Assignment 2 BA1010 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

2 BA1010 - Assignment Example (Invalid) c. Purchasing decisions are influenced by a consumer’s self-image and desired lifestyle. So, advertising influences purchasing decisions since advertising influences self-image and lifestyle. (Valid) d. Advertisers must try to make potential customers perceive some problem. This is so since problem-solving is the first step in the consumer decision-making process and the first step is probably the most important. (Valid) d. Describe a scenario in which the following sentence is false: Barb retired if and only if she had not saved adequately for retirement. For instance, a mother of three who works as a banker who receives $40K annual income but spends more than what she earns in order to sustain the needs of her family. 8. Symbolize the following arguments then check for validity using a truth table. To simplify, leave the parenthetical parts out of your symbolization. All of the arguments are based loosely on arguments in Chapter One of The Branded Mind by Eric Du Plessis. A. If your client’s purchase was motivated by emotion then it was related to attention. Your client’s purchase was not related to attention. So, your client’s purchase was not motivated by emotion. [You can leave out the parenthetical parts in your symbolization.] B. Either we make decisions in order to feel good or the brain is not in control of our decisions. The brain is in control of our decisions, so we make decisions in order to feel good (and marketers should develop brands accordingly). C. Humans can avoid dissatisfaction in the future (hunger, boredom, loneliness†¦) if and only if consumers plan for future problems. So, either humans can’t avoid dissatisfaction in the future or they don’t plan for future problems. D. Brand choice decisions are based on how a consumer would feel if they decided to buy. If that’s true then the marketer’s job is to manage the feeling that the brain associates with the brand. It follows that the

Defining philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Defining philosophy - Essay Example Philosophy is divided into sub fields since it is very wide and this depends on the sub-field an individual is interested in, for example an individual can study on epistemology, logic, metaphysics and ethics among other sub-fields. A sub-field of epistemology is scope of knowledge such as relationship between the truth and beliefs of certain community or group and how the philosopher can justify one theory depending on how the community or the group perceives it. Skepticism is highly valued in philosophy since it questions the possibility of justifying the truth and still regress the argument, meaning that one must support the argument with another justification. Munchhausen Trilemma perceive the study as a chain of infinitism where the chain of justification can go on forever, the next chain is foundationalism where this chain relies on basic beliefs of individual and lastly is coherentism where the chain keeps on moving in circular manner and the chain has its own chain of justifi cation (Munchhausen 56). The question of epistemology differ from scientific facts since according to scientist that knowledge is true belief that has been given account of by individual, and states that if something is actually known then categorically it is not false. Another question on philosophy according to Thomas berry is the universe being a communication of subjects and not a collection of objects. The foundation seeks to carry out great work of flourishing of the earth community; the theory promotes and distributes ideas on the great work, evening thoughts, the sacred universe, the Christian future and the fate of the earth. Thomas berry perceives the universe as a self-referential reality in the phenomenal world. Thomas terms the universe as text without context. The universe is seen as a story to many and the significance of the story is known, and still the universe story is quintessence of reality. Philosophers and scientist do perceive the story that

Consulting Organizations Like Mckinsey Management Essay

Consulting Organizations Like Mckinsey Management Essay Consulting organizations like McKinsey Company, Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, Boston Consulting Group, not only are leaders in their respective fields of operation but epitomize global reach with their branch offices spread all around the world (Carvalho and Cabral-Cardoso, 2008). Such big consulting organizations though are mostly based in the USA, yet they are present in almost all the economic regions. They are considered the harbingers of new managerial and organizational concepts that enjoy global validity. In view of the unprecedented increase in the number of organizations having potential to internationalize, internationality of management consulting has by itself become a means of competence and eminence (Richter et al., 2008). As such, the general trend in future could be that global companies may increasingly require the services of global consulting houses. Therefore, extending reach of the consulting organizations to international clients could become imperative an d present new opportunities of growing globally (Landriscina, 2012). In the UK, only a few consulting organizations exist that enjoy considerable international clout. This is evident from their foreign operations, including those that render foreign consultancy but do not have any branches abroad. In the UK, most of the consulting companies provide services to small and medium organizations. Their prospects in the international arena, the impediments they face, and the steps that can enable them achieve success and grow internationally, are dealt herein (Graubner and Richter, 2003). Donnelly and Dowling, (2010) said that the substance of earlier case studies brings out that foreign operations just depended on chance and the availability of profitable opportunities, and were not because of systematic strategies of operating globally. As such, overseas assignments were considered temporary and the regions were changed as the opportunities arose because of globalization of clients business operations. However, in certain cases, promotional efforts also contribute to the development of consultancy overseas. Generally, proper planning and diligently developing a foreign market is seldom resorted to (Budhwar et al., 2009). Hurdles in the way of developing external markets by establishing subsidiaries are many, and one can anticipate considerable risks when launching operations in new markets, particularly in BRIC countries, that is, Brazil, Russia, India, and China that have over time acquired much significance. If it is aimed to serve local customers also besides the western subsidiaries, it is essential to comply with the local conditions and employ low-wage local staff. It is only then that an organization catering in consultancy services can function successfully. In case of small and medium consultancy organizations, it is these factors that cause difficulties. ALTOMI ASSOCIATES AND ITS INTERNATIONALIZATION STRATEGY The present case study pertains to Altomi Associates, a UK based organization engaged in providing leadership and management training to client companies located in UK but some of them operating internationally also. As such, Altomi also organizes training programs abroad. Its training programs relate to three sectors, such as manufacturing, retail, and public sector. In the beginning, the training services were catered from the domestic setup, but later the company established bases elsewhere also, housing a small team of administrative staff to meet the requirements of clients at those places. As per Balbinot et al. (2010), it is imperative to evolve an internationalization strategy for a company planning to enter international business since it is an important determinant of success. The significance of meticulously evolved strategy of internationalization depends on diligently conducted market research and appreciation of the true meaning of such a strategy. Altomi Associates plan to spread their business to other countries, particularly in BRIC countries where they anticipate considerable growth opportunities. Altomi Associates intend to forge relationships with existing independent local operators in Brazil, Russia, India, and China as franchisees who would cater their training programs to clients there. In the medium term, they propose to put up offices in those areas either as new start-ups or by taking over local training companies or by forming joint ventures. The ultimate aim is to render training services to MNCs across their global facilities. INTERNATIONAL HRM According to Armstrong (2012), many big MNCs are in a position to ably manage their international operations, such as marketing, technology, and finances. However, there are others who have not been able to manage their HR effectively. IHRM is crucial for MNCs for exercising control and addressing cross-cultural issues, internal as well as external. MNCs face many more problems as compared to domestic organizations on account of geographic distances, cultural disparities, international competition, issues related to language, and political parameters (Harzing and Pinnington, 2010). Stolt (2010) observes that IHRM and HRM do not differ much as their aim is to achieve the same objective of gaining competitive edge for their organizations and in this respect have to confront similar internal and external environmental factors. It is thus necessary for HR managers in MNCs to fully understand the obtaining political environments and legalities concerning labor in host countries. An international HR manager needs to understand the implications of soft and hard HRM as related to domestic business and concerning foreign subsidiaries (Mathur and Gupta, 2011). In case an organization assigns great significance to its employees and places much value to their participation, then the organization is considered to be practicing soft HRM. If the HR manager has adequate understanding of the differences between the two types of HR, then he will be in a position to adopt the right HR policy with respect to each country (Dickmann, 2008). The hard approach, on the other hand, corroborates with strategic HRM, is concerned with reducing costs and is part of the top managements function (Budhwar et al., 2009). Dickmann (2008) describes soft HRM as based on resource perspective of the employees and pertains to egalitarian culture, organic organizational structure, broad particularization of jobs, pay packages as per abilities, sharing of profits, and the existence of a system of direct communication with employees. Hard HRM, on the other hand, relates to such HR policies that follow the prescribed business strategy, practices different approaches as per the categories of workers and according to stringent organizational procedures (Gluesing and Gibson, 2006). Academics, however, have been concentrating on the soft approach for some time. Each country professes characteristics that are specific to it and which have a direct impact on HR practices (Sparrow and Wu, 1997). A UK company establishing a subsidiary in Japan will find it hard to practice soft HRM in that country, as Japanese workers are accustomed to work under hard HRM practices (Barney and Wright, 1997). CONSULTANCY INTERNATIONALIZATION THEORIES The important theories are discussed below: Static theory: This theory comprises such concepts as theory of growth, internationalization theory, and elite system. According to Sparrow (2009), there is no empirical evidence whether these theories are applicable to SMEs since these have been evolved in the context of MNCs. Stage theory: This theory prescribes implementation of the process of internationalization by stages (Harzing and Pinnington, 2010). Several models are available concerning this theory, such as the Uppasla model, network model, and the model related to innovation. The Uppasla model advocates gradual implementation of internationalization over a time with emphasis on step by step learning and understanding of foreign markets (Griffin et al., 2010). According to Collings (2012), the network approach pertains to the impact of the organizations level of internationalization and the extent of internationalization of the target markets. The innovation related model, as per Dowling et al. (2008), states that innovations in management systems determine the successive stage in the internationalization process. International new venture theory: According to Sparrow (2009), this theory deals with organizations that have internationalized from the very beginning or immediately after the start. The consultancy sector differs from other sectors in that it submits to easy pliability and speedy developments as per the demands of the market wherein both small and big organizations exist (FEACO, 2004). The demand for consultancy services has been developing quite fast resulting in their operations reaching across borders. Organizations rendering consultancy services go international due to several reasons. According to Brett and Kern (2006), the main reasons are location of clients, exploring new markets, or the market being a developing one. There are several approaches that can be deployed while internationalizing, such as export, foreign direct investment (FDI), or entering into cross-border collaboration. As per Graubner and Richter (2003), though export is an important component of internationalization, yet organizations are increasingly adopting the route of FDI. Cross-border collaboration is a preferable mode in case of SMEs since they are not in a position to afford the needed resources and are vulnerable to many risk factors (Carvalho and Cabral-Cardoso, 2008). According to Stolt (2010), SMEs not only lack enough resources, but also capital, and managerial expertise. As such, they generally face many hurdles while internationalizing their operations. Such impediments are of three types: liability of foreignness, liability of newness, and the liability of smallness. Therefore, it would be necessary for them to take these liabilities into consideration while internationalizing. As per Graubner and Richter (2003), SME consultancies can also confront the problem of establishing new networks. ISSUES EXPERIENCED IN TRANSFERRING HR POLICIES AND PRACTICES ACROSS BORDERS Schuler and Jackson (2009) consider that organizations operating internationally are often urged to implement HR policies and practices uniformly in all of their global operations. Such a situation arises because of the company having been following HR practices since long in accord with the domestic parameters. It is thus necessary to take into account the domestic as well as foreign country factors while evolving IHRM strategy. There are countries whose laws are oriented to protect employees interests, while many other countries favor employer interests (Griffin et al., 2010). Muller-Camen and Brewster (2008) mention hurdles like lack of experience and understanding, cultural disparity, and inadequate resources that companies generally confront in international markets. As such, it is desirable to implement HR strategies that accord with the legal and political parameters of the host country. IHRM while specifying job profiles and task parameters to be implemented by the foreign subsidiaries, should consider the availability of suitable workers for the specific jobs (Harzing and Pinnington, 2010). Domestic employees having compatible skills and experience can be deployed but it gives rise to issues related to compensation and reward systems (Stolt, 2010). According to Griffin et al. (2010), people recruited from the host country would be ignorant of the parent companys vision, mission, and objectives. FACTORS RELEVANT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL ASSIGNMENT POLICY Complexity of Operations: The complexity comes into play when operations are spread over many countries and employees belong to different nationalities. These two variables play a crucial role in differentiating IHRM and domestic HRM (Schuler and Jackson, 2009). Cultural Environment: According to Pham and Hongyu, (2012), cultural ignorance can generate adverse feelings about the host country and its people and a desire to return home early. Cultural disparities can be interesting only for some time but in the long run may look shocking to the expatriate. People belonging to diverse cultures harbor varying aptitudes, differing dispositions, and dissimilar beliefs (Harzing and Pinnington, 2011). Paying scant attention to these aspects often results in an organizations failure. Richter et al. (2008) advise that an organizations recruitment and related policies should accord with the host countrys culture and HR practices. Working in new cultural environs can create difficulties both for the local workers and the expatriates. Standardizing Pay and Conditions: According to Sparrow (2009), emoluments and working conditions differ from country to country and are influenced by the local market environments. Therefore, MNCs need to ascertain the intrinsic and extrinsic factors obtaining in the host country (Harzing and Pinnington, 2011). A significant task before the IHRM is to evolve viable compensation and reward systems for implementation globally. While evolving an international framework of remuneration and reward, an organization should take into account two basic concerns, the first being that of comparability (Harzing and Pinnington, 2010). According to these authors, remunerations given to workers should not only be internally comparable but also should conform to market environments. The parameters that influence the fixation of remunerations and salaries comprise the accessibility to expatriates and local skilled workforce, the existing wage structure, and the host countrys regulations. Harzing and Pinnington (2011) opine that an organization should apply different parameters for evolving pay system for each country. Altomi Associates need to develop viable reward systems for their local workforce engaged in rendering services internationally and addressing the issues of standardizing pay and conditions. HR STRATEGY FOR ALTOMI ASSOCIATES An organization or its HR setup has more than one action for aligning HR strategy with the local parameters and integrating it globally. There are four main alternatives that can be thought of along with their respective costs. These are: Local Adaptation International strategy: This strategy is appropriate in cases when foreign business is not much and involves transfer of knowledge from central headquarters at insignificant costs. Multinational strategy: In this case the affiliates enjoy autonomy and their systems are oriented towards local conditions. Benefits of cross-border standardization and learning are meager and coordination expense is the lowest. Global Integration Global strategy: This strategy yields benefits on account of standardization of policies and practices, but is highly centralized, lacks responsiveness, faces hurdles due to fragmentation of markets, cultural disparities, policy implications, and entails high costs. Transnational strategy: It accrues benefits resulting from globalization, local adaptation, and simultaneous cross-border learning. However, the expense involved is the highest. In such a scenario, every organization will have to determine its own approach for global integration depending upon the prevailing environments (Harzing and Pinnington, 2011). The approach could vary in case of executive personnel and skilled workers. In todays circumstances, the preferable course of action could be to dispense with local self-determination and domestic country preference (Stolt, 2010). The UK organizations that have achieved success generally followed globally integrated HR policies. Incorporating refinement and effectiveness in the global reward systems, transferring personnel every now and then from one country to another, and instituting training programs with global dimensions, enable transferring crucial expertise, result in achieving speedy transfer of skills, outcomes of innovation, systems of quality control, and cost-effective methods of manufacture (Donnelly and Dowling, 2010). Though at present, the country managers enjoy liberty concerning HR practices, yet the thinking now is to nurture global managers, integrated policies, and foster culture with global dimensions. The suggested HR strategy for Altomi Associates should comprise such a vision and guidelines as are mutually oriented, nurture broad behavior, fosters mutual trust, forges global cooperation. The decision-making process should include decision-making committees that have global perspective, are based on communication between the product, country, and field experts in the network (Carvalho and Cabral-Cardoso, 2008). Suitability of staff should be based on qualification rather than on country of origin (Budhwar et al., 2009). Human resource development should be through international networking and incorporate educational advancement, overseas placement, and flexibility in dealing with issues concerning personal maintenance. The strategy should incorporate appraisal systems and cross-border advancement opportunities that are in tune with the international systems and practices. The strategy should also have a policy that corroborates with the main organizational objectives.

Individuals and Society :: essays research papers

American social institutions treat individuals fairly because people are a threat to themselves, they are a danger to others and without a judicial system there would be mass chaos. Delusion is the main theme in the early twentieth century in â€Å"The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty† by James Thurber when Walter is thrown back and forth between reality and a daydream state. Twenty five years later, Ray Bradbury, presents the schizophrenic views of Albert Brock in the story â€Å"The Murderer.† The most sanely treated patient, however, is seen in the late twentieth century between Doctor Mark Powell and Probe in Gene Brewer’s K-Pax.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Back it up, Mac! Look out for that Buick!† were only some of the preaching’s Mr. Mitty heard during his state of inattentiveness nearly causes several accidents. Another clearly portrayed view that Americans are a danger to themselves is shown by Brewer. Probe went through a tragic event that manifested itself through an altered state of reality and eventually left him as a mindless vegetable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A risk to others is reinforced by Brock after being arrested for â€Å"murdering† electronics. â€Å"And did you realize in committing these crimes that the wrist radio, the broadcasting transmitter, the phone, the bus radio, the office intercom, all were rented or were some-one else’s property?† Albert reinforces his punishment by boldly stating â€Å"I would do it all over again.† Another high offender to others is clearly shown by the pleas of Mrs. Mitty to slow the car down while Walter, in his unmindful state, drives recklessly down the road.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Without courts or a judicial system, according to Bradbury, there would be â€Å"Pandemonium, riot, and chaos!† This is shown when Albert brings a portable diathermy machine onto a public bus carrying citizens. With a complete lack of concern for others well being Mr. Brock carried this event out. Without due process, Porter’s killing of another man would never have been discovered. After many counseling sessions between Probe and Dr.

Poor security Essay

With the current system there is no specific security policy, therefore the current system is constantly open to unauthorised people gaining access to the data that is held in the filing cabinets. However, the company has an IT Policy that every user has to sign. The current Security Policy states that, â€Å"Members of the IT team are responsible for managing the company’s Technology system. This involves use of administrator password, which provides full access to specific systems. Access to Administrator level password must be treated professionally and ethically at all times. Any IT staff that use an administrator level password to read confidential or personal information (that would not normally be available to them) may be in breach this policy and subject to disciplinary action†. Therefore all users of the database will have password that enables them access to the database. A password is a unique string of characters that a user types as an identification code to restrict access to computers and sensitive files. The system compares the code against a stored list of authorized passwords and users. If the code is legitimate, the system allows access at the security level approved by the IT manager. With all this the database will be secure enough to stay to the rules of the â€Å"Data Protection Act†. This is the 1984 Act of Parliament guaranteeing certain rights to individuals and control of the use of personal data held on a computer. The most well known of the rights is that of examining a computer record held by a- company by the individual in the data record. Why the DPA was brought in The power of the computer During the second half of the 20th century computers were getting more powerful and easy to use. Companies, government and other organisations began to use them to store large amounts of information about people, such as their customers, clients and staff. Databases with this information can be quickly set up, searched, edited and accessed and take up less space than paper records. Personal data on computer Instead of paper records, computers were also being used routinely to keep personal data about people. This information included:- Names Addresses Financial information Medical records Criminal records Employment history For example, being a member of a sports club would mean that your name, age, medical details and payment record would be stored on a computer file. Ease of access to the information The information stored could be far more easily and flexibly used than if it was stored on paper. For example, a database could be searched to find all customers living in a particular area, to target them for â€Å"special offer† advertising. Searches of databases like this are much faster with computers and, in particular, information can be matched from one database to another far more than if it is stored on paper. The Database section has more on searching. Communications networks Storing information about people on computers which are linked to communications networks like the Internet or private company networks has also become important. This allows databases to be used across an organisation and be shared between organisations very quickly. Misuse of information. With more and more organisations using computers to store and process personal information, there was a danger the information could be misused or could get into the wrong hands. Concerns A number of concerns arose about how this information could be used:- Could it be easily copied? Could it be changed with little evidence being left? Who could see this information? How accurate was the information? Was it be possible to build up detailed files on people without their knowledge or permission? The new system is able to make copies of the whole database. To make sure that no information from the database is lost or damaged back up procedures is carried out every night. The reason for this is to protect the data held on the database, which is crucial to both News Shopper and its travel and insurance companies. The backup cycle is carried out automatically each evening at 6pm; this process takes approximately 4-6 hours. This consists of copying all files to disk and then transferred to magnet tape. It is the Systems Administrators responsibility to ensure the rotation of tapes and keep back up documentation up to date.

Psychosocial Theories in Criminal Justice

PSYCHOSOCIAL THEORIES in the APPLICATION of CRIMINAL JUSTICE Mark P. Robertson Deviant Behavior Instructor Tomasina Cook EMPIRE STATE COLLEGE July 30, 2012 There are several Psychosocial Theories pertaining to human behavior. The relation of some of these theories can be directly applied to the Criminal Justice field. Theories focus on why some behavior develops, when and where the development begins, who is affected by it and may be particularly more susceptible, what signs or behaviors to look for, and what may be done to prevent it. Psychologist Terrie Moffitt proposed her Developmental Theory identifying two developmental ‘paths’ or ‘patterns’ in which an individual may exhibit. Moffitt claims that criminal behavior can mainly be classified into one of these categories. Moffitt states that the ‘Life-Course-Persistent (LCP) offender’ continues their antisocial ways and behavior across or throughout all kinds of conditions and situations, and throughout the life course (or life span). This is a developmental path in which the offender shows various psychological and antisocial difficulty, and defiance on a consistent basis at an early age, on through youth and adolescence, and further into adulthood and beyond. It appears as though once LCP’s become involved in a deviant and offensive lifestyle they continue and increase their offending as they grow older. Young children as LCP’s often show evidence of this developmental ‘path’ in ways such as wild temper tantrums and mood swings, to biting and hitting. As adolescents, LCP’s show signs such as truancy, shoplifting and substance abuse. This may seem like rather common or somewhat ‘normal’ behavior for many younger individuals, and in many cases it is. However, when the young person or adolescent does not ‘grow-out’ of this phase or behavioral ‘pattern’, it can progress into adulthood. The adult LCP may often develop such behavior as robbery, rape, child abuse, even murder. Adult LCP’s show high levels of antisocial behavior, and are almost exclusively male in gender. You can read also  Justice System Position Paper The offending might even escalate, with the offenses and behavior becoming more violent in nature, more erratic, and unpredictable. As stated earlier, some criminal behavior may be seen or viewed as relatively ‘normal’ behavior for younger individuals, especially males. In fact, most young individuals do ‘grow-up and out’ of this, and choose (whether voluntarily or involuntarily) another developmental pathway. They may offend or display some type of criminal or ‘bad’ behavior as children, adolescents, or young adults, but usually stop in their late-teens to early twenties. Terrie Moffitt states that these ‘youths’ are ‘Adolescent-Limited (AL) offenders’, and these individuals usually do not have or display the early developmental, persistent antisocial, or problem behavioral histories as their LCP counterparts. However the case may be, there is an occasional commonality between LCP and AL youth. Often times, the frequency and severity of offending among LCP and AL youth, is ‘mirrored’. The patterns of offending between them can be almost identical, but with the onset of young adulthood looming near, these patterns then abruptly change. For many reasons, the AL youth realizes that continued offending will not lead to any sort of positive outcome, and he or she then stops. Ultimately, when applied in a criminal justice setting, Moffitt’s developmental theory of the LCP person and the AL person shows that the AL ‘criminals’ or ‘delinquents’ have the ability, or at the very least, are more likely to regain control of their lives. They desist in their malevolent and/or devious behavior when they begin to mature and evolve into a more social, conventional, realistic, and ‘acceptable’ person. The LCP ‘criminal’ or ‘delinquent’ maintains their malevolent behavior, possibly and usually escalating into a more antisocial, unpredictable and dangerous person. LCP’s generally have long histories wrought with aggressive and violent crimes, with genuine ‘disregard’ for legality, posing as a ‘threat’ to everyone. Psychologist Erik Erikson proposed another theory of Psychosocial Development, which focuses on ‘Stages’. He states that each stage plays a major role in the development of personality and psychological ‘skills’. Erikson says there are a series of eight stages, coinciding with infancy to late adulthood, in which a person experiences different ‘challenges’. Each stage requires the successful completion of the prior stage to move onto the next, otherwise incomplete stages may reappear in the future and pose potential problems. However, absolute perfection or mastery of a stage is not necessary. Erikson’s developmental stages are as follows: 1. Hopes: Trust vs. Mistrust (Oral-Sensory, Birth – 2 yrs) 2. Will: Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt (Muscular-Anal, 2 -4 yrs) 3. Purpose: Initiative vs. Guilt (Locomotor-Genital, Preschool, 4 -5 yrs) 4. Competence: Industry vs. Inferiority (Latency, 5 – 12 yrs) 5. Fidelity: Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adolescence, 13 – 19 yrs) 6. Love: Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young Adulthood, 20 – 24, or 20 – 40 yrs) 7. Care: Generativist vs. Stagnation (Middle Adulthood, 25 – 64, or 40 – 64 yrs) 8. Wisdom: Ego Integrity vs. Despair (Late Adulthood, 65 – death) In regards to Erik Erikson’s developmental theory of the ‘Stages’, there is particular importance in relation to the criminal justice field. Stage 5, (Fidelity: Identity vs. Role Confusion) plays a key role in psychosocial ability and behavior. ‘Identity’ is unique to every individual. There may be a distinct correlation between identity and why some people stray from the ‘norms’ of society and venture off into a life of deviant or criminal activity. This is especially true when it involves young people. Young people/persons are quite easily influenced, and impressionable. It is a very critical and important time in one’s life, trapped somewhere between childhood and adulthood. It is a period of extreme change, extreme choices, and big decisions. Lack of one’s own identity, confusion, and the need and desire to belong, or to ‘fit in’ somewhere, can and often does provoke irrational thought. The inability or difficulty to become accepted by one’s peers gives way to potentially ‘bad’ choices. This can be especially difficult for certain cultural, ethnic, and societal groups. For example, inner-city youth (regardless of race) who grow up in areas with higher crime rates and/or criminal activity, or lower-income families (many with only one parental figure) are by default, at higher risk of ‘exposure’ to criminal activity. They in essence, have little or almost no chance of meeting or interacting with (or being influenced by) someone from the suburbs, or the country (rural areas), where criminal activity is lower. These inner-city youths are more frequently exposed to crime (it is sometimes all they see and know), and without ‘positive’ influence, they are more susceptible to adopt an ‘identity’ relative and according to what they experience on a regular basis. They believe that is the ‘norm’ and in turn, they tend to lean towards what they believe. Rather than having no identity at all, and having the desire to ‘fit in’ somewhere, they naturally fall into place. Unfortunately, the choice(s) for these youths are often very limited, and this is a major problem. This may be a reason why Hans J. Eysenck developed his psychosocial development theory of Personality and Crime. Hans J. Eysenck’s theory is regarded as one of the most influential psychological perspectives on crime today. (Cale, 2006) Eysenck states that criminal behavior is the result of an interaction between certain environmental conditions and certain features of the nervous system. In other words, certain types of personalities, combined with certain types of surroundings, lead to certain types of criminal activity. This equates to a perfect combination of attributes which are a recipe for juvenile, delinquent, and/or criminal behavior. This theory is unlike most contemporary theories of crime, because Eysenck heavily emphasizes that genetic predispositions are largely responsible for antisocial and criminal conduct. Theoretically, some people are just ‘born different’ from the majority of the population, and their genetics result in their inability to adapt and conform to society’s rules, regulations, and expectancies. Therein lays the problem. To assist Eysenck in measuring different variables of, and predisposure to commit crimes and offenses, he developed several ‘questionnaires’. The best known questionnaire would be the British Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI). Additional editions would be the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R). These questionnaires can be very helpful in providing researchers with valuable insight on how personality traits may coincide with criminality however it is not yet ‘conclusive’ research. Although Eysenck’s theory of Personality and Crime cannot be definitively proven, it is still worth looking at. Criminal justice practitioners would be wise to examine and contemplate its useful and unique suggestions. While there are still several theories on psychosocial development to be discussed, Gerald Patterson’s ‘Coercion Developmental Theory’ is in alignment with Terrie Moffitt’s theory. Patterson states and believes that ‘early starters are at greater risk for more serious criminal offending’. (Bartol and Bartol, p. 65) Patterson theorizes that while early starters are at greater risk, he focuses on how the parents and their roles with their children are more important, and much more instrumental. Essentially when young children experience different types of ‘traumatic’ events (e. g. ivorce, family violence, inconsistent parental discipline), they are prone to or are at greater likelihood to begin using or displaying ‘coercive behavior’. Coercive behavior can become the child’s way of avoiding or escaping his or her immediate (parental, social) environment. This ‘coercive’ behavior could be as minor or u nassuming as lying, temper tantrums, or whining. Eventually this coercive behavior becomes the child’s ‘go to’ strategy to obtain the desired result(s) he or she wants. If left unchecked, or uncorrected by parents, the problem behavior can be prolonged, well into adolescence and on to adulthood. You can read also King v Cogdon Therefore, parents need to gain and maintain control, in a non-threatening, non-demanding, appropriate way, as early as the coercive behavior is recognized. Summarizing that society has no shortage of people with some type of developmental disability that inhibits or prohibits their behavior, it can usually be traced back or down to its source. In conclusion, the theories discussed here can assist in narrowing down the ‘root’ causes of or perhaps the reasons why some individuals seem to veer astray from societal normality. Whether the causes or reasons are psychological, developmental, or environmental in nature, criminal justice practitioners can utilize these theories to evaluate, and possibly explain the behavior of those in question. REFERENCES, NOTES, and CITATIONS 1. Criminal Behavior: A Psychosocial Approach, 8th Edition, By: Bartol and Bartol 2. Generalist Case Management: A Method of Human Service Delivery, 3rd Edition, By: Woodside and McClam 3. Online Research on Juvenile Delinquency and Criminal Behavior http://www. fbi. gov. juveniledelinquency. icr

15 Must-Have Items for Great Gatsby Fans

15 Must-Have Items for Great Gatsby Fans SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips We all have a friend who’s a huge fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Honestly, calling them a â€Å"huge fan† might be an understatement, since you know your friend would go back into a burning house to save their Gatsby book collection! (We might be â€Å"that friend,† honestly.) So what could be better than surprising the Gatsby fan in your life with some special Great Gatsby swag? Nothing, of course! After all, as Fitzgerald writes in the book, â€Å"Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead.† And listen: we totally advocate treating yourself to a little something while you’re at it, too. So without further ado, here are the best gifts you can buy for any Gatsby superfan! #1: A Beautiful Copy of The Great Gatsby with an Art Deco Cover This edition of The Great Gatsby from Paper Mill Press is a must-have for any Gatsby fan. Its gorgeous cover captures the decadence of 1920s art deco decor while also suggesting the darkness hidden in the pages within. And who wouldn’t want more Jazz Age flair on their bookshelf? Any Gatsby fan would be proud to add this edition to their collection! Click here to buy. #2: The Luscious, Decadent Movie Adaptation by Baz Luhrmann Okay, okay: everyone has their favorite movie version of The Great Gatsby. We’ve gotta admit, though: Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 adaptation is our favorite. Not only does it have an amazing cast featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, and Tobey Maguire, Luhrmann captures the decadence of the Jazz Age perfectly. The only problem with getting a Gatsby fan this movie is that they may never want to watch anything else. Click here to buy. #3: The Amazing, Jazzy Movie Soundtrack If you’re going to buy The Great Gatsby movie, you absolutely have to buy the soundtrack, too! Anton Monsted, the music supervisor for the film, said that he wanted the soundtrack to be a â€Å"blend† of â€Å"music that is very true to the period of the movie’s setting in 1922 and the music of today.† As a result, the movie soundtrack combines a blend of contemporary beats, jazzy melodies, and powerhouse vocals from Beyoncà ©, Jay-Z, and Sia. All you have to do is queue this album up and pop on some headphones, and you’re transported straight to one of Gatsby’s garden parties. It’s honestly the next best thing to actually being in East Egg. Click here to buy. #4: A Beautiful Poster Featuring The Great Gatsby’s Most Famous Line Wall art is a great way to add a little bit of Gatsby-inspired class to any room. That’s why we love this poster from Poster Foundry that lays out The Great Gatsby’s last line in beautiful typography. If you put it in a classy, eye-catching silver frame, it’s sure to become the focal piece of your decor. Click here to buy. #5: A Gatsby Inspired Candle That Smells Like Rain Can you ever have too many candles? (Answer: nope!) This handmade candle is the perfect way to bring feeling of a rainy day in Long Island right into your living room. For best results, we recommend lighting this candle, queueing up some rainy day sounds on your phone, and curling up under a warm blanket with your favorite copy of The Great Gatsby. We can’t think of a better way to spend an afternoon! Click here to buy. #6: A Sleek Three-Piece Suit that Would Make Gatsby Jealous As any Gatsby fan knows, the world of the book is all about appearances. That’s why a sharp, 1920s-inspired suit is the perfect gift! The one we’ve chosen is an affordable option that incorporates the Jazz Age’s signature three-piece style with a more modern silhouette. Couple this look with a snazzy wingtip oxford, and you’ll give Jay Gatsby himself a run for his money. If you prefer women’s wear, don’t worry: we’ve got you covered, too. Click here to buy. #7: A Perfect Dress for Any of Gatsby’s Parties We’re not going to beat around the bush: 1920s dresses are beyond major. So what could be better than buying an art deco dress for the glam Gatsby fan in your life? And boy, did we find the best. Dress. Ever. This Metme Flapper Dress flapper dress says it’s for prom, but we think you could wear it anywhere. (We would wear it everywhere, since we’d never want to take it off. Ever.) It’s got everything you could want: sparkles! Color options! Fringe! And it even has a 4.5 star rating from almost 500 reviews on Amazon. Couple it with this replica of Carey Mulligan’s headband from the movie, and you’ll look like you just stepped out of a speakeasy. Can you tell we’re in love? The glamorous Gatsby fan in your life will be, too! Click here to buy. #8: A Set of Art Deco Earrings for Everyday Cosplay Maybe you’re a bit more subtle in your fashion and would rather give a nod to your Gatsby love rather than going all-out. That’s what jewelry is for! You can add a little Jazz Age pop to your existing wardrobe by sporting a pair of very excellent art deco earrings. Couple it with the matching necklace for a bold statement look that says you don’t need no Gatsby in your life to have gorgeous things. (Shade intended, Daisy. Shade intended.) Click here to buy. #9: A Cool Sweatshirt Featuring The Great Gatsby’s Original Cover Maybe you’re into a more â€Å"vintage casual† look. Well, we have the perfect thing for you: a cozy Gatsby sweatshirt from Out of Print. It’s perfect for wearing while you’re snuggled up with a good book, but it’s cool enough to throw on before you head out the door, too. And just like The Great Gatsby itself, a good sweatshirt never goes out of style.We especially love that it features the book’s original cover, which tells the world that you’ve been a Gatsbyfan for a long time. Click here to buy. #10: A Saucy Gatsby-Inspired T-Shirt That Would Make Daisy Proud When you love somethinglike, really love somethingyou’re always on the lookout for other superfans like yourself. The best way to find those kindred spirits is to wear a shirt that only real enthusiasts will get. This Gatsby-inspired t-shirt is just the trick, since you’ll only get the joke if you’ve read the book. This shirt made us laugh...that is, until we started sobbing. Click here to buy. #: A Book About Why the Great Gatsby Still Rocks Gatsby fans have probably read the book tons of times, and since Fitzgerald is long gone, there’s no hope for a sequel. So what’s a fan to do?! Read book about the book, obviously. Enter: So We Read On: How The Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures by Maureen Corrigan. This is a perfect gift for anyone who’s sad they won’t get more stories about Nick, Gatsby, and Daisy, and wants to learn more about the impact of their favorite book on the world at large. Corrigan also talks about her own love for Gatsby, which is sure to resonate with any Gatsby lover. Click here to buy. #12: Art Deco Pillows That Will Make Your House Feel Like a Speakeasy As you know, The Great Gatsby is all about ambiance. Bring a little bit of that decadence into your room with these awesome gilded throw pillows. The black and white, art deco design give them a Roaring 20s feel. If you really want to capture that speakeasy vibe, add a few Edison bulb lamps and a luxurious rug, too. But fair warning: once your place looks this good, you might never leave the house again! Click here to buy. #13: A Retro Pocket Watch Like Nick’s to Signal Your Social Aspirations One of the things that jumped out to us about Nick’s wardrobe in the Baz Luhrmann movie is the amazing pocket watch that he has clipped to his vest. (It’s a fabulous detail that only a true Gatsby fan would notice.) So we scoured the internet to find a vintage-inspired pocket watch sure to impress even the most persnickety Gatsby lover. This retro watch combines an antique finish with Jazz Age-inspired design to create the perfect statement piece for any snazzy wardrobe. Featuring a glass and alloy construction, you’ll feel just like Nick when you whip this out of your pocket to check the time. Click here to buy. #14: A Modern, Gender-Swapped Retelling of The Great Gatsby That Will Leave You Wanting More When we stumbled acrossthis YA, gender-bent, LGBTQ retelling of The Great Gatsby written by Sara Benincasa, we knew we had to add it to our list. Benincasa is amazing: she’s a stand-up comedian, writer, actress, and Gatsby superfan. Her book, Great, tells the story of Naomi Rye, a teenage girl who’s spending the summer in the Hamptons with her socialite mother. Naomi expects to be bored out of her mind, but she soon finds herself fascinated by her neighbor, Jacinta, a popular girl known for her lavish parties. Before she knows it, Naomi is drawn into Jacinta’s circle and finds that Jacinta has some dark secrets of her own. This book will give any Gatsby fan a fresh perspective on the original story, and Benincasa includes so many nods to Fitzgerald’s original book that reading Great is like being on a literary treasure hunt. That’s why we think Great is the perfect gift for anyone looking for a modern, inclusive version of The Great Gatsby to sink their teeth into. Click here to buy. #15: A Lipstick in An Authentic Jazz Age Color to Make It Clear What You’re About Our last choice for this list might just be our favorite one. Besamà © Cosmetics is a makeup brand focused on honoring â€Å"the style, spirit, and sensibility of female beauty. â€Å" They specialize in recreating vintage makeup using modern, cruelty-free ingredients. They’re also fanatical about getting the colors and formulations right in all their products, including their 1922 blood red lipstick. This color is historically accurate, packs a visual punch, and is flattering for all skin tones! Even better, reviewers say that the lipstick stays in place and has mega staying power. It’s the perfect way for a Gatsby fan to experience an authentic piece of the Jazz Age while keeping their makeup game on point, too! Click here to buy. Now What? One of the best things about The Great Gatsby is how it captures the decadence of the Jazz Age. If you wish you could live in the 1920s, this post will teach you everything you need to know about the period. Movie adaptations are a hot topic for book nerds, and The Great Gatsby has been adapted for film three different times. (We included one adaptation in our list above!) Here’s a comparison of all three movies...and feel free to chime in with your opinion in the comments. The last line of The Great Gatsby is one of the most famous in all of literature. It reads: â€Å"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.† But what does that mean, exactly? Click here to learn more about the last line and how it helps us understand the meaning of the book These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links PrepScholar may receive a commission. Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Ashley Robinson About the Author Ashley Sufflà © Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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Free Essays on EU Federalism

Explain what you understand by a ‘federal Europe’ The signing of the European Constitution on the 29th October 2004 marks the latest step in movement stretching half a century; the integration of European states to promote stability and prosperity across the continent. Yet, this step has once again ignited a debate on European federalism, with fears prevalent in many countries of the establishment of a European state, a single entity that makes the states redundant. The aim of this essay is to examine the extent of federalism within the European Union (EU) to explain what a federal Europe means, how it already exists, and why it does not mean a ‘United States of Europe’. This essay shall begin with a necessary distinction between federalism and confederalism. It will be seen how the modern conceptions of these ideas came about following the establishment of the USA. This will allow a more detailed evaluation of the state of European integration. Following from this, it will be shown how the ‘fathers’ of European integration, namely Monnet and Spinelli, clearly had federal-style objectives for Europe in their ultimate goals of establishing a strong peace order in the continent. Nevertheless, it will be seen that it was functionalism, rather than federalism, that provided the mechanism for the beginning of European integration. Thirdly, this essay shall examine the common belief that the EU at present is a confederation of separate states. It shall be seen how the initial ‘economic confederation’ that was established by the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) has grown and expanded in many directions and levels. The prese nt day, with the signing of the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe on the 29th October 2004, has moved well and truly beyond this confederal image. Yet, Europe remains an entity of states, not individuals. The final part of this essay shall show how, despite federal tendencies and incr... Free Essays on EU Federalism Free Essays on EU Federalism Explain what you understand by a ‘federal Europe’ The signing of the European Constitution on the 29th October 2004 marks the latest step in movement stretching half a century; the integration of European states to promote stability and prosperity across the continent. Yet, this step has once again ignited a debate on European federalism, with fears prevalent in many countries of the establishment of a European state, a single entity that makes the states redundant. The aim of this essay is to examine the extent of federalism within the European Union (EU) to explain what a federal Europe means, how it already exists, and why it does not mean a ‘United States of Europe’. This essay shall begin with a necessary distinction between federalism and confederalism. It will be seen how the modern conceptions of these ideas came about following the establishment of the USA. This will allow a more detailed evaluation of the state of European integration. Following from this, it will be shown how the ‘fathers’ of European integration, namely Monnet and Spinelli, clearly had federal-style objectives for Europe in their ultimate goals of establishing a strong peace order in the continent. Nevertheless, it will be seen that it was functionalism, rather than federalism, that provided the mechanism for the beginning of European integration. Thirdly, this essay shall examine the common belief that the EU at present is a confederation of separate states. It shall be seen how the initial ‘economic confederation’ that was established by the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) has grown and expanded in many directions and levels. The prese nt day, with the signing of the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe on the 29th October 2004, has moved well and truly beyond this confederal image. Yet, Europe remains an entity of states, not individuals. The final part of this essay shall show how, despite federal tendencies and incr...

Argument for the Abolishment of the Death Penalty

Argument for the Abolishment of the Death Penalty Alvin Soo Death penalty is the capital punishment that has authorization to kill someone as the crime’s punishment. The first country that started the death penalty is Babylon. It established the death penalty law at eighteenth century. There are many methods of death penalty that develop over the centuries such as shooting, poisoning, hanging, and others. In the modern century, there are many countries are using the death penalty in the law punishment such as Malaysia, China, and others. According to the website, theguardian, China has the most number of people sentenced to death and its most common death penalty method is shooting. The murderers’ eyes are covered and their back is facing the shooter. Then the shooters will start firing until the murderers are dead. Death penalty has been a popular discussion since some countries are taking the lead to abolish death penalty. People are debating whether the death penalty should be abolished. In this era, death pena lty need to be abolished from the law because it has negative effects on society, family, and economy. First of all, death penalty is encouraging the racial discrimination. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, most of the death punishments are sentenced to the minority races such as African-American. It is a norm that the society has racial discrimination because people like to be in a group, which has people of similar race or culture. When there is an outsider that doesn’t have similarity, they will neglect that outsider and may treat him differently. This is not just happening in the society; it also happens in court. When the judge and jury are making decision in front of the justice, they are still having bias when deciding the punishment because everyone has prejudice and discrimination. Based on NAACP Criminal Justice Department (2017), the death penalty will affect the victim’s race especially white. This proves that the death penalty is support ing the racial discrimination. Secondly, death penalty is not eliminating the devious from the society. In the modern society, everyone is educated to follow the rules to avoid from committing the crime. However, everyone is not educated to be forgiving sin. Although crimes happened, the murderers are deserved to be given another chance to change their bad behavior and thinking. The devious cannot be stopped by killing the murderers. Instead, the murderers needed be educated in prison to gain the forgiveness and decrease the crime rate. Besides that, death penalty also increases the crime rate. Originally, death penalty is used to discourage the people committing crime by making them scare because one of the human’s fears is death. Death penalty also can save other lives by eliminated the people who committed crime but it doesn’t help to decreasing the crime rate. Article by Bonner and Fessenden (2000) supports that the states that have no death penalty are having lo wer of slaughter rate. This is because the death penalty is replaced by culture and religion. Thirdly, death penalty is having negative effect on moral ethnicity. Moral ethnicity is teaching about the principle of moral. It lets people know that everyone is equal and they are given the same human right even though they committed crime. However, death penalty is giving the wrong ethnicity to the society and family. It is promoting a concept, which the murderers are deserved to have deaths sentence because they committed crime. When that concept is spread into the society, the people will be influenced and may cause more crime happens. The reason is because people will choose to do the death sentence to the murderer without authorization and legal process. In the other hand, it is not right to take over other people life no matter who they are. Slaughter people are against the law; death sentence is also slaughtering people. The only difference between these two is on is illegal and other one is legal. In the view of morality, both are the same because killing people is an amorality. Fourthly, death penalty is impacting the family education negatively. Family is an important thing in life because everything is started from that first. If death penalty is not abolished, the children will become more extreme with aggressive family education. As mentioned above, death penalty will affect the society and family. If the perspective of death penalty can regulate the society and family. There will be more aggressive family appears and cause the violent crime arise. For an example, if children are having the aggressive punishment because they did the non-moral things like stealing, fighting, and others. Are the parents going to say that they are deserve to have that punishment? Definitely no, because parents have the responsibility to let the children know that what’s wrong with that attitude and admit it instead of using the extreme and aggressive punishment to make them afraid. Moreover, death penalty is also affecting the family to be broken. When the murders are sentenced to death, their families are going to be the victim. Death penalty is going to bring the unhappiness to the murderers’ family and cause the family falls apart eventually. When one of the family members is executed, the rest are going to have tough life especially children. If the children don’t have their parents in their childhood, they are more likely to commit crime when they grow up. Based on the news that written by Steve Doughty, the incomplete family’s children more likely to fall into the society devious. This proves that the death penalty can cause negative effect on family. In addition, death penalty will also affect the country. Death penalty will give the country bad impression. A mentioned in introduction, death penalty is already existed in 18 th century. This law is old and not efficient to control the safety of country. Ins tead, government should use other law to substitute the death penalty. If the country can abolish the death penalty, it will give a good impression to the international community. That will cause the relationship between the country become better. When there is a country taking the lead to abolish the death penalty, the other countries in the international community will follow it. This will encourage the countries to have globalization within each other. Globalization is the process that the organization develop international influence such as international trade. Country can use the globalization to make its economy become better. It can use international trade to export the produced goods and services. This will increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is the country’s economy. Death penalty is also costly to the government expenses. According to Chammah(2014), cost of capital punishment is increasing because the wage is increasing. The government needs to hire t he worker to in charge of the death penalty. This recruitment is not just hire one worker. Instead, government is going to hire a group of people. Therefore, this will cause the government expenses to increase. When the government needs to find more resources to cover the expense. It will either increase the tax or decrease the other expenses. Increasing taxes will increase the burden of taxpayer and decrease the other expanses will decrease the benefit such as unemployment benefit. Both of this method will decrease the economy. In some people’s perspective, death penalty should be remained because the murderers have no right to decide whether they are sentenced to death. Let’s think this in different view point. If one of the murderers is the family member, the perspective of death penalty will be different. The murderers’ family will appeal to the death penalty because it is too cruel to take away their lives. As the previous paragraph mentioned, everyone sh ould be treated as same and have equal right. Therefore, death penalty should be eliminated from law. In conclusion, I agree and totally support to abolishment of death penalty because death penalty is negatively affecting the family, society, economy, and country. It is also having the bad influence on morality and culture. In order to make the children and country’s future better, death penalty have to be eliminated. References Part I: History of the Death Penalty. (n.d.). Retrieved February 07, 2017, from http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/part-i-history-death-penalty NAACP Death Penalty Fact Sheet. (2017, January 18). Retrieved February 07, 2017, from http://www.naacp.org/latest/naacp-death-penalty-fact-sheet/ Bonner, R., States With No Death Penalty Share Lower Homicide Rates. Retrieved February 07, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/22/us/absence-executions-special-report-states-with-no-death-penalty-share-lower.html Doughty, S. (2008, October 21). B roken home children are ‘five times more likely to suffer mental troubles’ Broken home children are ‘five times more likely to suffer mental troubles’ . Retrieved February 7, 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1079510/Children-broken-homes-times-likely-suffer-mental-troubles-says-Government-study.html Dieter, R.C. (1998). The Death of Penalty in America: Current Controversies . H. A. Bedau (Ed.). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press.

APPLIED INTEGRATED BUSINESS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

APPLIED INTEGRATED BUSINESS - Essay Example From the above, various companies use various methods to ensure their success through both employee and customer satisfaction. This is because employee and customer satisfaction are the keys to business success. The video shows a manager who does not put customer needs at the core. The lady at the reception informs him of the dissatisfied customer but he reluctantly comes without the feel of urgency required. When dealing with customers, their needs should be given priority for them to have a sense of importance (Roche & Self 2012, p. 67). Moreover, the manager should ensure customer needs are met at all costs. The customer at the reception is urgently in need of a room but the manager downplays this urgency and seems to be interested in having an affair with her. Managers should draw boundaries between their social and professional lives. More so, the managers should not involve their customers in their social life at all costs (Roche & Self 2012, p. 141). The welfare and the needs of all categories of customers should be catered for, and in the event that a mishap occurs, remedy measures should be taken within the shortest time possible. This does not seem to be the case with the manager who fails to courteously assist the person on the wheelchair who is locked out of a reception due to inaccessibility of the venue. Furthermore, managers should use polite language whenever dealing with their clients as well as their employees (Roche & Self 2012, p. 101). This is paramount in ensuring good customer relations and the employees transfer it to the customers. The manager fails to courteously address the receptionist upon being told of the customer who wants to speak to him. Though he says he is busy, he clearly is not as he is taking coffee while checking the local daily. Good customer and employee etiquette requires the manager to listen carefully to

Theories of Electricity and Magnetism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Theories of Electricity and Magnetism - Essay Example It is possible to transform an electric field into a magnetic field and vice versa. This essay will therefore analyze the properties of electricity and magnetism and their relationship with respective theories. Magnetism There are three basic properties of magnetism. These properties are the basic behaviors of magnets and they define laws that govern magnetism. The first property of magnetism is the bipolar property. According to this property, a magnet has two unlike poles. It is also impossible to separate the two poles of a magnet or to create a monopole magnet. This indicates that whenever a magnet is split into two pieces, two unlike poles always result creating two independent and complete magnets. The second property of magnetism is the attraction of unlike poles and repulsion of like poles. This significant property forms the basis of most theories that governs magnetism. The third property of magnetism is the existence of a magnetic field or the region around the magnet with in which the effects of a magnet are experienced (David 109). A magnet has a strong field around its poles and its strength varies inversely with the distance from the magnet. Theories of magnetism are based on the three properties and they explain why magnets behave the way they do. Magnetic theories are also used to predict occurrences that cannot be verified physically as the three properties. The first significant theory of magnetism is the Weber’s theory of magnetism. According to this theory, the magnetic property of a magnet is based on the magnetic property of each individual molecule. Weber hypothesized that each molecule behaves like a tiny magnet that has the bipolar property discussed above. According to Weber’s theory, the difference between a magnet and non-magnet results from the magnetic field of each molecular magnet. During the magnetization process, the molecules of a piece of material are aligned in one direction with all their south poles and north poles facing in a similar direction. In an un-magnetized material opposite poles of each individual molecule are oriented in a similar direction resulting in cancellation of the magnetic force. Such a material will have zero resultant force (David 119). This theory is closely related to the bipolar property of a magnet. According to the theory, the two poles of each magnet results from the fundamental molecular magnet that forms the magnet under consideration. The inability to create a monopole magnet also has its basis on the existence of bipolar molecules. Each split or separation of a magnet results into two independent magnets with independent south poles and north poles. This is because the splitting of a magnet does not affect the direction of the magnetic force of each individual molar magnet. Finally, the theory supports the field property of magnets. This is because the magnetic field around each magnet results from the cumulative field of each individual molecule. The sec ond significant theory of magnetism is the domain theory. This theory is based on the orbiting or spinning of electrons around the nucleus. The spinning of electrons creates both an electric and magnetic field around the electron. When most of the electrons within an atom spin in a similar direction, a magnetic field results around the atom. Magnetism results from the resultant effects of such electrons. On the other hand, the atoms of a non-magnetized mater

General Patton leadership during war Research Paper

General Patton leadership during war - Research Paper Example Defeat in a war not only means political and also cultural loss of a nation but also massive loss of youth life with no purpose gained. A war commander’s purpose is to visualize enemy’s approach and accordingly formulate strategies to achieve victory on the battlefield. For this, he has to efficiently and effectively communicate his visions and missions to his subordinates. An able commander is largely responsible for a nation’s success or failure in a war (Sanderson, 1997, pp.1-2). This paper explores the leadership strategies and attitude of one of the most renowned American war commandant George S. Patton Jr. Considered as one of the most successful military men of all times, General George Smith Patton, Jr. was born on November 11, 1885 in San Gabriel, California. He is famous for his commanding power of any war and his strong leadership style. He used to carry pistols with ivory handles and was known for his temper. He showed immense persistence in driving his troops to acquire excellence in their wartime skills. Even during his childhood days, Patton nurtured the dream of becoming a military man, and he never indulged in any other career option. His passion for war and weapons was born from hearing stories of bravery and successful missions about his ancestors who were involved in various wars like the Revolutionary War, the Mexican War and the Civil War. After attending Virginia Military Institute for one year, he completed his graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point on June 11, 1909. After that he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the 15th cavalry Regi ment. In the year 1912, George Patton participated in the Olympics that was held in Stockholm. As a representative of the United States, he competed with other rivals in the first Modern Pentathlon. This event initially was open only for military officers, and it was a stringent test to

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENTas coherent and strategic management Essay

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENTas coherent and strategic management - Essay Example The term 'human resource,' first emerged in 1950's, coined by Peter Druker in one of his seminars and traces back to organisational development and human capital theory. HRM is controversial and debatable surrounded by great academic diversity. Confusion is caused because of the 'ambiguous pedigree' of the concept (Noon, 1992). There is a lack of clarity, the term can be viewed as being broad. HRM is a concept regarded as being enigmatic / obscure due to ideological, empirical and theoretical reasons and in many cases because of micro politics (Storey, 1992). Difficulties in defining HRM and the lack of a universally accepted definition implies that HRM is an innovation that takes on the meaning of whatever the person speaking at the time wants it to be (Torrington, 1989). Questions arise over the existence of HRM (Armstrong, 2000), over its meaning and status; is HRM a 'map,' 'model' or 'theory' (Noon, 1992) and of whether it is distinct from the traditional rhetoric of personnel an d industrial relations management. ... However, there must also be something extra if HRM is to be considered as a new innovative approach. Distinction by integration similarly leads to debate as integration is viewed differently. Again, lack of clarity leads back to the thought of HRM being whatever an organisation wants it to be. There is an apparent scale in operation which takes into account hard and soft HRM. Hard versions of HRM place emphasis on: "Strategic interventions to secure full utilisation of labour resources" (Worsfold, 1999, 340). This type of people management may be expected within the manufacturing industry, on the production line which is product and profit driven rather than service. Whereas soft versions of HRM emphasise: "Strategic interventions for commitment and development" (Worsfold, 1999, 340). Soft HRM would appear to be more synonymous with service industries, where the product is generally intangible, customers often receive an experience provided by the 'human resource,' thus commitment is sought. The human resource is perhaps more valuable, their impact greater and they may not be as easily replaced as perhaps a production operative in the manufacturing industry. Hard HRM relates back to the human relations movement from where personnel management can claim some of its origins and presents workers as a commodity, a resource to be exploited: "to be used dispassionately and in a formal rational manner" (Storey, 1992, 26). Hard HRM reflects the capitalist tradition, operating against workers' interests with no significance regarded to their well being, exploitation being paternalist and benevolent (Guest, 1999). "Essentially workers are simply resources to be squeezed and disposed of as business

Marketing Challenges of Sony Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Challenges of Sony Company - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Sony continuously conducts product researchers making its customers constantly in wait for whatever new development it has and these activities primarily help it to be positively pushed to its competitive advantage. However, there should be other major important information that should be clearly elaborated in order to understand the prevailing challenges that the company faces. This primarily includes the various changes in the marketplace which particularly should always involve political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors and more. Under political factor, it is always common to look at the government’s conservatism when it comes to dealing with business. One perfect example would be the case of privatisation. In every government, there is always a strong stand on controlling the rise of certain organisation. In Japan for instance, various organisations are faced with remarkable challenges becaus e the government is trying to protect the interest of small organisations in their respective industry. However, the ability of Sony to leverage its core competencies together with other organisation is a proof that there is always the right timing in politics. For instance, Sony’s intent to leverage its core competencies with a Swedish telecommunication company in order to beat Nokia resulted to the birth of Sony Ericsson. This joint venture is a remarkable proof that finding the right place for each organisation is needed in order to enhance its core competencies. This at some point has specifically involved the prevailing political stand of a nation which basically has great impact on the entire business process of an organisation. For instance, a government saying no to privatisation may significantly create an impact to those organisations planning to leverage their core competencies through it. This is a proven trend in the whole business industry of electronics. For in stance, every profit organisation in this industry is simply trying to be a cut above the other by reaching its competitive advantage. Competitive advantage is something that needs to be worked out because it serves as something that will enhance core competencies. The Sony Ericsson merging is an act of enhancing the core competencies of the companies involved. However, the main point is to actually consider having a high level of competitive advantage. In the same way, politics is involved in here and this is the reality, to beat the opponents and be the market leader in a specific industry. Sony Ericsson is attempting to beat Nokia and many other market leaders n the mobile phone industry. In reality, Sony is highly affected by the ever-changing trends and the market share of its competitors. Sony is a diversified company covering different market segments for its diversified products. Its diversification from purely an electronic firm reminds its potential to grow. However, all o f these are fueled by the ever-changing strategies conducted by its competitors who have certain focus in their respective industry. For example, the varying strategic moves of Nokia, Samsung, LG Electronics and Apple Incorporated triggered Sony to do more and try its best much even harder. This is due to the fact that each competing organisation tries to create their own competitive advantage in order to become the key player in its industry. Each of these competing organisations has specific core competencies that differentiate it from the other.

African American History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

African American History - Essay Example The following study text will evaluate King’s role in the Civil Rights Movement with regards to his unique and effective strategies applied in acquiring overwhelming victory against white supremacy. Born in January 1929 as Michael Luther King, King grew up in religious environment and both his father and grandfather were pastors at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. In 1948, he earned a B.A. at the Morehouse College and proceeded to the Crozer Theological Seminary in 1951. In 1955, he earned a doctorate from the Boston University where he also happened to meet his wife Coretta Scott. After his graduation from Boston University, he began his pastoral role as at the Montgomery Avenue Baptist Church. This is where his journey into world history began. Rosa Sparks, a young black woman refused to give up her seat for a white person to sit in a bus and this had sparked controversy all over the United States around 1955. By chance, King’s Montgomery Church was chosen as the meeting venue to host one of the meetings to discuss the matter, and King happened to be there1. The meeting acted to recruit King into his call of advocating for the end to racial discrimination in the United States. Rosa Sparks was thrown into jail and King could not stomach the sense that she had been jailed for failing to give her seat to a white person. Following this, he planned his first public demonstration. In the same year, he mobilized the entire Montgomery [mainly African American] community to boycott the city’s transport service. He demanded equal rights for all. After an unending one year of boycott, a court ruling in Browder V. Gayle put an end to the discrimination on the public bus service and everyone was free to board the buses. This did not end, but sparked a new struggle aimed at eradicating racism all over the United States2. Martin Luther King Jr. was

Marketing Challenges of Sony Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Challenges of Sony Company - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Sony continuously conducts product researchers making its customers constantly in wait for whatever new development it has and these activities primarily help it to be positively pushed to its competitive advantage. However, there should be other major important information that should be clearly elaborated in order to understand the prevailing challenges that the company faces. This primarily includes the various changes in the marketplace which particularly should always involve political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal factors and more. Under political factor, it is always common to look at the government’s conservatism when it comes to dealing with business. One perfect example would be the case of privatisation. In every government, there is always a strong stand on controlling the rise of certain organisation. In Japan for instance, various organisations are faced with remarkable challenges becaus e the government is trying to protect the interest of small organisations in their respective industry. However, the ability of Sony to leverage its core competencies together with other organisation is a proof that there is always the right timing in politics. For instance, Sony’s intent to leverage its core competencies with a Swedish telecommunication company in order to beat Nokia resulted to the birth of Sony Ericsson. This joint venture is a remarkable proof that finding the right place for each organisation is needed in order to enhance its core competencies. This at some point has specifically involved the prevailing political stand of a nation which basically has great impact on the entire business process of an organisation. For instance, a government saying no to privatisation may significantly create an impact to those organisations planning to leverage their core competencies through it. This is a proven trend in the whole business industry of electronics. For in stance, every profit organisation in this industry is simply trying to be a cut above the other by reaching its competitive advantage. Competitive advantage is something that needs to be worked out because it serves as something that will enhance core competencies. The Sony Ericsson merging is an act of enhancing the core competencies of the companies involved. However, the main point is to actually consider having a high level of competitive advantage. In the same way, politics is involved in here and this is the reality, to beat the opponents and be the market leader in a specific industry. Sony Ericsson is attempting to beat Nokia and many other market leaders n the mobile phone industry. In reality, Sony is highly affected by the ever-changing trends and the market share of its competitors. Sony is a diversified company covering different market segments for its diversified products. Its diversification from purely an electronic firm reminds its potential to grow. However, all o f these are fueled by the ever-changing strategies conducted by its competitors who have certain focus in their respective industry. For example, the varying strategic moves of Nokia, Samsung, LG Electronics and Apple Incorporated triggered Sony to do more and try its best much even harder. This is due to the fact that each competing organisation tries to create their own competitive advantage in order to become the key player in its industry. Each of these competing organisations has specific core competencies that differentiate it from the other.

Strategic Plan Initiative Essay Example for Free

Strategic Plan Initiative Essay Starbucks is a fast growing coffee distributor around the globe. Starbucks is challenged to manage its business with strategic initiatives. This paper will discuss the relationship between strategic and financial planning efforts of the Seattle-based barista and initiatives outlined in the latest annual report. Also, how these initiatives affect the organization’s financial planning and what risks are associated with the initiatives will be reviewed. Understandably, in the highly competitive market of supplying customers with the best coffee products calls for calculated strategic and financial planning. Strategic Vs. Financial Planning Starbucks began as a lone coffee shop in Seattle, Washington; just 40 years later, Starbucks is now a leading competitor of coffee confections around the world (Starbucks, 2012). Because the ultimate goal is to be the best supplier of good coffee to coffee enthusiasts, having strategic and financial plans in place is crucial, since one is the basis for the other. Strategic planning is the guide for which all financial planning will follow suit. A â€Å"strategic plan defines, in very general terms, how the firm plans to make money in the future† (Titman, Keown, Marin, 2011, p. 564). The strategic plan is the backdrop that drives and guides financial planning. â€Å"Financial planning is all about allocating finite resources such as money, employees and equipment over time, to reach the broad goals set out in strategic planning. To do so involves measuring current performance against past data and trends for the future† (Boone, 2013, para. 3). There are four key compo nents to developing a financial plan which engages many different players. The four steps are: collect historical financial data, identify trends, adjust projections, and revise estimates (Titman, Keown, Marin, p. 564, 2011). But strategists cannot forget that financial planning can be divided into two components, short and long term planning. Long term planning is typically three to five years, whereas short term looks only one year ahead. Starbucks outlines both short and long strategic planning initiatives each year in annual reports and in turn gives the public and stakeholders the short and long term company initiatives. Starbucks Strategic Planning Initiatives and Financial Effects Starbucks has a number of creditors, investors, shareholders, and all around stakeholders that have a vested interest in viewing the success and vision of the company regularly. The latest annual report, 2011, speaks to these initiatives in great detail, outlining the successes and risks of chosen strategic path. According to the Starbucks Annual Report 2011, (2011), the c ompany â€Å"reported the highest annual revenue ever: $11.7 billion† (Starbucks Corporation Fiscal Year 2011 Annual Report, 2012, p. 1). Clearly, the Starbucks leaders and family are doing something right, and most assuredly, the strategic initiatives are working. One key initiative was to increase earnings per share and return millions to shareholders; not an easy task given the troubled economy in the United States. Starbucks â€Å"ended fiscal 2011 with record earnings per share of $1.62, up 31 percent from last year’s $1.24 per share. Through share repurchases and dividends, we returned approximately $945 million to shareholders, more than doubling the amount returned in fiscal 2010† (Starbucks Corporation Fiscal Year 2011 Annual Report, 2012, p. 3). According to Titman, Keown, Marin (2011), one key principal of the valuation of investment opportunities is made available through cash flows (p. 333). Looking at the cash flows data from 2010 to 2011, Starbucks decreased approximately $.1 billion cash flows from operations and increased capital expenditures by approximately $92 million (Starbucks Corporation Fiscal Year 2011 Annual Report, p. 21, 2012). Starbucks actively manages these as short-term investments. Another feather in the Starbucks cap is payment of cash dividends to shareholders. In 2011, $.13 per share totaling $390 million was paid (Starbucks Corporation Fiscal Year 2011 Annual Report, p. 21, 2012). Studies have shown that use of cash in this manner, paying cash dividends and share repurchases, has grown significantly from stating that â€Å"the proportion of firm earnings distributed through both approaches has grown from about 40% in the 1970s to near 80% by 2000† (Titman, Keown, Marin, 2011, p. 537). These Initiatives of this nature can affect the organization’s financial planning lending better cash revenues and fiscal statistics. More specifically, reducing the number of stocks increases the earnings per share. This was evident with the price per share increase of $.38 per share from 2010 to 2011, as noted above. However, companies cannot operate without caution; risks are associated with every financial planning endeavor and the initiative to pay out millions to shareholders is not without exception. Risks associated with the initiative. When conducting financial risk management, leadership and financial planners cognizant of market risks associated with the financial planning efforts and the long term effects of these short term goals. â€Å"Market risk is defined as the risk of losses due to changes in commodity prices, foreign currency exchange rates, equity security prices, and interest rates† (Starbucks Corporation Fiscal Year 2011 Annual Report, 2012, p. 37 ). Companies today must closely monitor market trends and risks alike. Starbucks is no exception, and significantly due to its dealings overseas and across varied currency rates and cultures. Although, market risks are not key player when discussing cash dividends and share repurchases. The main risk here is the long term impact of the payout strategy. It is commonly believed that just increasing earnings per share does not necessarily mean company success. â€Å"Companies shouldnt confuse the value created by returning cash to shareholders with the value created by actual operational improvements; moreover, a companys fixation on buybacks might come at the cost of investments in its long-term health† (Dobbs Rehm, 2005, para. 1, 3). Management must understand the pitfalls of creative financing and keep the benefits to shareholders as a key focus and paramount for longevity. Conclusion The Starbucks Corporation is committed to profiteering with short term investments and long term focus to remain competitive. Starbucks understands the relationship between strategic and financial planning and many initiatives are outlined in every annual report. In particular, the financial planning was clearly defined by a number of incentives, and the incentive to utilize cash flows to return a substantial allocation to shareholders and reduce shares through share buybacks created success story for the company. The coffee market is not without major competitors, however, the strategic vision, financial planning, and monitoring of financial risks allows Starbucks to not only stay afloat, but lead the coffee frontier. References Boone, B. (2013). What’s the difference between strategic and financial planning? Retrieved from http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/financial-planning/strategic-and-financial-planning.htm Dobbs, R. Rehm, W. (2005, August). The value of share buybacks. McKinsey Quarterly. Retrieved from http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/The_value_of_share_buybacks_1630 Starbucks Corporation Fiscal Year 2011 Annual Report. (2012). Retrieved from http://investor.starbucks.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99518p=irol-irhome Titman, S., Keown, A.J., Marin, J.D. (2011). Financial management: Principles and applications (11th ed.). Retrieved from University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.

Case Study on Strategic Management of Global Companies

Case Study on Strategic Management of Global Companies 1.1 What are the key differences between the two accounts of Hondas entry into the US market? 2The first case is narrated by The Harvard Business School based on the Boston consulting (BCG) Report whereas the second case, An Insiders Account of Hondas Entry into the US Market is a direct narration recorded by Richard Pascale. The BCG report explains on the Honda Company as a matured business and a mix of its competitors in the US. As affirmed in the case; Hondas competitors were Harley-Davidson, BSA, Triumph, Norton, and Moto-Guzzi. Whereas, the second case enlightens how the company initiated from scratch and its journey through the difficult times. Richard Pascales article explains the challenges that the company went through during its commencement, such as difficulty in getting funds; treatment of the motorcycle dealers was discourteous, while in the BCG article no challenges were mentioned. The BCG report emphasizes more on the Hondas in-depth research and development department for instance having more staff; as said in the article, the RD was staffed with 700 designers/engineers, increase in the production level as a result more investment in the RD department. While the second case doesnt explain anything with regard to the research and development since it is taking the business at an initiative level. The BCG report highlights target market in general whereas the second article explains target market in details as said in the case, the company chose Los Angeles as the location whereby their target market consisted of second and third generation of Japanese community. Richard Pascales article clearly identified the companys products offered to the market as stated in the article; the products were 50cc, 125cc, 250cc and 350cc machines while in the first essay explains the general overview of the companys products. 1.2 REFERENCE AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: Herbert Rotters former Goldwing page former Yamaha Virago 1100 page, Personal Homepage, Honda Motorcycle 350 CB [Image] http://www.porzellanpuppen.at/hpbikes/bikeenglish.htm Electronic Source Cover Page Image Greenwich University; Course Work: The Honda Effect, Case Study Scenario. CASE STUDY 2- LAURA ASHLEY 2.1 Map Laura Ashleys stakeholders using a power/interest matrix. 4Stakeholders are individuals, groups or organizations who are affected directly or indirectly by organizations goals, objectives, actions and policies. 5Stakeholder Analysis is a tool used to recognize the stakeholders and investigate their needs as they are the ones who are concerned with the actions taking place within the organization. The aim of this analysis is to identify the stakeholders interests, concerns and manage relationships with them. The method used to access stakeholders is Mendelows Stakeholder Matrix which has two dimensions; Power and Interest with four quadrants.  [6]  Interest talks about the stakeholders concern towards a project whereas power talks about the control over the project. Interest Minimal Effort people who need to be observed without boring them with unnecessary communication. Keep Informed people who need to be informed sufficiently, talked and make sure that no major issues take place. They can help with the developing the project details. Keep Satisfied people who need to be well satisfied with nothing much that would bore them whilst comprehending of the assignment. Key Player- people who must be associated and satisfied with the efforts made. 7Laura Ashleys stakeholders are Analysts, London Stock Exchange Market, Malayan United Industries (MUI) shareholder Dr. Khoo, Customers, Government and Suppliers. It is essential that the stakeholder management should be conducted so as to know each stakeholders level of power and interest along with their impact on the company. However it is sometimes difficult to locate all companys stakeholders in one frame as in the case of Laura Ashley. Beneath is the table, of the Stakeholder Map showing the strategies that are applied for Laura Ashley. Interest 2.2 REFERENCE AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: Vintage Verity Adoring all things vintage, retro and downright quirky Laura Ashley logo [Image] http://vintageverity.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/cath-kidson-v-laura-ashley/ Electronic Source Cover Page Image Business Dictionary, An Ask.com Service, Definition of Stakeholder http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/stakeholder.html Johnson et al, 2009, Fundamentals of Strategy: Definition of Stakeholder, 1st edn, page 90. Wikipedia, October 16, 2008, Stakeholder Analysis, Wikipedia Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stakeholder_analysis BaBou, March 9th, 2008, Leadership Champions, What is Stakeholder Analysis? Part 1: Definition and aim of Stakeholder Analysis, http://leadershipchamps.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/what-is-stakeholder-analysis Mind Tools Essential Skills for an excellent career, Winning Support for your Projects, Stakeholder Analysis: Mendelows Stakeholder Matrix, http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_07.htm BaBou, March 10th, 2008, Leadership Champions, What is Stakeholder Analysis? Part 2: Mendelows Stakeholder Matrix, http://leadershipchamps.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/what-is-stakeholder-analysis/ Greenwich University; Course Work: Laura Ashley, Case Study Scenario CASE STUDY 3- APPLYING A BALANCED SCORECARD 3.1 What arguments would you use to persuade an organization to adopt the Balanced Scorecard approach? 9A Balanced Scorecard (BSC) is a tool that is used to measure a companys business activities in relation to its vision along with its strategies. It provides managers a complete knowledge of the business performance. 10Figure 1 Usually when organizations measure performance, it is the financial area that is given more attention while the rest of the aspects are not taken much into consideration. It is therefore important that organizations should pursue in using the balanced scorecard.  [11]  Below are some of the benefits which the organizations will gain. One of them being a source of direction since it guides the management as well as helps identify what needs to be measured in order to accomplish organizational goals which will in return act as a competitive advantage for the firm. With Balanced Scorecard, firms are able to determine both financial as well as non-financial measures. As said in the case study, the balance scorecard was to combine three new sets of measures with the customary financial ones, embracing the customer, learning and growth, and internal issues such as quality improvement and cost control. Balanced scorecard allows firms to develop as well as expand so as to align new organizational strategies, as said by Mr. Hofmeister in the case study, it gives us better and better alignment (between all operating units) and focuses attention on whats important and on results. Through the balanced scorecard, organizations are able to the compare past experience in order to improve its performance which will help predict what will happen in the future. Although the growth of practicing balanced scorecard is slow, however many organizations have already accepted and are applying it. 3.2 REFERENCE AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: Businessballs.com, Balanced Scorecard; Kaplan and Nortons organizational performance management tool Balance Scorecard [Image] http://www.businessballs.com/balanced_scorecard.htm Papaers4You, Guide on How to write University Essays, Coursework, Assignments and Dissertations: Definition of Balanced Scorecard, 2002-2007, http://university-essays.tripod.com/balanced_scorecard.html Business Knowledge Source, What is a Balanced Scorecard, and what does it have to do with manufacturing? Definition of Balanced Scorecard, http://www.businessknowledgesource.com/manufacturing/what_is_a_balanced_scorecard_and_what_does_it_have_to_do_with_manufacturing_023647.html Ali, Md. Mohobbot, The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) A Critical Analysis, http://eprints.lib.okayama-u.ac.jp/1391/1/18_0219_0232.pdf Queensland Government, Southbank Institute of Technology, Strategic goals: Balanced Scorecard Framework [Image] http://www.southbank.edu.au/site/about/corporate/mission.asp Balboa, Jun 26, 2005. ECheat; Porters Five Forces, Value chain, Balanced: Critically evaluation of Porters five forces, Value Chain Analysis, Balanced Scorecard Benefits of Balanced Scorecard. http://www.echeat.com/essay.php?t=27147 Business Knowledge Source, What is a Balanced Scorecard, and what does it have to do with manufacturing? Benefits of Balanced Scorecard, http://www.businessknowledgesource.com/manufacturing/what_is_a_balanced_scorecard_and_what_does_it_have_to_do_with_manufacturing_023647.html Partnering to Success, The Balanced Scorecard: Benefits from using the Balanced Scorecard, http://www.thebalancedscorecard.com/benefits_bsc.htm Ali, Md. Mohobbot, The Balanced Scorecard (BSC) A Critical Analysis: Benefits of Balanced Scorecard http://eprints.lib.okayama-u.ac.jp/1391/1/18_0219_0232.pdf Beverly Dianne Calhoun, Oct 19, 2004, Using the Balanced Scorecard to Determine Corporate Information Needs: Benefits of Balanced Scorecard http://www.designbydi.com/documents/BalScrCrd.pdf Greenwich University; Course Work: Appling a Balanced Scorecard, Case Study Scenario CASE STUDY 4- FIAT: REBIRTH OF A CARMAKER 4.1 Using the information in the case study undertake a SWOT analysis of Fiat at the time of Sergio Marchionnes appointment and suggest how a SWOT analysis in 2008 may differ. 13SWOT analysis is used for scanning an organization (internal factors) as well as its environment (external factors). The internal factors include strengths(S) and weaknesses (W) while the external factors include opportunity (O) and threats (T). 14 SWOT ANALYSIS FOR FIAT GROUP AUTOMOBILES: Below is a table showing SWOT Analysis before the year 2004. Strengths weaknesses Fiat offered differentiated products. That is; it provides the market with a variety of cars. The companys hierarchy line was long making it more bureaucratic. Fiat cars were viewed as a quality brand. It lacked well developed core competence lending to ugly and unstylish cars. The company was well reputed. It needed to maintain its debts. Ability of manufacturing small cars. Licensing agreement with Bosch for financial support in exchange with the diesel technology that Fiat had. opportunities Threats Fiat had a chance of wining the market share from rivals. Competition with existing automobile firms. The market is ready to accept the new and stylish cars. Partnership agreement with General Motors for giving it them the right to sell its cars. Risk of employing new members to the Fiat family. Table 1 Below is a table showing SWOT Analysis after the year 2004. Strengths weaknesses Distinctive competence of designing low cost equivalent four-cylinder engine. Limited resources. Using technology by means of computer for simulation. Lack of knowledge with regard to entering new markets. For example the Chinese market. Producing new and stylish car designs. Drop in the market share. Competitive advantage of cutting down time to reach the market. Declined performance of the company since Fiat only sold 2000 cars in china, India and Russia. Fiats cars are exploited to have relative fuel efficiency. It is the first carmaker to put forward diesel engines that met the so-called Euro 5 fuel standards. opportunities Threats Winning the market share. Rivalry of potential new competitors. Expanding product line with new and innovative stylish cars. Rivalry with existing competitors such as VW and PSA Peugeot Citroen. Entering into joint venture for instance, with companies like SAIC (China) and TATA (India). Adverse demographic. For insistence Russian market; is it ready to accept the cars offered to them? Entering new geographic markets such as Brazilian, China, India and Russia. Challenge in controlling quality of the car brand. Fiat cars expect to have lower average emissions than any other competitor due to its fuel efficiency. Risk of employing new members to the Fiat family. Table 2 Comparing SWOT analysis before and after 2004: The company is able to increase its growth by entering new and emergent markets. As said, Fiat is expecting to have its sales from different areas such as outside Western Europe, China, India, Russia and soon overtake Germany. Fiat will also be able to increase sales along with its market share whereas before 2004, its sales were dropped; market share had declined and a lot of debt was to be paid. With introduction of technology, new stylish cars were offered to the market with reducing time at development area so as to start the production as soon as possible. The firm was able to rectify mistakes that it made earlier. For example the licensing agreement with Bosch in exchange with the diesel technology that Fiat had. Below is a table showing a comparison between the two SWOT Analyses. 2004 2008 Sales were dropped, Market share declined and a lot of debt was pending to be paid. Sales along with its market share increased. Fiats core competence had ceased. Developed new competences such as designing low cost equivalent four-cylinder engine, usage of technology, cutting down time to reach the market, relative fuel efficiency, put forward diesel engines. Mistake of licensing with other companies in order to support their finances in exchange with their ability. The firm will not repeat the same mistake of licensing; hence it will protect its competitive advantages. The companys hierarchy line was long making it more bureaucratic. The hierarchy line had become shorter making it less bureaucratic allowing the process to be smooth. Table 3 By 2008, most of the weaknesses had been reduced due to the rearrangement of the organizational system however, at the same time; a lot of improvement has been made. Therefore in order to develop, it is essential that the company takes many risks, as done by the Fiat Group Automobiles, since it is through this, the company has reached where it is now. 4.2 REFERENCE AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: Legendarydevils, Thread: 140 Fiat Cars Wallpapers, Fiat Cars Image http://www.legendarydevils.com/english/2173933-140-fiat-cars-wallpapers.html Quick MBA Knowledge to Power your Business, Strategic Management: Defining SWOT Analysis. http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/swot/ Marketing Teacher Est 2000, Lesson: SWOT Analysis, Definition of SWOT analysis. http://www.marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_swot.htm Greenwich University; Course Work: Fiat: Rebirth of a carmaker, Case Study Scenario. CASE STUDY 5- THE PROFITABILITY OF UK RETAILERS 15 5.1 Use the industry analysis framework to explain the profitability of the main supermarket chains in the UK. Analyzing profitability of any Industry is done through The Five Forces Model that was put forward by Michael Porter. Beneath is a figure of the model. 16Figure 1 17Below is an industrial analysis showing the profitability of the main UK supermarket chains. SUPPLIERS Bargaining power of the suppliers is Low since British firms have command over their suppliers. As said in the case; British firms are more experienced and more skillful in their buying power to extract better terms from suppliers. BUYERS Customers bargaining power is also Low since the supermarket groups have control over them. As said in the case; The UK groups exert massive buying power by utilizing the oligopoly power to impose a higher-than-normal price on their customers. RIVALRY The competition between existing supermarkets is extremely high, due to the fact that there are many groups within this industry which have similar products / services. SUBSTITUTES Threat of substitutes is high as customers can switch to other shops instead of going to the supermarkets since they might be charged with a higher price as compared to other shops providing similar products at a lower price. Secondly, the suppliers could also switch to other firms rather than the British supermarkets due to the buying power exerted by the supermarkets. THREATS OF NEW ENTRANTS With lots of competition, threat of new entrants is relatively high, since the industry is more profitable in UK. At the same time, UK groups have barriers that cause difficulty for new competitors to enter the industry. Some of them being: Application of IT in their logistics, Lower Labor costs and High own-label penetration. Reference list Carpenter, M, Bauer, T, Erdogan, B, Flatworld Knowledge, Principles of Management; Developing Strategy through External Analysis Porters Five Forces Analysis of Market Structure. [Image] http://www.flatworldknowledge.com/pub/1.0/principles-management/29047#web-29047 BUS 2700 Business Driven Information Technology, chapter 2: Identifying Competitive Advantages; The Five Forces Model Evaluating Business Segments. The Five Forces Model. [Image] http://bus2700-spring08.blogspot.com/2008/01/chapter-two-identifying-competitive.html Greenwich University; Course Work: The Profitability of UK Retailers Case Study Scenario. Tutors notes on Industrial Analysis: Five Forces Model Service design is one of the key resources that Novotel has, making it valuable. It includes the layout of the hotel allowing the customers to easily access the public spaces such as bars and restaurants. Distribution systems are attained by good relationships with distributors. Novotel has achieved to operate in both individual and corporate business as well as leisure markets. Firm infrastructure and Procurement Novotels relationships with partners develop a strong bond creating a valuable asset to the organization. Its efficiency allows delivering both economies of scale and scope making it rare and difficult to imitate. Staff retention is the most essential resource required in this industry. To retain and motivate, is a challenge Novotel was competent to do, thus reducing staff turnover through staff exchanges resulting to value creation. Standardization in all the locations worldwide is another benefit that Novotel has; allowing the staff to understand basic functions. This technique is valued and rare. Novotels Multi-skilled staff creates an exceptional resource and is most valued. The skills given to them during the training makes them capable of doing multiple tasks. Most of the capabilities conclude to be temporary competitive, since the industry is such that many competitors can imitate most of the capabilities and resources that the Novotel hotel has, directly or indirectly. Hence Novotels most sustainable competitive advantages are obtaining and retaining its multi-skilled staff that can work flexibly as well as having good relationships with suppliers. Reference list tophotelsphuket.com, Top Hotels in Phuket, Thailand, Novotel Hotels and Resorts Novotel logo [Image] http://www.tophotelsphuket.com/hotels/novotel-hotels-phuket.htm Applying the VRIO Framework: An Overview; VRIO Analysis. http://academic.udayton.edu/DianeSullivan/Other%20Helpful%20Files/Applying%20the%20VRIO%20Framework.doc Abraham Z. et al, Pacific Lutheran University School of Business, Vodafone Strategic Evaluation; VRIO Analysis, 2007. http://www.plu.edu/~vennataj/doc/vodafone.doc Scott Gallagher, 2004; Why do firm performance differ? Internal Analysis VRIO Analysis; Updated on 1st Nov 2007, http://falcon.jmu.edu/~gallagsr/WDFPD-Internal.pdf Greenwich University; Course Work: The Novotel Value Chain Case Study Scenario Tutors notes on: VRIO Analysis CASE STUDY 7- THE LEVISS PERSONAL PAIR PROPOSAL 7.1 What position in the market does Levis occupy (use the strategy clock to characterize its position)? 21Bowman derived the strategic clock into four quadrants, having eight dimensions namely; No fill, Low price strategy, Hybrid, Differentiation, Focused differentiation, Increased price / Standard value, Increased price / Low value, Standard price/ Low value. The clock is compared in terms of Perceived Price and Perceived Benefit or Added Value as shown below. By using the strategic clock, Levis business environment is positioned to be in the fourth category which is the Differentiation. This is because; Levis offers a variety of products that have added value as well as a premium price slightly higher than the normal in order to satisfy the consumers needs. Levis products have Quality, Brand Image and Product Design and as a result creates Price premium, Customer Loyalty, giving the company a competitive advantage against its competitors. Due to Levis brand recognition and loyalty, its price offered is also slightly higher than its rivals therefore prevents itself from entering the price-based competition. As said in the case; Due to brand recognition and loyalty they did not enter into price based competition thus controlling reasonable price premium Levis also provides a wide range of products such as pants, shorts, skirts, jackets, and outwear. As said in the case; while blue jeans remain the companys mainstay, the San Francisco based company also sells pants made of corduroy, twill and various other fabrics as well as shorts, skirts, jackets, and outwear. With a premium price, along with its strong brand name, Levis has been able to position itself in the differentiation category, resulting into value-added products, hence gaining higher profit margins. 7.2 REFERENCE AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: Feed the Interns A Daily Bite, Thursday, August 12th, 2010, Levis arent just for dads anymore?; Levis Logo [Image] http://feedtheinternsblog.blogspot.com/ Electronic Source Cover Page Image Dagmar Recklies, April 2001, Literature by: David Faulkner and Cliff Bowman, The Management.de The Essence of Competitive Strategy, The Strategic Clock Strategies on the basis of price and value: Differentiation strategy. http://www.themanagement.de/ressources/Strategy%20Clock.htm Strategy Explorers, Bases of Competitive Advantage: The Strategy Clock http://www.strategyexplorers.com/whitepapers/Do-you-have-a-competitive-strategy.pdf Zanthus Corp. 2007; Business Strategy Bowman, C. and Faulkner, D.; Competitive and Corporate Strategy; Irwin; 1996 Bowman Strategy Clock http://www.zanthus.com/databank/strategy/business_strategy.php?aspr Greenwich University; Course Work: The Levis Personal Pair Proposal Case Study Scenario. Tutors notes on: VRIO Analysis Zanthus Corp. 2007; Business Strategy Bowman, C. and Faulkner, D.; Competitive and Corporate Strategy; Irwin; 1996 -Bowman Strategy Clock:[Image] http://www.zanthus.com/databank/strategy/business_strategy.php?aspr CASE STUDY 8- THE VIRGIN GROUP 8.1 Does the virgin Group, as a corporate parent, add value to its businesses? If so how? 24According to Johnson et al, Corporate parenting is the level of management above that of the business units, and therefore without direct interaction with buyers and competitors. (Johnson et al, 2009, p.172). Below are some of the areas through which the Virgin Group corporate parent adds value to its businesses. First the corporate parent has added value in establishing a strong brand name such as being a consumers champion through which barriers to entry could be overcome. Virgin is a reputed and well known brand in the market, thus enabling it to expand itself in static markets. In addition, the Virgin Group has a good resource management team. Branson together with his expertise and experienced team, review business proposals every week, out of which, appropriate prospects that match with the Virgin brand are then discussed. This enables Virgin to identify industries as well as institutionalized markets in which to enter. Moreover, the corporate parent assists in reducing organizational risks by entering into many joint ventures. Through these ventures Virgin, is able to penetrate new or untapped feasible markets allowing it attain low costs as well as expansion. Furthermore, Virgin Groups management style and leadership system is decentralized providing its managers with flexibility in decision making. Branson is mostly involved when it comes to marketing and promotion. In terms of innovation, the brand name itself tends to invite like minded partners to venture new markets thus allowing innovation and differentiation. Indeed, Virgin Group as a corporate parent adds value to its business by always trying to venture untapped markets and manage the business in a liberal way. 25As said by Andrew Campbell et al, Fit between a parent and its businesses is a two-edged sword: a good fit can create value: a bad one can destroy it. (Thompson and Strickland, 2004, p.290) 8.3 REFERENCE AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: Rotty Seinfeld, Downtown Pets nyc dog services for lower Manhattan, Virgin founder Richard Branson on Charity and Dire Straits, Thursday, October 11th , 2007 at 7:45am; Virgin Group [Image] http://nyc_dog_blog.downtownpet.com/2007/10/virgin-found-richard-branson-on-charity.html Electronic Source Cover Page Image Johnson et al, 2009, Fundamentals of Strategy: Corporate Parenting, 1st edn, page 172 Rob Abdul, WSI Case Study: Virgin Corporate Strategy, Value Adding by Corporate Parent http://www.robabdul.com/the-virgin-group-case-study.asp The Role of the Corporate Parent Outline http://www.business.stir.ac.uk/teaching/Business%20Studies/Units/Autumn/StrategicManagement/4027Role%20of%20the%20corporate%20parent.ppt#257,1,The role of the corporate parent Exploring Corporate Strategy; The Virgin Group. http://esecourses.com/cfincase.pdf Scribd.com, Corporate Parenting Fundamentals, February 16th 2009, Corporate Parenting Style Supported its Strategic Implementation? http://www.scribd.com/doc/12456190/Corporate-Parenting-Fundmentals Greenwich University; Course Work: The Virgin Group Case Study Scenario. Tutors notes on: Corporate Parenting Thompson and Strickland, 2004, Strategic Management: Strategy and Competitive Advantage in Diversified Companies, Quotation on Corporate Parenting. 13th edn, page.290 Greenwich University; Course Work: The Virgin Group Case Study Scenario Flow chart of the Virgin Group Electronic Source- Article CASE STUDY 9- EXTENDING THE easy BUSINESS MODEL How would you characterize easyGroups growth strategies in terms of Ansoff matrix? 28Ansoff matrix is a tool used by the organization to establish growth strategies that focus on its product as well as market growth. It is divided into four quadrants namely; Market penetration, Market development, Product development and Diversification.  [29]  Below are the growth strategies used by the easyGroup. Existing Products New Products Existing Markets Market Penetration Product Development New Markets Market Development Diversification easyGroup penetrates its market by providing best services at low price thus attaining customer satisfaction and loyalty. As a result, companys market share increases. . For example, easyJet provides its customers with affordable services through various strategic campaigns and promotions. Additionally, easyCar rents brand new A-Class Mercedes cars at a lower price reflecting easyGroups brand. It has also established pick-up and drop-off areas nearer to the car parks by means of mobile vans. Moreover, easyGroup develops its products by either modifying or getting into new businesses within the same market. For example, the group expanded easyinternetcafe services by setting up smaller Points of Presence (PoP), within existing enterprises, example McDonalds, Burger King, and Subway. Furthermore, easyGroups market development involves offering existing products to new markets. The easyGroup is planning to extend its easyinternetcafe through franchising involving store establishment, local marketing and store maintenance as well as entering into international markets such as in US. For the case of easyCar, the group aims to expand its sites from 50 to 80. easyGroups diversification strategy enables it to increase its scope, by providing new markets with new services not only in the airline industry but also in other industries. For example easyGroup launched new ventures such as the easyCar, easyValue as well as easyMoney, and is now planning to enter into the cinema industry. Thus, the company experiences unrelated diversification strategy. 9.2 REFERENCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY: easy.com more value for less, The portal site for all easyGroup companies, easyGroup logo [Image] http://www.easy.com/ Quick MBA Knowledge to Power your Business, Strategic Management; Ansoff Matrix Definition of Ansoff Matrix. http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/matrix/ansoff/ Marketing Teacher, Est 2000, Ansoff Matrix Planning for Growth; Definition of Ansoff Matrix http://www.marketingteacher.com/Lessons/lesson_ansoff.htm tutor2u, Ansoff product/ market matrix; Definition of Ansoff Matrix http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/ansoff_matrix.htm university essays tripod, Guide to write university essays, course works, assignments and dissertation: Ansoff Analysis; http://university-essays.tripod.com/ansoff_analysis.html Custom essays from Degree Essays; Business Essays Easy Group Study, Strategic Direction Ansoff Matrix of easygroup http://www.degree-essays.com/essays/businessessays/easy-group-study.php Greenwich University; Course Work: Extending the easy Business Model, Ca