Assignment 1 requires you to complete the Positive Thinking Questionnaire and then discuss your results in the Positive Thinking Discussion forum.

Completing the Questionnaire

1. Open and complete the  Positive Thinking Questionnaire by clicking on this link  . This is a paper and pencil test, not an electronic one. You can print it and fill it out manually, or you can simply write the question numbers and your answers down on a piece of paper while you read the document on the screen. You do NOT have to submit the Questionnaire so use any method you want.
2. Read the section on the questionnaire that describes how to evaluate your resuts. Also read the section that describes the negative thoughts.

Post Original Discussion

1. Discuss your results in the Positive Thinking Discussion Forum available as a link in this folder or by clicking on the Discussions folder. You will be posting two posts: the first is your “original post.” Original posts are discussion posts you submit with your assigned work for the discussion; the second is your “reply post.” Reply posts are posts you submit responding to other students’ contributions to the discussion.
2. Your discussion should be in narrative format, not in a list, and it should be a discussion, not simple yes, no, or sometimes answers. It must be 200 words or more.
3. Your ORIGINAL POST on the Positive Thinking Questionnaire should include the information listed below. We recommend that you create your discussion in Microsoft Word, spell check it, check the grammar, and when it’s ready, click on “Reply” to the instructor’s originating thread in the forum and paste it into your reply message window, or you can type it into the message window directly. Be careful how you type it. This is not an instant or text message. It’s a college-level writing assignment. Use proper punctuation and capitalization! Both Word and the Blackboard editor window contain spellcheck features so be sure to spellcheck your work. You will be graded on spelling, grammar, punctuation, and capitalization in addition to the content. Submit college level work or it will cost you points! You will also be graded on the number of words (quantity) and critical thinking and analysis (quality) of your work and on the inclusion of all the required information. The required information is contained below:

1. 1. What was your test score and how do you feel about it?
   2. Analyze your results and list the possible reframes that you can use to turn around any negative thinking that may apply to you. Support your analysis with research from your reading of the textbook or external sources.
   3. Has completing this exercise changed your ideas about positive thinking, negative thinking, frames and reframing?
   4. Your opinion on this assignment: was the assignment helpful to you?
   5. What did you learn from this assignment and how can you use reframing to improve your attitude?

Post Reply Post

In addition to posting your original discussion, read all the other discussions in the forum and select ONE message that you relate to. You will “reply” to that student by providing him/her with feedback on their ideas. A reply is a message from you in response to another student’s original contribution to the discussion. Replies should add to the other student’s understanding of the topic, or help them by clarifying ideas related to the work in question. A good reply is about 50 words long.

IMPORTANT: Your work will NOT be available for grading until you have submitted your two posts (original and reply).

Your work on this assignment will be graded based on the following rubric:

Grading Rubric	Yes	No
1. Original post is 200 words (about a page) and/or comprehensive
2. Scores on the positive thinking test described?
3. Discussed the areas you need to work on?
4. Did the test change your ideas and possibly your behavior?
5. Discussed what you learned? Shows evidence of critical thinking?
6. Ideas supported by research from book or other reputable sources?
7. Replied to one or more students with substantive 50-word replies?
8. Work was college-level writing, spell-checked, grammatically correct, and student used proper punctuation and capitalization?

 

 

 

Assignment 2 Positive Thinking Discussion

Your assignment for Assignment 2 is to complete the Positive Thinking Questionnaire and then discuss your results in this Positive Thinking Discussion forum. See the Assignment 2 Instructions page for the steps to completing this assignment.

Original Discussion  

1. Discuss your results in this discussion forum. You will be posting two posts: the first is your “original post.” Original posts are discussion posts you submit with your original contribution to the discussion; the second is your “reply post.” Reply posts are posts you submit responding to other students’ contributions to the discussion.
2. Your discussion should be in narrative format, not in a list and it should be a discussion, not simple yes, no, or sometimes answers. It must be 200 words or more.
3. Your ORIGINAL POST on the Positive Thinking Questionnaire should include the information listed below. You may want to consider creating your discussion in Microsoft Word, spell checking it, checking the grammar, and when it’s ready, copying the contents over into tthis discussion. When you are ready to post your work, submit it as a reply to your instructor’s opening thread message (attachments are not allowed in the discussions in this course). Click on “Reply” to your instructor’s message in this forum and paste your reply into the message window (use Control+V to paste) or type it directly in the discussion window that appears when you click on reply to the instructor’s thread, but be sure to use the Blackboard spellcheck feature (it’s the last item in the second line of the features and it says ABC). Be sure to edit your work carefully and check the grammar, punctuation and capitalization since you will be graded based on those elements. Be careful how you type and present your work. This is not an instant or text message. It’s a college-level writing assignment you are submitting for a grade. You will be graded on the quantity and quality of your work and on the inclusion of all the required information as well as your demonstrated level of critical thinking and analysis. The required information is contained below:

1. 1. What was your test score and how do you feel about it?
   2. Analyze your results and list the possible reframes that you can use to turn around any negative thinking that may apply to you. Identify the reframes by number. Be specific. This is not a general discussion. It is specific as to what you learned in the questionnaire. You may support your analysis with research from your reading of the textbook.
   3. Has completing this exercise changed your ideas about positive thinking, negative thinking, frames, and reframing?
   4. Your opinion on this assignment: was the assignment helpful to you?
   5. What did you learn from this assignment and how can you use reframing to improve your attitude?

Reply Post

In addition to posting your original discussion in response to your instructor’s original thread, read all the other discussions in the forum and select ONE message that you relate to. You will “reply” to that student by providing him/her with feedback on their ideas. A reply is a message from you in response to another student’s original contribution to the discussion. Give that student feedback on their work. A good reply is at least 50 words long.

IMPORTANT: Your work will NOT be available for grading until you have submitted your two posts (original and reply). 

Your work on this assignment will be graded using the rubric in the Discussion

 

 

Assignment #6- 60 points- 1-2 person team—Using 4 Ps & Brand/Product Knowledge to Determine Competitive Advantage and Positioning

 

Competitive Analysis is key to determining what your Target Customers think of your Benefits/Attributes vs. your competition, and how it provides an overview of the competitive market.

 

Scenario and Assignment:

Competitive Analysis on 3 Competing Brands in Your Category Choice: Sneakers, Cars, Beauty Products or Contemporary Apparel
You are a marketing manager for a brand in the above categories. You need to figure out a new campaign and messaging strategy for that brand, which means you need to look at your competition, decide your brand’s competitive advantage(s) and create a positioning message based on this research.

 

You need to:

• Figure out your brand’s most compelling consumer values, using attributes/features and benefits

2.) Construct a list for your brand and 2 other competitors, answering the questions below, then turn that into a competitive grid chart. Include short intro and conclusion. (Teams of 3 can each take a brand)

• Create a Positioning Map with these 3 brands and add 3 more competitors, and base it on your choice of “benefits sought” such as price and quality. See below for details.
• Create a Positioning Statement for your Brand.

If three are working together, each take a brand to use, set up grid and map together, then complete your own brand positioning statement.  So the grid and map will be done together, but the research and positioning can be done individually and then all put together. (If team of 2, one needs to research 2 brands)

Product Strategy

The first P is Product: Anything that can be offered to a market that might satisfy a want or need.

Products provide value to the target customer by their features, attributes and benefits .

Defined: Attributes: Reside in the product; Tend to be concrete, but they can also be abstract; also referred to as product features. Can differentiate and have advantages — what attributes the features have such as the “er” words, such as cleaner, tastier, stronger, faster, better, healthier, etc.  Product attributes usually comprise features, functions, and uses.

Defined: Benefits: Reside in the customer; Are always abstract; Often the result of a cluster of product attributes; What the customer receives from products or services,  expressed in terms of what the user gets from the product rather than its physical characteristics or features. Benefits — what those features mean for my life,  real solutions such as make my housecleaning faster so it saves me time that I can spend with my family or makes my face more attractive so I am happier with my boyfriend or makes me feel accepted when I wear it or use it and part of the tribe.  

In a nutshell, you have to make very clear the end result that is ultimately the reason why someone is motivated to purchase your product.

 

Competitive Grid: Helps bring focus and clarity to your decision making via the following:

 

• Assists your team in boiling down a lot of competitive fact gathering so the team can evaluate the benefits offered by each competitor’s product/service against benefits sought by the target customer.   Benefits can be include all of the four P’s such as product or service benefits, place benefits (like convenience), packaging benefits, price benefits, etc. 

 

• Assists your team’s search for a compelling Value Proposition/USP by determining whether there is/are a benefit(s) sought by their target customer that are not being addressed by any competitors.  (For instance, the portable bike helmet we discussed in first Assignment.)

 

• Helps your team evaluate whether a decision not to deliver a benefit will harm – or enhance – the team’s ability to steal customers from the competition.  (For example, a lip plumper that does not contain natural bee’s wax because products with bee’s wax melt in the sun; their customer would rather trade an organic feature for practicality. Or would they????)

What to address in your competitor analysis:  

You can organize the information in a grid or chart, the goal is to compare competitive brands, and products as consumers would when making their purchase choices.  Remember the unique; most valuable differences could be small. Think about more than Product; you can use the other Ps: Price, Place and Promotion.

Remember to write a short introduction that sets up the comparisons, and then a short conclusion. Most of the info will be in the grid.

• List the Competitors and describe the brand succinctly.
• Describe the unique attributes and benefits of their core products and services.  Do they support and fit with the current Brand Image and future objectives?

• Each Brand’s Customer – use emotional descriptive words (not age and income). Look at PRIZM for appropriate segments.
• Why Does Their Customer choose them, each brand, over the competition?
• Greatest Success (from customer POV), best selling features, products, services, promotions.

• Greatest Weakness (from Customer POV), what could each brand do better? Challenges?  Can these weaknesses be repaired or are they an integral part of the Brand?
•  Greatest future opportunity including a brand extension, product or marketing strategy that will increase value, competitiveness, customer loyalty and sales.
• Pricing – how does each Brand pricing compare with your Brand and other competitors. What is the Customers Perceived Quality or Value for each brand?
• Are they Socially Responsible? Recent Major Outreach/Campaigns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Criteria	BRAND #1	BRAND #2	BRAND #3
Description/Product
Known Best For
Attributes/Features
Benefits/WHY they Chose this brand
Customer Differences
Successes
Weaknesses
Challenges/Future Opportunities
Quality for Price/Perceived Value
Social Responsibility

 

Ideas for gathering competitive information

• Internet
• Personal visits – If possible, visit your competitors’ locations online or in person. Observe how employees interact with customers or how intuitive/interesting their website is. What does it look like? How are their products displayed? Priced?
• Talk to customers or staff you might know – Company execs are in regular contact with customers and prospects. Your competition is also in contact with these people. Learn what your customers and prospects are saying about your competitors. YELP or their social media may provide insight.
• Competitors’ ads – Analyze competitors’ ads to gain information about their target audience, market position, product features and benefits as positioning, prices, etc.
• Written sources:
  • General business publications
  • Marketing and advertising publications
  • Industry and trade association publications
  • Computer databases (available via portal)

 

Positioning Map

Create a Positioning Map:

Taking what you learned about benefits sought from the survey, the competitive grid and your other research findings, build a simple positioning map.

Choose  the top 1 – 2 competitive advantages

• Product/Quality
• Price
• Service
• Innovation

 

Plot at least 2 advantages or choose from 1-4.  Include your 3 grid brands and add 3 additional competitive brands.

 

Example – comparing product lifestyle with price

 

 

https://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/customer-segmentation-targeting/segmentation-targeting-and-positioning/

 

 

Positioning Statement:

From your findings, create a compelling USP (Unique Selling Proposition) and positioning message for your customers.  Remember that it’s the place(s) in the customer’s mind that you want to own!

 

 

Written: Turn in all typed with correct grammar/spelling. Include Works Cited Page.  Use Library Resources and your own experience/expertise to determine Brand value.

 

 

Grading:  60 points Total: Cover Page required

Competitive Brand Research   20 points

Competitive Grid Content        15 points

Positioning Map                         10 points

Positioning Statement                5 points

Professionalism/Works Cited  10 points

 

 

 

Report Evaluating AWS and Azure Providers

 

The report will be five to seven pages in length and should include source citations, as appropriate, in APA style.

 

This report should include the following components:

 

• Title page
  • Include: for whom you are preparing the document, the title, the date prepared, and your name as the preparer of the document.

 

• Executive summary
  • Include: the purpose of the report and the intended audience.
  • Brief description of conducted research and POC deployments.

 

• Comparison of architecture deployment feasibility (from Steps 1 – 5)
  • Describe how the architecture proposed in Step 3 can be implemented in AWS and Azure environments, and compare ease of implementation.
  • Evaluate and compare efforts to implement BallotOnline business requirements.
  • Compare availability and ease of use for application scaling, geographical distribution, and network security measures.
  • Compare availability and ease of use of cloud services required by BallotOnline (database as a service, auditing, logging, application security, etc.).
  • Compare support for application migration and monitoring.

 

• Comparison of ease of deployment (from Steps 6 and 7)
  • Describe AWS and Azure capabilities for deploying web applications using the PHP language and MySQL database.
  • Compare ease of use of user interfaces, portals, and management consoles.
  • Compare POC environment deployment times.

 

• Comparison of costs
  • Discuss and compare pricing plans available, costs of servers, and services.

 

• Conclusions and recommendations
  • Present the final recommendation based on your research and POC deployment.