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Respond to post: Environmental scanning plays a crusial role in corporate strategic planning.  It’s important to identify external oportunities and threats, likewise strengths and weakneeses which may affect the companies competitiveness.  However, an environmental scan can help a company assess its strengths and weaknesses as well as business risks. Nike and Adidas companies are examples of companies that can go either way in an environmental scan.  The two firms business strategies are analyzed to determine their effectiveness.   Discussion board #1 In today’s economic environment, which of the five steps in the strategic planning process do you think is the most important? Give an example of an industry where this would be the most important step. Do you think that a different industry might place more emphasis on another step in the strategic planning process? Why? Discussion board #2 One of the most difficult areas for employers to manage is ensuring that all work performed is reported and off-the-clock work is eliminated. Consider your own employment history. Were there times you felt you did not receive the pay you felt you were entitled? Perhaps you did work outside your job description, performed work off the clock, or felt you were not paid commensurate with your skill level or your coworkers’ pay. Did or could you have taken any steps to address the issue? Share your thoughts on the experience. Was there anything different you feel the employer could or should have done? Respond to post: I can say I have not been paid for the hours I am entitled to. In the last company I worked for, I was the operations manager supervising close to 180 employees that covered over five counties. At that time, we were considered one of the largest ALS ambulance agencies in northern Michigan. As an operations manager, I was a salaried employee expected to work 45 hours a week; I was also responsible for paying the vast majority of my benefits.  Rookie ALS operations manager here, they promised the golden carrot on a string that was achievable. All was well for a while; things were going well, and then came multiple retirements, and many leaving the profession to pursue nursing and wanting off the road. There is currently a national shortage of paramedics throughout the US, as many will know. With those now open shifts, my 45 hours week went to me having to work 36 hours on the road as a paramedic a week totaling close to 80 plus a week without any extra compensation; the hospital administration that was my boss told me to deal with it and be a leader in tough times and was unwilling to supplement any additional income for the many extra hours I was working to keep ambulances on the road and patient transfers happening every day. That lasted about two years of working two full-time positions in one. Hence the reason why I left and am currently where I am. I love the company that I work for; I again am a salaried employee as a director, and when I want to help out, I am paid a great hourly wage to help them out when they are short-staffed. I am compensated very well and feel wanted and welcomed every day.  On a side note, the other agency is no longer in business and was taken over by a more prominent ambulance agency outside the area shortly after I left. The hospital turned over all responsibilities to them. The hospital left the ambulance business after close to 45 years of probably mistreating thousands of employees and not paying them what they deserved or what was owed to them.  
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Strategic Management and Business Policy Instructions: For this essay, you will conduct research on corporate strategies and the affect they have on the decision process. Use the same company you chose in Unit II. As you explore the decision process, consider how corporate strategies influence these decisions. In your essay, address the following questions: What is a functional strategy? What are stability strategies in business? What are the pros and cons of these strategies? What are competitive and cooperative strategies? What are the tradeoffs (pros and cons) between an internal and an external growth strategy? Which approach is best as an international strategy? Why? What about retrenchment? Your essay should be two to three pages in length, double-spaced, and in 12 pt. Times New Roman font. The title and reference pages do not count towards the minimum page length. To complete this assignment, a minimum of two reputable sources must be used, cited, and referenced. Use APA style guidelines.