Course Feature: Social Psychology

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

PSY 360 Social Psychology analyzes how people influence and are influenced by the real or imagined presence or others, as well as how they interact with and relate to those around them. Topics include social psychology, social cognition, social perception and judgment, attitudes and attitude change, conformity and obedience, group behavior, attraction and intimate relationships, helping behavior, aggression, prejudice, and the application of social psychology to other fields, including the legal system. The concepts learned in this course can be applied to careers in which people work in teams, as well as to situations where it is important to influence or persuade others.

Social psychology is about how individuals influence the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of others. The focus, says Faculty Program Director Amber O’Neil, is not only on the real actions and behaviors, but on perceived and implied presence. She says, “For example, just because a video camera is trained on us it doesn’t mean anyone is actually watching. But the simple presence of the camera still typically changes how an individual acts.”

O’Neil says any student who needs an upper-level social science course or elective to meet graduation requirements would learn a great deal from PSY 360, and they’d also have a lot of fun! Students who take the course have a better understanding of how individual and collective actions and behaviors can have a huge impact on others. Students also learn about behaviors that help and hurt team performance. “This is a great class in which to explore attitudes, prejudice, and discrimination. And finally, you get to practice persuasion and compliance techniques —who doesn’t want to get people to do what they want?,” says O’Neil. She also notes that if you like the The Marshmallow Experiment, you’ll like this class. (In the Marshmallow Experiment, conducted in the 1960s, some young kids struggled with waiting to eat a marshmallow although they knew they’d be rewarded with a second marshmallow if they waited. The test is a good example of temptation and delayed gratification.)

Students come away from the class having gleaned important generalizations based on social psychology. For instance, says O’Neil, “children learn behavior by observing it; if you own something, you believe it’s worth more than when someone else owns the same item; it’s usually just easier to go along with the crowd than to stand up for something, which means we also do stupid things to conform to those around us; and we blame others when we fail…and we blame others when they fail, too.”

Students have been able to relate to and learn from Social Psychology, saying: “This course has helped me better understand myself and my organization, as I was able to apply the principles and theories that I’ve learned to my job.” and “My purpose in taking social psychology was explore how people think, relate and influence one another… So, I think it’s important for me examine these differences—first as it applies to myself, then to my marriage, my other close relationships, and finally with my exchanges with co-workers and others around me.”

Faculty have also enjoyed teaching the course. Elaine Bontempi writes, “When I have taught the course, I always try to encourage the students to think about the material and its application in their own lives, as well as events in the news, then share these reflections with each other. This tends to make the course content more personally meaningful, and students become much more motivated to learn the theories at that point.” Yassir Semmar adds, “I love teaching PSY 360 because students are always excited about exploring topics and concepts that apply to nearly everything they experience daily in personal and professional realms…. I also enjoy teaching social psychology because it provides learners with a platform to empirically investigate and understand the answers to such questions.”

If you’re interested in social psychology, consider signing up for PSY 360 for next semester.

CPNE and Me: Lakeya Collins

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

“I passed my CPNE on February 4, 2018 at 10:36 a.m. with no repeats…it was the best experience of my life.” –Lakeya Collins

An LPN in Augusta, Georgia, Lakeya Collins began pursuing her associate degree in nursing with Excelsior College in 2014 and after years of hard work, dedication, and personal sacrifice, she reached her goal, passing the Clinical Performance in Nursing Exam at Saint Peter’s Hospital in Albany, N.Y.

Collins knew she wanted to become a nurse when she was eight years old and a dog bite incident landed her in the emergency room. “There were ladies dressed from head-to-toe in white and I was just amazed by how nurturing they were, and at that moment I said I’m going to become one of those; I want to be a nurse,” says Collins. She became an LPN and attempted to pursue her RN, but after the traditional route was unsuccessful, she decided to come to Excelsior.

“I was in a traditional program, I was overwhelmed, I had three children as a single mother and I was working three jobs,” says Collins, remembering how difficult it was to pursue her associate degree by the traditional means. Her friend suggested Excelsior College, citing its flexibility, and the rest is history.

To study for the CPNE, Collins used all resources available to her. She called Excelsior several times a week, used the Excelsior workshops in Atlanta and Albany, and constantly checked in with staff members at the College. She also studied with fellow students. “We did skype, we did anything; we actually would travel and rent hotel rooms and stay the weekend,” explains Collins. Fellow students would travel from three to four hours away, meet at a hotel, and take turns testing each other. “Someone would be the CE, someone would be the CA, and we would drill each other non-stop and that was very therapeutic for me passing the CPNE,” she says.

Throughout her journey, Collins credits Excelsior and her children with being her biggest supporters and source of encouragement. She says of Excelsior staff: “Everyone I encountered was so warm and open, and…everyone cared and that made such a big difference; they believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. When I didn’t believe I could pass the CPNE—even when I arrived the day of the CPNE and the CA said, you know this is up to you, and at that moment I said, I will pass this.”

She also wanted to show her two children that despite tragedy, good can happen. Collins’s 16-year-old son passed away on April 24, 2016—the day she took her Focused Clinical Competencies Assessment for the third time and passed. “At that moment, I didn’t think I’d be able to continue with the CPNE with so many horror stories, and the rumors of not being able to pass it,” Collins says. She spoke with her counselor and after discovering she would receive a 60 percent scholarship, she decided to try for it. She says she used  the wait time of one year to focus, to breathe, and concentrate on her studies. “At the end, everything made sense; it all made sense when I put it all together and I’m grateful for that. I learned it, I just didn’t remember it. It played a part in how I am as a nurse.”

In the end, she was glad to have shown her children what it means to work hard in the face of catastrophe. “I wanted to motivate them and I wanted to show them more than tell them that tragedy and hurdles may come, but we have to overcome them no matter what they are in life; you may stop and get stuck at that moment, but as long as you continue over—even if you have to crawl over or climb over—don’t ever stop, don’t ever give up,” says Collins.

Before she lost her son, Collins says, her goal was to be content with earning her associate degree in nursing. Now that isn’t enough. His goal was to become a family practice physician and so that’s what Collins is going to do.

“In honor of him and myself, I’m going to go to school for my nurse practitioner degree, and I’m going to become a nurse practitioner,” she says. She wouldn’t be able to do that if it wasn’t for passing her CPNE. “I just want my son to know that we did it. We did it,” she says, “…for 23 years I’ve been chasing this dream and…it’s been realized and for that I’m blessed, I’m so blessed.”

 

 

More CPNE Tips from Lakeya Collins:

“My advice to anyone that’s preparing to pass, is that’s the first thing: you’re going to pass your CPNE. Take the doubt away, take the fear away, and any negative comments, and remove social media with the negativity.”

“Utilize Excelsior; utilize those content calls, utilize the workshop. I made up in my mind I was going to do the workshops and the care plan class because if I spend $300 on that, wouldn’t that be cheaper than spending another time for the CPNE?”

“If you’re feeling lost or consumed, reach out to someone who’s motivated, and who’s ready and willing to pass this the first time around.”

A Cholesterol Conundrum: Common Myths Debunked

Posted on by Kelly Hunger

As busy students and professionals, it is hard to tell fact from fiction these days. This is especially true of the ever-evolving health and wellness world. One such topic that can be a hard nut to crack (no pun intended) is cholesterol. My own sweet father thought that his cholesterol medication was to be taken when he ate poorly versus daily as prescribed. He has since learned the hard way that this is not the case. But what do we really know about current cholesterol research? Here are some common cholesterol myths debunked, according to the American Heart Association.

  1. Cholesterol is bad for you.
  • While high cholesterol is not desirable for one’s health, cholesterol in general is needed by the body for various functions. These include the creation of cells, some hormones, vitamin D, and the breakdown of fatty foods.
  • There are two forms of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL), aka “the good one,” and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or, “the bad one.’ HDL helps to keep arteries clear by being a magnet for LDL which it takes to the liver for removal. LDL takes cholesterol to your arteries, which can build up over time.

 

  1. High cholesterol is a genetic disorder.
  • While certain individuals are more susceptible to high cholesterol based on family history, it can impact anyone that does not adhere to a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Research shows that the buildup of plaque actually begins in childhood.

 

  1. Only overweight and obese people have high cholesterol.
  • Anyone, regardless of body type, can have high cholesterol. Being overweight and obese raises your risk of having high cholesterol, but it is not an absolute determinant.

 

  1. Cholesterol medication allows you to eat whatever you want.
  • Cholesterol medication is designed to be taken regularly, with a balanced diet and regular exercise, to achieve a lower LDL. According to the Centers for Disease Control, only slightly over half of individuals that need cholesterol medication take it regularly.

 

  1. If I avoid meat, I will not have high cholesterol.
  • While avoiding animal-based foods that are high in saturated and trans fats can be helpful for lowering your risk of high cholesterol, certain plant-based oils can also cause your liver to produce more cholesterol.

 

With the myths above debunked, there is still the great egg debate (good, bad, good again)! There are no simple answers to this debate. Regardless of this mystery, here is a simple cholesterol breakdown to live by:

  • Eat a balanced diet and avoid foods with saturated and trans-fats.
  • Maintain an active lifestyle.
  • Get your cholesterol levels checked, starting as early as age 20 and every 4-6 years after, or as specified by your physician.

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Excelsior College, its trustees, officers, or employees.

Social Media Movements Remind Us That Violence Against Women Isn’t New

Posted on by Gretchen Schmidt, JD

Violence against women is not a new epidemic. It was set in motion with our forefathers when women were considered legally irrelevant in the eyes of the law: the property of their husband, not allowed to vote, denied access to higher education, etc. Those in power wanted to keep their power. Since then, women’s groups have fought for women’s rights and to prevent violence against women, but unfortunately many women remain victims. The #metoo and #whyIdidn’treport movements bring to light the mistreatment of these victims and remind us that as a society, we have a responsibility to hold the perpetrators accountable and not blame the victims.

The first group of women to act was the suffragists who fought beginning in the mid-19th century to gain rights for women, one of the largest being the right to vote. After 72 years, they succeeded in gaining the right for women to vote in 1920, after which time their efforts largely subsided. In the 1960s, as more women were entering the workforce and embarking on careers outside of the home—another perceived attempt at taking power and positions previously held by men—led to a second wave of women activists. This wave was motivated by the sexual exploitation of women in the workplace, as well as inequality in pay (which continues to this day). This movement also sought to prevent violence against women. The efforts of these women and this movement have gone in ebbs and flows for many reasons, ranging from women not thinking they need to support each other, to national headlines of abuse of women. In 1994, Sen. Joseph R. Biden along with Rep. Louise M. Slaughter sponsored the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). The act was an initiative motivated by the Anita Hill hearings. This act has been up for renewal many times since its enactment. It has always had bi-partisan support, this year however, with the political climate what it is, it seems to be missing the same kind of support.

Our society is clearly in a critical state of dysfunction, as evidenced by the #metoo and the #whyIdidntreport movements and those in power blaming the victims. Some look to these movements and say the system is broken; the system has failed. I would argue society has failed. The stigma surrounding being sexually assaulted can’t be fixed by the criminal justice system. A one-year sentence for a sexual assault conviction that amounts to three months served and 9 months’ probation does not fix this problem.

You can’t fix the stigma associated with sexual assault with jail time. The problem gets fixed when society acknowledges that it is not the victim’s fault, and no means no, period.  The victim cannot be made to feel as if it is her or his fault. In our current system, prosecutors are forced to evaluate whether a sexual assault case stood a chance of ending with a defendant being held accountable. Sadly, the victim’s credibility and stability are keys to whether a case should move forward. The Victims Assistance Unit often has to work with the victim, before, during, and after the trial because, in reality, the victim is victimized a second time by the adversarial process and defense counsel.

As we are seeing in the #whyIdidntreport movement, the reasons vary for why a victim didn’t come forward, but they all come down to the victim being afraid of people viewing them as promiscuous or immoral, or a liar, and not wanting to be victimized again by having to relive the assault. As a society, there has to be a better way to treat victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. We have to decide the victims should be taken care of, not reoffended. Those who prey on women, especially men, wielding some sort of power over them, whether size, money, or prestige, must be held accountable and seen as the wrongdoer. The reality is that about two out of three sexual assaults go unreported.

As a society, can’t we treat victims of sexual assault with compassion and support?

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Excelsior College, its trustees, officers, or employees.

Degrees at Work: Master Chief Officer Mark Welling

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

Mark Welling’s vast and unique career has provided him with a diverse background and the experiences necessary for maintaining, repairing, and managing the production efforts needed in the Navy and civilian employments where he’s been deployed throughout his 33 years with the Navy. During those years, Welling has also never stopped learning, always pursuing his education in some capacity. Now the 2017 Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts graduate intends to keep pursuing his higher education goals and move up in his career.

Welling is a quality assurance evaluator (QAE) and inspector within the Historic Aircraft branch of the Naval History Heritage Command at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. The command includes nine official Navy museums nationwide, including the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida, as well as the detachment that maintains the Navy’s oldest commissioned warship, the USS Constitution, in Boston, Massachusetts.

“I work 12-hour days,” says Welling. “From the moment of walking into my office, I review projects and answer concerns from around the country on display-related issues.” His day consists of desk work; evaluating displays; and meeting with personnel within the command, at museums or facilities; and dealing with sailor activities. He also travels up to 50 percent of the time, typically to locations across the United States. Welling has been in the service for 35 years and has worked on more than 15 types of aircrafts including propeller driven engines, helicopters, jet-propelled aircrafts, airships, and gliders. That experience, along with his ability to effectively communicate with his peers, he believes, makes him successful in his position.

Welling explains his work ethic stems back to his childhood: “I have worked since I was 14 years old. I started delivering papers, mowing grass, and pumping gas along with servicing and maintaining cars at the local station…After high school I worked full-time in the printing press field as an offset printer’s assistant. Never satisfied with learning one trade, I decided to enlist in the service.” He has also never stopped learning. Welling has attended trade schools and leadership schools, and pursued independent study and taken CLEP, DANTES, and Excelsior UExcel exams in the pursuit of his degree.

His career with the military often required him to travel throughout the world on long deployments, leaving him little time to devote to family or full-time campus enrollment. “Before committing to Excelsior, I evaluated multiple learning institutions and found Excelsior valued and encouraged un-traditional learning for credit toward its accredited degree programs,” he says. Being a military partner student allowed him to take what he learned at other institutions and apply it toward his degree, as well.

Despite being in the aviation field, says Welling, his liberal science degree helps in his management and administrative duties. “I have used the skills taught to effectively manage the programs I am responsible for in the office and in the field,” he says. He adds that the business writing course at Excelsior has helped him to respond to business tasks and effectively communicate strategies and goals. Additionally, the liberal arts capstone course was interactive and the training “brought forth the need for clear and professional communication with my command’s business cliental.”

Though he set out to complete his degree many decades ago, he can now say he has achieved one of his lifelong goals. He credits the consistent love and support of his wife Terri Lynn and their five children, Joshua, Jeremiah, Christopher, Samantha, and Laura, for helping him succeed. This past July, his family was there to celebrate his achievement at Commencement. He says, “I was honored to walk with the graduating class of 2018 this summer… I achieved a goal I thought was unreachable. I could not have achieved this milestone without family support along with Excelsior’s understanding of the needs of a military member.”

Welling doesn’t want to stop there. He hopes his degree will lead to a promotion and better opportunities within his occupation. “My goal is to become the lead QAE within the organization and ultimately lead into a senior executive position,” he says. He also isn’t done learning; next on the list is a master’s degree. If Welling’s journey so far has shown anything, it’s that the sky’s the limit for him.

More Advice from Mark Welling…

Most important traits/skills for success…

“The most important traits in my career is to have desire to improve your work skills by seeking out advanced studies in your field, along with understanding where you want to work in the future.”

Networking tips for current Excelsior students…

“Associate yourself with organizations you want to become part of. In my case, I wanted to learn aviation, so I joined the military as an aviation machinist mate (propulsion and power systems mechanic). I also joined a flight club to enhance my occupation as a mechanic and to learn to become a pilot. I found myself working on airplanes owned by aviators who owned flight-related businesses and trained student aviators… A good source to start networking today is your classmates. They most likely are striving for the same opportunity in the same or related field of study. Outside the learning environment, attend job fairs and get to know those businesses that relate to your field. Chances are they will provide a source of helpful networking information.”

Best business advice received on the job…

“Always challenge yourself to learn all facets of the job you are seeking or employed at. The more you understand how the mission of your organization is managed, the better equipped you are to serve the command, organization, or business you are associated with.”

Ten Tips for Managing Pain

Posted on by Jeff A. Pence

September is National Pain Awareness Month. Whether caused from an accident, an illness, an injury, or simply “old age,” pain can affect us in many ways. Although the type, location, and severity of pain can vary a great deal, pain has one common thread: Nobody likes to be in pain.

The American Chronic Pain Association was instrumental in recognizing September as Pain Awareness Month. Its efforts aim to raise awareness and provide education on chronic pain and pain management to both the public and professionals.

Two of Excelsior’s course offerings, HSC 316 Mind, Body, Health and HSC 402 Managing Stress, are excellent resources for the topics of pain and pain management. There is truth in the saying “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  Mind, Body, Health focuses on the psychology of health and fitness and also explores how we can make positive changes in our health behaviors. Managing Stress also approaches the psychological aspects of health but continues to offer an expansive list of methods by which someone can not only reduce stress in their life, but also manage pain through both mental and physical means.

In keeping with the theme of Pain Awareness Month, here are 10 suggestions of non-pharmacologic pain management techniques from these courses, and other resources:

  1. Journaling
  • Keeping track of your actions, activities, and the level of pain associated with them can help you identify and manage your pain triggers.
  1. Exercise
  • If you are able, exercise is a great way to release endorphins (your body’s natural pain-killers) while also reaping the many benefits of physical activity.
  1. Deep Breathing and Mindfulness
  • Being “in the moment” and fully aware of our body can provide focus and establish a connection between your physical and emotional being.
  1. Eating a Healthy Diet and Staying Hydrated
  • The importance of sound nutrition and hydration should not be discounted. Our body needs the right fuel for optimal function and to support immune health.
  1. Massage
  • Besides being relaxing, a therapeutic massage can improve the flow of blood and the work of the lymph nodes. This provides oxygen and nutrients to the cells while simultaneously ridding the body of toxins through increased lymphatic drainage.
  1. Reducing Stress
  • Believe it or not, stress can actually intensify the perception of chronic pain. Identifying your stressors and eliminating them can significantly improve your overall level of pain.
  1. Healthy Pleasures
  • Doing things that we truly enjoy has been shown to provide a therapeutic distraction, which both supports and restores our recuperative powers.
  1. Sleep
  • Speaking of recuperation, the body needs adequate sleep to recharge after periods of prolonged stress, even the stress associated with chronic pain. Sleep is vital to optimize physical and mental well-being.
  1. Support Groups
  • Speaking with others who are also in chronic pain can help you to realize that you are not alone, and that help is available. They can also be a tremendous source of information for the most current and valuable treatment methods.
  1. Creative Outlets
  • Although popular methods include art, music, humor, and hobbies, the possibilities are endless. Regardless of your preferences, finding an activity that is personally rewarding can provide peace of mind while boosting physical wellness.

It is well-established that the best outcomes are achieved with compliance. In other words, finding coping strategies that you like and can stick with will give you the best results. If you are suffering from chronic pain, try some of these techniques then expand your search if necessary.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Excelsior College, its trustees, officers, or employees.

Trafficking in Persons

Posted on by Carolyn H. Grosvenor, MD, MPH

“Something isn’t right. I think the women all live together.” This comment was made by my hair dresser in reference to a nail salon where a man was the manager and none of the women spoke English.

The question, “What should I have done?” was asked by a woman who once worked as a clerk in a lingerie store. One day a teenage girl came into the store with two older men. One man browsed around while the other picked out sexy “adult” lingerie for the teenager. There was no conversation between the teenager and the men. The clerk tried to engage the girl in conversation, but the man paying for the lingerie answered instead. However, the girl did say that she didn’t attend school.

It is possible both of these women were witnesses to the practice of human trafficking. The first may have been a case of labor trafficking and the second, a case of commercial sex trafficking.

Human trafficking, trafficking in persons, and modern-day slavery are terms that refer to both sex trafficking and compelled labor. Compelled labor includes involuntary servitude, slavery, or practices similar to slavery, debt bondage, and forced labor. Although we use the term “trafficking,” human trafficking does not require movement or transport. Exploitation can occur within one’s own community. The Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons explains, “At the heart of this phenomenon is the traffickers’ aim to exploit and enslave their victims and the myriad coercive and deceptive practices they use to do so.”

What can we do to stop human trafficking? One option is to try to rescue all of the captives. Or, we could try to rescue those who are at risk of being captured. I think the latter approach would be more effective in the long run. This “upstream approach” focuses on prevention. But how do we find potential victims before the traffickers find them? We have to be able identify those who are vulnerable or at risk of being trafficked. This is where taking a look at the social determinants of human trafficking comes in to play.

When I went on a medical mission trip to Nicaragua, I learned that women and children often entered brothels for economic reasons. Women who borrow money from traffickers are forced to work in the brothels to pay off their debt. Any attempt to quit is met with violence against them or their families. Desperate parents even may sell their children to traffickers. Some children are simply kidnapped and then sold. Here in the U.S., young runaways (and other homeless youths and young adults) are sought out and befriended by traffickers and then forced or sold into the sex trade. In terms of labor trafficking, people may be recruited for jobs only to find themselves enslaved in a sweat shop, on a plantation, or in a massage parlor (often a front for a brothel).

So, we know two factors that place people at risk of being trafficked are extreme poverty and homelessness. This is a problem that is best addressed at multiple levels: individual, social/cultural, institutional, community, and public policy. In other words, a socio-ecological approach is needed. For more information on how you can make a difference, read “15 Ways You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking.”

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of Excelsior College, its trustees, officers, or employees.

Business Basics: Developing a Business Strategy

Posted on by William Trevor

The adoption of the word “strategy” by the business world owes a great deal to its original use by the military and some of the terminology reflects its roots. While people often talk of having, “a strategy to lose weight,” or, “a strategy to deal with a difficult co-worker,”’ in the business world we specifically mean a long-term plan that is focused on the overall mission of the organization and intended to achieve specific objectives.

What is Strategy?

In the section, “Five Ps for Strategy” in the book The Strategy Process, leading management thinker Henry Mintzberg says strategy in a business context can be used in five different ways:

  • Strategy is a plan: it provides a roadmap for the organization to get from one place to another.
  • Strategy is a pattern in terms of actions that are repeated over time; for example, Apple provides high-end products for brand-conscious consumers and uses a similar formula for each new product launch.
  • Strategy is position: for example, a Bugatti Veyron car is positioned in the premium end of the personal motor vehicle market.
  • Strategy is a ploy: your strategy might be used to outwit the competition. Starbucks, for example, would saturate a part of a city with coffee shops to drive competitors out of business.
  • Strategy is a perspective: it develops from the mission, vision, and values of the organization.

 

When we talk about a long-term plan for an organization, we focus on “corporate strategy,” such as that used by Amazon to develop the mission of the overall business. Below that is the “business unit strategy” developed by Amazon Go, for example, which is the online retail giant’s physical stores. Finally, a “team strategy” is the lowest level, which ensures the team implements and delivers on the corporate and business unit strategies. For the rest of this article, however, we will focus on the corporate level.

 

Strategy as a 3-Step Process

While there are a variety of processes recommended by both practicing managers and academics, any strategy—whether business or personal—needs to answer three fundamental questions:

  1. Where are we now?
  2. Where do we want to be?
  3. How do we get there?

This 3-step process is, first, about understanding the current situation of the organization and is often referred to as a “situational analysis.”  It is about appraising current resources and strategies to gain a realistic starting point from which to develop a plan: if we don’t know where we are, how will we know where we are going? Second, a business strategy needs to establish an end-point: where do we want the business to be in three or five years’ time? Developing a strategy is about planning for the long-term. By establishing the mission, vision, and values, and developing appropriate objectives, the organization can articulate what success will look like at the end of the strategy timeframe. Objectives are a benchmark for progress, as well as a destination. Lastly, the organization develops the strategy that is appropriate to its current situation and will also enable it to achieve the objectives outlined in the previous step. Michael Porter has commented that there are three types of strategy for a business to follow: cost leadership, niche, or focus.

 

STEP 1: Where Are We Now?

Usually organizations begin the strategy process with a clean sheet (and even a start-up needs to know what the current marketplace looks like and to identify the developing trends). There are a variety of tools and methods a manager can use to assess the current situation of the organization and this list is not intended to be exhaustive.  We could, for example, look at the McKinsey 7S Framework or Porter’s 5-Forces of Competitive Industries models. Ultimately, whatever tools the organization uses, this first step is about understanding the internal, or micro-environment, and the external, or macro-environment, in which it operates. It looks at everything from customers to competitors and to new trends developing in the marketplace.

 The Situational Analysis

Three of the most useful tools that form part of the situational analysis are:

  • The 3C Analysis
  • The PESTEL Analysis
  • The SWOT Analysis

 

  1. The 3C Analysis

This first tool focuses on the micro-environment and looks at some of the key stakeholders, such as the customers, as well as the internal capabilities of the organization, from which its strengths and weaknesses can be ascertained.

  • Company: What resources do we have within the organization? How many staff do we have and what are their skills? What are the processes we are using and how are we performing against current objectives?
  • Customers: Who are they? Where are they? How do they like to be communicated with? Are our customers changing? Do we need to look to new customer groups, whether at home or overseas?
  • Competitors: How are we performing in relation to the competition? Are they bringing out new products? Do we need to respond to what others are doing in the industry?

 

  1. The PESTEL Analysis

The PESTEL Analysis has several different variants; you will often see it written as PEST, PESTLE, and even STEPS, but they all serve the same purpose in terms of analyzing the macro-environment, or the wider business environment, in which the organization operates:

  • Political
  • Economic
  • Social
  • Technology
  • Environmental
  • Legal

 Political – What is the political situation facing the organization? Could a change of government see a higher tax on one of our most popular products? The trade disagreements of the current administration saw U.S. farmers hit by tariffs in overseas markets that then required a sizeable bailout from the government.

Economic – The fluctuations of the economic cycle can cause problems for a business. Many banks, for example, were adversely affected by the Credit Crunch of 2007, which saw the closure or merger of several financial institutions and had a negative impact on businesses beyond the financial sector.

Social – Changes in society can influence spending patterns and consumer behavior. The different outlook of the burgeoning demographic cohorts of millennials and Generation-Z have driven demand for products and services that cater to different tastes and attitudes.

Technological – Technology changes at a breathtaking pace and many organizations are caught out by new technologies that challenge old way of doing things. Before the advent of the internet, for example, it would have been impossible to have imagined the creation of businesses like Google or Amazon. Amazon transformed several traditional industries, from books to consumer goods.

Environmental – Businesses need to be conscious of a growing awareness of environmental issues among consumers. In the face of consumer pressure regarding the environmental impact of single-use straws, many food service organizations withdrew them and tried to offer more sustainable alternatives instead.

Legal – Changes in the law can redraw entire industries or require significant change to practices and processes. Changes to emissions regulations, for example, caused vehicle manufacturers to make significant modifications to their products.

  1. The SWOT Analysis

Used well, a SWOT Analysis is the culmination of the situational analysis process because it encourages managers to evaluate the internal strengths and weaknesses of the organization in terms of the micro-environment and then match them to opportunities and threats in the wider business environment. That could be a matching strategy, where a business matches its strengths to a market opportunity, such as Amazon leveraging its logistics skills in new areas, or a conversion strategy in which the organization converts weakness to strengths.  As part of the business strategy process, the development of a SWOT should not be a one-off; rather it must be a task that is completed on a regular basis to ensure the organization is not caught off-guard by changes in its environment. Often dismissed as simplistic, the SWOT actually provides a powerful aid to decision-making and enables the capabilities to be matched to the opportunities and threats facing the organization.

To read more about the SWOT analysis, check out Business Basics: What Is a SWOT Analysis? [https://life.excelsior.edu/business-basics-using-a-swot-analysis/]

 

STEP 2: Where do We Want to Be?

When the organization has completed the Situational Analysis, the management team needs to decide where the organization is heading. The result of that process is the development of a set of corporate objectives. These objectives articulate the overall mission and vision of the organization, which are broader goals about the direction of travel. Microsoft, for example, had an original mission, which was, ”a computer on every desk and in every home.” Below that mission was a set of corporate objectives designed to help achieve it. There were objectives for both personal computers and business computers, but, unlike the mission, the objectives usually conform to the acronym SMART:

  • Specific – The objective should focus upon something specific, rather than a general goal. The objective might specify personal home computers, for example.
  • Measurable – There’s an old adage in business that says, “what gets measured, gets managed.” Thus, a measurable objective allows us to know when we have achieved success or how far we are away from achieving it.
  • Achievable – Setting an objective to double the amount of sales in a year, for example, may be unrealistic and so an achievable goal should consider the capabilities of the organization to reach it.
  • Realistic – This is linked to the previous element, but realistic goals should have the buy-in and the support of all the important stakeholders.
  • Time-bound – A SMART objective needs to provide a period of time in which it should be achieved. That time period should also be achievable and realistic in relation to what is required.

A SMART corporate objective might be: “To increase sales of the new Model X smartphone by 50 percent by the first quarter of 2020 in the North American market.”

 

STEP 3: How Do We Get There?

In the final step, the organization develops the strategy appropriate to the environment in which the organization operates and will enable it to achieve both its mission and stated objectives Porter has identified two forms of competitive advantage for any business: low-cost or differentiation. Either you can sell at a considerable cost advantage to your competitors in the industry, or you have a product offering that is significantly different from what is available from other players. From these two forms of competitive advantage, Porter identified three generic strategies in his book, “Competitive Advantage”

 

  1. Cost Leadership – The organization has a cost advantage, perhaps because it can buy more cheaply than the competition, or because it has access to resources that other competitors don’t have. Walmart has a considerable cost advantage because of the scale at which it can buy stock, which means it achieves sizable discounts unavailable to smaller competitors.

 

  1. Differentiation – Focusing upon specific attributes, the organization positions itself accordingly. Apple, for example, differentiates itself in terms of its design and brand. For Apple aficionados, only an Apple will do!

 

  1. Focus – Here the organization selects a specific segment of the market. It has two choices: either to have a cost focus and use its cost advantage to a specific segment, or differentiation focus and differentiate to that segment. Bugatti, for example, segment its differentiated product to the super-rich sportscar driver, knowing this market segment is small, while enjoying high profits from being so focused.

 

Conclusions

Developing a business strategy is about understanding the context in which the organization is operating and then developing objectives for where the business wants to be, before establishing the long-term plans to achieve those aims. Successful businesses like Amazon and Google research their situation on an ongoing basis and keep changing their objectives accordingly, and then pursue a strategy that enables them to fulfil their mission.

Whether the organization is a corporation or a non-profit, this business strategy process helps the organization to develop an effective strategy that should help it leverage internal capabilities to external realities. Developing a business strategy, however, should never be a one-time thing and many of the steps outlined here should be kept under constant review in a world that is ever-changing and uncertain. If you are interested in business, check out our Business Degrees.

Course Feature: NS 110 Science in Today’s World

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

NS 110 Science in Today’s World gives students an overview of current and emerging trends in science and technology so that they will be able to make informed decisions. The course introduces the scientific method and terminology used in reporting scientific results and prepares students to read accounts about scientific, technological, and medical advances in the media and teaches them how to assess the scientific conclusions presented.

Dale Emeagwali, faculty program director for biology and natural science, says NS 110 is specifically designed to cover “hot topics” of current interest to everyone, and is frequently adapted to keep up to date on science trends in the news and on social media. The course also uses online educational resources (freely accessible, openly licensed text, media, and other digital assets) in place of a textbook, which is an added benefit to students looking to save some money.

According to Emeagwali, specific course topics include: genetically modified foods (How do these alterations to the DNA of our food crops affect us and the environment? Should the U.S. follow other countries in labeling foods that contain GMOs?); the human microbiome (How can our gut microbes impact our health and well-being? This includes an examination of the probiotic craze.); fresh water (Our water safety and purity is something we need to understand and monitor. Discussion points examine the pros and cons around bottled or tap water.); and climate change (What does the scientific research show and how can we, as individuals, be more aware of our carbon footprint?).

Science in Today’s World is designed to meet the general education requirement for the natural sciences and should appeal to students who may be reluctant or fearful to take a science course. “This course is meant to be a welcoming and non-threatening learning environment where anyone can succeed with the help and guidance of the supportive instructors,” says Emeagwali. She also notes “the real goal of the course is to help students become wise consumers…about scientific discoveries that impact their daily lives. The students can carry the skills in analytical and critical thinking they learn here into their future studies and many aspects of their lives.”

Students have appreciated the non-threatening learning environment and informative atmosphere of the course. Comments include: “I would highly recommend this course. The course was well constructed and enhanced my understanding of science in today’s world.”, “There are some things I learned here that I never thought of in life, which has helped to respect both nature and life and appreciate the things around me.” and “It’s a good class and introduces some good resources many students may not be using; for example, TED talks.”

Faculty are equally as impressed with teaching NS 110. Stan Forrestor says, “I love teaching this NS 110. The breadth of the topics and the ever-changing nature of science and the issues that society faces create a course in which I can engage with students on many levels.” Amy Richmond says, “I love that this course helps students think critically about everyday scientific issues…Learning to think deeply about topics is a skill that will help students not only in their education but also in their day-to-day life.” Feliz Rizvanov, who has been teaching the course since it was first offered, has this to say: “I have been teaching the NS 110 course since its very inception… In this course, I did find my fulfillment: I do what I love and I love what I do.”

To learn about the ever-changing nature of science, consider signing up for NS 110 Science in Today’s World for next semester.

5 Reasons to Get an Internship

Posted on by William Trevor

Bachelor’s Degree Students – Why Enroll in an Internship Program?

Here are five reasons why taking an internship as part of your bachelor’s degree program can help boost your career prospects, build your resume, and potentially land you that dream job!

  1. It Helps You Explore a Future Career

Whether you have been thinking about a future career in cybersecurity, a role in criminal justice, or even a marketing job as a social media manager, an internship allows you to have a taste of what it’s like, without requiring you to commit to a full-time job. It gives you the opportunity to see if there are gaps in your knowledge, skills you need to improve, or even things you hadn’t anticipated. An internship might also help you to determine whether the career is for you, and if it isn’t, it might just open your eyes to other opportunities.

  1. An Internship Is a Powerful Resume Builder

An internship will help you add substance to the experience section of your resume. Many students who are new to the employment market, or even those switching mid-career, face the dilemma that they cannot gain employment without experience, and they cannot gain that experience unless someone offers them a job. So, an internship can help you overcome that Catch-22 situation and develop experience in an area in which you would like to pursue a future career. What better way to gain web programming experience, for example, than by using HTML5 to create a website for a local start-up, which gives you both the experience and something to show future employers as part of a portfolio of work.

  1. As an Extended Job Interview, It Might Land You a Job

Not only does an internship allow you to have a taste of a future career, it also allows a potential future employer to check you out and vice versa. Some employers see the it as an extended job interview and if you impress them during the few months you are there, then they may even ask you to stay, or offer you a full-time position when you have gained your diploma. Treating an internship as an extended job interview is a good way to approach your internship and will give you useful skills and experience for your future career search.

  1. Develop Your Professional Network and Gain Valuable References

Even if you don’t end up with a job from the organization that you are interning with, your new-found contacts may be able to refer you to friends and colleagues in other organizations who are hiring. If you impress them during the internship, then they may be prepared to act as a reference for you or pass your resume on to another business looking for your skills and experience. Use LinkedIn, or other social media, to stay in contact with the people you have met, so you can build a valuable professional network to help you in the years ahead.

  1. Develop Career-Relevant Skills to Smash That Job Search

In completing your internship, you are going to develop a range of skills and competencies that will benefit you in the workplace and aid you in your career. Time management, for example, is a vital skill in any role, and the ability to prioritize tasks will also benefit you in whatever future role you choose to pursue. You will probably be required to complete a project and so you will find the skills of project management invaluable in any number of jobs. The process of finding an internship, being interviewed by your supervisor, completing a resume, and some of the other activities associated with an internship will also help you in your search for a job. Ultimately, the real-world experience gained from an internship will help you stand out in a crowded employment market and enable you to smash that job search!

 

 

The INT400 Internship Program, provides bachelor’s students an opportunity to complete a 3-credit internship, whether as a traditional on-site experience or as a remote virtual internship. For more information about how the internship program can help boost your career, call Will Trevor at 518-608-8189 or email internships@excelsior.edu.

Excelsior College Celebrates Graduates at U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy Black and Gold Ceremony

Posted on by Alicia Jacobs

Excelsior Graduates Honored at Black and Gold Ceremony

On June 16, U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy hosted its annual Black and Gold Ceremony, celebrating the educational accomplishments of its graduates, including 193 Excelsior College students, in the Class of 2018. One of Excelsior College’s instructional faculty members, The Honorable M. Sue Kurita, presiding judge of El Paso County Court at Law, No. 6, provided this year’s Speaker Address.

The U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy is the senior enlisted school for the Army. It is a 42-week military course preparing Career Senior Enlisted Soldiers to be promoted to the rank of E9 Sergeants Major and Command Sergeant Major. The Sergeants Major Academy is located at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.

Excelsior Teaches Courses at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy

Excelsior College offers on-site classroom courses to support associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs. A new class arrives each August and graduates in June. In addition to their military/academy academic course requirements, most soldiers also pursue voluntary education.

Excelsior College has offered advising and student support services at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy since 1994 and has provided on-site classroom courses since 2009. “More than 3,200 Excelsior College degrees have been earned by 2,706 graduates of the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy since Excelsior’s partnership with the Academy began in 1994,” says Susan Dewan, assistant vice president for Student Success and Military Services at Excelsior College.

Students at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy have access to an on-campus Excelsior Military Education Representative.  Find your Military Education Representative, including their contact phone number and email address, at this Academy or across the U.S.

Course Feature: HIS 101: United States History 1

Posted on by Jenna Kerwin

HIS 101: United States History is an introductory course on the early history of the United States, from pre-European contact Native American societies to the end of the Reconstruction era after the Civil War. This course introduces the major political, social, and economic trends in the American colonies and new nation from the 15th through the mid-19th centuries. The course also focuses specifically on diversity and the cross-cultural encounters that contributed to the creation of the United States. HIS 101 is also the first half of a two-course sequence; HIS 102: United States History II continues the story from Reconstruction through the recent past.

Through unique and inventive written assignments, students gain a first-hand understanding of the topics covered by stepping into the mindset of the past. Faculty program director Mary Berkery explains, “In one assignment, for example, students write a newspaper editorial in support of one candidate in the crucial turning-point election of 1800. HIS 101 uses open educational resources (freely accessible, openly licensed text, media, and other digital assets), including an innovative textbook called “The American Yawp,” written collaboratively by hundreds of historians.

The book works on any device, including tablets and mobile phones, and comprises 30 chapters divided into two volumes, split chronologically in 1877. Berkery notes students also go beyond the textbook to examine primary sources like letters, political cartoons, and speeches to understand American history from the perspective of those who lived it.

“This course focuses on the untold histories of marginalized groups in our founding and early republic,” says Berkery. HIS 101 considers early American history from the perspective of Native Americans, slaves, religious and ethnic minority groups, and women. This course also teaches crucial skills that will help students in future coursework and in a wide variety of careers, including primary source analysis, historical research and writing, and critical thinking, adds Berkery.

Berkery indicates that the students who would be most interested in HIS 101: United States History would be those interested in America’s origins, including America’s colonization, interaction between European, African, and Native American cultures, the Revolution, the development of an infant republic, westward migration, and the causes and consequences of the Civil War; students who would like to do upper-level course work in U.S. history, as this course provides a solid foundation in historical research, writing, and critical thinking skills; and students who are interested in courses without textbook costs.

Students have had praise for the class, saying, “If you are interested in the history of the United States and what really led up to the Civil War then this is the course to take,” and “…knowledge is power, and knowing what happened in our nation’s history is very crucial and an important piece of knowledge. You can understand the origin of things and why things are the way they are now.” They have also enjoyed the open online resources: “I really enjoyed the online textbook. ‘The American Yawp’ was interesting reading. Since it is online, I was able to read it across multiple devices.”

Course instructors have also noted how enjoyable HIS 101 is to teach, saying, “I think it is really a well-designed class. The discipline of history is well-represented with using the primary and secondary resources and an emphasis on integrating them to create responses and assignments,” and “I really like the assignments that asked students to think about what they learned and present the information in a creative way such as the assignment to write an editorial.”

If you would like to learn more about our nation’s history, consider signing up for HIS 101: United States History for next semester.