1. Running head: LEARNING TEAM A 1
Learning Team A: Week 6 Reflection
Chad Reineke, Dena Jones, Mallory Herring
MGT/521
October 29, 2012
Ked Edick PhD, PMP

2. LEARNING TEAM A 2
Learning Team A: Week 6 Reflection
Week five offered the members of Learning Team A an opportunity to discuss many
important parts of business. We discussed the methodologies for adapting different types of
businesses to changing markets, the impact of economics on business, and described the role of
human resource management in achieving business goals. The individual members of Learning
Team A will now give their own reflections on week five.
Chad Reineke
This week’s material was some of the more interesting topics that we have discussed so
far in this class. We started out talking about benchmarking. I had always imagined that
companies would compare themselves to the competition within their industries, but I was a little
surprised to read about the importance of comparing your company to the best companies in the
world. Many functions in business cross industry boundaries, and there is much to be learned
about what makes certain companies more successful than others. I liked the example from the
textbook where a snowboard company looked to the aerospace industry and telecommunications
industry to find ways to make their own business stronger.
Studying economics in business took a lot of time to break down. There are so many
numbers and ratios to remember. Outside of numbers though, were some interesting topics such
as free market capitalism, socialism, and communism. We often discuss these topics in the
political platform, but rarely do we discuss the effects of these structures on businesses. It was
very interesting to read how many countries today are using a hybrid structure between
capitalism and socialism. It amazes me how people still find faults in an economic structure that

3. LEARNING TEAM A 3
has brought more people out of poverty than any other in the world, but that is exactly what
people who favor socialism do.
Finally, we discussed human resource management and its growing importance in today’s
economy. I couldn’t agree more that human capital is the most precious resource in an economy.
That is what has made America’s economy as strong as it is. We have a long history of people
willing to work hard and be productive to offer their families and our communities a better life.
As our economy changes from manufacturing to service based industries, managing people has a
greater role in business’ success.
Mallory Herring
In doing the individual paper last week it was not too hard to choose the company I am
using for my assignment. Their business practices, procedures, and service were fairly easy, but
looking for their benchmark analysis was hard. Not every company puts information like that on
the net, or you may find some old information to use and even then it may not have everything
you need to do a paper. So making sure I have all of the information I would need to do the
paper, I had to use a number of web sites to make sure I had everything and that it was turned in
on time.
Most of the things we have talked about in the DQ’s has been something I have learned
over the last four years in school so they are things I already know after researching them in the
past. I still have a lot to learn in school. Getting more hands-on experience will help. When it
comes time a company will give me the chance to show that I am able to do the job they are
hiring me for.
Dena Jones

4. LEARNING TEAM A 4
The business analysis was a major struggle. Evaluating the economics of a business is
something that require more studying to get an in-depth understanding. This being my first
online class probably is a contributing factor to my struggle. Hopefully after I get acclimated to
the online study environment classes and assignments won’t seem as difficult.