In this discussion you are asked to consider these topics/questions: ·  What factors within the external environment affect businesses, especially uncertainty and stability, that drive towards efficiency and control for management strategy? ·  How do demographic and society-wide shifts as well as technological developments create both challenges and new opportunities for business? · As a manager, how would you integrate these issues into your work for building co-worker relationships and for having negotiation skills to make unexpected decisions? Note:  At 1st glance the readings and other resources in this guide will look big or long.  There are 3 major categories that align with the bullets above.  Aim to choose 1-3 resources from each topic for your research.  You may read more if the topics catch your attention. 1. Resources to help you:  Understanding External Forces Review carefully the commentary link for Content Session 6.  In that document you will find a good overview of external forces facing organizations.  Pay attention to Exhibit 15.4 which enables you to organize an analysis of uncertainty and stability.  Porter's Competitive Forces Theory Michael Porter  is recognized for his work on how to see and then use competitive forces, found in the environment, to influence profitability.  Researched since the 80s, these forces include:  · The number and power of a company's competitive rivals · potential new market entrants · existing suppliers · customers · substitute products. Porter explains the role for competition.  The video is about 13 min, from Harvard School of Business, where Porter is distinguished faculty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYF2_FBCvXw So, it’s important to see how Porter’s competitive forces work because they set up attention or focus to what groups (divisions, team projects) hold attention.  The following video applies Porter’s principles to  Tesla, which is an innovative company, but also does not dominate the market. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F0dI8zaotU Take away:   Keep in mind that as you examine the impact of competitive forces, Porter’s theory, that if you assess the threat as “low” then the work unit is likely to be more stable.  If you assess the competition as “high” then the impact is risky and but also has more options.    Often wider social trends influence what managers perceive they should do, or what seems important, especially for inclusion when faced with diversity.   Select two (2) or more issues that you believe are relevant to understanding social diversity background. 2. The diversity/inclusion issues include-- Race Race and Work opportunities https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2020/01/09/most-americans-say-there-is-too-much-economic-inequality-in-the-u-s-but-fewer-than-half-call-it-a-top-priority/ Race attitudes in the US …  https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2020/10/06/amid-national-reckoning-americans-divided-on-whether-increased-focus-on-race-will-lea ...

1. In this discussion you are asked to consider these
topics/questions:
·
What factors within the external environment affect businesses,
especially uncertainty and stability, that drive towards
efficiency and control for management strategy?
·
How do demographic and society-wide shifts as well as
technological developments create both challenges and new
opportunities for business?
·
As a manager, how would you integrate these issues into your
work for building co-worker relationships and for having
negotiation skills to make unexpected decisions?
Note: At 1st glance the readings and other resources in this
guide will look big or long. There are 3 major categories that
align with the bullets above. Aim to choose 1-3 resources from
each topic for your research. You may read more if the topics
catch your attention.
1. Resources to help you: Understanding External Forces
Review carefully the commentary link for Content Session 6. In
that document you will find a good overview of external forces
facing organizations. Pay attention to Exhibit 15.4 which
enables you to organize an analysis of uncertainty and stability.
Porter's Competitive Forces Theory

2. Michael Porter
is recognized for his work on how to see and then use
competitive forces, found in the environment, to influence
profitability. Researched since the 80s, these forces include:
· The number and power of a company's competitive rivals
· potential new market entrants
· existing suppliers
· customers
· substitute products.
Porter explains the role for competition. The video is about 13
min, from Harvard School of Business, where Porter is
distinguished faculty.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYF2_FBCvXw
So, it’s important to see how Porter’s competitive forces work
because they set up attention or focus to what groups (divisions,
team projects) hold attention. The following video applies
Porter’s principles to
Tesla,
which is an innovative company, but also does not dominate the
market.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F0dI8zaotU
Take away:
Keep in mind that as you examine the impact of competitive
forces, Porter’s theory, that if you assess the threat as “low”
then the work unit is likely to be more stable. If you assess the

3. competition as “high” then the impact is risky and but also has
more options.
Often wider social trends influence what managers perceive
they should do, or what seems important, especially for
inclusion when faced with diversity.
Select two (2) or more issues that you believe are relevant to
understanding social diversity background.
2. The diversity/inclusion issues include--
Race
Race and Work opportunities
https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2020/01/09/most-americans-
say-there-is-too-much-economic-inequality-in-the-u-s-but-
fewer-than-half-call-it-a-top-priority/
Race attitudes in the US
…
https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2020/10/06/amid-national-
reckoning-americans-divided-on-whether-increased-focus-on-
race-will-lead-to-major-policy-change/
Meet Yvonne Cheek (2-3min video, describing the real world of
an African American’s approach to leadership
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7CpQlU_c
Millennials and their work expectations
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/04/11/millennials-
largest-generation-us-labor-force/
Video with Simon Sinek characterizing Millennials (under 20

4. min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hER0Qp6QJNU
Distinguishing between younger workers and their older cohort,
the Millennials for technology practices
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/01/17/w here-
millennials-end-and-generation-z-begins/
An overview of the American Workforce and technology
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/08/29/facts-about-
american-workers/
Perceptions of how Americans use technology since the
pandemic started…suggests communication challenges for any
large technology change.
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/12/18/what-weve-
learned-about-americans-views-of-technology-during-the-time-
of-covid-19/
Hispanics and how they see themselves in the US
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/09/24/the-ways-
hispanics-describe-their-identity-vary-across-immigrant-
generations/
A Hispanic success story (video)
Meet the V-Chancellor of the Univ. of Chicago…
Francesca, who tells her story of professional advancement from
a modest farm family to the 1st woman of color to hold her
position.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE788oP2jXE

5. What’s been learned about technology adaptations and worker
satisfaction from experience with the pandemic:
https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2020/12/09/how-the-
coronavirus-outbreak-has-and-hasnt-changed-the-way-
americans-work/
Co-Vid Pandemic Issues:
Impact of Co-vid 19
https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2020/09/24/economic-fallout-
from-covid-19-continues-to-hit-lower-income-americans-the-
hardest/
https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2020/08/04/coronavirus -
economic-downturn-has-hit-latinos-especially-hard/
Loss of Visibility for Minorities during work at home
Without the networks and encounters that offices provide,
companies must foster the visibility of Black and Hispanic
workers, diversity experts say.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/06/business/economy/workin
g-from-home-diversity.html?smid=em-share
3. Understanding/Negotiating Conflict:
Conflict is a key factor in the case scenario. Justine must
decide whether to accept the last minute demands of Mathias
from Allied, or what? For more understanding of conflict and
negotiation, look to the top of this post. See/review the
attached file "Conflict Management-Negotiation, SPRING

6. 2021". Consider a review of the 2nd file, which has video clips
of important ideas about negotiating.
Guide Details for Your Thread (main post)
·
Read the scenario of Morton Papers
and Justine Woods carefully. There are several important
topics in the case, which offer insights and ideas for helping
Justine, who must effectively find a way to negotiate.
·
1st consider the external forces influencing Morton Paper and
Justine’s success. Explain two (2) or more by writing at least
one paragraph. Using the analysis chart found in Commentary,
for session 6, determine the uncertainty/stability of Morton.
·
Identify two (2) social trends
likely to be influencing Justine. Explain by writing 1-2
paragraphs.
·
Each trend should be researched
--using a minimum of one (1) source.
Use in-text cites.
· Return to the events of the case and find nuggets of
information that point towards a negotiation for Justine.
·
Conclude with a paragraph that describes your best advice to
Justine.
What would you do if you were in her position?

7. Scenario:
Justine Wood is the top salesperson for Morton Paper Company.
She also leads the sales team that supports Morton’s largest
client, Allied Office Supplies, headquartered in Barcelona,
Spain. Justine is very proud of her accomplishments--she is the
1st African-American woman to lead the sales team.
Allied is an international office supply chain that is growing
rapidly in the global market. But due to rapid growth, Allied has
adapted a blockchain software record-keeping system to track
all vendor transactions and offer strategy to its sometimes
complex, but until recently, mostly stable set of external forces,
from which senior levels determine Allied’s overall strategy.
During the past months, Justine and her team members, Andy
and Ronnie underwent intense negotiations with Allied’s
purchasing agent, Jaime Matías, and Allied’s CEO, to
restructure the current sales contract so that everyone had a
level playing field around the blockchain software used by
Allied.
The new contract spelled out Allied’s yearly paper requirements
(contracted sales amounts) as well as payment and credit terms.
But, the negotiations had been particularly hard for several
reasons:

8. Allied’s
sales had
increased internationally
causing shipping and customs duties to increase the cost to
Morton,
resulting in an increase in sales price to Allied;
Morton's
overall
sales profits
have increased
domestically
due to technological advances such as e-records, e-contracts,
etc., that allowed for a reduction in workforce.
While Morton is facing performance issues, generally the
management consider external forces to be manageable, with
projections for low to moderate instability or uncertainty. The
CEO of Morton was especially pleased with their current
contract control measures.
The
volume of sales
for Allied required Morton to offer a volume sales discount to
remain competitive with other paper companies, and every
supplier was consistently monitoring its external
competitors. The market was very competitive, even in the
times of the Covid Pandemic.
Morton’s CEO has been reluctant
to tie so much of the company's future success to Allied. The
concern was raised because in the last six months, Allied was
paying down the credit line every 60 days rather than in the 30
days that had been agreed to.
This delay signaled a little more instability and uncertainty.

9. Allied did not appear to have credit issues but Morton was not
able to give interest-free loans for 60 days.
The world market
has been made
more challenging
for distribution of Allied office products, including paper from
Morton, due to the
impact of the pandemic.
Shipping and tracking are now somewhat difficult due to
workforce being co-located and dependent on virtual
team/project planning. The sales force team, led by Justine, has
felt the stress and loss of informal, intelligence gathering they
relied on pre-pandemic. Although Zoom sessions and TEAM
software was used with more skill, communication gaps
persisted.
But, this week, in time for the Labor Day holiday vacation,
there was GOOD NEWS! Morton and Allied reached an almost
final agreement--to be signed off on Tuesday after the holiday.
On Friday evening, Justine was packing her belongings readying
to leave the office, when her cell phone pinged. “This phone
call could not be good” thought Justine.
The caller was Jaime Matías, the Purchasing Agent for Allied. It
appeared that a recent deal with UMGC tripled Allied’s need for
office supplies, especially copy paper from Morton, due to the
education institution demands for paper--the University
perceived it needed a heavy reliance on paper documentation.
This deal would raise the total contract sales to $22.5 million.
Allied now faced more business, but also needed to change the
line of credit in the new contract.
Matías made it clear to Justine that if the new terms were not
agreed on by the end of the evening, he was prepared to seek a

10. contract offer by Morton’s biggest competitor, King Paper.
Matías further stated that, while Allied is pleased with
Morton’s work, money is always the most important factor in
purchasing. Allied’s president wanted an immediate answer.
Justine was aware that most of Matías' talk was a negotiating
technique but did not doubt that competition was waiting in the
background. Images of last month’s negotiation talks raced
through Justine’s mind as she listened to Matías.
Overall, the month’s
negotiation process had been long and difficult.
The thought of going over it all again to make the changes
seemed mind-numbing to Justine. Yet, making the decision on
her own, in a 1-2 hour window of time, would mean obligating
the company to an even greater cash flow commitment. Her
boss would not be happy with this obligation because he
specifically warned her there was nothing to prevent Allied
from a delayed payment in the new contract agreement.
Justine rationalized the facts and thought to herself, “Allied
knows we are not likely to cut them off easily. They are too big
a customer to us. However, the extra sales volume should offset
the lost interest due for ten days in late invoices."
Justine told Matías that she would get back to him quickly about
the proposal.
When Justine hung up the phone, she thought about all the
work that went into the external environmental analysis they did
prior to the negotiations to take in the strengths, opportunities,
and some of the concerns that came up in the world market. She
wasn't sure what she should do.
Further, Justine perceived that as a black woman in a visible

11. position in her company, there was extra scrutiny. Was there a
way to hold her authority while also finding negotiating options
that gained resources for her and the team? And, what/when
should she alert her CEO about this important change in this
very important contract?
Imagine that you are Justine and that you have her job as the
sales manager. Describe what you would do and why you would
do it. Make sure that you understand and explain the business
situation for Morton and Justine, as well as for Allied.
Your initial post (thread) is due by Feb 23
with
replies
to 2-4 other classmates
before Mar 2.
Show an understanding of the situation, likely external forces
influencing expectations for performance, and your thoughts
about expanding the negotiation process, particularly for being
inclusive of minority leadership.