Explain what you understand “strategic management” to be. Inother words, how would you explain the term “strategic management” tosomeone who doesn’t know what the term means? (In your replies toothers, note if you agree or disagree with the explanation given andwhy.)
Next, look at Exhibit 1-1 on page 12 of the text (
Map of Strategic Management). Make an argument for which stage of strategic management is most important:
Strategic Thinking
I recognize that this is subjective and they are all important, but yourtask is to pick one and argue why it is the most important part of theprocess. Defend your position as to why the part of the process you’vechosen is arguably the most important. In your replies explain why youagree or disagree. HCA 407
Healthcare Planning
and Evaluation
Week One Lecture
HCA 407 Healthcare Planning and Evaluation
Week One, Chapter One
Chapter 1
The Nature of Strategic Management
Strategic Management
What is it?
Why should we care?
What does it look like?
What is unique about health care
that could impact how strategic
management is used?
Quote
American Health Care is in a state of hyper- turbulence characterized
by accumulated waves of change in payment systems, delivery
systems, technology, professional relations, and societal expectations.
It can be likened to an earthquake in its relative unpredictability, lack
of a sense of control, and resulting anxiety
– S.A. Shortell, R.R. Gillies, and K.J. Devers
“The Only Constant is Change”
• Legislative healthcare reform
• Growth of outpatient care
• Increasingly restrictive reimbursement env’t
• Growth of home health
• Demographic shifts
• Changes in managed care strategies
• The baby boomers
• Increase physicians in executive leadership
• Shortages of providers
• Emerging focus on prevention
• High costs of new tech
• Pressure to reduce overhead costs
• Further consolidation within the industry
Foundations of Strategic Management
Greek word stratēgōs, meaning “a general” which in turn comes from roots meaning
“army” and “lead.”
Greek verb stratēgēō means “to plan the destruction of one’s enemies through
effective use of resources.”
Development of Strategic Management
• Long- Range Planning
• Strategic Planning
• Strategic Management
• Strategic Management in the Health Care Industry
What’s the difference?
Strategic Management
Health Care Policy Planning
The Dimensions ofStrategic Management
Strategic thinkers draw upon the past, understand the present, and can
envision a better future.
The Map and the Compass
The Map
• Analytical or Rational Approach
• Logical Sequence of Steps
• Specific Processes.
• Better in Known Worlds.
The Compass
• Emergent Approach
• Relies on Learning
• Leadership Sets Direction
• Better in Uncharted Worlds
The Map and the Compass
The Map
• Analytical or Rational Approach
• Logical Sequence of Steps
• Specific Processes.
• Better in Known Worlds.
The Compass
• Emergent Approach
• Relies on Learning
• Leadership Sets Direction
• Better in Uncharted Worlds
Map and Compass
Map
Compass
Planned
Emergent
Rational
Non- rational
Sequential
Random
Performance
Learning
Consistency
Change
Logical
Illogical
Order
Discontinuity
Efficiency
Effectiveness
Prescriptive
Descriptive
Evolution
Revolution
Control
Risk
Present
Future
Management
Leadership
Analytic Approach
Emergent Approach
What determines what type of approach to use?
Non-realized
strategies
Realized Strategy
Emergent
strategies
Strategic Management Processes
Strategic Planning
Strategic Thinking
Awareness Anticipation
Analysis Interpretation
Synthesis Reflection
Situation Analysis
• External Analysis
• Internal Analysis
• Directional Strategies
Strategy Formulation
• Directional Strategies
• Adaptive Strategies
• Market Entry/Exit
Strategies
• Competitive Strategies
Implementation Planning
• Service Delivery Strategies
• Support Strategies
• Action Plans
Managing
Strategic Momentum
Managerial Action Strategy
Evaluation Strategic Control
Emergent Learning Reinitiate Strategic Thinking
Leading Strategically
• Strategic Thinking – an intellectual orientation, a way of thinking or
mindset.
• Strategic Planning – the periodic process of creating organizational
momentum (a strategy).
• Managing Strategic Momentum – a philosophy and process of
continuously leading and managing an organization using strategic thinking
and periodic strategic planning.
Strategic Thinking Framing
What are we doing now that we should stop doing?
What ae we not doing now, but should start doing?
What are we doing now and should continue to do but perhaps alter in some
fundamental way?
Leading Strategically
Strategic Activity
Description
Orientation / Scope
Strategic Thinking
Fundamental Strategic Skill – an
Intellectual Orientation, a Way of
Thinking or Mindset
Individual Leadership
Process
Strategic Planning
Process of Creating a Plan
Using Strategic Thinking
Periodic Group
Leadership and
Management Process
Managing Strategic
Momentum
Process of Leading and Managing the
Strategy using Thinking and Planning
Organizational
Management Processes
Strategic Thinkers
• Do not assume that the organization will continue to do what it is presently
doing.
• Determine what the organization should stop doing.
• Determine what the organization should start doing that it is presently not
doing.
• Determine what the organization should continue to do but perhaps in a
fundamentally different way.
Strategic Planning
• Provides a sequential, step- by- step process for creating a strategy.
• Involves periodic group strategic thinking sessions.
• Requires data/information, but incorporates consensus and judgment.
• Establishes organizational focus.
• Facilitates consistent decision making.
• Reaches consensus on how the organization fits within its industry .
• Results in a documented strategic plan.
Linking Today and Tomorrow
plans
plans
plans
plans
budgets budgets
plans
budgets budgets
budgets
Profile of
Today
Mission
Strategy
budgets budgets
plans
plans
year
1
budgets
year
2
budgets
plans
year
3
budgets
plans
year
4
plans
year
5
Profile of
Tomorrow
Vision (hope
for the
future)
Managing Strategic Momentum
• Addresses the management of the actual work to accomplish specific
objectives.
• Concerns decision making process and their consequences.
• Provides the style and culture.
• Evaluates strategy performance.
• Controls strategy implementation.
• Is a learning process.
• Relies on and initiates new strategic thinking and new periodic strategic
planning.
Benefits of Strategic Management
•
Ties the organization together with a common sense of purpose and shared values.
•
Improves financial performance in many cases.
•
Provides the organization with a clear self- concept, specific goals, and guidance as
well as consistency in decision making.
•
Helps managers understand the present, think about the future, and recognize the
signals that suggest change.
•
Requires managers to communicate both vertically and horizontally.
•
Improves overall coordination within the organization.
•
Encourages innovation and change within the organization to meet the needs of
dynamic situations.
What potential problems exist with
“Strategic Management?”
What are the dangers?
How can you avoid them as a leader?
Link Between Levels of Strategic Management
Ends – Means
Hierarchy of Strategies
Organizational Levels
Strategic
Thinking
Corporate
Offices
Strategic
Planning
Strategic
Momentum
Strategic
Thinking
input
Outpatient
Facilities
Long-term
Care
Home Health
Hospital
Division
Divisional
Level
Hospital West
Hospital
Central
Hospital
Division
Organizational
Level
Strategic
Planning
Strategic
Momentum
Strategic
Thinking
input
Strategic
Planning
Strategic
Momentum
Strategic
Thinking
input
Surgery
Strategic
Momentum
Corporate
Level
Strategic
Planning
Orthopedics
Pharmacy
Unit
Level
Conclusion
Key Term
Key Term
Key Term
Analytical/Rational Approach
Leadership
Strategic Service Unit (SSU)
Compass
Long- Range Planning
Strategic Thinking
Complex Adaptive
System
Map
Strategic Thinking Map
Corporate- Level Strategy
Organizational- Level Strategy
Strategy
Directional Strategies
Realized Strategy
Strategy Formulation
Divisional- Level Strategy
Situational Analysis
System
Emergent Approach
Strategic Business Unit (SBU)
Systems Perspective
Conclusion
Key Term
Key Term
Key Term
Emergent Strategy
Strategic Management
Unit- Level Strategy
Health Policy
Strategic Momentum
Unrealized Strategy
Implementation Plan
Strategic Planning
Check Your Understanding
Strategic Thinking is an intellectual orientation, a way of thinking or mindset.
• True
• False
Check Your Understanding
Strategic Thinking is an intellectual orientation, a way of thinking or mindset.
• True
• False
You are done with Week One
Interactive Presentation.
Please proceed back to Week One in
Blackboard to finish the curriculum for
Week One.
HCA 407
Healthcare Planning
and Evaluation
Week One Lecture
HCA 407 Healthcare Planning and Evaluation
Week One, Chapter Two
Chapter 2
External Analysis
External Analysis
The most important task of an organization’s leader is to anticipate a
crisis. Perhaps not to avert it, but to anticipate it …One has to make
the organization capable of anticipating the storm, weathering it, and
in fact, being ahead of it.
– Peter Drucker
The Strategic Planning Process
Strategic Planning
Situation Analysis
• External Analysis
• Internal Analysis
• Directional Strategies
Strategy Formulation
• Directional Strategies
• Adaptive Strategies
• Market Entry/Exit
Strategies
• Competitive Strategies
Implementation Planning
• Service Delivery Strategies
• Support Strategies
• Action Plans
Situational Analysis
External
Environment
Should
Do
Strategy
of the Organization
Situational Analysis
External
Environment
Should
Do
Internal
Environment
Wants
To Do
Strategy
of the Organization
Can
Do
Situational Analysis
External
Environment
Should
Do
Directional
Strategies,
Leadership
Wants
To Do
Strategy
of the Organization
Internal
Environment
Can
Do
The Strategic Planning Process
Strategic Planning
Situation Analysis
• External Analysis
• Internal Analysis
• Directional Strategies
Strategy Formulation
• Directional Strategies
• Adaptive Strategies
• Market Entry/Exit
Strategies
• Competitive Strategies
Implementation Planning
• Service Delivery Strategies
• Support Strategies
• Action Plans
Process for External Analysis
Step 1 – Organize the External Analysis Process and Create an
Issue Map Template
Step 2 – Scan the General Environment, Health Care System,
and Service Area
Step 3 – Monitor and Confirm External Issues
Step 4 – Forecast External Issues
Step 5 – Assess External Issues
Step 6 – Complete an Issue Map
Nest Environment of a Health Care Organization
General Environment
•
•
•
•
•
•
Government Institutions
Business Organizations
Educational Institutions
Religious Institutions
Research
Organizations/Foundations
Individuals/Consumers
Health Care System
•
•
•
•
•
Planning/Regulatory
Organizations
Primary Providers
Secondary Providers
Provider Associations
Individuals/Patients
Service Area
•
•
•
•
•
•
Competitors
Government Services
Business Organizations
Not- for- Profit Organizations
Other Local Organizations
Individuals/Consumers
Organization
The External Environment
The General Environment
•
Government Institutions
•
Business Organizations
•
Educational Institutions
•
Religious Institutions
•
Research
Organizations/Foundations
•
Individuals/Consumers
The External Environment
The General Environment
•
Government Institutions
•
Business Organizations
•
Educational Institutions
•
Religious Institutions
•
Research
Organizations/Foundations
•
Individuals/Consumers
Health Care System
•
Planning/Regulatory
Organizations
•
Primary Providers
•
Secondary Providers
•
Provider Associations
•
Individuals/Patients
The External Environment
The General Environment
•
Government Institutions
•
Business Organizations
•
Educational Institutions
•
Religious Institutions
•
Research
Organizations/Foundations
•
Individuals/Consumers
Health Care System
•
Planning/Regulatory
Organizations
•
Primary Providers
•
Secondary Providers
•
Provider Associations
•
Individuals/Patients
Service Area
•
Competitors
•
Government Services
•
Business Organizations
•
Not- for- Profit
Organizations
•
Other Local Organizations
•
Individuals/Consumers
The External Environment
The General Environment
•
Government Institutions
•
Business Organizations
•
Educational Institutions
•
Religious Institutions
•
Research
Organizations/Foundations
•
Individuals/Consumers
Impact Each Other
Service Area
•
Competitors
•
Government Services
•
Business Organizations
•
Not- for- Profit
Organizations
•
Other Local Organizations
•
Individuals/Consumers
Health Care System
•
Planning/Regulatory
Organizations
•
Primary Providers
•
Secondary Providers
•
Provider Associations
•
Individuals/Patients
The External Environment
The General Environment
•
Government Institutions
•
Business Organizations
•
Educational Institutions
•
Religious Institutions
•
Research
Organizations/Foundations
•
Individuals/Consumers
Impact Each Other
Service Area
•
Competitors
•
Government Services
•
Business Organizations
•
Not- for- Profit
Organizations
•
Other Local Organizations
•
Individuals/Consumers
Impact Organization
Health Care System
•
Planning/Regulatory
Organizations
•
Primary Providers
•
Secondary Providers
•
Provider Associations
•
Individuals/Patients
Issue Map
Categories of
Issues
Economic
Social / Demographic
Legislative /
Political
Technological
Competitive
General Environment
Health Care
System
Service Area
Scanning the External Environment
Serve as the organization’s “window” or “lens” on the external world.
“Areas “of the Environment Information Categories
Technological
Social / Cultural
Demographic
Political / Regulatory
Economic
Competitive
Customer
Scanning the External Environment
People
• Direct: Within organizations
• Indirect: Outside organizations
Publications
• Direct: Industry, technical reports, data bases
• Indirect: Newspaper, journals, the Internet, etc.
Monitoring the External Environment
• Accumulate a data base around an identified issue.
• Investigating the sources of the information.
• Identifying the organizations creating changes.
• Identifying the sources reporting changes.
Forecasting Environmental Change
If these trends continue, or if issues accelerate beyond their present
rate, or if this event occurs, what will the issues and trends ‘look like’ in
the future?
Assessing Environmental Change
Interpret the data based on perceptions, values, past experiences,
and context.
Assessing Issues
High
High Impact Low
Probability
High Impact High
Probability
Low Impact Low
Probability
Low Impact High
Probability
Impact
on the
Organization
Low
High
Probability of Trend Continuing
Assessing Issues
High
Critical Issues to the
right of the
line should be
addressed in the
strategic plan
High Impact Low
Probability
High Impact High
Probability
Impact
on the
Organization
Low Impact Low
Probability
Low Impact High
Probability
Low
Critical Issues to
the right of the line
should be
addressed in the
strategic plan
High
Probability of Trend Continuing
Environmental Analysis Tools and Techniques
Technique
Primary Focus
Issue Impact and
Probability
Prioritization
•
•
•
•
Scanning
Monitoring
Forecasting
Assessing
Advantage
Disadvantage
• Simple
• Logic
• Easy to communicate
• Need a good deal of
data in order to
extend trend
• Limited to existing
trends
• May not foster
creative thinking
Environmental Analysis Tools and Techniques
Technique
Primary Focus
Advantage
Disadvantage
Issue Impact and
Probability
Prioritization
•
•
•
•
Scanning
Monitoring
Forecasting
Assessing
• Simple
• Logic
• Easy to communicate
• Need a good deal of
data in order to
extend trend
• Limited to existing
trends
• May not foster
creative thinking
Delphi Method
•
•
•
•
Scanning
Monitoring
Forecasting
Assessing
• Use of field experts
• Avoids intimidation
• Members are
physically dispersed
• No direct interaction of
participants
• May take a long time
problems
• Eliminates
management’s
biases
to complete
Environmental Analysis Tools and Techniques
Technique
Primary Focus
Nominal Group
Technique
•
•
•
•
Scanning
Monitoring
Forecasting
Assessing
Advantage
Disadvantage
• Everyone has equal
status and power
• Wide participation
• Ensures
representation
• Eliminates
management’s
biases
• Structure may limit
creativity
• Time consuming
Environmental Analysis Tools and Techniques
Technique
Primary Focus
Nominal Group
Technique
•
•
•
•
Brainstorming
Forecasting
Assessing
Scanning
Monitoring
Forecasting
Assessing
Advantage
Disadvantage
• Everyone has equal
status and power
• Wide participation
• Ensures
representation
• Eliminates
management’s
biases
• Structure may limit
creativity
• Time consuming
• Fosters creativity
• No process for
making decisions
• Develops many ideas,
alternatives
• Sometimes gets off
track
• Encourages
communication
Environmental Analysis Tools and Techniques
Technique
Primary Focus
Advantage
Disadvantage
Focus Groups
• Forecasting
• Assessing
• Uses experts
• Management/expert
interaction
• New viewpoints
• Finding experts
• No specific structure
for reaching
conclusions
Environmental Analysis Tools and Techniques
Technique
Primary Focus
Advantage
Disadvantage
Focus Groups
• Forecasting
• Assessing
• Uses experts
• Management/expert
interaction
• New viewpoints
• Finding experts
• Forecasting
• Assessing
• Surfaces many subissues and factors
• Conclusions are
reached on issues
• Based on analysis
• Does not provide a
set of procedures for
deciding what is
important
• Considers only a
single issue at a time
• Time consuming
Dialectic Inquiry
• No specific structure
for reaching
conclusions
Environmental Analysis Tools and Techniques
Technique
Primary Focus
Advantage
Disadvantage
Stakeholder
Analysis
• Scanning
• Monitoring
• Considers major
independent groups
and individuals
• Ensures major needs
and wants of outside
organizations are
taken into account
• Emerging issues
generated by other
organizations may
not be considered
• Does not consider the
broader issues of the
general environment
Environmental Analysis Tools and Techniques
Technique
Primary Focus
Advantage
Disadvantage
Stakeholder
Analysis
• Scanning
• Monitoring
• Considers major
independent groups
and individuals
• Ensures major needs
and wants of outside
organizations are
taken into account
• Emerging issues
generated by other
organizations may
not be considered
• Does not consider the
broader issues of the
general environment
Scenario Writing
• Forecasting
• Assessing
• Portrays alternative
futures
• Considers
interrelated
external variables
• Gives a complete
picture of the future
• Requires generous
assumptions
• Always a question
as to what to
include
• Difficult to write
Conclusion
Key Term
Key Term
Key Term
Assessing
Inevitable Surprise
Scanning
Brainstorming
Issue Map
Scenarios
Delphi Method
Issue Impact & Prioritization
Secondary Providers
Dialectic Inquiry
Medicaid
Sensemaking
Expert Opinion
Medicare
Service Area
External Analysis
Monitoring
Service Category
Focus Groups
Nested Systems
Stakeholders
Forecasting
Nominal Group Technique (NGT)
Stakeholder Analysis
General Environment
Predictable Surprise
Strategic Awareness
Gray Rhino Event
Primary Providers
Strategic Issues
Check Your Understanding
One of the ways to monitor external environment is to accumulate a data base
around an identified issue.
• True
• False
Check Your Understanding
One of the ways to monitor external environment is to accumulate a data base
around an identified issue.
• True
• False
You are done with Week One
Interactive Presentation.
Please proceed back to Week One in
Blackboard to finish the curriculum for
Week One.
HCA 407
Healthcare Planning
and Evaluation
Week One Lecture
HCA 407 Healthcare Planning and Evaluation
Week One, Chapter Three
Chapter 3
Service Area Competitor Analysis
The Strategic Planning Process
Strategic Planning
Situation Analysis
• External Analysis
• Internal Analysis
• Directional Strategies
Strategy Formulation
• Directional Strategies
• Adaptive Strategies
• Market Entry/Exit
Strategies
• Competitive Strategies
Implementation Planning
• Service Delivery Strategies
• Support Strategies
• Action Plans
Focus of Service Area Competitor Analysis
• Foster strategic thinking throughout the organization.
• Identify market niches and discontinuities.
• Select a viable strategy.
Obstacles to Effective Service Area Competitor Analysis
• Misjudging industry and service area boundaries.
• Poor identification of the competition.
• Overemphasis on competitors’ visible competence.
• Overemphasis on where, rather than how, to compete.
• Faulty assumptions about the competition.
• Paralysis by analysis.
Process for External Analysis
Step 1 – Complete Situational Analysis of the General
Environment, Health Care Industry, and Service Area
Step 2 – Conduct Service Area Structure Analysis
Step 3 – Conduct Competitor Analysis
Step 4 – Analyze the Critical Success Factors
Step 5 – Map Strategic Groups
Step 6 – Assess Likely Competitor Actions or Responses
Step 7 – Synthesize Analyses
Services Analysis
Potential
Entrants
Threat of New
Entrants
Bargaining
Power of
Suppliers
Bargaining Power
of Buyers
Suppliers
Buyers
Rivalry
Rivalry
Among
Existing
Competitors
Substitutes
Threat of
Substitute
Products or
Services
Service Area Structural Analysis
Porter’s Five Forces
• Threat of new entrants to the market.
Barriers to Entry
• Existing organizations have economies of scale.
• It costs a great deal (capital) to get into this type of
business.
• Switching from one service provider to another is
expensive.
Service Area Structural Analysis
Porter’s Five Forces
Threat of new entrants to the market
Level of rivalry among existing organizations
Intensity of Rivalry
• Numerous or equally balanced competitors?
• Slow market growth for these types of services?
• High fixed costs (buildings, equipment)?
Intensity of Rivalry
Porter’s Five Forces
Threat of new entrants to the market
Level of rivalry among existing organizations
Threat of substitute products and services
Threats of Substitute Services
• Many services available that perform about the same
function.
• There are lower cost substitute services.
• Buyers of the service tend to experiment or substitute
often.
• Buyers of the service have difficulty in telling the difference
in the effectiveness of the alternatives.
Service Area Structural Analysis
Porter’s Five Forces
• Threat of new entrants to the market.
• Level of rivalry among existing organizations.
• Threat of substitute products and services.
• Bargaining power of buyers (customers).
Bargaining Power of Buyers
Purchases products that are standard.
• Buyers view all providers as having about the same service
and quality?
Pose a threat of backward integration.
• Buyers could begin providing the service themselves?
Service Area Structural Analysis
Porter’s Five Forces
• Threat of new entrants to the market
• Level of rivalry among existing organizations
• Threat of substitute products and services
• Bargaining power of buyers (customers)
• Bargaining power of suppliers
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
• Few suppliers (personnel, equipment, materials).
• Few substitutes for the supplies.
• The supplier’s products or services are unique.
• The product or service supplied is important to the buyer’s
business.
• Switching costs from one supplier to another are high.
• The buyer’s industry is not considered an important
customer.
• The suppliers pose a threat of forward integration
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
Bargaining Power of Suppliers
If all five forces are favorable:
If all five forces are unfavorable:
• Little or friendly competition.
• A great deal or very unfriendly
• Difficult for new competitors to
enter the business.
competition.
• Easy for new competitors to
• Few or no good substitutes for
the product or service.
enter the business.
• Many good substitutes for the
• Buyers will not control the price,
product or service.
quality, design, or volume.
• Buyers will control the price,
• Suppliers will not control the
quality, design, or volume.
inputs to production.
•
Suppliers will control the inputs
to production.
Services Analysis
A “Three Star” Product or Service
Potential
Entrants
Threat of New
Entrants
Bargaining
Power of
Suppliers
Suppliers
Bargaining Power
of Buyers
Rivalry
Among
Existing
Competitors
Buyers
Rivalry
Substitutes
Threat of
Substitute
Products or
Services
Services Analysis
Evolving Products/Services Viability
Potential
Entrants
Threat of New
Entrants
Bargaining
Power of
Suppliers
Suppliers
Bargaining Power
of Buyers
Rivalry
Among
Existing
Competitors
Buyers
Rivalry
Substitutes
Threat of
Substitute
Products or
Services
Services Analysis
Evolving Products/Services Viability
Potential
Entrants
Threat of New
Entrants
Bargaining
Power of
Suppliers
Suppliers
Bargaining Power
of Buyers
Rivalry
Among
Existing
Competitors
Buyers
Rivalry
Substitutes
Threat of
Substitute
Products or
Services
Services Analysis
Evolving Products/Services Viability
• New Regulations or Political Changes.
• New Technologies or Services Improvement
• Social or Demographic Changes.
• Economic Changes.
• Competitive Changes.
Competitor Analysis & Strategic Groups
What are the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors?
Can your competitors be “mapped” with respect to two or more
dimensions?
Competitor Analysis and Mapping Strategic Groups
Competitor Strengths and Weaknesses
Service Category Critical Success Factor Analysis
Service Area Plastic Surgery Competitors (2012)
Service Area Plastic Surgery Competitors (2012)
*Range of services included skilled nursing, organized social activities, outings, physical therapy, education,
rehabilitation, speech therapy, Alzheimer’s care, nutritional services, infusion, pharmacy, homemaker services,
live- ins, companions, and so on.
Conclusion
Key Terms
Key Terms
Black Swan Event
Service Area
Competitive Advantage
Service Area Competitor Analysis
Competitor Analysis
Service Area Structural Analysis
Critical Success Factor Analysis
Strategic Groups
Mapping Competitors
Strategic Response
Check Your Understanding
One of Porter’s five forces are Threat of substitute products and services.
• True
• False
Check Your Understanding
One of Porter’s five forces are Threat of substitute products and services.
• True
• False
You are done with Week One
Interactive Presentation.
Please proceed back to Week One in
Blackboard to finish the curriculum for
Week One.