The discussions are intended to help you further explore and think critically about the information you are reading and viewing. Critical thinking is that mode of thinking about any subject, content, or problem in which the thinker improves the quality of his or her thinking by skillfully analyzing, assessing, and reconstructing it. Critical thinking is self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking. Now to think critically, here is what I expect: clarify assumptions and misconceptions, present different perspectives or viewpoints, and come to a consensus.

I shall pose questions to get the discussions going. However, you are responsible for participating and furthering the discussion through your comments and questions to one another. I expect you to be an active–two or three times a week minimum–participant in the discussions.

For this discussion, I’d like you to think about the last interaction that you had with the Human Resource function of an organization. What were you trying to achieve through your interaction? Was it a positive or negative experience? Why do you think it turned out that way? Did the HR person(s) that you met with deal with the situation in a professional manner? Do you have a positive impression of the organization based on this experience?

2nd part

For this part of the discussion, let’s move to the topic of how HRM relates to strategic issues in the organization. One of the major themes at the core of strategy is the idea of “competitive advantage.” What is competitive advantage, and how can HR help in creating it for the organization?

Case: J.R. is a nurse practitioner in a clinic on a large, isolated Indian reservation. The clients in his community have a disproportionately high rate of alcoholism and suicide. Poverty is widespread.

He believes the most important component of his job is to promote wellness among his clients. J.R. reaches out to the people of the community by providing wellness clinics and educational forums. He uses a holistic approach to health care, incorporating traditional Indian healing practices along with Western medicine.

Do you think is appropriate that J.R. is adapting his practice incorporating traditional Indian healing practices along with Western medicine? Support your answer with evidence base practice recommendation.

1. An effective health assessment incorporates not only physiological parameters; please suggest other parameters that should be considered and included on health assessments to reach maximal health potential on individuals.
2. Name the different family developmental stages and give examples of each one.
3. Describe family structure and function and the relationship with health care.

Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources, must be constructive and use literature where possible. Follow rubric.

First Paper Instructions

For your first project, identify one important, current issue in American healthcare or concerning global health, and then follow the instructions below.This paper provides you with an opportunity to explore how current events are affecting the role of the healthcare administrator.

Prepare an 800-1000 word research brief that:

• (1) summarizes a news story found on Kaiser Health News within the past 30 days, then
• (2) discusses the implications of this news event on your future as a leader in health care.
• Incorporate at least three (3) scholarly journal articles published in the last five years into your paper and cited accordingly.
• In addition, you must use UMGC’s library to locate the articles and include at least one scholarly journal that provides a DOI = digital object identifier on the reference page (example: doi: 10.1108/03090560710821161).
• Follow APA 7^th edition style guidelines for cover page, citations, and the reference page.
• An abstract is not required for this paper.
• Prepare your essay in MS Word with 1-inch margins on all sides,
• double-spaced and 12 pt.
• Times New Roman font.
• Please note that the 1000 word limit pertains to the body of the paper.

Review the Strategic Management Project Background document.

Review the following terms and concepts discussed this week to prepare for this assignment:

• vertical integration
• taper integration
• backward vertical integration
• forward vertical integration
• strategic alliances
• global strategy
• international strategy
• innovation

Create a Word doc and title it Strategic Management Research Journal Part 4.

Write a 525- to 700-word response to the following prompts in your journal entry:

1. Identify Caterpillar Inc.’s short-term and long-term goals.
2. Evaluate how mergers and acquisitions in the last 3-5 years have contributed to Caterpillar Inc.’s performance and affected its organizational goals.
3. Determine the most critical merger or acquisition that has contributed to Caterpillar’s performance and success in achieving organizational goals. Defend your choice.
4. Evaluate the effectiveness of Caterpillar’s operational plan for global strategies (international, multi-domestic, global-standardization, or transnational). Include supporting research or data.