Texas State Govt. 2306 Study notes, Question given on...

STATE GOVERNMENT (TEXAS) 2306 TEST QUESTIONS CHAPTERS 2-4 These Question are taken directly from a test given to my sophomore class at a Texas AM university. I hope that since the Professor is not listed it will discourage cheating, but still help studiers. Class Books: Texas Politics Individuals Making a Difference (and a reading book labeled Texas Politics pairs with above book) TEST 2-4 States are classified as megastates based on which on the following: -population, urbanization, and gross state product. The provisions of the Treaty of Velasco include the following: -the withdrawal of armed Mexican forces from Texas, recognition of Texas as independent of Mexico, and vast territorial claims made by Texas. The following†¦show more content†¦These activities are: -unfunded mandates Suppose that a factory in Texas causes pollution in parts of Louisiana. What term would be used to describe this effect: -a spill over effect The follow could be part of the Iron Triangle: -interest group representatives, congressional committees, and agency officials How does Texas rank in population size compared to the other 49 states: -Texas is the second-largest state in terms of population What are examples of vertical intergovernmental relationships: -the relationship between a city and state government, the relationship between a city and the nation government, and the relationship between state and national government. The residents of Hickory Creek, Texas become involved in trying to prevent construction of this type of facility: -a sports facility (soccer) The residents of Hickory Creek, opposed the construction of the Blue Sky facility for what reasons: -They had environmental concerns Local governments include the following: -municipalities, school districts, and airport authorities Loving county, the smallest county in Texas has how many county commissioners: -four Texas has how many counties: -two-hundred- fifty-four How are county commissioners chosen: They are elected from single member districts County Commissioners Court is made up of : -The four county commissioners and the county judge The chief law enforcement officer in a county

The Ethical Issues Of Real Estate Industry - 1112 Words

The ethical issues I may encounter while working as a professional in commercial real estate With the rapid change of the state of society as well as the development of technology, the real estate industry has transformed from traditional form like real estate broker into a systemic, organized industry, which provide the client with valuation; management; consultancy; transaction of real estates, commercial or residential. While the changing patterns of estate agency industry particularly in commercial real estate field, from the development of small-operated stores to franchise, corporations, has brought the change of society role and the change of customer expectations of real estate industry. Practitioners engaged in the real estate agency industry were under the cognitive of land or estate brokers, while which has more frequently treated as professionals. Thus, the estate industry in the society become more influential under the title evolution â€Å"professional intermediary . While due to the expansion of commercial real estate industry, the professionalism and visual ization of those practitioners as well as their ethic have drew increasingly attention from the community. The ethics and values of professional in commercial real estate field can affect the business operation, lack of which would result trade dispute and incur additional transaction cost. The ethical issues are arguably the consequence of conflict of interests between twoShow MoreRelatedEthics Are A Great Concern For Professionals1322 Words   |  6 Pageswill have a strong influence on its reputation and its success. Moral issues arise in business when individuals face a decision that involves choosing between the right and the wrong. However, as simple as it may sound, making the right choice is not an easy task since moral law is not written down like legal law, and consequently each individual has its own view on the matter (Jenman, 2014). This is why firms implement ethical codes of conduct which have a strong influence on how employees act, sinceRead MoreThe Ethical Issues I May Encounter Whilst Working As A Professional For Commercial Real Estate1187 Words   |  5 PagesThe et hical issues I may encounter whilst working as a professional in commercial real estate. This essay presupposes that the subjects’ career path begins with a period spent studying towards the assessment of professional competence as set out by the RICS governing body; a logical step at the start of a career in commercial real estate. Whilst there is extensive research on problems of ethics in other countries such as that by Bowen (2007), the focus is on a potential career path based in theRead MoreEthical Ethics Of The Real Estate Industry1231 Words   |  5 PagesWith any professional business, ethical behaviors and practices will be an important matter to consider. Simply put, ethics are principles of behavior. These principles are customs, values and/or practices a society considers to be morally sound. Our behaviors are measured by these principles and people act in ways to meet the standards set by society. Ethics are especially important in the activities of skilled or influential professionals, because it protects consumers who depend on and trust themRead MoreFinancial Analysis And Assessment Of Countrywide Financial Corporation870 Words   |  4 Pagescalculated from the data on Countrywide Financial Corporation’s Financial Performance Worksheets. This paper covers three areas. The first part of the paper contains a brief history of Countrywide and the position of the corporation in the market of real estate mortgage. The second part is a SWOT analysis of Countrywide s performance and the reasons for their success’s and failures. Finally, a recommendation for Countrywide Financial Corporation and a conclusion. According to Eastburn (2010), CountrywideRead MoreCountrywide Financial : A Large Diversified Financial Service Provider1018 Words   |  5 Pagescrisis of 2008 Countrywide was found to be a significant contributor to the subprime mortgage debacle. Bank of America was in a position to acquire Countrywide, but they would need to make some large scale ethical changes to the way they operated. Countrywide wanted to be the largest real estate mortgage originator in the United States. Unfortunately, they took many shortcuts and abused the United States lending acts to earn profits. The mortgage firm’s operating earnings were growing rapidly, andRead MoreThe Crisis Of The Subprime Loan Scandal1222 Words   |  5 Pagesthe exploitation of homeowners during the subprime loan scandal. In the financial industry, Lewis (2010) defines the awareness of top executives and bank loan officers that participated in giving out these loans, More so, an interview with Steve Eisman reaffirms the fully conscious role that loan officers played in allowing individuals without good credit ratings to take these loans. In many cases, the banking industry argued that it was the fault of those that took the loans, but it was actually theRead MoreInterpersonal Communication Essay1914 Words   |  8 Pagestrue in the real estate industry, as it is an old-school business model where interpers onal communication is the cornerstone of success,  but coupled with other communication platforms, one can ensure their continued success. This is confirmed with my interview with Brynne Eberhardt, a real estate analyst at Eastdil Secured, one of the nation’s most well respected and dominant forces in the commercial real estate industry.  Ã‚  The various communication platforms utilized by real estate industry members allRead MoreDescriptive Statistics Paper1184 Words   |  5 PagesThe housing market was once known as the biggest money making industry in the United States. Housing, which was the way our economy made the majority of their money, is now contributing less to the economic expansion. The decline in the housing market has raised many concerns throughout the entire country. This paper provides statistics on the United States population housing market, economy, demographical characteristics, demographical area and the large amount vacant property. Included in thisRead MoreThe Core Of Strategic Plan1288 Words   |  6 Pagescompany’s strategic decisions (Sinochem Group, 2013, p. 7). The motivating force behind the mission and vision is the Sinochem’s value and ethical principles. Sinochem Group (or Sinochem International Corp.) is a state-owned enterprise under the supervision of Government of China. The company’s business span includes energy, agriculture, chemicals, real estate and financial services. The company owns over 300 subsidiaries inside and outside China, and operates in Asia, Oceania, Africa, Europe, andRead MoreThe Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility (Csr) in Construction, Real Estate and Related Industries3322 Words   |  14 Pagesconstruction, real estate and related industries and analyzing the marketing strategy of the company ‘ENKA’ upon its level of commitment to CSR. For: CEM Assignments Office Date: 27/02/2013 From: Deniz Berkan Unsal Moscow, Russian Federation List of Contents 1.0 Summary 2.0 Question 1: Discussing the issues involved in CSR, and giving examples illustrating the benefits and limitations of making a commitment to CSR from the point of view of organizations in the construction, real estate and

Exam Study Guide Free Essays

The body which provides research support and bill-drafting assistance to legislators is the Legislative Council. District lines for the Texas legislature are drawn by the Texas Legislature. The authority to investigate and punish violations of Texas ethics laws is granted to the Texas ethics commission To understand the operations the Texas legislature, one must understand the power of the Correct Answer: c. We will write a custom essay sample on Exam Study Guide or any similar topic only for you Order Now lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house. The Texas body that periodically evaluates state agencies and makes recommendations as to restructuring or abolishing such agencies is the Correct Answer: b. Sunset Advisory Commission. The Texas senate has how many members? Correct Answer: c. 31 A committee action that tables legislation, effectively killing it, is called Correct Answer: b. pigeonholing. A rule in the Texas senate which allows a senator to halt consideration of a bill for forty-eight hours is called Correct Answer: d. tagging. In the Texas senate, a bill placed on the calendar solely to assure a two-thirds vote on legislation is called a Correct Answer: a. blocking bill. The Texas legislature may override a governor’s veto by a Correct Answer: c. two-thirds vote of both houses. The political power of the Texas Lieutenant governor is largely based on Correct Answer: c. the rules of the Texas Senate. The Texas legislature has historically been organized on the basis of Correct Answer: b. conservative ideology. A procedure whereby a bill can be forced out of committee for consideration by the chamber as a whole is called Correct Answer: c. a discharge petition. The governor’s legislative power stems from all the following except his Correct Answer: a. authority to appoint committee chairs. When the senate forms itself into a committee of the whole, Correct Answer: d. simple majority is required to consider legislation. The Texas house committee which controls the budget requests of all other committees is the Correct Answer: c. Appropriations Committee. In Texas, the body responsible for reviewing the expenditures of state agencies is the Correct Answer: a. Legislative Audit Committee. A committee appointed to resolve differences between the house and s enate versions of a bill is known as a Correct Answer: d. conference committee. In practice, bills are taken off the Texas senate’s calendar for immediate consideration through a Correct Answer: a. suspension of the rules. Being a member of a board by virtue of holding another office is called Correct Answer: b. ex officio. A formal question to the chair regarding parliamentary procedure is known as a Correct Answer: c. point of order. Formal qualifications for membership in the Texas senate would not include Correct Answer: d. being at least 18 years of age. The selection of committee chairs in the Texas legislature is made on the basis of a Correct Answer: d. presiding officer appointment. The office responsible for giving opinions of law to state agencies is that of the Correct Answer: b. attorney general. The governor’s budget proposals are not as influential as those of the Correct Answer: d. Legislative Budget Board. Which of the following is an example of an ex officio board? Correct Answer: d. Texas Bond Review Board A mainly symbolic role of the Texas governor is that of Correct Answer: d. chief of state. If the Texas National Guard is called to active duty, a back up organization is the Correct Answer: c. Texas State Guard. The governor’s important bargaining tools are mainly Correct Answer: d. legislative. A role of the Texas governor not based on the constitution is that of Correct Answer: c. hief of party. The official who certifies the amount of income available for Texas’s biennial budget is the Correct Answer: d. Comptroller of Public Accounts. The individual responsible for administering the state tax system is the Correct Answer: c. Comptroller of Public Accounts. The â€Å"Iron Texas Star† consists of all the following except Correct Answer: b. the Texas electorate (voters). A formal role of the Texas governor based on the constitution is that of Correct Answer: d. commander-in-chief. The lieutenant governor of Texas is an ex officio member of all except the Correct Answer: b. Board of Pardons and Paroles. If the governor of Texas is removed from office before the end of his or her term, Correct Answer: c. the lieutenant governor succeeds. The annual salary of the governor of Texas is approximately $150,000 The attorney general of Texas is not required to Correct Answer: b. follow directives of the governor. Texas riverbeds, tidelands, bays and inlets are overseen by the Correct Answer: b. Commissioner of the General Land Office. An official who hears and investigates complaints by private individuals against public officials or agencies is called Correct Answer: b. an ombudsperson. The governor of Texas can be removed from office before the end of his or her term only by Correct Answer: d. Impeachment. Which of the following officials is appointed by the Texas governor? Correct Answer: c. Adjutant general, Texas National Guard The governor’s tools to influence the legislature include all the following except the Correct Answer: b. appointment of committee chairs. Which is probably the least significant informal qualification for Texas governor? Correct Answer: a. Age Which of the following is an appointed Texas executive position? Correct Answer: a. Commissioner, Health and Human Services How to cite Exam Study Guide, Essay examples

Service Marketing for McDonald †Free Sample Assignment

Question: Discuss about theService Marketingfor McDonald. Answer: Introduction The report focuses on the service organization- McDonalds and in this regard presents the blueprint of this organization. The rationale for studying this organization is its popularity and personal preference. Its front stage and back stage functions are described along with its decisive moments. The assignment illustrates the determinants of satisfaction/dissatisfaction for this service organization and using the relevant theories it discusses the service quality measurement and quality gaps in McDonald. Further, the paper presents the service recovery strategy plan for this organization to deal with various critical incidents. Background McDonalds is the popular and the largest restaurant in the world. This fastest growing global food service retailer is serving food and drink to less than one percent of the worlds population (Crawford 2015). This service organization has thirty thousand restaurants in one hundred and twenty countries. It attracts millions of customers with it high quality food both of vegetarian and non-vegetarian selections, excellent brand recognition and highly experienced management (Mehta and Mehta 2013). According to Thornton et al. (2016), McDonalds capitalizes on global opportunities with its unique global infrastructure and advanced operational system. It has earned the high score regarding individual learning, diversity and inclusion, people-centricity, and organizational learning. Blueprint of the Organization In this section, the organization and the service blueprint is presented which shows the operations carried out in McDonalds and is same for all the outlets. The service blueprints act as a platform, which is designed for effective decision-making (Block et al. 2013). It is recognized as a "customer-focused process" to identify the factors to deliver high quality service. This is a tool that helps determine ways to perform superior service and create optimal experiences for the clients (Namkung and Jang 2013). The figure below represents the blueprint of McDonalds. It is used to ensure all the factors are in place. It is used to detect the areas of service failure. It shows the various internal actors and inter-relationships between their various actions in customer service. The service blueprint constructed includes five aspects of the proposed service. These are consumer actions, front stage and backstage elements (discussed in subsequent sections), physical evidence and support pr ocesses (Yang 2012). The physical evidence is the external appearance of the restaurant and includes the layout, dcor, bins, tables and chairs, the electronic board displaying menu, and lighting, which are called as onstage elements. These are the first thing that a visitor observes at first glance. The backstage elements of the restaurant are the pots and pans (Dabholkar 2015). The support process in McDonalds is mainly comprised of the payment system. Figure: McDonalds service blueprint (Source: Yang 2012) The front stage operations of the restaurant involve customer actions, onstage technology actions, and onstage employee contact (Smagghe 2014). The customer actions in the restaurant involve selecting the food item from the large display of menu over the counter and stand in the queue to place an order. The customer makes payment, gets the order receipt and wait for the food to be prepared. They receive their order after which they pick up napkin and straws, choose the appropriate place to sit and leave the restaurant after they have finished, disposing of the plates in the dustbin. The role of the customer service staff is to greet and communicate with the visitors and assists them through a provision of information on new offer or combo meals or in making a food choice, followed by billing and payment. They need to provide the invoice of the transaction and includes the payments through coupons or vouchers. Some of the onstage staff is engaged serving the food and in cleaning the b ins and cans and safekeeping (Yang 2012). The staff is also instructed to collect customer feedback to meet their expectations. The detailed flow chart is given below. The front stage and the backstage functions occur simultaneously in the restaurant, and the interrelationship is illustrated in the above-given blueprint. Figure: McDonald's front stage functions (Source: created by author) The backstage functions of McDonalds involve maintenance of fresh stock of food (import of food products, daily purchase of fresh vegetables such as tomato and lettuce), monitoring the storage (frozen/frosting) conditions (proper refrigeration of perishable goods and soft drinks), safekeeping, updating online services (indirect staff-customer interaction) and menu boards, and cleaning of dining place and kitchen. The backstage members are chefs, prep staff and the cleaning crew (Bernhardt et al. 2013). Both the front and back stage staff are well trained to provide outstanding hospitality services and delivers food in less than one minute. The product managers involved in the backstage operations design websites with eye-catching images and attracting colors. They also introduce unique pricing strategy such as happy meal to improve the sales volume (See figure given below). Some of the staff is engaged in dcor and lighting to increase the footfalls (Alheritiere et al. 2016). Figure: McDonalds backstage functions (Source: created by author) Moments of Truth for this Service Organization The moments of truth occurs at a very instant when a contact (directly or indirectly by mail, phone or website) is made with the customer who then forms an opinion about the organization (Thornton et al. 2016). The opinion formed may be positive or negative depending on the client experiences. The ambiance in McDonald, appearance of staff, hospitality, and more are all the moments of truth (Rowley and McMurtrey 2016). The positive moments of truth include staffs attitude of politeness towards the visitors, clean environment, high quality of food, food variety, culture and very small waiting time which creates a positive image in mind of any customer of McDonald. Further, customers are pleased with the easy accessibility of all the outlets of McDonalds located in the popular areas with less traffic volume. The other positive moment of truth for the organization and its customers is the promotional pricing strategy that offers the discount of $20 on breakfast meals. The value pricing a nd bundling strategies increased customers base. For example, happy meal, family meal has enhanced the sales volume. The organization has been successful in creating outstanding customer experience by understanding the nature of entire service delivery process and its various stages exposed to the customers." For example, the customers are greeted by the guard and then by the staff at the counter every time of order placement, cleaning the table, and client interacting with the staff. These created the opportunity for the organization to win the customers in the long run as well. McDonalds self service-concept (placing an order and cleaning the left out food) is acknowledged by millions of customers (Bernhardt et al. 2013). Mc Donald involves in both exterior customer orientation and internal customer focus. It provides the customers to view its back operations creating more transparency in the process. This helped the organization create a successful service brand. This is evident, as most of the customers prefer eating at the restaurant than taking the parcel home (Cao and Kim 2015). Further McDonald has robust marketing strategies, its advertisements ending with Im loving it," emotional expressions and eye-catching images attract millions of customers (Crawford 2015). In service marketing, managing this moment of truth offers a great challenge to the organization. Determinants of Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction for this Service Organization According to Block et al. (2013), the most important aspect of the competitive business environment is customer satisfaction. Service quality is the factor critical to success in fast food restaurant (Alheritiere et al. 2013). The service quality measurement is used to perceive the client satisfaction of the services provided by the organization. Literature review presented with different instruments used to study service quality gap such as Expectancy-disconfirmation model (developed by Oliver in 1981), SERVQUAL (developed by Zeithaml in 1985), Answer Tree method and others to study the quality gaps (customers expectation and perception) in McDonalds (Dabholkar 2015). The research findings revealed that the three major determinants of client satisfaction at McDonald are "tasty food, good value and restaurant cleanliness." Additional factors are a location of store, attitude of staff, brand, and product promotion. Customers were mainly dissatisfied with product prices at McDonald. Th ese instruments have high reliability and validity. The theory of Expectancy-disconfirmation model is based on the fact that customers form their satisfaction with a target service by direct comparisons between their expectations and perceptions (Rowley and McMurtrey 2016). The theory of SERVQUAL model is also the same. The Means-end-model theory states that the perceived value of the customer" significantly affects the customer satisfaction. Alternately the "Behavioral intentions model" is used to determine customer satisfaction by assessing the behavior and intentions of customers (Mehta and Mehta 2013). The negative image in the mind of customers related to McDonald's includes the issues related to food content. The literature review provides evidence where this organization has been held responsible for increasing obesity in the US. It was found from the research findings of Zhao et al. (2014) that McDoanlds fast food contains high calories, fat and salt. Customers were dissatisfied when the organization was identified to use Trans-fat and beef oil that is harmful to health. The food inspectors investigated two of the special food items of McDonald, "Big macs and Chicken McNuggets and found them toxic (Cao and Kim 2015). Consuming this food may have serious health implications. According to Smagghe (2014), McDonald continues to sell this item in some of its outlets. Customers in Australia, UK, and the US have stopped eating at McDonald turning health conscious (Belk et al. 2014). The organization has been found accountable for a slaughter of hundreds of cows every year and destruct ion of rain forest for a production of beef. There has been a growing number of complaints against McDonald for failure in maintenance of hygiene and nutrition. It was accused of promoting food containing risk factor for cancer (Ramirez Millan 2014). This practice of the organization was considered unethical. The packaging system of McDonald is not environmentally friendly as it contains HFC-22 and is found to contribute to the ozone depletion, destroying mineral resources and natural habitats by cattle ranching (Namkung and Jang 2013). These issues have changed customers perception and expectation of McDonald. The organization is implementing practices to meet the demands and expectations of the customers by focusing on its current market trends to improve customer satisfaction. Service-Recovery Strategy Plan McDonald envisions giving its customer the worlds best quick service restaurant experience." The recovery plan to deal with some of the critical issues detailed above is discussed in this section. Firstly, McDonald must change its menu and incorporate balanced food taking consideration of the growing health issues. It must enhance the quality of food and taste. Secondly, the organization must improve its brand image by robust advertisements and by publishing its latest reports of food investigation that reflects the healthy content of foods (Dabholkar 2015). Thirdly, McDonald must adopt green packaging solutions to demonstrate its eco-friendly attitude. Fourthly, it must revise its policies and continue with its three key strategies which are- Focus more on recent market trends Focus on customers emotional, psychological and social perspectives and build strong relationship with them to meet their expectation Delivering its customers optional excellence in each restaurant understanding their expectations Leverage its strengths by using innovative plans and technology Expand its business and brand popularity to achieve enduring profitable growth (Alheritiere 2013). Fifthly, McDonalds must engage in market research as well frequent customer feedback practices on a regular basis. Sixthly, the business must participate in health promotion and environment protection campaign to fulfill its corporate social responsibility. Finally, the business must also evaluate the implemented changes on a regular basis (Crawford 2015). Conclusion The last decade showed that McDonald had undergone several changes. It can continue to be the winner in the market by overcoming its challenges and implementing right strategy. A quality service should mean exceeding clients expectation. The paper has discussed the history of McDonald along with its functions and the challenges in the market. The quality gaps in this organization have also been discussed. It has highlighted how the organization plans to overcome its challenge. References Alheritiere, A., Montois, S., Galinski, M., Tazarourte, K. and Lapostolle, F., 2013. The worldwide relation between the number of McDonald's restaurants and the prevalence of obesity.Journal of internal medicine,274(6), pp.610-611. Belk, K.E., Woerner, D.R., Delmore, R.J., Tatum, J.D., Yang, H. and Sofos, J.N., 2014. The meat industry: Do we think and behave globally or locally?.Meat science,98(3), pp.556-560. Bernhardt, A.M., Wilking, C., Adachi-Mejia, A.M., Bergamini, E., Marijnissen, J. and Sargent, J.D., 2013. How television fast food marketing aimed at children compares with adult advertisements.PLoS One,8(8), p.e72479. Block, J.P., Condon, S.K., Kleinman, K., Mullen, J., Linakis, S., Rifas-Shiman, S. and Gillman, M.W., 2013. Consumers estimation of calorie content at fast food restaurants: cross sectional observational study. Cao, Y. and Kim, K., 2015. How do customers perceive service quality in differently structured fast food restaurants?.Journal of Hospitality Marketing Management,24(1), pp.99-117. Crawford, A., 2015. McDonald's: A Case Study in Glocalization.Journal of Global Business Issues,9(1), p.11. Dabholkar, P.A., 2015. How to improve perceived service quality by increasing customer participation. InProceedings of the 1990 Academy of Marketing Science (AMS) Annual Conference(pp. 483-487). Springer International Publishing. Gerhardt, S., Hazen, S. and Lewis, S., 2014. Small Business Marketing Strategy Based on McDonald's.ASBBS Proceedings,21(1), p.271. Mehta, G.B. and Mehta, S.S., 2013. An observational field study of consumer behavior at mcdonalds.Business studies journal, p.19. Namkung, Y. and Jang, S.S., 2013. Effects of restaurant green practices on brand equity formation: Do green practices really matter?.International Journal of Hospitality Management,33, pp.85-95. Ramirez Millan, M., Wallace, L. and Conner, E., 2014. Net Zero Energy Analysis For Mcdonalds usa, LLC. Rowley, B. and McMurtrey, M.E., 2016. McDonald's and the Triple Bottom Line: A Case Study of Corporate Sustainability.Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability,11(1), p.33. Smagghe, D., 2014. Comment on letter to the editor from F. Lapostolle:Worldwide relation between the number of McDonald's restaurants and the prevalence of obesity.Journal of internal medicine,276(2), pp.199-200. Thornton, L.E., Ball, K., Lamb, K.E., McCann, J., Parker, K. and Crawford, D.A., 2016. The impact of a new McDonald's restaurant on eating behaviours and perceptions of local residents: A natural experiment using repeated cross-sectional data.Health place,39, pp.86-91. Yang, S.K., 2012. A study of customer participation on job satisfaction, organizational commitment and turnover intention.-The case of McDonalds Employees in Taipei. Zhao, M., Downey, G. and ODonnell, C.P., 2014. Detection of adulteration in fresh and frozen beefburger products by beef offal using mid-infrared ATR spectroscopy and multivariate data analysis.Meat science,96(2), pp.1003-1011.