Dion is an engineer with Tesla Motors who helps to design electric motors. It has always been his dream to start his own business, but as he has gotten older, he has not gotten around to it. He is also an avid cyclist who rides near his home in Palo Alto, California. It is hilly terrain and as he has gotten older, he has found it more difficult to navigate the steep terrain.

He has thought about buying an electric bike that would give him an additional boost with an electric motor. However, he has not been satisfied with any of the many brands of electric bikes he can find. The ones that work well are astronomically expensive and the less expensive models are poorly constructed and have short battery life.

One day at Tesla headquarters, Dion is having lunch with three of his colleagues when he raises his frustration with his inability to find the right electric bike. The other three are also avid cyclists, so they launch into an intense discussion. Mark, who works in Tesla’s marketing department, thinks that there is a demand for a high-quality electric bike at a reasonable cost. “There are social trends that could drive that demand,” he says. “First, commuting by bicycle is becoming more popular, and many who are new to it need that extra assistance to make it a comfortable experience. Also, as the population ages, older cyclists are looking for ways to keep cycling as much as they did when they were younger. An electric bike could help them do that.”

Dion responds that some of the new electric motor technologies he has been working on could be repurposed to create a high-quality electric bike at a reasonable cost. “I have been experimenting with some designs, and I think it is workable.” Rosalinda, who manages production of the Tesla Model S interjects, “You know, I came across a defunct bicycle factory about 20 miles north of here when we were looking at potential sites for expansion. It would be perfect to manufacture the bike you are describing.”

Dion can’t hold back any longer and blurts out, “Let’s start our own bicycle company and make this bike!” Sandra, who works in the finance department, scrunches up her face and says, “Whoa there, partner. Where is the money for this venture going to come from? While our salaries and stock options have made us comfortable, we don’t have the resources to manufacture and market this bike.”

The group agrees that they would love to start a new company, but they must figure out how to solve the finance problem that Sandra pointed out in order to do so. Later that day, Dion can’t get the idea out of his mind. Then, a potential solution comes to him. He remembers Brenda Zhang, who rode with one of his cycling groups, Palo Altitude. She is a partner in a large venture capital firm that invests in promising start-ups. Dion isn’t sure if she even remembers him, and she only knew him as a cyclist, not an engineer. But he thinks it’s worth a try.

He sends the following email:

To: Brenda Zhang
From: Dion Morris
Re: Electric Bicycle Start-Up

Several of my colleagues at Tesla and I have come up with a new design for an electric bicycle that would be relatively inexpensive, very efficient, as well as durable. I know this is coming out of the blue, but I am hoping you will remember me from our rides with the Palo Altitude group. We are looking for start-up funding, and I thought a fellow cyclist like you would see the potential market for a high-quality, inexpensive electric bicycle. Please let me know what you think.

Later that day, he is surprised to find the following email in his inbox:

To: Dion Morris
From: Brenda Zhang
Re: Electric Bicycle Start-Up

Critical Thinking: The Nature of Change (105 points)

In this module, we learned that everything is in a state of constant  change. This is a challenge of strategic management, as the industry  environment is driven by technology, consumer needs, politics, economic  conditions, and many other influences. Consider these influences as you  analyze the following cases.

Eastman Kodak’s (Kodak) Quest for a Digital Future (R. M. Grant, Contemporary Strategy Analysis: Text and Cases, 10th ed., Wiley, 2019)

To support the case analysis read Chapter 8 and the assigned reading. In addition, view the following video:

Company Man. (2018, June 13). The decline of Kodak…What happened? [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/eVrmFgvEnAA

Remember that a case study is a puzzle to be solved, so before  reading and answering the specific case questions, develop your proposed  solution by following these five steps:

1. Read the case study to identify the key issues and underlying  issues. These issues are the principles and concepts of the course area  which apply to the situation described in the case study.
2. Record the facts from the case study which are relevant to the  principles and concepts of the course area issues. The case may have  extraneous information not relevant to the current course area. Your  ability to differentiate between relevant and irrelevant information is  an important aspect of case analysis, as it will inform the focus of  your answers.
3. Describe in some detail the actions that would address or correct the situation.
4. Consider how you would support your solution with examples from  experience or current real-life examples or cases from textbooks.
5. Complete this initial analysis and then read the discussion  questions. Typically, you will already have the answers to the questions  but with a broader consideration. At this point, you can add the  details and/or analytical tools required to solve the case.

Case Study Questions:

1. What were the challenges of technological change for Kodak given “disruptive” digital technologies?
2. What were Kodak’s competencies? Was the idea to ‘brand’ the company an imaging company versus a chemical company a mistake?
3. Evaluate Kodak’s approaches to managing strategic change including  organizational ambidexterity, scenarios, crisis management, capability  development, dynamic capabilities, and knowledge management.
4. Was Kodak’s failure inevitable? What could Kodak have done differently?

Directions:–

– Write an essay that includes an introduction paragraph, the essay’s   body, and a conclusion paragraph to address the assignment’s   guide questions.

– Do not address the questions using a  question-and-answer format.

–  Charts/diagrams should be labeled and can be added within the body of your paper.

– APA style should be used

– Font will be: Times roman 12, and double space should be between  lines   -At least 3-4 scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles will be  used as references (including the below two).
Recommended Reference:

•  Cuc, J. E., & Miina, A. (2018). Classifying the business model from a strategic and innovation perspective. Journal of Business Models, 6(2), 15–18.

You are a manager for a global expansion project in an organization. You plan to expand into a country outside the United States. The magnitude of the project requires you to prepare for the project kickoff meeting and business negotiations with the project team who are potential partners from the country. You understand that these cultures are vastly different. They have different business customs, social protocols, and languages, so conducting business with a new country requires a customized approach.Before answering the following questions, go to Geert Hofstede’s Six Cultural Dimensions https://www.hofstede-insights.com/product/compare-countries/  enter a country of your choice and the United States. Tip: When creating a country comparison, choose the United States in the first drop-down menu box to see the values for the six cultural dimensions. After selecting the United States, a second country can be chosen in the second drop-down menu box. Keep the United States in the first box.

• Using the United States as a basis for comparison, evaluate each country’s similarities and differences. Think about the potential impact to the global expansion project.
• Discuss the implications for your communication with the cross cultural team.
• Make sure to include the graph report you receive from the Hofstede website (above).

Unit 2 Assignment Grading CriteriaMaximum PointsEvaluate each country’s similarities and differences. 30Discuss implications for communication with cross-cultural team. 30Response considered the impact to the global expansion project30Organization: Assignment presents information logically and is clearly relevant to discussion topic.25Professional Language: Assignment contains accurate grammar, spelling, or punctuation with few or no errors.10Total125For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials. Use up to 3 resources. Please use APA format when citing resources. Please submit your assignment. ReferenceHofstede Insights. (2021). Compare countries. https://www.hofstede-insights.com/product/compare-countries/

In your initial post, identify a product or service that both you and your parents or grandparents have purchased, but through different distribution channels. Name and describe the distribution channel your parents or grandparents used to purchase the product or service. Then, name and describe the distribution channel that you prefer to purchase that same product or service, and explain why.In your initial post, identify a product or service that both you and your parents or grandparents have purchased, but through different distribution channels. Name and describe the distribution channel your parents or grandparents used to purchase the product or service. Then, name and describe the distribution channel that you prefer to purchase that same product or service, and explain why.

“The Classical Tradition reborn” Please respond to the following, using sources under the Explore heading as the basis of your response:
• Identify two (2) classical Greek and / or Roman figures or qualities in any work by Michelangelo or by Raphael. Discuss the primary reasons why popes and other patrons might allow such trappings of ancient pagan culture within a Christian society, even in sacred contexts. Provide a rationale for your response. Describe any modern structure or sculpture or work of art where you can identify either ancient pagan images or features, or a mix of elements from different cultures and periods.
Explore
Michelangelo and Raphael: The Classical Tradition Reborn
• Chapter 15 (pp. 494-5, 505-513), Stylistic features and imagery from ancient classical art and myth; review Week 8 Music Folder
• Sistine Chapel tour at http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/sistine-chapel-ceiling.html
• Sistine Chapel information at http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/m/michelan/3sistina/index.html
• Sistine Chapel theory at http://karlzipser.com/michelangelo.html

Week 8 Discussion Option B
“Van Eyck and Analyzing Art in the Northern Renaissance” Please respond to the following, using sources under the Explore heading as the basis of your response:
• Explain whether you agree with the interpretation of either Sayre or Koster of Van Eyck’s Arnolfini double portrait, identifying the most persuasive part of that interpretation. Describe two (2) symbolic elements of the painting and any other features that stand out to you. Pretend you are having a portrait done of you and a significant other; describe at least four (4) symbolic elements that you might include in the painting, and explain why.
Explore
Jan Van Eyck’s Arnolfini Double Portrait
• Henry Sayre’s interpretation in Chapter 16, (pp. 548-551, Figs. 16.7-16.8); review Week 8 Music Folder
• Margaret Koster’s interpretation at