Question: Discussion 1: "International Opportunities"

Determine why, given the advantages of international diversification, some firms choose not to expand internationally. Provide specific examples to support your response.

As firms attempt to internationalize, they may be tempted to locate their facilities where business regulation laws are lax. Discuss the advantages and potential risks of such an approach, using specific examples to support your response.

Discussion 2: • 5 "Organizational Citizenship"

• Persuading the employees that their jobs are meaningful and exciting is a skill that few managers possess. From the first e-Activity, the management invested in employee training and team building. Analyze how that investment pays off. Suggest how companies could change their employee training practices to incorporate team building.

e-Activity: Watch the video Chapter 12, titled "Zingerman's" (7 min 39 s). Be prepared to discuss.

• Most companies do not organize every project in a strict hierarchy of silo reporting relationships. Propose an alternative organization structure for a company that is focusing on developing new engineering technology in solar energy. Support your proposition.

Discussion 3: Supply Chains"

From the second e-Activity, assess the usefulness of RFID technology to reduce costs in the supply chain (i.e., Wal-Mart). Determine where and how this technology might be best used.

e-Activity: • Use the Internet or the Strayer Library to research Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology as how it relates to supply chain management. Investigate how Wal-Mart uses RFID. Be prepared to discuss.

Outsourcing does not necessarily result in reduced costs. Outsourcing a company's customer service department could cause problems for customers that result in a loss of revenue. Give your opinion about how and where outsourcing may best be used to improve a company's operation. Include an example to support your answer.