow and that sports-obsessed males, even with dates, will have little interest in lighter fare.

The market niche to which Buffalo Wild Wings belongs has been struggling in recent years. Although fast food still remains popular because of its cheapness and convenience, mid-range comfort dining has struggled to stay relevant, as many diners who traditionally patronized these restaurants are looking for cheaper food elsewhere, including gourmet fast food like Five Guys. Upper-middle-class consumers have the ability to patronize higher-end restaurants with more snob appeal. "Americans have been told for decades, in cheery voiceovers, that inexpensive sit-down meals at national chains meant...a Chili's, an Olive Garden or an Applebee's" sometimes all three. Yet the casual-dining industry has largely worn out its welcome. Customer traffic to these restaurants has declined in nine of the past 13 years." There has also been an explosion of so-called fast casual restaurants like Panera which promise restaurant-quality food at near-fast food prices without waiters and waitresses.

Buffalo Wild Wings has struggled to stay alive by targeting a specific differentiated customer interested in sports-related entertainment. It is similar to the demographic targeted by Hooters, only instead of luring in young males with scantily-clad women, Buffalo Wild Wings does so with sports. This could give Buffalo Wild Wings a potential edge upon its competition, given that rather than casting a broad, generic net for middle-class customers, the restaurant offers additional value with its sports bar atmosphere. Also, a sports bar's social atmosphere and ability to watch the games with other fans cannot be provided by a higher-end fast food establishment.

Using a differentiated strategy is one of management guru Michael Porter's suggested generic strategies to provide a value statement for consumers. Unlike a niche strategy, which targets a narrow market segment, a differentiated strategy still targets a relatively broad group of individuals (in this case, males who like sports and wings and have little concern with nutrition). A differentiated strategy attempts to distinguish the product but still attract a wide customer base. "Differentiated goods and services satisfy the needs of customers through a sustainable competitive advantage. This allows companies to desensitize prices and focus on value that generates a comparatively higher price and a better margin." In other words, this relieves some of the pressure on Buffalo Wild Wings to keep prices down, which is vital in the restaurant industry where profit margins are razor-thin. "The differentiating organization will incur additional costs in creating their competitive advantage. These costs must be offset by the increase in revenue generated by sales" (Friesner). Buffalo Wild Wings must sustain its competitive advantage by maintaining a franchise where it is inviting for sports fans to hang out and which has additional promotions to draw them in during big games and peak viewing times.

Despite deploying a differentiated strategy, Buffalo Wild Wings has been struggling in recent years. Although its sales and revenue have been increasing, it has not offset its increased operational costs. In 2015, "revenue climbed 22% year over year to $455.5 million...in spite of a shift in the sports calendar versus the year-ago period, resulting in one less week of football and fewer pay-per-view events to draw in diners" (Symington). However, as is common with companies which pursue a differentiated strategy, ensuring the value proposition of the organization distinguishes it from competitors has proved to be more expensive than the balance sheet of the organization can bear. Due to "a combination of rising costs of sales and labor, and additional depreciation, amortization, and expenses related to its $160 million acquisition of 41 franchises during the quarter, Buffalo Wild Wings' earnings fell 12.3% year over year to $1.00 per diluted share," making it an unattractive investment prospect.

Buffalo Wild Wings continues to expand its franchises and is a dominant presence in malls and strip malls all over the country. However, whether its revenue can support its differentiated business model remains uncertain. The company's value proposition is not just based upon offering good food but upon its atmosphere and interest in going out to watch sports, versus remaining at home. Its narrower demographic target also definitively ties the future of the company to the spending habits of young, sports-crazy males.

Works Cited

Friesner, Tim. "Marketing Strategies." Marketing Teacher.

Santoli, Michael. "Olive Garden, Applebee's struggle to stay relevant as consumers change dining habits."

Symington, Steve. "Why Buffalo Wild Wings stock dropped today." The Motley Fool.

Topic: For this short paper, analyze how one primary text (The Populist Platform from Voices of Freedom chapter 17) reflects its historical context.

Evidence: Refer to specific details from the primary text (including brief quotations in each body paragraph) to support your thesis. To connect the primary text to its historical context, your paper should also include references to assigned readings from the textbook, Created Equal chapter 18 p.449-450

Your assignment is to analyze the primary text chosen, through developing a clear thesis statement about it. Your thesis should establish one or more ways in which the primary text reflects the ideas, trends, or themes of the historical period in which it originated. To place the primary text in context, give historical background from the Created Equal text that shows the important events that took place during the period.

Once you have developed your thesis, you must give several specific examples from the work in each of your body paragraphs, and explain how these examples support your thesis. Your examples should include brief quotations from the primary work. Because your paper will include quotations, you will need parenthetical references and a works cited page in proper MLA format.

The Populist Platform

In the Voices of Freedom, the Populist group, which consisted of farmers from rural areas of the United States, faced economic oppression, restrictions on liberties as U.S. citizens and demanded reform from the government on how much authority they exerted into the lives of the everyday American. The initial purpose of the group, whom was formally known as the Farmer's Alliance) was to improve the farmer's financial condition and general welfare. The farmers were dedicated in challenging the liberties that was promised to Americans, addressing wealth inequalities and exposing as well as putting an end to political corruption. It was the desire of the Populists to see the Republic restored back into the hands of the citizens.

As stated in Created Equal, "The Populist Party had a profound impact on the nation's political landscape in the 1890's" (p. 449). In a formal proposal that was created, which was the preamble to their conditions set forth for the government, it outlined every area where they wanted to spark change. The text details the scandals and the ways in which agricultural communities felt the oppression of power, money hungry political authorities. The Republican and Democratic political parties were more concerned with power and helping the rich acquire more possessions, over hurting, poor American citizens. The Populist attributed their poverty and financial distress to the high cost for them to utilize freights from railroad companies. Monopolies were placed upon the freight system and public officials used it as a means of unfair treatment towards the farmers. This further compelled the laborers in the agricultural industry, more so those from southern and western areas of the country, to assemble together to promote justice and fight against the system that refused to recognize them. True citizenship had to be restored along with the government having its rightful place dealing with affairs concerning the American citizen.

Railroad companies faced a striking blow in 1894 when 150,000 railroad union members went on strike due to facing a one-third reduction of wages (p.452). The government intervened and forced workers to go back to their jobs, as, it interfered with the delivery of the U.S. postal service. Union leaders refused to return back to work and were sentenced to jail for not following orders.

Government intervention on unfair prices and jacked taxes was the outcry from Populist. The background from which this stemmed from is due to the creation of The Pension Act of 1890. It was passed by Congress to provide income for disabled veterans. In order to fund this pension, Congress allowed for high taxes to be imposed on imported goods. Many states supported the law for high taxes because in return they could sell silver to the government, who promised in the Sherman Silver Purchase Act of 1890, that they would buy "4.5 million ounces of silver each month" (p. 450) by distributing banknotes that could be exchanged for gold. The benefit of both acts served in the interest of those who could take full advantage which furthermore disregarded the farmers.

Transportation and land were other areas of concerns for the farmers. The proposal suggested that the railroad system be managed, owned and operated by the government for the best interest of citizens. The railroad was a major mode of transporting goods for the agricultural business and it was their means of income. If the government was in charge of the railways, then it would be their responsibility to pay to keep it operating, thus, eliminating the high fees associated with it for farmers. They wanted relief from these unfair practices. The government also capitalized on land and the farmers mandate was that land was to be given back to the people or to those who were settlers in the land.

Eventually, a major component of the Populist Party became to be the debate of free silver. This was thought to be the most reasonable way to resolve their low crop prices and repelling deflation. The Farmers wanted to have in legislation that silver was to be officially recognized as currency. Money was not equally distrusted as they had to watch the rich flaunt their wealth and the government also frivolously spent money. As a result of irresponsible spending, within the Populists proposal for the use of revenue, they wanted it to be limited to the government and only used for necessary purposes.

Issues regarding labor unions caused an uproar between various religious groups and races. The nation's political structure was in ruins. While the populist group had a rise to fame, so to speak, during this timeframe, unfortunately, they also faced their demise as a group due to democratic representation. The Populist Party is a prime example in U.S. history in how the corruption of the nation's government was challenged and how citizens fought to gain recognition and demand justice as promised in the Constitution. Their demonstration in seeking a reconciled nation cannot be forgotten.

References

Foner, Eric. Voices of Freedom. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. 49-54. Print.

Jones, J., Wood, P., Borstelman, T, & May-Tyler, E. Created Equal. New Jersey: Pearson, 449-450. Print.