Community Service Essay

Community service is very important because it helps build character, which is something that the Dalton School and the Detroit News would agree with me on. Having community service as a requirement to graduate is a good idea as long as the student can choose what type of community service they want to do; because it forces students to go out in their community and help others. Community Service doesn’t have to have a negative effect on people, it can and usually has a good effect. Willie Grothman and Tim Phang are two high school students who started a community service club that helped a lot of people in their community. Community service can be extremely valuable in the development of both character, academics and it gives students a chance to give back to their community. Community service builds character because after accomplishing something, it gives people a feel of satisfaction and accomplishment that makes students feel good about themselves. The Dalton School believes when an individual goes out in the world and interacts with other people in the spirit of bettering, that individual makes a contribution and will feel a sense of accomplishment. But on the other hand, some people argue that it is wrong to force students into doing community service. Arthur Stukas, Mark Snyder, and E. Gil Clary said students were less affected even if they had a choice of community service. These scientists also say that researchers have found that students who initially did not want to volunteer found that they actually enjoyed helping others if requirements were applied gently and with their input and involvement in the process. In my opinion that is what we want to happen when students are involved in community service. From graph two that Mark Hugo presents is that community service has a high rating from the students who are educationally successful which shows that community service can have a positive affect on people. In the Detroit News, they talked about a thirteen year-old boy named John Prueter and the type of community service he did and the positive affect it had on him. He volunteered at the Alterra Sterling House, an assisted living home in Hampton Township. From this experience from John, he now wants to study nursing and he said he became interested in the field because of his volunteer work. This shows the positive result of community service because it can also lead you into the career path you would have never known you liked until you volunteered. Putting time into your community is a way of â€Å"giving back†. The Dalton School says the moral center of a community, that place where we can find the values of empathy, compassion, and caring, is the basis for civic responsibility and the success of that community. In the Washington Post by Tara Bahrampour, she writes about two high school students, Willie Grothman and Tim Phang of Washington- Lee High School experienced the succ ess of community service. They formed a community service club called the Willie Grothman Club and they held things like walking for AIDS, for the homeless and for breast cancer in an event in which they took turns walking relays all night around a track in the rain. For these events they collect pledges of money from friends and family members for each mile they walked or each bowling pin they knocked down. These guys were some of the most inspiring people because they were not just helping their community, but the people in their community who were homeless, had AIDS, etc. Not only did this club change the members’ lives, but also it changed the lives of others around them, and the people they were helping. Community service does not have to be a negative because it can always turn into a positive. In the Dalton School, the Washington Post, the Detroit News, and Arthur Stukas, Mark Snyder, E. Gil Clary, and Mark Hugo, they all helped me determine that community service should be a requirement to graduate because it can change peoples lives for the better. Thank you for reading my essay but I have another question, which introduction sounds better, the one above or this one: Community service is very important because it helps build character. Having community service as a requirement to graduate is a good idea because it forces students to go out in their community and help others. Community Service doesn’t have to have a negative effect on students, it can have a good effect or no effect at all. Willie Grothman and Tim Phang – two high school students who started a community service club that helped a lot of people in their community-, The Dalton School, and The Detroit News- who did a story on John Prueter- would agree that community service is important. Community service can be extremely valuable in the development of both character, academics and it gives students a chance to give back to their community.

Choose two characters from the novel ‘Of Mice and Men’ Essay

America in the 1930’s was a class-based society where women had no choice. The Wall Street Crash in 1929 meant the ‘Great Depression’ was occurring, people living in poverty because of this but most would travel round to find work. Racism was still a critical problem in this time so this was affecting many lives, only white people could get a decent job, if a black person could it would be living in the same conditions as slaves, even though slavery was abolished in 1865- over 60 years before. Crooks is the stable buck and is black, he is a clever but lonely man who just wants some companionship. Curley’s wife is seen as a ‘tart’, we see that she is also lonely and very misunderstood. In the novel, even though Steinbeck had made the characters an isolated group, they all represent different sides of the society, this allows him to criticise what he sees as problems. Slavery started in America in the 15th century, thousands of slaves arrived looking for a better way of life than what they had left, but infact their ‘new lives’ were worse. Slavery meant big business in America. In the north most Negroes were free but in the south it was the way of life. Slaves were employed as either field workers; they worked long hours, lived in huts and slept on the floor. Then there were the house workers who would cook, clean, run the masters house and bring up the children, they lived a more comfortable life, but caused mistrust between the two. Sometimes a way to solve this was to split up families, selling the children. Slave revolt was common and in 1831 people started to understand the need to abolish slavery, in 1833 it became more widespread but Lincoln and the civil war offered more help to the black society. Finally in 1865 slavery was abolished – â€Å"Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist in the United States.† Crooks was not a slave but was still a victim of racial prejudice. He is lonely and very clever, ‘He reads a lot. Got books I his room’, and we see that he is aware of his rights, ‘a tattered dictionary and a mauled copy of the California Civil code for 1905-98’ this in a way is worse as he knows that he could have a better life. He loves company but hides it, as he is sure this was the best his life would get. The men know that they can be racist towards him and get away with it; this is made clear when George asks ‘give the stable-buck hell?’ Asking why it’s ok, he is given the simple answer from candy that it’s fine because he is a ‘nigger.’ Crooks was still very much treated as a slave. The men tell the stories of how they make him fight for a use of entertainment but ‘on the count of the niggers got a crooked back, Smitty can’t use his feet’ the men think its fine beating Crooks up and that they’re being kind. The group do not realise that Crooks is scared of them and so isolates himself from everyone and everything going on around him – ‘he kept his distance and demanded everyone else kept theirs’ but by doing this he had to live alone in the stables while the men on the ranch lived together, however they did respect he was a human because they did keep away from him. Crooks ‘pain-tightened lips’ show he is suffering and is punishing himself, he tells himself that ‘he ain’t wanted in the bunk-house’ and so other people ‘ain’t wanted in my room’. He says this to Lennie, who doesn’t understand why crooks doesn’t want to talk to someone or why he doesn’t go in the bunk house, Crooks’ response to this is that the men say ‘I stink’- another example of the racial prejudice; he’s black so therefore he must stink. Crooks sees that with Lennie he has someone he can tease and so does, when he tease s him Steinbeck writes that, ‘Crooks pressed forward some kind of private victory.’ Crooks’ victory is that probably all his life he has been teased because of his colour, now he has someone he can pick on that he can beat. There is a sense of war in which black verses white and unusually the black can easily win. Crooks know he can get away with picking on Lennie, his ‘face lighted with pleasure in his torture’, he is enjoying that he can pick on a white person. Crooks is a dreamer, he has one dream of the past; ‘I remember when I was a little kid on my old mans chicken ranch. Had two brothers. They were always near me, always there.’ He dreams of his past because he knows that he has no future, and that the others do have a future, there is a slight sense of jealousy as he cant leave the ranch. This is also another example of Crooks’ need for companionship; he is showing how lonely he is. Lennie then tells Crooks’ of his and Georges dream to own some land, to which he replies, ‘Nobody never gets to heaven, and nobody ever gets no land’ he knows what societies like and has seen many men with dreams but none ever come true, but even though he is pessimistic he is right. However even saying this he is still tempted to join the dream, he wants to be around people and is happy when people talk to him. He says ‘I didn’t mean it. Jus’ foolin’. I wouldn’t want to go no place like that.’ He knows he has to support black people and that it wouldn’t happen. Through the character of crooks we see that Steinbeck thought that Crooks’ was treated badly and that he obviously felt sympathy for him and all black people in America. We see examples of Crooks being afraid of all people, including Curley’s wife, in a time where women weren’t listened to, Steinbeck puts the message across that he shouldn’t have to pull back and have to live in fear, worrying about what is going to happen to him and who by. If Crooks had been white he wouldn’t be treated in the way he was. Curley’s wife is another character that is seen as by the men on the ranch as insignificant, like Crooks. There are many similarities between the two; they are outcast, misunderstood, and oppressed. Neither are treated as equals and are trapped in the same life with no future. Even so she does not see these similarities and picks on Crooks for the same reason he picks on Lennie, because she can she knows that he will listen to her and be afraid. Curley’ s wife is all she was ever called, she was not given a name showing that she means nothing and is only a possession to Curley. This suggests that women were on the same level as black people and in some ways the same position. As Negroes were victims of racial prejudice – women were victims of sexism. Curley’s wife has no relationship with her husband and she doesn’t look after the household like she is supposed to, this suggests that she is trapped and is only there so Curley can say he’s mar ried. She doesn’t love him and is only there for his satisfaction. Curley’s wife is lonely and when she looks for companionship within the ranch, the men say that she is too flirty, they think that ‘Curley’s married a tart’ but they don’t understand her and don’t try to. The men don’t trust her and there is a sense of danger when George describes her as ‘jail-bait.’ This also proves what the men think of her. There is a description of her, it goes through that she has, ‘full, rouged lips and wide spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red. Her hair hung in little rolled clusters, like sausages’ this is very superficial and shows that in a way she is covering herself and her feelings with a mask. Knowing that her husband is at a whorehouse she says ‘I don’t like Curley. He ain’t a nice fella’ this is very simplistic and suggests her interest, it also suggests that Curley does not love her either. She is obviously lonely and only gets a cold reception from the workers, she is isolated from the world and has lost all chance of having friends, and Steinbeck feels pity for her. He gives this message when she says ‘think I don’t like to talk to somebody ever’ once in a while? Think I like to stick in the house alla time? She questions them and gets no response from being kind. We see her lash out on page 111 when she is talking to Crooks, Lennie and Candy, she is angry because of Curley and so takes it out on them; people who she has a sense of power over; ‘Ever’ body out doin’ som’pin. Everybody! An’ what am I doing? Standin’ here talking to a bunch of bindle stiffs- a nigger an’ a dum- dum’. This also gains her pity from the reader. Curley’s wife is lonely and frustrated that there is nothing she can do or say make herself feel better but she does try by taking it out on the men, in this case Crooks. She says to him ‘well, you keep your place then, Nigger. I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it ain’t even funny’ although she is being so nasty we still feel sympathy for her, we understand that she is so lonely, we can relate to this. As Crooks does Curley’s wife dreams of the past and what could have been, she says to Lennie ‘I could of went with the shows. Not jus’ one, neither. An’ a guy tol’ me he could put me in the pitchers’. She also talks about her dream later. She says that the only reason she married Curley was that she wanted to leave home. This is because she thought that her mother had stopped her from being an actress by stealing a ‘letter’ from a man who had said he could make her famous. She explains ‘I ast her if she stole it, too, an’ she says no. So I married Curley. Met him at the Riverside Dance Palace that same night’ she married him out of spite to her mother and no other reason. This is a tragic picture, she is being very naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve in thinking that a letter was being sent, she doesn’t realise that the man was playing her for a fool, this gains her sympathy from the reader. When she is dead there is such a sense of calmness and tranquillity, ‘ and the meanness and the planning’s and the discontent and the ache for attention was all gone from her face. She was very pretty and simple, and her face was sweet and young.’ This is saying that she is now at peace and in a way because her life was such a disaster in which she had no future she is better off dead. It was the only way she could be happy and escape Curley and her loneliness. The 1930s was a class- based society within America. Racism was an ongoing problem and black people were still being treated as slaves, even though slavery was abolished in 1865. The ‘great depression’ was also still a huge problem with 3 million people unemployed in 1930 and 13 million in 1932. People were living in poverty and any jobs going were poorly paid. However life was worst for black people, who were victims of racial prejudice and discrimination and women who were seen as insignificant and ‘possessions’ of their husbands or fathers and were only there to look ‘purty’ and look after the house. In the novel, even though Steinbeck had made the characters an isolated group, they all represent different sides of the society, this allows him to criticise what he sees as problems. Curley’s wife and Crooks are just two characters that illustrate what life was like in America in the 1930’s.

Persuasive Communication Essay

When trying to persuade the boss it is important to state the facts and make sure to check the validity of these facts that will be presented before it is put forward. Remember to quote your credible sources, as you may be asked about where your data arrived from. Analyze the persuasive effectiveness in terms of its logos, pathos, and ethos, if applicable, on what you are trying to convince your boss on. Use statistics and data that are current and choose reputable publications. Try to avoid logical fallacies. Presenting something that you want the boss to accept and give you the â€Å"wow† effect is important. You must make an effective entrance into a room. Walk tall and enter the room with a purposeful, confident stride. Give a firm handshake and smile. Having a positive attitude is a good way to start off a conversation. You must first find common ground with your boss by sharing a common view of the problem, issue or goal. Confirm with the boss that you are on their side and want this idea to help better the company. When trying to persuade a peer a mixture of facts and feelings may be used because you should have an indication of the person’s personality. This can benefit you to use what you know about how that your peer thinks when trying to persuade this person. Usually, a peer will listen to you much deeper than a person who does not you well. When dealing with a challenging person it is important to use techniques to grab their attention. Challenging people have self-interest and may want to argue an issue. Use those self-interests to break down the facts and use sentiments to make them understand. If you are trying to persuade an open minded person you can explain your side of an issue by inflating the data. Open minded people are willing to listen to all sides of the arguments. Whether you are trying to persuade your boss, a peer, a challenging person, or an open minded person, all people think, and have personalities, that differ from you. Knowing who your audience is can be very important when it comes to persuasion.

Organizational Structure Paper: Bank of America Essay

Bank of America is one of the largest financial institutions not only within the U. S. but around the world as well. Its beginning rooted from a small bank called Bank of Italy that was established by Amadeo Peter Giannini and his son in San Francisco, California in 1904 (Bank of America Heritage. , 2012). At the time of establishment its initial reason of existence was to service those that were turned away from other banks; most were farmers who had come from Italy (â€Å"Encyclopedia Britannica â€Å", 2011). Today Bank of America provides services for almost 60 million consumers its new headquarters is now in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1958, Bank of America was also the first to create a bank card called BankAmeriCard, which allowed customers to access their accounts and charge purchases to them as well. Corporate Structures There are different types of corporate organizational structures; vertical structures and horizontal structures. The vertical structure consists of a hierarchically structured organization where all management activities are controlled by a centralized management staff (Bateman, T.  S. , & Snell, S. A. , 2011). This is more of a traditional type of organization such as that of Bank of America that often develops strong bureaucratic control over all organizational activities. Unlike a horizontal structure which is one of decentralization of power and or control. At least within specific departments an emphasis is placed on horizontal collaboration, rather than conceiving of leadership as one person always being in control. Leadership is often shared among team leaders and members shifting to the person with the most knowledge or expertise in the matter. Within the horizontal structure there are also other types of sub organizational structures; The Functional Organization (Departmentalization around specialized activities), The Divisional Organization (units around products, customers, or geographic regions), The Matrix Organization (managers report to two superiors) and The Network Organization (independent mostly single-function firms that collaborate on a good or service), (Bateman, T. S. , & Snell, S. A. , 2011). A company such as Bank of America may determine if they have the right structure by looking at their firm’s activities and how well they meet their goals and those of the firm’s stakeholders. Bank of America Structure The initial structure for The Bank of Italy (now called Bank of America) in 1904 was comprised of its CEO (Amadeo Peter Giannini) and a small board of directors. The initial corporate structure for this entity could be described as a classic horizontal structure where the CEO occupies the top position and is the senior member of top management. The top managerial level also included a board of directors without any additional management till the bank began to expand and merge with a variety of other financial corporations. The merging of Bank of America with other corporations such as Nations Bank, Fleet Boston and Merrill Lynch amongst others that had different organizational structures created the need for the new bank to restructure its own organization (Bank of America Heritage 2012). The current structure is comprised of a CEO, CFO, COO, a board of directors and an international operations team amongst others that report directly to the CEO. Although the CEO is the leading executive; this functional organization also shows indicatives of having a divisional structure because of its departmentalization that groups units around products and geographic regions. This type of organization can be best described as a matrix organizational structure (Joseph, 2012). The matrix structure is a combination of the functional and divisional structures. The former divides departments within a company by the functions performed, while the latter divides them by products, customers or geographical location. The organizational structure used by the bank is atypical because it brings together employees and managers from different departments to work toward accomplishing a goal. A disadvantage of having a matrix organizational tructure is that it is expensive to maintain (Joseph, 2012). A company’s overhead cost typically increases because of the need for double management; not that this would be a huge problem for a financial institution of this measure (Joseph, 2012). The structure is influenced by the dynamics and size of the corporation; its marketing, finance, human resources, and operations departments can also be found overseas running its international banking institutions. The matrix structure allows Bank of America to have the flexibility of a divisional structure by helping the separate divisions act almost as separate businesses or profit centers and work autonomously to accomplish the goals of the entire enterprise. While the functional structure used by large companies such as this one may organize along several different functional groupings unique to their businesses; an example is that of Bank of America, having separate management for those in charge of the international and domestic aspect of the business (Bateman, T.  S. , & Snell, S. A. 2011). Conclusion As corporations are born they are simplified in structure, as they grow and possibly merge with other corporations; there comes a time to cater to the new needs and demands of the management structure. With any corporation the foundation is always a CEO or president however how a company decides to structure and organize its employees and decision makers can be the key difference between a failing and successful company. It takes careful analyzing of the business to accurately determine which structure may best suit the organization’s needs and even then it may take a few changes to find the right fit. Bank of America has come a long way from its beginnings and along the way it has been able to adapt to new structures. Part of its success comes from its organizational structure; Bank of America has thrived and become a successful financial corporation that has since conception not only helped itself but others that in times of great need was able to help finance things such as movie projects, and the construction of the golden gate bridge.

Sociological Imagination -Teen Pregnancy

Sociological imagination is defined by C. Wright Mills as the â€Å"vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and the wider society†. It is the process of looking at your own life in the context of your society or community. This paper is looking at teenage pregnancy and the impact on society, and will provide a sociological imagination analysis of the individual and social impact. Being an un-married and pregnant teenager can be an incredibly challenging and scary experience especially if that child does not have a support structure. The national Campaign to prevent teen and planned pregnancy (NCPTP) reports that 3 out of every 10 children under the age of 20 become pregnant at least once, and 67% of those new families are in poverty, of which 52% are on welfare (â€Å"the national†, n. d). Being a teenage mother comes with a plethora of issue for the individual and for society. Teenage mothers lack a level of maturity that comes with age and experiences, they may try to hide the pregnancy, not take care of themselves and continue with risky behavior that could jeopardize the health of the infant and the mother. Their lack of maturity may led them to believe that everything will be alright, that they can be a great mother, that their boyfriend will eventually see the light and step up to the plate. But this is rarely the case, more often than not the child is born of low birth weight, premature or with other health conditions. Those children will probably suffer abuse, perform poorly in school and use the welfare system to help support themselves; it can become a vicious and publicly expensive cycle that is very difficult to break. A teenage mother from a lower class broken family may have a completely different experience than that of an upper class family. She may experience poor nutrition, neglect and herself be the result of a teenage mother. A lifestyle of this nature may also lead to self esteem issues, drug use and other criminal behaviors. It is not uncommon for young women in this scenario to be a member of a family on welfare, and it may actually seem normal to them to become pregnant early and to go on welfare. What we experience in our lives become normal for the small society around us and sometimes it is very difficult to move outside that circle, especially if there is abuse or a financial challenge holding them there. She has no life experience or a proper understanding of the responsibilities involved in raising a child. She is just following in the footsteps of those around her. This lack of maturity, education and vision limits how she views the impact on society. She is so caught up in her world with limited exposure outside her environment that the negative impact on society may not even cross her mind. The costs of the programs she uses like welfare need to be paid by someone, and that someone is the tax payer. In 2010 463,000 children were in foster care and it is more likely that the teenagers in foster care will end up as teenage parents; those children are also more likely to end up in foster care themselves (â€Å"teen pregnancy†, 2010). In 2004 the taxpayers needed to pay 2. 3 billion dollars to cover these costs (â€Å"teen pregnancy†, 2010). If you take this one step further and look past the total costs and go down to the individual that pays their taxes to support these programs, you may see more and more family struggle to cover the bill. It would benefit all involved if more effort was placed on education and programs to help control teenage pregnancy, and maybe we should all take a look at how sexual our society has become. References Teen pregnancy and child welfare (2010, August). Retrieved on April 30, 2011 from, http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/why-it-matters/pdf/child_welfare.pdf The national data to prevent teen and unplanned pregnancy (n.d). Retrieved on April 29, 2011 from, http://www.thenationalcampaign.org/national-data/default.aspx

George and Lennie’s Relationship in Of Mice and Men Essay

Of Mice and Men is a novella centred on the disincentives of America during the depression in the 1930’s. The country known as ‘the land of opportunity,’ is dismissed as it became deprived and inept. Many men were itinerant workers that travelled from ranch to ranch looking for wages that would be sufficient till they moved on. These types of men were the loneliest, with no companionship. It is this transient migrant lifestyle which highlights the importance of the relationship between Lennie and George, a rarity among the other characters to be exact. George and Lennie are an unusual package deal within the novel. From the beginning Steinbeck enforces the idea of a parent –child relationship. He distinctively sets the two apart as they ‘walked in single file’ and ‘one stayed behind the other.’ From first sight, a dynamic in their relationship is established. Although they are outwardly of the same class, George is still the one if front, revealing himself as the leader. As the story progresses we can acknowledge that George does not deem himself as superior to Lennie, it is simply his duty to control and guide Lennie who is mentally inept and regarded as a ‘crazy bastard’. We can decipher from this that Lennie is in no shape to take care of him and need George to help him. Their relationship is not of a regular companionship, I regard it as a fraternal bond made over time. Lennie’s nature is almost childlike; Steinbeck describes the character in such a way so that the readers perceive him to be incapable and dependent upon George ‘Lennie, who had been watching imitated George exactly.’ Children often ‘imitate’ their guardians and some people may even believe this to be the way of development of a person. Lennie may need George to create stability for the future but Lennie’s mimicry isn’t to just fit in with the civilized world. Steinbeck implies from the innocent actions by Lennie, that he genuinely admires George. Although it seems as though Lennie is dependent on George, this is not the case. I believe that George, a stoic man enjoys the company of Lennie; however a burden he may seem. Steinbeck uses the subtlety of George who only confides in Slim to depict the pride he has of Lennie ‘he’s dumb as hell, but he ain’t crazy.’ George at times creates a softer tone of voice when talking about Lennie. The approval of Slim from George’s compliments ensures the reader that George genuinely likes Lennie. George himself refers to ranch men as being the ‘loneliest guys in the world.’ We can assume that deep down George is afraid of this happening to him, and losing Lennie. No doubt this would’ve have crossed his mind due to Lennie getting in trouble all the time. His fear is turning ‘mean’ by becoming lonely; he is after all comfortable with Lennie, being with him for most his short life. Together they both hold the aspiration of attaining the ‘American dream’ common to many men at the time to have a piece of their own land. This dream is what fuels both Lennie and George to go on. Lennie is set on ‘tending rabbits’ while George could have more freedom in general. Steinbeck places importance on these two and dream, while we believe they will be successful as the story develops. ‘With us it ain’t like that. We got a future.’ Steinbeck reveals a timeless definition of friendship. Someone who listens and that cares for you. They are reliant upon each other, as even though George conducts the ‘dream’ speech, Lennie has also memorised this dream, maybe in hope it will bring them closer to it. Their friendship is natural, for George it had always been a promise to care for Lennie, but they simply bonded over time. George even admits this ‘got kinda used to each other after a little while.’ He doesn’t describe it in abstract terms nor does he give any justifications. It is this simple statement that proves the relationship to a natural course. But we can still agree this is remarkable for them to be so close, in such a world where men do not do this. The tragedy of Lennie dying highlights the importance of the relationship. George who shot him in an act of compassion showed mercy and care. The tension Steinbeck builds in the last chapter, shows how distraught and vulnerable George become and relieving Lennie of torture and pain to come. ‘George shivered and looked at the gun’ as the tough faà §ade of George breaks we see his emotions and his contemplative actions which suggest he had valued the relationship, also springing to mind the fact that their dream is destroyed and will never be achieved. This is really the climax of the relationship where Steinbeck reveals feelings in the relationship. Steinbeck uses the thoughts and curiosity of other characters such as Slim and the bitter, avenging side of Curley to portray the relationship between Lennie and George. The support George had given Lennie from the time he was in a fight with Curley to when he kills his wife, shows the dynamics and security of the relationship. George would always look out for Lennie, as Lennie would always be protective over George. Their relationship is pivotal and underlines the main theme of friendship in the novel, which led to Steinbeck focusing so much on the friendship of the two men. The readers are aware from the beginning that this relationship is powerful and meaningful although this is not always depicted.

Microsoft Corporation Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Microsoft Corporation Business Strategy - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that  since Microsoft founding in 1975, there have only been three CEO’s. Since Nadella appointment to CEO in this last year, there have been seen various changes in the company. According to Business Insider, some of the changes he has made include building excitement for Windows, building excitement for Windows 10 among developers, making it easier to bring Android and iOS apps to windows, rolling out new products such as Delve Microsoft Sway and Power BI, turning bitter rivals into partners, and has overseen Microsoft’s biggest layoff ever. Some changes have been positive and some have been negative but overall he is dedicating himself to the company.  This study highlights that Microsoft has recognized a growing global concern of climate change awareness, which carries direct potential to affect its daily operational planning. As stated on its website, environmental sustainability is essential to the company’s core business pra ctices, affecting its daily operations, inspiring it to develop more efficient IT solutions, and motivating it to provide the tools to employees that will enable overall responsible environmental planning (Our Footprint). With intentions of maintaining operational superiority in the IT field, Microsoft has developed a number of initiatives to streamline business processes, as well as distinguish themselves as forerunners in of environmental corporate responsibility.   

Advantages and Disadvantages of Service Contracts and Production Essay

Advantages and Disadvantages of Service Contracts and Production Sharing Contracts - Essay Example In many countries where oil and gas are being produced, made abrupt and unilateral changes in the already executed agreements. This unilateral change at the end of oil and gas producing countries hit hard the investors. This would definitely shake the confidence of the investors who invested a lot of money in oil and gas projects. The governments of Venezuela and Bolivia have gone to the extent of breaking the contracts or termination of licenses at their own sweet will. This move can be branded as â€Å"resource nationalization†. To lessen the negative impact on the profitability of the investing companies, the sovereign governments of Canada, UK and the USA have proposed compensation in terms of further extension of their contracts on soft terms to address this issue1. To safeguard the interest of the investor companies came from abroad, the effective legislation is necessary to mitigate the risks associated with it. However, the legislation in this respect varies from count ry to country. This does not only effectively take care of the interest of the host countries but the interest of the investors those who are in the run. ... On the other hand, the state in return will receive royalty payments, income tax and other liveable taxes on the oil and gas producing companies. Contrary to that as per PSC the government will be the owner of all oils and gas productions, and the IOC will act as technical and financial services provider to take care of oil exploration and the development of oil wells / gas fields. Alternatively production will be shared between IOCs and the State in line with the provisions of PSC3. In the developing dominions, PSC system is an effective tool to access oil and gas exploration as well as development of oil wells. As per Johnston view, this access dependable on the political system of that country. As far as functional and financial considerations, the PSC system is more or less at par with concessionary system. The only difference between the two is the management control and its effective implementation4. Upstream Oil & Gas Agreements Overview Upstream agreements in fact create and establish legal business entity and working relationship between the sovereign government and the individual who owns land of exploration for oil and gas. The agreement is a legal document where rights and obligations of the stakeholders are clearly defined, leaving no ambiguity5. In the developed countries like USA, Canada and the UK where two forms of agreements are in existence. One is for the execution of individual land owner for exploration of oil and gas, the other one between the host government and the investor. The agreement executed between the host country and the investment company is called â€Å"Concession Agreement and the Production Sharing Contract† 6. In other words the

Macroeconomics Term Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Macroeconomics Term Paper - Essay Example The financial crisis will shed its impacts around the globe due to globalization. The livelihood of all people at every corner felt the heat of crisis (World Bank, 2009). One of the prime causes for the financial crisis to take place is collapse of the real estate market of United States, also characterized as the housing bubble. The collapse resulted in surge of mortgage loan defaults. The collapse of the real estate market and the subprime mortgage market of the U.S. had the severe effects around the globe. Uncertainties crept in the financial markets. The creditors reacted to the situation by pulling out funds as well as cashed out the securities that were issued by the concerned financial institutions. The situation became so severe that some financial institutions failed to survive while others just managed it. The loan and credit possibilities from the bank dried up. The investors began to dump their investments and therefore downturn in the share market was the inevitable outcome. The system suffered from the loss in confidence. The banks took the policy to borrow with the view to create securitization. As long as the banks can pull out money by selling loans on the basis of securities, they did not feel the dependency to rely on the savers. Some banks directed themselves into mortgages. The government pressurized the banks to offer loans to the poor and these loans involved the risks of getting defaulted. The banks were used to purchase the mortgages with the aim to securitize them and then sell them off. The exposure of the banks towards risks gained probability. The lending process slowed down with the realization of the problem. Some of the banks were on the verge of the most risky loans which was beyond the intention of the investors. The lenders wished to take back the loans. The investment banks could not make much progress as they had little deposits to deal with. The situation

Martin Luther King Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Martin Luther King - Essay Example He was ready, to accept the leadership of the first great Negro nonviolent demonstration of contemporary times in the United States, abruptly a boycott was met by fury in Montgomery's white community and that brought national attention to the problem of segregation. King helped lead Montgomery's blacks on a yearlong nonviolent boycott of the bus system, the boycott ended after 382 days only when the U.S. Supreme Court intervened and declared Alabama's segregation laws unconstitutional on buses. After the verdict of the Supreme Court, Negroes and whites rode the buses as equals. During these days of boycott, King was arrested, his home was bombed, he was subjected to personal abuse, but it was at that time he emerged as a Negro leader of the first rank. Two events in January 1956-his arrest and incarceration for allegedly speeding and the bombing of his house-brought King's personal life into the larger context of Black America's struggle for justice and dignity. In my opinion this was the time in King's life, which created a leader out of him. This leader who contributed towards the Black-Americans was the outcome of all his frustrations, this was the result of his personal sufferings that led him onto the road of leadership. Though the political situation is at times dark and tense, we experience a certain vicarious thrill in witnessing the growing self-confidence with which King engineers a successful resolution of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Another incident occurred in Birmingham on the 16th Street Baptist Church where Martin Luther King, Jr., and hundreds of other African-Americans met and planned sittings and demonstrations for equal rights when one of the most horrific events in the long struggle for African-American civil rights took place. Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, and Addie Mae Collins were preparing for Sunday services in the basement dressing room of the Baptist Church when a dynamite bomb planted outside exploded, killing four girls and blinding another in one eye. Two of their killers remained beyond the grasp of the law for nearly 40 years. King was convicted here as a killer of those four girls just because of the fact he was disliked by the then director J. Edgar Hoover due to no others reasons but he was 'Black American'. The wheels of justice proved to move slower than the dismantling of segregation. It wasn't until 1977 that Robert (bomber) was found guilty for his role in the bom bing and sentenced to life in prison, where he later died. The tragedy galvanized the civil rights movement and helped lead to enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Progress did not come easily, however. King was a frequent target of violence. On multiple occasions he was physically assaulted, and his home was bombed several times by vigilantes. Almost daily he received death threats and hate mail. Yet he and the movement persevered even with the

Justifying Frances Demands during the Two World Wars Essay

Justifying Frances Demands during the Two World Wars - Essay Example Given her diminished state, France's demands in treaties following each of the two world wars in the 20th century is of no surprise. Thus, as this essay will argue, France's demands during World War I and World War II are essentially similar, and based on similar justifications - the fear of a German threat, worsened by the concern that her allies will not come to her aid, and the inevitable need to embark on economic reconstruction after the war - all of which shaped France's stance during post-war negotiations. In January 1919, the victorious powers after World War I, led by President Woodrow Wilson of the United States, Premier Georges Clemenceau of France, and Britain's Prime Minister Lloyd George began negotiations for what will later be known as the "Treaty of Versailles." The main goal of the treaty is, at the very least, to ensure the stability of the international system after the war (Treaty of Versailles, Article 1). ... Thus, what justifications did France have for such demands First, it is of no surprise that France, after both World War I and World War II will demand guarantees for its security justified by the fear of a possible German attack. In the case of World War I under the Treaty of Versailles, this fear is based on the fact that towards the end of the war, France is in no position to defend itself from an attack, be it Germany or another country because of the massive destruction left by the war rendering France defenceless. As Pitman Potter points out, "in case of a German attack, there can be no doubt of the reality that of the fear of such an attack on the part of the French" (1919: 666). In addition, with regard to the territorial arrangements along the Rhine, France's fear is justified because Rhine is a strategic location for France against a German invasion (Finch 1933: 727). However, what is unique about France's fear of Germany, at least after World War I is based on France's historical experience. As Potter notes, Though the need for French fear of a repeated German attack seem slight from this distance, the state of feeling in France - even in Government circles - is determined more by the facts of 1870-1914 than by the facts of 1918-1919. (Potter 1919: 665) Where during such time, France has experienced, and is still experiencing, a significant decline in its population compared to Germany. According to a census comparing French and German military manpower, the military manpower of the two countries began to display a steadily widening gap after 1870, despite the increasing rate of immigration in France such that by 1911, there existed a 3 million gap between the two countries in favour of France (Population Index 1946: 75).

The Legacy of Joe and Rose Kennedy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

The Legacy of Joe and Rose Kennedy - Essay Example Since Rose spend most of her time with her children, she was initially the most influential parent and the children all adopted her moral, Catholic ways. Joseph Kennedy, on the other hand, would earn his influence over his children by amassing the wealth required to build the basis of a family fortune. Joseph Kennedy and the unregulated stock market of the 1920's were made for each other. With nerve and intelligence he ruthlessly manipulated the market and used collaborators and compliant journalists to boost the stock artificially. At its peak, Kennedy sold the stock and reaped the benefits. He told friends that he needed to make this easy money fast - "before they pass a law against it" (Whalen 49).Kennedy moved to Hollywood in 1926, leaving Rose to come with the strains of the household and raising their growing family. Of Hollywood Kennedy told friends, "This place is a gold mine" (Whalen 121). He made another fortune turning out low-budget movies with cast-off stars and plenty of garish publicity. Off-screen Kennedy soon became interested in the most seductive Hollywood actress of them all, Gloria Swanson. In turn, Swanson wante d Kennedy to manage her affairs. Within a short time they became lovers (Whalen 121). This is the start to an interesting trend in Kennedy history, as not all the Kennedy men would remain loyal to their wives, and two of the brothers, Robert and John, would eventually fall in love with the most beautiful actress in Hollywood history-Marilyn Monroe. Whether or not the children knew about the affair, and whether or not it had any influence on their later actions, is difficulty to say. However, it does certainly establish the fact that Kennedy men of both generations would have a soft spot in their... No other political family in history has ever had this much public interest form around them as the Kennedys did, mainly because no other political family has ever been quite as interesting. This essay demonstrates political mystique, that all began with a wedding ceremony, when Joseph Kennedy married Rose Elizabeth Fitzpatrick on October 7, 1914, and through triumph and tragedy they shaped one of this countries most politically prominent families of the 20th century. The Kennedy legacy, that is the main topic of the essay does live on, mostly at the present time through Ted Kennedy, who continues to be active in the Senate and whose legacy reflects upon that of his father’s and brothers’. Ted is also still Catholic, a fact Rose would be proud of. However, the other sons and daughters of Joe and Rose Kennedy certainly also were influenced by their parents, as can be seem in their political drive and acceptance of, or rejection of, the Catholic religion. Rose and Joe hea vily influenced their children, as most parents do, however, they had the money and power to actually forward their children’s careers, which they did. Whether politics was always a Kennedy ambition or only Joe’s ambition is difficult to say, as it seems Joe did want all of his sons to go into politics. Rose’s influence can also be seen in the children, as John Kennedy, for instance, would become the first Catholic President. Therefore, the influence of Rose and Joe Kennedy helped to spur a dynasty of America’s royalty, the Kennedys.

Kew gardens by virginia woold Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Kew gardens by virginia woold - Essay Example Impressionism considers the commonplace, and the snail in Kew Gardens is any day commonplace; so are the leaves and the pebbles, flowers and butterflies. Both the movements advocate powerful exercises in bold bright colours. Kew Gardens records strong intermittent flashes of colours by way of its beautiful images. Impressionistic works perceive movement as an immediate result of human experience. Woolf was keen on exploring the theme of movement in the natural and human world; especially in the human psyche. The inspired art work manifests this flurry of movements: the falling leaves, flitting butterflies, hesitant snail and the centric human torso that persists as a burrow of all-flowing thoughts, words, voices. The obscured human image in deliberate unfriendly black and brown, which on closer look is an optical illusion image, represents Woolf’s multiple characters and their tunnel of thoughts going berserk at various angles. It brings out the poignant isolation against the backdrop of the ravages of the Great War. Considering the image to be a female, it signifies the loneliness/widowhood a lot of women had to undergo following the war. If not, the image assumes the psyche of an alienated mind which is so palpably represented by all the characters, especially the senile man, William, Simon and the ponderous maid. The human profile also delineates the theme of introspection. The snail that is prominently depicted in the canvas is not a symbol of lethargy and despair. Rather it reflects a sense of purpose and optimism. The art work successfully encapsulates this idea by catching its profile in mid air, looking up and deciding. The display of reflections in natural light is a downright characteristic portrayed well in that-era work. The art work has successfully captured the shimmer of reflected light in hues of the red, blue and yellow petals that stud the corner crust of the canvas. Post-impressionistic genre believed in retaining the basic shapes and geometrical patterns as shown by the art work. There are heart- and tongue-shaped leaves, and the pebbles, butterflies, snail are depicted in clean sharp strokes. THE SHORT STORY Linear narrative takes a back foot in Virginia Woolf’s writing and she generously employs stream of consciousness and interior monologue to build up her story. Kew Gardens is set against the backdrop of an estranged world produced by the war and industrialisation. The reader has to plumb for the social context in which Woolf chose Kew Gardens. The garden was beautified by successive directors to reveal a Victorian glory. However, the war dealt a severe blow where the garden space was cultivated to cater to the food shortage. Its image was affected and modernist writers like Woolf couldn’t help sourcing this fractured view in their writing. Woolf offers us a splendid ironical treatment by choosing the setting of Kew Gardens-a place where people come for respite and recuperation. She emphasises geometrical patterns and deflected light. Thus the garden becomes an ironic symbol where human drama is rejected and the manufactured natural space becomes a walking ground for alienation and restive existence. The companionship of each pair is ironic too. They’re with each other but actually walk the ground alone. The old man may be the conventional spectacle of senility but we find that one in each pair at varying points of time

Arabic Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Arabic Culture - Essay Example The cultural identities of individuals are strong elements that considerably influence their ideologies and general mode of behaviour. The cultural paradigms of social structure become critical aspects of national identities and therefore important issue within state. Thus, media, especially the role of television in defining the cultures of Arab world and American society is important facet in the contemporary times. There is vast difference in the television programs of Arabs and America. While television is a popular media in the Arab world, the programs of the televisions are focused on the family lives and promote the Arab culture. They highlight obedience amongst children and emphasize the importance of religion within the society, showcasing family values and religious beliefs for leading a model life. The conservative values of Arab societies with parental control over children are vastly different to that of American television programs. American culture promotes individualism and highlights the independent views of the individuals. The American television programs also showcase the American liberal views vis-Ã  -vis personal views on all issues including sex, sports, fashion, religion etc. The liberal view of American society was not approved by the conservative muslin society of the Arab world. Hence, government control over foreign TV channels was applied in the Arab nations till a f ew years back. But in the recent times, the globalization has brought in new changes within the media and made foreign television channels like MTV popular amongst the youth in Arab. The American music channel in the Arab nations has introduced popular pop culture within the native music which has become instant hit with the young. Most importantly Arab television programs in the Middle Eastern societies are promoting democratic values and freedom of press. Al Jazeera is prime example of TV channel that brings forth critical issues of society and also that of

Organisational Behaviour (OB) Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Organisational Behaviour (OB) Assignment - Essay Example He tried to change the organizational structure to modify the corporate culture of the company. The company formed corporate tie ups with many companies to build its brand and increase exposure. These features introduced several forms of changes in the company. Firstly due to the redesigning of the product lines the patterns of work system in the company changed drastically. This began with the changes in the job description and skills and techniques of the workers as more emphasis was laid on the electronics goods and products. Changes in the organizational structure were seen in the form of centralizing the electronics department. The hierarchy of authority was modified. Division of labor was re-introduced with more emphasis on the R&D field. The hierarchy levels were reduced and more interaction was provided between the managers and front line mangers of the company. More hierarchy levels mean greater complications which would disrupt the decision making process gradually. The com pany previously had each unit with its own planning, human resources, finance, and sales functions and operated with considerable autonomy. This was not a very feasible strategy as it led to more troubles than solutions. Firstly, providing each unit with separate departments increased the cost of the company as it would be hiring many employees for each department. The autonomy offered to each unit would further increase the gap between the inter departments as there would be lack of communication. The span of control was reduced with Stringer laying off 10,000 jobs which comprised of 7% of Sony’s global workforce and shut down 11 out of 65 production units across the world (Howard Stringer: Turning Sony Around, 2003). This helped in reducing operation costs, reduced levels in hierarchy and better control by the managers. Sony was not advanced in technology and was redundant in its product designs. With the introduction of Apple iPods, the company felt the need to bring in ch anges in its working culture. Stringer who had introduced the changes believed that the new structure would streamline and speed up decision making across Sony’s product lines. It permitted uniform software development across the lines so that the products of the company would operate seamlessly with one another. This in turn eliminated the design and product redundancies and optimized the firm’s Research and Development spending. Apart from this, the corporate culture also saw changes in the company. sonSony had been long exposed to its conservative culture. When Stringer decided to introduce change in the company he faced oppositions as the cost of change was thought to be unnecessary by many people in the organization, stringer incorporated the idea of increasing the R&D area. He made them realize that R&D could save the company and it would attract customer attention. He made them realize that the problem with Sony products was not with its technology alone but als o the product utility. The change plan also affected specific technologies. For example, Sony executives declared that television was of the utmost importance to the company. The firm scraped the production of cathode ray tube (CRT) television sets and focused on LCD and rear-projection TVs and technology. Also, Sony focused on self-luminous flat –panel organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays, on high-definition technology, Blu-ray, and

How to develop a teaching plan for diabetes management for nurses Essay

How to develop a teaching plan for diabetes management for nurses - Essay Example Their teaching plan need proper customizations to this population and find ways that will help evaluate and monitor the program. Create a needs assessment survey Needs assessment survey briefly is a way of asking a group of a selected population what they see as the most important needs of that group. The analysis of the survey results are then used in guiding the future actions of the nurses. Generally, the needs most rated are therefore, addressed first depending on the available resources thus taking different forms. The resources will determine which type of survey to be carried out, such as informal methods for example, asking around in the community, friends, or postal carriers (Franz, 2001). Information is also retrieved from local hospitals where several people get their diagnosis, additionally it can also take the form of a professional-written survey, and then it is emailed to several people. Moreover, a need assessment survey have some common characteristics, for example, they have pre-set list of questions to be answered by the willing people, they also have a pre-determined sample of the number of participants to answer these questions. Finally, the results of the survey are then tabulated, summarized, dispersed, discussed, and then used (Funnell, Brown, Childs, Haas, Hosey, Jensen, & Weiss, 2009). In this case, the need assessment survey will be done on a small town population where the purpose will be to develop a program for the diabetic population in the effort to educate them on self-management. Therefore, the objective of the survey is getting to know the needs of diabetic patients also how the nurses can help them cope with their changing lifestyle. The first thought of this project is what the nurses can do to evaluate the needs of the targeted group and implement them appropriately in the proposed program. The first step will be compiling a list of relevant questions and relevant topics that would be useful in the assessment. This will ens ure that the targeted group provided the required information in the assessment (Funnell, Brown, Childs, Haas, Hosey, Jensen, & Weiss, 2009). The other step is developing, for example, a questioner that will be provided to the targeted group and then distributed to the citizens of the town. Included with the assessment is an information page about the survey also a page for the residents of the town to fill if they were interested in the next part of the program. After the responses from the residents, an analysis of the results will be done to display the resident’s view. This will help learn how the program will be funded financially, how it will be managed in terms of administrators, and how the participants will be selected. This need assessment survey will help the nurses in various ways. First, the analyzed answers will provide quantitative facts about how people with diabetes feel; also, it will help the nurses develop teaching plans for their patients (Funnell, Brown, Childs, Haas, Hosey, Jensen, & Weiss, 2009). Evaluate needs assessment to define areas of focus Need evaluation is a commonly used in program planning, where it helps determine which program aspects or activities are the mostly needed and for the specific population. Most importantly, this method is used to help build up new programs or else justifying the existing program

Simulation Of Routing Protocols Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Simulation Of Routing Protocols - Essay Example Furthermore, the simulation has 50 nodes in a 1500m*300m area. Nodes move according to the random way-point model. If we analyzed then we come to know that for unattended sensor networks energy consumption is the significant metric, for it maps in a straight line to network operational lifetime. In order appreciate energy use we scrutinize existing ad hoc routing protocols using models of energy expenditure and radio dissemination for the Lucent Wave LAN direct sequence increase spectrum radio by IEEE 802.11-1997. We primary only regard as energy cost outstanding to packet transmission or reaction. We calculated energy consumption of four ad hoc routing protocols (AODV, DSR, DSDV, and TORA) by a straightforward traffic model in which a only some nodes send data over a multi-hop path. By this energy model we originate that on-demand protocols such as AODV and DSR consume much fewer energy than a priori protocols such as DSDV (the shady bars in Figure 1). This makes sagacity since a priori protocols are continually expend energy pre-computing routes, even although there is no traffic passing on th ese routes (S. Ahn and A. U. Snakar, 2001, pages 56-66). Decentralization: Decentralized thoughts resides ... It's an essential idea for approaching authority, distributing rights and responsibilities additional extensively from top to bottom. Decentralization has took away lots of decision making procedure from centrally controlled authorities. Decentralization tendency carry on by the proliferation of lots of computer gadgets, similarly, notebook computers, palmtop computers. In computational web, decentralization has become part of computing environment which is connected jointly, similarly, fax machines, telephones, and television. Aims: The major aim of this project is to evaluate the performance of the StarLogo environment by simulating a variety of routing protocols in an Ad hoc network. Also, evaluating and checking the effectiveness of routing protocols in simulated environment with modify in the mobility model. What Effect Does A Change Of Mobility Model Have On The Effectiveness Of Routing Protocols In Ad Hoc complex Since it is unfeasible to evaluate the behavior of the network if the traffic nodes run out of energy previous to the transit nodes, we give traffic nodes inestimable energy. Traffic nodes follow the similar mobility model as transit nodes, but they do not run GAF or forward traffic. Since we treat traffic nodes particularly, we do not count them when exposure the number of nodes in the simulation. According to the above figure the comparison of non-zero energy node segment over time: CEC, GAF and plain ADOV under dissimilar network mobility. If we analyzed then we come to know that Traffic load is 20pkts/s. Dissimilar traffic loads do not influence the outcome. In the fable, "CEC,x" means running CEC by silence time x, so is "GAF,x". CEC also demonstrate a

Individual Internet Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Individual Internet Assignment - Essay Example Such decisions require consistency in the general business and the marketing strategy for that business. A rightful unit in this line makes decisions on products within it, the price within the set guidelines, dealers to be used and a communication strategy that is analogous to the business’ strategy. A product portfolio is the set of products that is offered by a company. The marketing strategy of a company should thus be alongside the products in the offer and based on various business models (Zamagni 373). 1. Marketing mix According to Perreault and McCarthy (50), a marketing mix is a set of variables put together by a company to satisfy the target market. It has four tenets as indicated in the figure below. Product; this involves the development of the correct product for the market. One should choose the right characteristics and services for customer satisfaction. Place: the business should ensure that the product is at the right place where it is required by the target market for purchase. Price; the business owner should choose a price that the target market is willing to spend on the product Promotion: the process of informing the target market about the product With a good marketing mix, the customer is able to perceive the product correctly. It determines the poisoning of the product with relativity to the needs of the customer. 2. Porters five forces The porter’s model is essential for checking the economic models that impact a business (Zamagni 375). The model (as indicated in the figure below) can be used by a company in the following ways; Internal industry rivalry; this occurs through competition in pricing the products or other means. The firms should be able to set competitive prices (as defined in the market mix). Entry threat; this threat arises from other companies who may want to develop the same product. It can be lowered by developing high end products Substitute products; the business owners should be aware of the substitu tes available in the market and look out for potential substitutes. They can decide to enlarge market definitions. Supplier/buyer powers; the business should offer a wide range of prices to the buyers. To the suppliers, they should be given very high standards for materials supplied to up scale the quality. 3. Break even analysis In aligning the right strategies, a business should be aware of the break even point in order to avoid losses. This is the point where the sales made are just enough to cover the costs associated with production. At this point, further sales indicate profits for the business. In coming up with a break even analysis, the business owners should consider the fixed and variable costs, margins of contribution and the operating leverages (Menon, 25). 4. Product life cycle analysis This is an assessment of environmental effects associated with a product from raw materials to end of its usage. In the case at hand, this technique is useful in supporting the business strategy. It also acts as an input to the design of a product and also for declaring the product. It is an essential tool for business decision making in areas such as; environmental comparisons to determine environmental value of product as well as methods of production and various choices, manufacturing and commercial development. 5. SWOT Analysis This analysis aims at identifying the strengths, weaknesses, the opportunities as well as the threats found in a

Project part Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Project part - Essay Example These stores are spread in countries like US, Canada, China and Puerto Rico. In the year 2007, the company was able announce and expand its operation up to 40 percent that prospected an increase in stores to a tune of 1800 globally on top of the already existing 1400 stores that operate in US. This great company traces its roots back in 1966 in the state of Minnesota a place called St. Paul where it was called Sound Music Store. (Pinkerton 12) The company waded through the murky waters of business, beating competition until the year 1983 when it rebranded to Best Buy with its first store opening in Burnsville in Minnesota. The company managed to feature in the Forbes magazine in the year 1993 where it was ranked as the second largest consumer shop that retails in electronics thus making it number 373 out of top 500 companies in the US. In the year 1999 the company partnered with Microsoft that enabled it to open a sourcing point and a store in Shanghai, China in the year 2003 and 2007 respectively. The company is now completing its expansion process of putting up stores in countries like Turkey and Mexico as a process of continuing with its global expansion. The company is glorified by becoming the first one ever in the year 1997 in the history of US that pioneered the sale of DVD hardware and software, again it also managed to be the first company that helped in the digital migration from analogue ten years later. The la st fortune came when the company was named company of the year in the Forbes magazine in the year 2004. (Pinkerton,

Eng essay 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Eng 2 - Essay Example Their intention is to showcase their masculinity; thus, they put on T-shirts and flex their muscles. The photographers comprise people who are preoccupied with taking photos. It seems they are fascinated by their progress in gaining muscles. Indeed, they constantly look at themselves in the mirrors, and even spend most of their time taking photos rather than exercising. The newbies consist of people whose main goal is to observe others exercise. They rarely work out. However, in some cases, they can engage in light exercises. The novices comprise people who are out to learn new things. They listen carefully to their trainers, and even ask many questions. I consider myself a member of this group. Lastly, the businessmen consist of people who work in professional organizations and come to the gym to exercise. They can be identified easily from the number of calls they receive. Apart from categorizing gym attendees, I also discovered that people go to the gym for various reasons other than to exercise. For instance, the beauty queens, a group of young ladies who put on heavy make-ups, go specifically to grace the venue. They do not go to exercise. In fact, from their dressing, one can tell that they are not interested in exercises at the gym. Indeed, they dress as if they are attending a party. On the other hand, there is a group I call the chatterboxes. The group comprises people who go to the gym specifically to gossip; they do not exercise. Lastly, there are the date-seekers. They are groups of men who go for girls, particularly for dating. In fact, they go for the beauty queens. Although I do not consider gyms the best places to find girls to date, the group makes an attendee’s visit enjoyable. My visit to the gym was also made enjoyable by other people and the way they used the equipment. It was interesting to watch people strain while using the gym equipment. Some of the equipment included treadmills, elliptical

Analyze companie in operation using analytical tools and strategy Assignment

Analyze companie in operation using analytical tools and strategy implementation (Apple ) - Assignment Example This is part of the risk management philosophy associated with their strategic expansion models. These licensing agreements are proactive protections that ensure no counterfeiting occurs and that the business’ software innovations are not duplicated by competition. Marketing is a major social issue for Apple as their reputation relies on positive consumer sentiment about the company and its products. The business uses marketing research to assist in identifying consumer knowledge about the firm and its products as part of proactive strategic leadership. A recent survey targeting teens in the United Kingdom identified that over 84 percent had already heard of the Apple iPhone and 25 percent would be willing to pay $500 for the device (Jones, 18). Marketing research is important when establishing strategic pricing structures for these products when considering the extent of the products’ life cycle on the consumer and business marketplaces. This is also part of management accounting systems in strategic development that â€Å"provide a monetary reflection of enterprise operations† (Clinton & Van der Merwe, 15). It helps the strategic leaders at Apple maintain control over costs and can assist in planning for new product development s based on consumer attitudes. Socially, Apple must consider the business’ reputation related to the buying behaviors and lifestyles of its target markets. Negative publicity is becoming more important and increases in frequency when trying to establish a brand presence in key markets (Dahlen & Lange, 388). This is part of the strategic governance process to ensure that proper public relations are maintained and that the products or the company image is not tarnished by its own actions or the interventions of third parties. Again, this is a risk management focus that might include hiring PR firms and developing a tracking system to

Love season Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Love season - Assignment Example This has contributed to an increase in the demand for the service resulting to an increase in cost. 3. A good model works independent of the variables. In this situation, characteristic of people such as age, economic background and gender act as the basic variables. If more men than women are likely to buy beef jerky, then an appropriate model should constitute a nonlinear function that reduces to zero whenever the model is used for a female customer. To predict the demand for different products in the store using the demand model, the store owners should consider using weighted data instead of using raw data (McGuigan, Foyer, Haris, 2008). Either of the two methods will account for differences in preference for beef jerky between men and women. 4. When using a first order smoothing exponential to forecast the expected sale of the toy, the difference values on academic calendar will provide the best values. Although parents have some negative attitudes towards the new toy, the educational benefits of the toy surpass the proposed disadvantage of the toy. The educational seasons will, therefore, determine the likelihood of the parents to buy the toy. A resultant model should, therefore, assign a certain weight to different months. This is because the sales of the new toy will vary according to the educational needs of the children. The sale of the new toy is expected to reach its peak during school holidays and drop drastically during school days. These variations will determine the demand of the new toy. 5. From the NYT article, economic predictions might be insignificant to many people but their implications affect all people. According to the NYT article, unemployment level is expected to increase to 9.8% and this correlates with Livingstone survey. The NYT article predicts an increase in GDP while Livingstone survey predicts a fall in GDP. The two groups, however, express

Financial Income of Actors Essay Example for Free

Financial Income of Actors Essay Avatar a multi-billion dollar movie with over two and a half billion U.S dollars of sales and each actor earning close to about eighty million dollars was a box office hit watched by the whole world. The movie had such a huge success because of its actor Sam Worthington and also its actor James Cameron. To be a successful actor in the movie world, actors must have perfect memory to be able to memorize their parts. A slight problem like that could cause any actor a strike on their career. Actors should be paid more because they exert a lot of time and effort on their job, they have to act as role models for everyone and they donate a lot to the poor and needy. Actors exert a lot of effort and time on their job to be able to play the roles needed of them. Although working hours of actors cannot be compared to that of individual people, they have more of a short term working job. â€Å"Actors do not have a 9-5 job five days a week. They don’t get to leave the office at 5, they never get to leave† indicates Seymour (2000, Para 2). While you would like to hang out with your friends to go watch a game, for an actor it might be just impossible or their career might just be on the line. For example, actor Sam Worthington who plays the hero in Avatar explains the crew had to be on set close to about fourteen hours a day, â€Å"We see the sun as we drive to work, and not again till the next morning† James Cameron explains. Actors in every possible way deserve every penny earned. Actors have to roles models for both the media and everyone. A rational human being would always look up to a role model and such would always want to watch their role model in a movie. Seymour (2010) explains, â€Å"actors are forever in the limelight; they are supposed to be role models for us everyday folks, but we are quick to judge to judge when they make the same mistakes we do† (Para 2). Natalie Portman is an exceptional role model, with her work with NPOs in developing countries has helped thousands of people, she also worked very hard in her acting career without putting a halt to her education from the age of 11 and last but not the least displays a strong bond with family and friends. A lot of objections were made against these idea some including actors are selfish and greedy because they make huge amount of money and also use them to buy illegal drugs such as cocaine and cannabis. Schneider (2010) explains, â€Å"Every day you hear about all of the different scandals and drugs that half of Hollywood is involved in. There are way too many professional entertainers who use their riches for wrong† (Para. 4). There might be some truth in that but relatively; actors also donate their money to the poor and needy. According to tax records, Actors (Angelina Jolie and Brad Pit) donated more than eight million to charity in 2006 alone. Also, Oprah Winfrey known to be the richest woman on earth by Forbes magazine and also the most generous celebrity donated forty one million dollars to charity trough her Oprah Winfrey Foundation, which was top help those in need for education and jobs.

Many MNEs may want to start operations in some foreign country Essay Example for Free

Many MNEs may want to start operations in some foreign country Essay Establishment mode means that the MNE starts its operations from scratch in the foreign country usually through a wholly owned subsidiary where as in entry mode; this can be accomplished by a subsidiary or through partnership with a local party which involves shared ownership. In this study the authors examine the effect of same variables on both these choices available to a company. They do it through a series of hypotheses. The first hypothesis measures the positive effect of greater institutional advancement on the choice that the company makes. Institutional advancement is defined in the study as pertaining to changes in formal institutions over a period of time. It is argued that regulatory forces are likely to be a big influence on a decision that an MNE makes with regard to its establishment or entry choice. Regulatory forces or rather Regulative forces as described in the study are not limited to laws and regulations only but also include political and other social factors. The authors conclude that institutional advancement has a positive effect on the choice to establish a subsidiary with shared ownership. The second hypothesis postulated by the authors’ measures the moderating effect of institutional advancement on the tendency of a technologically intense firm to either go for establishment mode or entry mode. It is argued that firms which are technology intense should go for establishment mode because their competitive advantages are embedded in their labor force skills and organizational practices so it is more efficient for them to start from scratch. They should hire and train the local labor force. Furthermore in case of a joint venture or share ownership of the subsidiary, protecting the intellectual rights can be an issue. Protection of such rights is dependent on the judicial system. In transition economics where the judiciary is corrupt and intellectual property rights are not respected, an MNE would be reluctant to transfer its technology. Therefore authors conclude that firm with advanced proprietary technology are likely to prefer establishment mode but level of institutional advancement has a positive moderating effect on such a firm going for entry mode. The third hypothesis measures the moderating effect of institutional advancement on a multidomestic MNE to either go for establishment of entry mode. Multidomestic firms are defined as those which pursue multidomestic strategy and want to establish a sustainable local market presence. For such MNEs acquiring a local company is a more attractive option because such acquisition can provide them with local brands, market knowledge, distribution channels and network relationships with the host country’s other businesses and government. How the restructuring and realignment of the acquired entity can be very challenging. The firms in the host country are likely to be following a different paradigm. But on the other hand if an MNE goes for shared ownership or entry mode, it can accomplish more without facing these difficulties. It is argues that a multidomestic MNE requires lesser control on the subsidiary. If this is so then subsidiaries in the host country can have considerable freedom and operate on their own fully leveraging their local expertise.Hence it is concluded institutional advancement has a positive moderating effect on a multidomestic MNE to go for entry mode. Finally the authors have used an international survey to gather the data to support their findings. The survey consists of a questionnaire with 33 open and close ended questions. Furthermore the MNE’s latest establishment mode choice or entry mode choice has been taken as the dependent variable. Critique This study is no doubt a valuable asset for managers and students alike in studying the behavior of MNEs in making their choices when it comes to Foreign Direct Investment but nevertheless it has a few shortcomings and weaknesses. But the biggest shortcoming of this study is the scope. The authors have primarily taken a sample of European MNEs. And the so called economies in transition are basically east European countries which were once under the iron curtain. Firstly we need to consider the fact that Europeans MNEs may be very different from Japanese or American MNEs and so forth. The establishment or entry mode choice for Japanese firms may be dependent on or moderated by variables other than the ones discussed here. Similarly an MNE whether European or Japanese may decide to invest in some country in Central Asia or North Africa or even South Asia. The market conditions in these countries are very different from those of the transition economies discussed by the authors. This means that the findings in this study are not universally applicable. Nevertheless it is a valuable addition to our knowledge regarding MNE behavior in making Foreign Direct Investment decisions. But for any researcher trying to consult this study, it is very important to keep the above mentioned limitations in mind.

Pepsi marketing plan and business strategy

Pepsi marketing plan and business strategy As a student of strategic marketing, we have asked to make a marketing plan for an organization along with its relation to overall business strategy. For this purpose we have chose PEPSI and we shall be discussing its operations in Pakistan, PEPSI has been market leader in beverage industry since its launch in Pakistan but bow a major threat is been faces by aggressive marketing strategies by Coke. In the below mentioned lines we shall be discussing the marketing strategies to overcome such challenges. Marketing Plan Business Strategy Marketing plan and business strategy are two different things, business strategy or organizational objectives give the direction that where this organization will be going and how we are going to do business, in this sense business objectives play the role of very fundamental principles upon which all the departments establish their operational guidelines. On the other hand marketing plan is the tool to achieve the business objectives, while business objective tells what we are going to do marketing plan tells how we are going to do that. This makes a clear relationship between marketing plan and business strategy, where business strategy plays the role of guiding arrows (Wison, Gilligan, 1999). Since there are different kinds of business strategies, three of them are more popular, cost leadership, differentiation and focus. Keeping this in mind there will be different marketing plans if different organizations within the same industry opt for different business strategies. Competitor form same industry may have different business strategy thus their marketing plan will differ. Where ever a marketing plan is made it should have a clear understanding and link with business strategy otherwise organization will be going in one direction and marketing department will be going in other direction resulting in complete failure (Aaker, 2008). Components of a Marketing Plan A good marketing plan can have several components, ranging from industry analysis to media plan; however it depends from industry to industry and product to product that what a marketing plan should include, it also depends on the problem at hand and urgency of the requirement. However below are few components that marketing should in normal circumstanced, addition and subtraction is dependent on the situation. Company Analysis Company analysis gives the information about the current situation of organization, it comments of strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats in front of the company, for this purpose SWOT analysis is always a good tool to work with, BCG Matrix is also and good tool to judge the performance of company. Going more deep marketing plan can also or marketing audit report to judge the current performance of marketing department and then also suggest the ways to improve it, there are many tools available to do so, details which is not required here. Industry Analysis Industry analysis provides the information about the overall industry environment, its dynamics and level of competition. To have this information PEST and Porters five forces model are widely used tools to get birds eye view about the industry. Customer Information This is a high importance, risky and tricky part, it gives basic information about customers, their liking disliking, values, decision making behaviors, demographics and consuming patterns of the product. All this information is later used in construction of marketing plan, and it is also the basic brick for the segmentation part, If we as marketer fail to know the customer properly, total marketing plan will lead to wrong decision making. Competitor Analysis This part also has a relatively high importance, gives the information about competitors, their strengths, weaknesses, competitive edge, business strategy, value proposition, positioning and product features, customers opinions about competitors and their marketing mix analysis. Having the correct information about competitor, which is not always an easy this to do, can give you a clear understanding of current market situation and also helps in making better strategically moves. Segmentation One of the most important and risky part of marketing plan is segmentation, after getting the customer analysis done via detailed marketing research, market is divided into heterogeneous segments, thats where company can make the mistake, since rest of the marketing mix is dependent of the segmentation, it has be to be done very carefully, any misinterpretation of the information can lead any component of the marketing mix towards wrong direction. 2nd step in after segmentation is segment selection and making of marketing strategy, there are different approaches towards selection of selection, one, more or all segments can be selected for the target, and different marketing mix are made for each segment. Marketing Mix Product This includes the product description, its working, its brand name and positioning, its value proposition, how it is better than competitors product, and what advantages it gives to customer for increasing their value for money. What image we want to produce regarding product in customers mind. This may also include its packaging information and various packaging options can be given in this part. Price This part deals with the pricing of the product, how we are going to price that product, what is the relationship of price with overall positioning, how is price is going to be perceived, what are the discount offering and how we are going to bundle the price, these are questions that may be answered in this section. Place This deals with channel of distribution, what channel is to be acquired, how we are going to handle intermediaries, what role whole seller and retailer will be playing the distribution of the product, where we are going open outlets, what is the criteria of outlet selection, what convenience we are going to give to customer and how we are going to make the availability of the product. Promotion This part deals with actually promoting the product, this should discuss the sales promotion offers, long term or short term promotional strategies, integrated marketing communication strategies, media selection and its relationship with target market. Reach and effectiveness of each medium selected. A brief media plan can also accompany this section. Marketing Plan and Risks There are several risk that one can face while constructing the marketing plan, one of the risk is lack of required information, we need information from within company, we need information from industry and most importantly we need information from our competitors, this amount of information is not readily available, some time it is really hard to get secondary data, while have not sufficient information it is risky to make critical decision and that puts the entire marketing plan on stake. One another aspect of risk is the correctness and validity of information, secondary data is a good source but at the same time it is a risky proposition to make your decision on the basis of the information which is doubted to be valid. The above mentioned both risk deals with industry information as well as competitor information. One another risk is also there which is lack of understanding of information, that mainly deals with the customer analysis part and affects the segmentation that in result affects the entire marketing mix, misunderstanding the research or taking the research into wrong direction are main reasons with this. The final risk is the lack of managements consent on the marketing plan, in some cases marketing department works in on direction and entire company works in other direction, this risk also deals with non-compliance of marketing plan with business objectives. Marketing Plan-PEPSI PEPSI has been the market leader in cola industry in Pakistan, here their business strategy is low cost leadership, below presented marketing plan is made keeping in mind the business strategy. Company Analysis PEPSI has been the market leader in beverage industry in Pakistan; it has gained this position by leveraging first movers advantage and then maintained this position with its aggressive marketing and channel management techniques. Its strengths are a well established brand name, a well managed distribution channel, and strong financial backing. Its weakness are inability to cope with local beverage producers as they take them lightly and now they are becoming a threat, more over cokes aggressive marketing is also a threat to PEPSI. Industry Analysis Beverage industry in Pakistan has been a highly competitive industry since the emergence of other player like Coke and some local manufacturers. With almost zero switching cost, relatively very low differentiation in taste and wide variety of available substitutes makes the cola customer very difficult to make brand loyal. Increasing advertising and operational cost along with every day increasing power of retailer making the competition more intense where price and brand is not the only factor which can give them the success. Now the power rests with customer and retailer as there are many substitutes available to cola drink, not only direct substitutes but also indirect substitutes are also available when come to satisfaction of thrust. Customer Analysis Since company has been on mass marketing strategy then everybody is a prospect customer, everybody who gets thirsty is a customer of PEPSI, cola drinks are kind of product which is presented with food and to guests, so the main purpose is not satisfying the thrust but having a little bit more luxury in drinking. Keeping this thing in mind we come to know that cola customer will be using this product on some special occasions like family get together, or having food or presenting it to guests. So at while drinks are not presented in original bottle customer will be less brand concisions. Pakistani market is always been price sensitive, so is the case with cola. However it is highly affected by the availability factor. Competitor Analysis This is highly competitive market, with more substitutes and zero switching costs. During the last decade Coke has been a tough competitor for PEPSI, with its aggressive marketing campaigns, increasing and aggressive channel of distribution and a good positioning coke is emerging a well established widely accepted and preferred brand especially in metropolitan cities. Another emerging competitor is a local producer which is not really a major threat for PEPSI but yes it has all the capabilities required to become and major competitor, its brand name is Gourmet Cola, a private brand of a local bakery chain, this chain is getting being widely accepted in metropolitan and its growing like anything Segment Selections Apparently there are not much difference in the customer of cola, the same taste is accepted everywhere in the some variation, there is a minor segment which is diet conscious and want a zero calorie cola drink. If we talk about the segment selection then company should go for and its has been going for mass marking, standard marketing mix for everyone, for diet conscious customers diet Pepsi should be introduced. Right now we shall be talking about standard cola drink and its marketing. Marketing Mix Product The product is a standard cola drink, that satisfies the need of thrust and more it works a drink to be presented with the food and on get together occasions. It is positioned as a drink which relates to personal achievement, its focus will be I being the personal achievement. It will be positioned as drink of youth, the drink of successful youth. The element of excitement and emotions will be included in the positioning. It will be presented in various packaging, for example pet bottle, half letter, one litter and 2.5 litters, this packing variation will increase and help its use on various occasions. Price Since it has been a high price competitive industry, price of PEPSI will be kept at par of the industry, some discounts will be introduced in the bulk buying and on one litter and more packaging. Since colas are affected with the push of retailer, good dealer and retailer margins will be given to retailer and distributer, so that they can make sure the availability and push the product, since brand loyal is low in this product, retailer push is always required and helpful in getting the desired results. Channel of Distribution This part is one of the most important parts of the entire marketing plan. Here in Pakistan retailer has the power in the channel more than any other industry, colas has more substitutes, low brand loyalty and zero switching cost, customer will drink whatever cola brand is available on the retail shop, that scenario gives more power to retailer. So we shall be focusing in the improving our strength in retail channel, building the relationships with retailers, making sure the availability and leveraging the exclusivity on retail shops, and giving them more commission so that they can maintain the exclusivity and push the product to customer, once retailer push and exclusivity is achieved there will be no problem with customer to buy the product. Promotion This is another high importance component of marketing plan; more focus will be given on this part as well. PEPSI will focus on building brand and up to some extent brand loyalty among youth by focusing on its positioning and also by maintaining brand recall. More sales promotions will be offered during local occasions like EID etc. followed and good spend on the media especially during the promotional period. Mitigation Strategy There are few elements in plan that are of high risk, one the positioning factor that needs to be handled in a careful manner, the individual success positioning can turn back, on the other hand Cokes positioning is we the family and get together, if positioning can is not handled properly its can be a disaster. The second risky elements is the increasing power of retailers, we are at the same time exploiting the retailer power but on the other hand giving more power to them by adopting push strategy, if more and more power is given to retailer then in the end they will be able to blackmail us on their own conditions. To handle this risk brand should be build so strong that it can generate pull. Plans Relation with Strategic Objective Business strategy is cost leadership, since PEPSI is a market leader is has to maintain its position and at the same time they want to reduce costs. Now if we look at the marketing plan it focuses on the push strategy, building relationships with retailers, giving them incentives for push and winning exclusivity on the retail out lets, if this plan is executed well we can reduce out marketing cost without compromising or even increasing on sales and market share. This plan also suggest that PEPSI should get exclusivity on the large cash and carry retail stores like, METRO, MACRO Hyperstar where customers buy in large quantities, if they are able to do so their marketing cost will decrease and sales will increase noticeably. One can argue that plan also supports the brand building which is an expensive thing to do, I would answer that brand building and getting mindshare is something unavoidable, this is not a luxury spending of marketing budgets but it is in return creates the pull for the brand and pays in the longer run. Agreement and Plan Tracking The success of the plan depends on the total consolidated effort by the entire company that is why managements approval and consent will be required to get whole organization on board. This plan will be presented to all stake holder and if management approves then all other departments will be working on the same direction, for example if management want to cut cost then they are do so with a better management of supply chain, similarly other departments will have their roles to play in achievement of strategic objectives. Success of the plan will be tracked at every execution step with continuously monitoring, on the brand side studies will be conducted to monitor the achievement of brand related targets like top of the mind brand recall, retailer relationship management will be monitored that ho successful we have been bringing retailers on boards and winning exclusivity. A relationship of these tracking studies with overall market share and sales will be established that will determine the success of this plan, if problem found and targets are not achieved then strategy will be review and necessary actions will be taken to improve the performance. Conclusion Making a strategic plan is a tricky this, challenge is to keep the department on the track provided the top management while producing the workable and successful solution, at the same time direction of the other stake holders is also required to be in the same direction. While every care is taken even then there are chance that plan is based on some misunderstanding of information required or required information is also not provided, these are the greatest challenges that a strategic marketer has to face. For getting the plan worked a continuous monitoring is required on its execution part. Some very good strategies tend to fail while in execution, that is another care that a strategic marketer has to be careful about.