Research methods for managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research methods for managers - Essay Example tive philosophy, business management in social world is so complex that faces several difficulties while formulating laws and theories like in natural science. Moreover, the philosophy represents the meaning and truth of simple facts for every situation. In order to justify the application of research philosophies, the research topic which has been selected for the purpose of the study is â€Å"Motivation of knowledge workers in the financial service industry in Japan†. In this research topic, both positivism and interpretivism as the research philosophies can be applied as the topic covers the motivation factor and knowledge level of employees. The application of both philosophies is described below. Positivism philosophy is a typical philosophy that analyzes and evaluates the result of a task or an input by the implementation of few statistical methods. The motivation level of knowledge employees in Japanese financial sector is increasing. To overview the study, positivism philosophy can be implemented. The companies are paying the extra monitory incentives to the knowledge employees after achieving their monthly, quarterly or yearly targets in order to motivate them. Several scientific and statistical methods are being implemented in order to increase business performance in the company. The strategy of incentives is creating threat for the typical Japanese businesses. Moreover, the economic changes affect the business performances of the financial companies. Increasing costs of required software, computer hardware and telecommunication equipments are driving the financial service companies to implement more aggressive business strategies. Several statistical methods in positi vism philosophy can be implemented to identify the natural factors that impact business (Burns & Burns, 2008, p.17). The philosophy reflects the critical thinking of positivism philosophy (Daymon & Holloway, 2010, p.71). In order to study the motivation of knowledge worker in the Japanese

Research a Fortune 500 company Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A Fortune 500 company - Research Paper Example Introduction Wal-Mart is regarded as an American based multinational retail business corporation. It is one of the top companies which regained its position in the Fortune 500 list as per the 2012 report. The company emphasized providing quality products to the customers at a reasonable price which supported it to regain its position in the market (Duke, 2012). The management and the marketing strategies that adopted and used by Wal-Mart have a great impact on its increasing sales and the revenue earned. The foremost reasons for the success of Wal-Mart include its effective management, making deliberate efforts to attain its vision and growth among others which are in turn providing the business of the company an edge over others. Management and Marketing Strategies Wal-Mart developed a business model which focused on providing greater satisfaction to the customer with the deliverance of low price products to them. The management of the company followed upon developing its marketing mix strategy. In terms of analyzing management strategies of Wal-Mart, it can be viewed that the management of the company took steps to offer reasonable prices to the different product ranges that they deliver to the customers. The management segments the product type based on the buying capacity of the individuals. In relation to marketing strategies, the company emphasized promoting its broad assortment of products through using hoardings, leaflets and offering special discounts. In this regard, it can be affirmed that the management of the company desires to attract the customers by creating a positive brand name and recognition in the business markets where it operates. Relating to marketing strategy, the management team of the company developed a slogan as a way of promoting its varied products i.e. "Everyday Low Prices."Â   Continuous innovation and the use of technology for making the customers more satisfied are the other managerial approaches that used by Wal-Mart. It can be apparently observed that technology innovation at Wal-Mart typically involves process and service invention that helps in reducing operational costs and time at large. In this context, the management followed three policy goals i.e. respect for individuals, facility to customers and determination for excellence (Hayden et. al., 2002). Different Business Life Cycles that Endured By Wal-Mart The Prosperity Phase- This phase is regarded as the growth phase of any company which is marked by strong economy and market presence. In this similar concern, Wal-Mart maintained this particular phase by offering "high-quality," along with branded products at low prices and also by forming several stores in small towns. Wal-Mart uses the discount merchandising strategy in order to increase the demand and the sales of its products and hence accomplished superior competitive position over others. In relation to this particular phase, the company is growing rapidly due to diversification strateg y that it follows and expanding its outlets in small towns. Another reason for the company to flourish in this modern business market is focusing on delivering high customer services. Due to excessive demand of the products, the management of the company absorbed more employees during this phase (Hayden et. al., 2002). The Recession and Recovery Phase- This is the business phase which exhibits expansion by a significant level. This particular pha

Leading Innovation And Change

Leading Innovation And Change New technologies, opportunities and threats force organizations to acquire adaptive capacities in order to remain relevant, competitive and survive in an increasingly complex business environment. Organizations and individuals have to embrace change initiative programmes in order to ensure organisational long-term success. In this paper, we look at the main theories of innovation and change, whilst maintaining a general view on how an organization goes about its change management decisions. We will describe one successful, one less successful change initiative and the impact of these two on the organizational culture. We also come to the conclusion that for a successful implementation of change, a company must be more transparent and listen to every employees opinions. Then, an integrated approach to the authors personal performance as a leader and what is still lagging to acquire the skills necessary to change development will be covered. Introduction Change, innovation, and even creativity are not new concepts in the framework of organizational development. The past few decades have witnessed the development of several theoretical models aiming to improve the way organizations function. Change demands both creativity and innovation. Wickoff describes creativity as the act of connecting the new into the existing and making connections that no one else has made (Wycoff, 1991). According to Pearce (Pearce, 1974), individual culture exerts a negative influence on creativity, however, were it not for creativity, culture itself would not be created. Innovation means successfully drawing on new ideas. All innovation begins with creative ideas. Thus, creativity is the starting point for innovation. Changes in innovation are necessary for the successful exploitation of new ideas. In an organizational setting, creativity is the generation of an idea, and innovation as the implementation of these creative ideas, known as creative output. (Woodman, 2008). Amabile implies that creativity requires individuals with creative characteristics, while a group of people are primarily responsible for implementing these creative ideas, so they can result in innovation (Amabile, 1983). At the core of organizational success, an employee is likely to be creative when they expect that their creativeness will lead to personal consequences that are more rewarding. (Ford, 1990) There are individual differences that may trigger employees creativity. Many theories revolve around the fact that individual creativity is a function of personality factors, creativity-relevant skills, specialized knowledge and genuine motivation. Overall, the success of an organization depends on the capacity of its staff to communicate and share knowledge (Bryans, 2001), and it is observed that the importance of specialized knowledge in an organization has been steadily increasing (Ingram, 2000) Hughes states that managing change is one of the major challenges that face not only the organizations, but also the individuals creativities that should accompany the organizations in their processes of change (Hughes 2006). Organizational change is related to organizational strategy, which will guide organizational direction and activities (Thornhill 2000). As individual change is pivotal part of organization change, change management need to be adopted at individual level in order to initiate the change and consequently obtain successful organization change (Hughes 2006). Beer and Noria explain that due to, heightened competition, globalisation, advancements in communications and information technologies, inter-alia, change initiatives have interested the majority of leading organisations. Organizational change initiatives can maximize shareholder value (i.e. economic value theory) and develop organizational capabilities (i.e. organizational capability theory) (Beer, 2000). Throughout this paper, we explore the theories behind innovation and change, evaluating one successful and one less successful innovation/change initiative related to the relevant theories. It also offers a reflection on the authors own performance as a leader of innovation and change, including the development of an action plan for further practicing the relevant skills leading innovation and change. Theories of Innovation Mulgan and Albury (Mulgan, 2003) define innovation as the creation and implementation of new processes, products, services and methods of delivery which result in significant improvements in outcomes efficiency, effectiveness or quality. They further elaborate this concept by linking the idea of creation to a source of value both for the individual consumer and companies. According to Joseph Schumpeter (Schumpeter 1934), innovation is different from invention insofar as the latter covers only aspects related to technical progress while innovation relies on acceptance and marketing. In addition he highlights the importance of innovation for growth and economic development. For example, a technical discovery without a valid product or a service cannot be regarded as an innovation. Van de Ven (Van De Ven 1986) adopts a broader definition of innovation by setting it as the development and implementation of new ideas by individuals who, over time, engage with others in a defined institutional context. Through these different definitions with the common denominator in the individual, innovation could be summarized as a creation, whose application would generate business opportunities meeting existing needs or addressing new needs. Through Schumpeter (Schumpeter 1934), we discover the five major types of innovations: (i) the introduction of a new product; (ii) the introduction of a new method of production, (iii) the opening of new markets; (iv) the conquest of a new source of supply of raw materials; (v) the conception of new organizations. Different from Schumpeters theory, Tidd and Bessant (Bessant, 2009) summarized four dimensions of change, which they define as the 4Ps of innovation: Product innovation changes in things (products/services) which an organization provides; (ii) Process innovation Changes in the ways these things (products/services) are created and delivered; (iii) Position innovation Changes in the context in which the products/services are introduced; (iv) Paradigm innovation Changes in the underlying mental models which frame what the organization does. At the root of innovation is creativity, which is a process and a skill that can be developed and managed throughout the organization. A process is needed together with a culture that will help maximize creative assets. This is innovation capability that triggers organizational health. Tidd (Bessant, 2009) states that the implementing phases of innovation carry a high degree of risky as companies need to invest substantial resources and the uncertainty can significantly influence the implementation process. A great deal of research has been conducted to try to identify what factors affect the rate and extent of adoption of innovation by the markets. A number of characteristics of innovation have been found to affect diffusion (Rogers 2003): Relative advantage, (ii) Compatibility, (iii) Complexity, (iv) Trialability, (v) Observability In a dynamic environment, success comes from looking for the next opportunity and having the ability to finding insights into new products or services. Innovations may also be classified by their degree of intensity. When an innovation brings an improvement to the processes, it is described as incremental innovation. Christensen (Christensen 1997) states that incremental innovation does not change the nature of the product or service but allows the company to strengthen its offer without upsetting its value chains. Conversely, when an innovation is accompanied by a major technological breakthrough that improves the product or service, it is called disruptive innovation (Christensen 1997). Another dimension of innovation may be classified by its degree of novelty. Innovation is not only a matter of major advances or radical innovations but also includes small-scale changes or incremental innovations (Tidd, 2006). Innovation was considered largely as the creation and development of new ideas. However, generating new ideas is just one step of an innovation. Thus, as Tidd states, innovation is a process, not a single event, and needs to be managed as such. The influences on the process can be manipulated to affect the outcome that is, it can be managed à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ One notable model describing the innovation process is the innovation pentathlon framework (Goffin, 2005). A more generic innovation process model by Tidd and Bessant (Bessant, 2009) divides the innovation process into four phases: (i) Generating new ideas how can we find opportunities for innovation? (ii) Selecting the good ones what to do and why? (iii) Implementing them how to make it happen? (iv) Capture how to get benefits from it? In his research, Shapiro argues that perpetual and pervasive innovation is the key to long -term sustainable success in the continuous search for new consumers. (Shapiro, 2002) To survive competition, organizations must rapidly and repeatedly re-invent themselves often through its best resource, the employees. The road map to reinvention starts by applying the seven Rs. 1. Rethink your underlying assumptions. 2. Reconfigure how you carry out work. 3. Resequence when work takes place 4. Relocate where work is done to cut down on handoffs and delays. 5. Reduce the frequency of carrying our specific activities. 6. Reassign who does the work by asking if anyone else could achieve the same result more effectively and efficiently. 7. Retool the technology that supports getting the work done. Could new software and automated equipment transform our ways of working? Tidd (Tidd 2006) recognizes that shocks trigger innovations and changes occur when a threshold is reached (be it opportunity or threat). Similarly, Schumpeter (Schumpeter 1934) identifies the resistance to change when the resistance manifests itself in the groups threatened by the innovation, then in the difficulty finding the necessary cooperation, finally in the difficulty in winning over consumer. Change and change models An analysis of some of the works of authors considered masters of leadership explains this (Porter 1980) (Drucker 1999). The reasons for change resistance are essentially within the individuals of the organization and the environment in which they operate. Some changes occur because of the opportunities that arise, while others are planned as in mergers/acquisitions. The onus is then placed on effective change management, which allows people to reorient the organization, achieve its goals, maximize their performance and ensure the continuous improvement in an ever-changing business environment. Change occurs efficiently only if there is a complete commitment from within the organization. Change happens through people therefore, as part of the process of change it is necessary to know and stimulate their values, their beliefs, their behaviors and their emotions. Kim argues that organizations learn via their individual members (Kim 1993). Therefore, understanding individual learning theories are important for understanding organizational learning. There are different areas of change within an organization. Balogun and Hailey describe four types of changes: adaptation, reconstruction, evolution and revolution (Hailey, 2004). Scope of Change Nature of change Realignment Transformation Incremental Adaptation Evolution Big Bang Reconstruction Revolution Senior and Fleming see change as either soft change (group work change agent as catalyst, more complex) or hard change (clear objectives, achievable, less complex) (Fleming, 2006) Planned change takes conscious and attentive effort on the part of the organization. Kanter originated the concept of the change master: a person or organization skilled at the art of anticipating the need for and of leading productive change (Kanter, 1983) . Changes will not occur unless the necessity for change is significant. Employees and organizations usually resist change unless they have to. Before embarking on an organizational change initiative, a clear strategy must be planned in order to anticipate potential problems. One often criticized model for change is Lewins model of change, which consists of unfreezing, transforming, and freezing. Unfreezing refers to conditioning individuals readiness for change, and establishing ownership. It revolves around increased awareness by stakeholders of the existence of a dissonance between the organization and its environment. It fosters a desire for transformation that is then spread in the organization. This is a period of self questioning where reflections abound on the driving forces and changing patterns of perception. This stage is characterized by instability, loss of landmark and a degree of uncertainty resulting in the sense of the need to change (Lewin, 1951). During the transformation, momentum builds when stakeholders introduce change and plan its implementation and transformation with the commitment of individuals to accept the change initiatives. In the final phase, refreezing, individuals recognize the change and reestablish the equilibrium, both personally and within the organization. This last step in the process of change is the institutionalization of new practices. It is therefore the consolidation, convergence and adoption of new behaviors. In addition, during this phase, the organization assists the rooting of new standards and the emergence of a new culture. Refreezing thus prevents individuals to return to the previous step, and wide acceptance leads to progress. (Gilley 2005). Lewins Force field analysis (Lewin 1951) further considers that an issue is held in balance by the interaction of two opposing sets of forces the positive and the negative in terms of those forces driving change and those forces restraining change. Lewin considers a number of positive forces that support this state together with a set of restrictive forces that oppose and counterbalance it. In essence, this resistance allows Lewin to conceive patterns of continuity and discontinuity within relatively stationary structures in group behavior. In this respect, behavioral change is not conceived of as naturally emergent, but rather as a planned process requiring the intervention of a change agent . Lewins model has several limitations in that it fails to address the human side of change and doesnt address the emotional state of people during the change process and relies on the change agent to act as a cohesive between states of stability while helping to diffuse resistance. Not every employee or stakeholder will agree on the new vision or let alone implement it. Another risky limitation is preventing organizations to move back to former phases where updating may be required. This can send wrong signals to employees, especially when the realization of moving too fast or too early into a new stage, triggering significant changes in the internal environment. Very similar to Lewins model, Kotters (Kotter 1996) eight steps of change is another linear model for change. Its eight steps are: establishing a sense of urgency, forming a powerful guiding coalition, creating and communicating a vision, empowering others to act on the vision, planning for and creating short-term wins, consolidating improvements and producing still more change, and finally institutionalizing new approaches. However, knowing the required change is the critical question to ask. Those changes with wide-reaching impacts requiring significant unlearning by an individual are the ones that will generate the more resistance to change. In the following table, we combine the foundations of the two models. Kotters eight phases can essentially be reduced to three stages, similar to Lewins model. This allows us to consider an integrative model to the two different approaches. Lewins model Kotters model Phase 1 Awareness of the need to change Challenge the status quo Lack of stability created Create a sense of urgency Crete a guiding coalition Elaborate a vision for change Phase 2 Moving towards change Discussion and reflections on the inefficient existing practices Communicate the vision Empower the change agents Create short terms gains Phase 3 Institutionalize new practices Consolidate new behaviors Solidify new norms Consolidate longer-term gains Solidify new approaches into culture Similar to Lewins model, Kotters fails to address the human side of change, assuming everyone will agree, and doesnt address the emotional state of people during the change process. In practice, during the different phases, greater attention is granted to managing the change process rather than the individuals affected by the change process. Employees lack the recognition that they are treated as competent and important elements of the organization. Their worth has to be recognized respected. To avert this during the change process, the organization can, inter-alia, instill a sense of belonging, enhance management-employee relations, improve the supervisory quality and decision making process, disseminate information and foster feedback and provide access to training. Researchers estimate that 70% of change initiatives fail. (Noria). Kotters model risks failure if the sense of urgency is not created, if a strong enough coalition is not formed, with blurred vision, not allowing adjustments or the elimination of harmful practices in the change process, failing to obtain success in the short term, or quickly calling victory and not anchoring the changes in culture of the organization. Lewin (management.net 2012) describes four essential steps to managing change: Define the change you want to see by creating a diagram or table of the future desired state. Brainstorm and analyze the restraining forces those that oppose change. Evaluate the driving and restraining forces and focus on the impact of each on the change initiative. Impose a strategy that analyses the driving and restraining forces. The result should be an action plan that will achieve the greatest impact. Egan (Egan, 1988), clearly influenced by Lewins, proposes a simple model for change in three steps: Assessing the current scenario Creating a preferred scenario Designing a plan from the current into the preferred scenario. Support and momentum must be gathered for effective change, always considering the human factor in order to prevent failure. During the change planning, it is imperative to bring on-board different profiles to achieve effective change. Senior and Fleming (Fleming, 2006) argue that for effective change, an organizational leader must engage and drive the initiative forward in the organization. The importance of stakeholder, in determining the driving and restraining forces, is important throughout the process Two radically different models of change are Beer and Norias theory E and Os (Beer 2000). Theory E focuses on creating value to the shareholder, and uses structures and systems to achieve change. This approach often resorts consulting firms and economic incentives as a way to entice the organizational changes at the lower level. Opposite is theory Os goal to change a companys ways from the bottom to the top, that is from the front line employees to the CEO. Management, employees, culture and behavior are addressed through the involvement of all the employees through a transparent communication scheme. Organizations abiding by theory O create systems which make employees emotionally committed to increasing their performance within the organization. Under theory O, employees are requested to become involved in identifying and solving work-related problems whereas managers believe that creating value is the essence of this approach. As there is no one right approach, the limitation of Beer and Norias model is that they cannot be implemented as stand-alone given the economic and human risks associated. Simultaneous implementation of both theories, know as tension between E and O, together with hard and soft change approaches, extremely delicate, will provide a sustainable advantage to organizations embracing it. The principles of creativity and innovation must be formulated and discussed across the spectrum between executives, middle managers and employees. A participatory approach early on the process can lead to failures in the change initiative. Change agents and executives of the organization should be alert on providing innovative frameworks for successful change. Whether planned or unplanned, the onus should be placed on having a clear understanding of the specific situation, its complexity and the selection of an appropriate change strategy and communication plan. Change initiatives need to be designed wit h all stakeholders in perspective; only successful change is operated from a stakeholder perspective. (Holbeche, 2006) A simple stakeholder analysis, adapted from Cleland (Ireland, 2004) can sustain an effective communication plan. Leadership and Leading change The most common definition of leadership refers to the ability to get others to do what you want. According to Bolman and Deal (Bolman 1997), the word leader was introduced more than a thousand years ago. It derives from the Anglo-Saxon laedare, which has undergone a few changes. In old English it meant conducting travelers on the road. Bolman and Deal (Bolman 1997) refine the term leader into those individuals that are helpful, make us feel secure and alleviate fears; those that see possibilities and discover hidden resources. Power is key to leadership. Robbins and Coulter differentiate between a manager and a leader, in that managers are chosen by the board or by shareholders of the company based on academic and work experience while leaders emerges from a group, and are able to influence employees performances (Robbins 1996). Koontz (Koontz 1995) states that leadership as an art that influences people to work voluntarily and enthusiastically to achieve collective goals (Kotter 1996, 490) In this sense, the leader faces the challenge of developing skills that drive change and guiding direction and vision. However, before being able to exercise effective leadership, individuals must continually seek self-learning and self-advancement. That is why, as a fundamental aspect, the leader of any group or organization must be committed to the challenge of increasing the value or the importance of his own organization. This self-improvement is fundamental part of any organizations culture. Robbins and Coulter mention qualities that characterize the leader such as: intelligence, charisma, decision, enthusiasm, strength, value, integrity and confidence in it (Robbins 1996, 573). Another common view is that leaders provide organizations and individuals with a clear vision capable of generating a compelling image of the future. In this regard, Kotters works (Kotter 1996) have been oriented to establish a clear difference between management and leadership: Management is a set of processes whereby complicated systems of individuals and technology run smoothly. The most important aspects of management are planning, budgeting, organizing, human resources and problem solving. On the other hand, leadership is a set of processes that prioritize organizations and adapt them to significantly changing circumstances. The leadership defines the future by aligning people with a vision and inspires them to make it reality despite the obstacles. This assessment refers to the ability of these individuals to assist a group of people in circumstances of uncertainty through a practical, achievable vision within a certain period and whose development is both an exercise of the intellect and heart. The vision is an image of the future, with an increasingly favorable individual and collective change with respect to the present. Organization leadership should work through the change agents to gain momentum and support the change initiative. The leaders function is critical to implementing the desired change. They do not necessarily need to be directly involved. Buchanan (2003) argues that change leaders should perceive the need for change and advocate the change. However, acting alone will not be successful and functioning though a change agent, with the responsibility to implement change is a more sustainable strategy. All stakeholders should be part of the change effort and it is important to consider each stakeholder in planning strategies in order to gain support for the change effort. Leaders must advocate the change in a way that makes it appealing and less threatening to the stakeholders. Somewhat dissonant to Lewins theory, Kanter states that it is easier to implement change when it is: conducted on a small scale, can be reversible if unsuccessful and in line with the organizations current direction. (Kanter R. , 1983) Leaders must think in the longer term and look beyond the unit of work of the department towards a greater scope. Their intuition of the environment is used to exhort influence. (Higgs) They possess vision, and have the political skills to deal with the challenging and resisting changing environments and groups of followers (Bolman 1997). Senior and Fleming (Fleming, 2006) assert that another important trait in change management leadership is the will to take risks. Leaders not only must assert their creative and emotional intelligence, but they must motivate for how change is accomplished (Fleming, 2006, p. 348) Transformational leaders, willing to take risks, exerting consistent behavior with high levels of ethics and integrity are able to inspire and motivate employees by demonstrating a shared commitment to the new goals and vision of the organization. (Riggio, 2006). Successful change Robert Heller states that good change management teams are those that know what to change, have the competence to accomplish change and above all carry it out. It helps to operate change under a cultural banner. One theory that groups thinking from Lewin, Kotter and Beer and Norias models is Bolman and Deals four frames, which require creative thinking beyond the described linear model of change. We look at the experience in creating organizational learning and change relates to Bolmans and Deals (Bolman 1997) four frames of organizational structure. The case of a large United Nations (herein referred to as UN) organization will be presented. It is an interesting example of a UN organization operating in changing environments with offices in over 70 countries and a diverse multicultural cadre of staff. Unpredictability is embedded its organizational culture and resilience to change gives it a comparative advantage over other UN organizations. Staffs in the field, away from headquarters, are expected to be mobile and work in the most challenging circumstances and deliver results. The importance of a field presence close to the beneficiaries served is of vital importance. The UN organization strives to increase its expertise in finding and providing efficient and effective solutions to hunger and malnutrition. In retrospective, a stakeholder analysis identified the following stakeholders in the change process: Importance of stakeholder >>> Influence of stakeholder >>> Little or no importance Some importance Significant importance Significant influence C A Somewhat influential Little or no influence D B Group A: Executive management, Middle management, Board of directors Group B: Employees, Host government, staff unions, Project teams Group C: Donor countries, Staff counselors Media and journalists Group D: Staff families, Beneficiaries, Local communities Structural frame: The structural frame emphasizes goals, specialized role, and formal relationships, commonly depicted by organizational charts (Bolman 1997, 13) It highlights the structural aspects of organizations and assumes the following: organizations exist to achieve goals and objectives; things work best when rationality prevails over human needs; it is most effective and efficient to assign roles using specialization and division of labor; effective coordination and control is needed for individuals to work together to meet the organizations goals; problems are a result of poor structure (Bolman 1997) Given the current state of global economic, social and political affairs , combined with the organizations thirst to remain relevant, it is expected to do more with less and continue to be as innovative (and more creative in reaching results). This translated into a change on the approach starting with a rapid organizational assessment that was immediately undertaken to facilitate a process of reflection, review and analysis. The results of this assessment were reviewed by a team of change sponsors/advocates within the organization. A wide range of going-forward organizational design and operating recommendations were made to the executive director and developed into a framework for action calling for a strategy based on participation and action planning and guiding coalition. In order to be more efficient, boost creativity and innovation, it was determined that decisions had to be streamlined, eliminating redundant positions, and improving communication through a wide internal and external participation. The result was a process driven by function rather than focused on current personnel. Immediately, a new structure was designed harmonizing the executive functions, and eliminating redundant director jobs, and ultimately streamlining decision making closer to where the operations are. The result is an organization with one executive director, one deputy executive director and four assistant executive directors (effectively two functions of deputy executive director were eliminated). The assistant executive directors moved from supervising thrust areas in HQ to managing functional areas across the entire organization. Regional directors, responsible for managing vast operations areas, are given more powers to support the country directors without having to resort to HQs approval. Country directors empowered as the centre of gravity with increased decision making authority. Change advocates not only mobilized the energy to drive the process forward but also lead a process of innovation and change by inviting employees to participate in the change process (Beer, 2000). In turn this meant that all key managers position across the spectrum in HQ, regional offices and country offices had to face the reality that their jobs were evolving to meet the new longer-term goals. New skills were to be learned and a comprehensive program on capacity building was planned. A thorough review of job description woul

Physics of Superconductors Essay -- physics superconductor

As most people know (or don't know, whichever is the case) the component of an electrical circuit that causes energy loss is called "resistance," which can be defined as a materials opposition to current being passed through it. Usually, this resistance results in the production of heat, sound, or another form of energy. In many cases, this transformation of energy is useful in such applications as toasters, heaters, and light bulbs. Even though it is a useful property, resistance often gets in the way of performance in such cases as high voltage transmission wires, electric motor output, and other cases where internal system energy losses are unwanted. This is where the phenomenon of superconducting materials comes into play and may present the solution to this energy loss problem. Superconductors are materials that display zero resistance under certain conditions. These conditions are called the "critical temperature" and "critical field," denoted Tc and Hc respectively. The Tc is the highest temperature state the material can attain and remain superconductive. The Hc is the highest magnetic field the material can be exposed to before reverting to its normal magnetic state. Within the substances currently known to superconduct, there is a divide between what has come to be called type I and type II superconductors. Type I are composed of pure substances, usually metals, and type II are composite compounds, usually some sort of ceramic. Additional differences between type I and type II exist, mainly that type II display superconducting qualities at much higher temperatures and can remain superconductive in the presence of much higher magnetic fields. While type I have Tc's that hover just a few degrees from absolute zero, t... ...e the track and is propelled by the magnetic forces caused by the induced currents. Another use of superconductors is in Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI, in which the superconductor helps in creating a non-invasive method of looking at a persons brain activity. Yet another area where superconductors would be especially helpful is in the power and electronics industry where power losses arise from a systems internal resistance. If a power generator was constructed with superconducting components the efficiency of the motor would be greatly increased. The electronics industry would benefit from faster switching times, smaller components, and greater circuit efficiency. The world of superconductors is expanding at a tremendous rate. As the uses and possibilities for their use become more apparent, our society might see them more and more in everyday life.

Comparing and contrasting Achilles and other warriors Essay

Comparing and contrasting Achilles and other warriors Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Achilles is one of the main characters in Homer’s Iliad. Iliad is a legendary epic covering the formative years of Roman and Greek mythology. Iliad pursue glory, heroism, and love within the authority and influence of supernatural powers. Achilles possessed heroic strength and also had close contact with the gods. Achilles had all the qualities of a grand warrior and he proved to be the most dominant man among the Achaean army. However his deeply rooted character barred his capacity to act with integrity and nobility. The rationale of this paper is to analyze the character of Achilles and examine how he was similar of differed from other heroic warriors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Achilles could not manage his pride or the fury that came about when his pride was injured. These attributes greatly affected Achilles life since he abandoned his fellow warriors because he had been insulted before Agamemnon, his commander. Achilles even wished his fellow warriors to be killed by Trojan warriors. He was driven by thirst for glory and was willing to sacrifice anything for his reputation. Achilles had extreme temper; for example, though the demise of Patroclus provoked him to reconcile with Agamemnon, this did not alleviate his fury but he directed his anger to Hector (Homer, 1990, p. 32). Achilles forfeited twelve Trojan men at the funeral of Patroclus, he also killed his opponents mercilessly and shamefully vandalized the corpse of Hector. These events reveal Achilles great anger because he was mourning the death of Patroclus. Achilles pride, bloodlust and wrath affected him adversely (Virgil, 2006, p. 42).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Achilles is recognized as the greatest warrior in Achaian army and no other warrior could match him as a fighter. Achilles has a great sense of social order because he decided to act during the plague that was consuming the soldiers at Achaian camp. Agamemnon, Achille’s kind did not act so Achilles decided to find out the cause of the plague by calling for a congregation of the entire army. Achilles is argumentative and petulant because he argues that though Agamemnon gets the best prizes from war, he never worked for them. In the course of argument, Achilles almost killed Agamemnon, though he was saved from carrying out the heinous act by goddess Athena. Achilles believed that the quarrel between him and the king was righteous and same as the war against Trojan army. Achilles major characteristic was excessive pride because he remained angry even after Agamemnon promise to return Briseis alongside other gifts (Vigil, 2006, p. 47).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Gilgamesh is a warrior who fears death throughout George XIII epic. Achilles on the other hand is also very keen with his metaphoric wickedness that can only take place after the death of his earthly life. Gilgamesh and Achilles have a lot of similarities, which include dynamic attitude on death and life centered. They have similar attitudes especially when their heroic comrades died. The death of Patroclus touched Achilles very much whereas the death of Enkidu also caused much distress to Gilgamesh. Achilles and Gilgamesh are two semi-divine heroes who have various matching characteristics and life-events, and they focused a lot with their mortal lives, but not relatively in the same approach. Achilles and Gilgamesh share fundamental similarities in their mortal lives. Each of them is a child of a goddess and a mortal man who happens to be a king. Achilles is a son of Thetis and has an exceptional rapport which enables him to speak with t he gods with the help of Thetis (Homer, 1990, p 27). Gilgamesh on the other hand is regarded as one third human and two third god, which makes him to stand out as an exceptional character that exists in relationships with both the mortal world and divine world. Iliad relates the preeminence of Achilles and Gilgamesh in battle where they reveal themselves as headstrong warriors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Neither Achilles nor Gilgamesh is concerned with romantic and family relationships. The major relationship these epic heroes have is with their mothers, where they seek protection and guidance. Through this rapport, they are able to gain development and wisdom. Achilles can also be compared to other heroes such as Aenes since their lives is determined by supernatural powers. In the book Iliad and Aeneid, Achilles and Aenes are characters who reveal their chivalry and bravely. In the books, Aenes and Achilles are chosen by gods and favored in various periods of their lives (Homer, 1990, p.26). These characters have predestined death and fate, they are sons of gods and they have specific accomplishment and mission in their lives. The major difference between Achilles and Gilgamesh is on anger management. Even after the death of his friend Enkidu, Gilgamesh remains cool and does not translate his fury to anyone, but Achilles anger could not b e controlled after the death of Patroclus. Gilgamesh mourns the death of his friend by ritually pulling his clothes and hair, but Achilles mourns the death of Patroclaus by killing several Trojan warriors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   An in depth analysis of the epics of the era reveal contrasting features of the heroes. The circumstance, the physical features and situation might be similar, but the discrepancy is mainly due to mental and intellect framework of the heroes. Aenes fought major battles just like Achilles, but their fate was different. Achilles was predestined to die in the battle, while Aenes was predestined to be an architect of a huge town in the planet. Achilles was more of a cruel enemy and fierce warrior and his task was to wrestle and triumph over bloody wars. On the other hand, Aenes was more civilized and constructive in comparison to arrogant Achilles. Achilles is violent, stubborn, ruthless and hostile and had a capacity to kill Trojan warriors ruthlessly in the battlefield. Achilles battle and attack intended huge massacre. On contrary, Aenes is more placid and sober. Aenes as a warrior had adorable features of restraint, chastity, discipline an d love. He was a true leader who never left his comrades. Aenes led the warriors to pursue new home and new culture. He was a fighter, but not even once did he display emotions and power in arbitrary and cruel manner (Vigil, 2006, p. 74).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion, Achilles was a great warrior, but he was a merciless fighter who killed many Trojan warriors. Achilles shared similar features with other heroes in the epics. These heroes fate was usually predestined and they were mostly sons of gods. They sought advice from their mothers which helped them to develop and gain wisdom. However, an in depth analysis on the character of these heroes depict that there are some differences. Achilles was a violent warrior as compared to most heroes who were able to manage their fury. In addition, Achilles, Aenes and Gilgamesh were heroes of their times. References Homer, Robert Fagles, and Bernard Knox. The Iliad. New York: Viking,  1990. Print. Hope Nash Wolff. â€Å"Gilgamesh, Enkidu, and the Heroic Life.† Journal of the American Oriental Society 89.2  (1969): 392-398. Web. Virgil, R. Fagles, B. Knox, and S. Callow. The Aeneid. New York: Penguin Audio,  2006. Print. Source document

Marco in a View from a Bridge Essay

Give advice to an actor playing Marco on how he should present the character Marco is a character of two faces. At the beginning of the play, a grateful and respectful man is presented to the audience. He shakes Eddie’s hand, and makes it clear that he does not want to impose – ‘when you say go, we will go’. This is in stark contrast to the absolute lack of respect your character gives Eddie later in the story, and the more-so you can make this the better the reception will be from the audience. Marco is also quite a reserved character. When the two men first come to the house, Marco speaks only in short sentences, rarely elaborating on his point. However, he also seems to have a quiet authority and this is shown in stage directions when Eddie ‘is coming more and more to address Marco only’. This authority is also shown when Rodolpho starts to sing, saying ‘You’ll be quiet, Rodolpho.’ silencing his brother. This reservation is also shown in his realistic sense of mind, compared to his brother who has possibly unreachable dreams. He is also not as flamboyant or elaborate as his brother, who sings, cooks and sews; he is a ‘regular bull’. This makes others respect him and this sense of authority and strength needs to be portrayed. In the scene where Marco shows his strength by lifting the chair one-handed, the tables start to turn. The respect Marco once had for Eddie seems to have disappeared suddenly, as Marco menacingly holds the chair over Eddie’s head. On the surface, it looks as though he is protecting his brother, but the underlying reasons are mainly that by doing so, Marco has just proved Eddie’s inferiority. This enjoyment of feeling superior mixed with the defence of his brother makes Marco a fierce character in this scene, and a character that may have been shadowed in earlier scenes come to prominence in the play, and this continues in the later parts. The character then follows a vicious path of revenge after realising that is was Eddie that reported them to Immigration. Your character loses sympathy with the audience due to this, and as you lose sight of everything else – why you came to America, your family etc. – the seems to be no compassion in Marco. He not only wants to kill Eddie but humiliate him as much as possible in the process. Essentially, Marco is like Eddie. A formally caring man of his family, he is an honourable man who lacks the quality of forgiveness.

Clothing Line Essays

Clothing Line Essays Clothing Line Essay Clothing Line Essay What strategies can Giordano use in order to maintain its current position of being the number one leading and Innovative company In Asia? Secondary Problem: 4. How does customers responds to the marketing strategies of Giordano competitors? 5. What factors from the companys micromanagement directly affects the competition? 7. 1 . IV. Statement of Objectives 2. Identify the consumer responses to the marketing strategies of their competitors. 3. Identify the micromanagement factors that affect the companys growth or competition. 4. Craft and effective improvement plan 8. V. Areas of Consideration (SOOT Analysis) Strength Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Giordano has an excellent pool of service staff that delivers an unparalleled good customer assistance service. Lack of strong brakeman or icon. Asians are one of the best target customers for they not too classy in their types of clothes compared to Europeans. Giordano faces a tough competition with other low-priced apparel. Giordano has an excellent inventory control and computerizing. They had no contingency plans regarding unforeseen circumstances for their inventory control center. They can have a relatively large sales for their products. Piracy of apparels and trademarks. Giordano has a good positioning of more-for-less (value-for-money) strategy supported by strict cost control procedures. The company lack the flexibility hat some of Its competitors possess. (Product development) Further expansion Into overseas markets. Europe and Africa also have a high potentials and growing 1 OFF aggressive advertising and promotions strategy. Prices of products are higher compared to other competitors like Hang Ten, Bossing and Baleen. Growing demand for casual wears. Changing demographics of customers who have changing needs based on their culture and habits. 9. V. Areas of Consideration (SOOT Analysis) Strength Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Giordano has an excellent pool of service staff that delivers an unparalleled good customer assistance service. Lack of strong brakeman or icon. Asians are one of the best target customers for they not too classy in their types of clothes compared to Europeans. Giordano faces a tough competition with other low-priced apparel. Giordano has an excellent inventory control and computerizing. They had no contingency plans regarding unforeseen circumstances for their inventory control center. They can have a relatively large sales for their products. Piracy of apparels and trademarks. Giordano has a good positioning of more-for-less (value-for-money) strategy supported by strict cost control procedures. The company lack the flexibility that some of its competitors possess. (Product development) Further expansion into overseas markets. Europe and Africa also have a high potentials and growing markets. The same marketing strategies with other competitors. Giordano has an aggressive advertising and promotions strategy. Prices of products are higher compared to other competitors like Hang Ten, Bossing and Baleen. Growing demand for casual wears. Changing demographics of customers who have changing needs based on their culture and habits. 10. 1. VI. Alternative Courses of Action 2. Watch out for the new trends in consumer buying behavior. 3. Innovate and create new product. 4. Maintain the more-for-less positioning strategy through effective cost control. 5. Maintain the good IT integration in the companys sales and decision making. 1 . 2. Expand the target market of the company by venturing into other untapped markets of Asia or even America and Europe. 3. Generate a new market segment. 4. Analyze the strategy and the result of strategy that its competitors is using. 12. 1. VI. Strategy Formulation 2. Marketing Research gather inputs from the customers who purchase the products. Survey Questionnaires and Focus Group Discussions. 3. Mar keting Information System- maintain the information gathered from every customer contacts through the help of the I. T. Department. . Innovations- in terms of product variety would be an effective tool. 5. Place- outlets should be at convenient locations for customers easy access. 6. Promos and Customer Loyalty Programs- it can help to retain and attract customers. 13. VIII. Action Plans Marketing/Sales Department Human Resources Department Accounting Department Information Technology Department Top Management Tie-up with fashion magazines. Be alert with different marketing offers of the competitor. Continue to hire and train high-caliber service staff for the company. Report all sources of major costs and expenses of the company as well as some recommendations to resolve it. Create an interactive website for the consumers. Seek advice from marketing experts, business analysts and other and fashions. The company must train service staff in doing personalized service like calling regular guests by their names, noting down preferences. Gather information about the customers taste and preferences in fashion. Maintain a good company image. Embark a more aggressive promotion to upper-class clientele by Joining Fashion Week. Train the service staff in providing a more relaxed environment in the stores. Come up with a fan page in social networks. Build a strong Corporate Social Responsibility. Maintain an excellent level of customer service at all times. Encourage service staff to engage in a informal conversation with the guests about fashion offered by the brand. Procure a personalized software where clients information can be stored and accessed anytime by the staff. 14. 1. X. Potential Problems 2. Inaccurate customer survey result may occur 3. It may be very hard to track down the competitors moves and strategies. . Competitors may procure the same software that Giordano uses for its inventory management.

The Story of Picchi

The Story of Picchi The story picchi (madness) presents a dilemma that has engulfed a family. The protagonist in this story is Ramana and the antagonist is his mother Damayanti. Ramana’s father was not lucky because Damayanti, his second wife, had turned mad. The first wife had hanged herself. Misfortunes were following Ramana’s father closely but fortunately he was lucky enough to have had a son with the second wife before she turned mad.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Story of Picchi specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The story is narrated ten years after Damiyanti went mad; â€Å"Recover? I have no hopes that she will; she’s been mad these ten years† (Tharu and Lalita 359). This implies that by the time the story is being narrated, Ramana is ten years of age. It is worth noting that at this age he had not yet seen his mother even for once but he was pretty aware of the condition of his mum. Unfortunatel y or fortunately, at this age he had a rough picture of how his mum probably was, â€Å"He didn’t know what to think. She-his mother-that person-would probably have dirty, matted hair and would be wearing tattered clothes† (Tharu and Lalita 359); and this fact really scared him, â€Å"That madwoman, what is she to me? I have never even seen her all my life!† (Tharu and Lalita 359). It is evident that the ten years that Damayanti had been mad, the family suffered much. When Damayanti was accepted by the family as a daughter in law, she was popular among the family members: â€Å"she had been obedient and hardworking† (Tharu and Lalita 361). The family members were optimistic of her recovery even after all the ten years of madness: â€Å"she might get better if she sees the child; after all, she has to be cured somehow and brought home† (Tharu and Lalita 359). At the age of ten years, Ramana is subconsciously aware of the condition of his mum and the need for her to come home. At this age, it is also significant to point out that a child starts to be aware of his position in the society. The fact that the society is fully aware that Ramana’s mother was mad must have made Ramana uneasy. Probably Ramana had a hard time before his age mates. It was narrated in the story that one time some kids along with Ramana were laughing and jeering at a mad woman. He was embarrassed by this action. There was also this moment when Naraidu told the class about Ramana’s mother. By then Ramana was still new in school and it must have cost him a lot of psychological torture. It was clear that Ramana’s father could not go for another wife. The family was banking on the recovering of Damayanti so they could bring her back to the family. It is made clear in the story that Sundaramma did not always talk much in relation to Damayanti especially in the presence of Ramana. Nevertheless, Ramana was able to pick few fragments of inform ation which he coined together to form some vague opinion about his mother. The reaction of the society does not come out explicitly but it is clear that Raman was affected and embarrassed by the fate which had befallen his mum.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This kind of embarrassment would probably have far reaching effects on his personal life. It was clear that Ramana was at not at ease with the way he was viewed by the society. In the story, it is revealed that whenever people went on a journey to Madras, among the places they had to visit was the mental hospital specifically to see or say hallo to Damayanti. It is very possible that these constant visitations of the villagers were a constant reminder of the misfortune that had befallen Ramana. It is, therefore, right to argue that whenever the villagers went to Madras, Ramana was somehow reminded of his mo ther thus the visitations acted as a constant reminder of the situation that had befallen him. The fact that all the villagers including his age mates knew about his mother put him (Ramana) in a vulnerable position. It could be very easy for him to feel pitied. This could in turn lower his self esteem especially if somebody decided to make a joke out of his mother in his presence. Such a situation, fortunately, did not happen in the story. The village does not seem to alienate Ramana because of his mother but instead the society seems to take a collect responsibility to ensure that Damayanti is getting cured. It can be assumed that if Damayanti could have recovered within the narration, then all the villagers could have made a big party together with the family of Ramana. Conclusively, the story of picchi can be viewed as a suspense narration which ends without even hinting well what could happen to Damayanti. Through the narration of the story, Ramana is depicted as a disturbed chi ld who gets a lot of support from his grandmother and the villagers in general. Ramana has good relations with the society and the society was not shown scolding or mistreating him thus he developed positively in his values. Work Cited Tharu, Susie and Lalita, Ke. Women Writing in India: The twentieth century. New York, NY: Feminist Press, 1993. Print.

Building Positive Teacher Student Relationships

Teacher-student relationship has numerous benefits for the teacher and the student in the classroom. There are different types of relationships between the teachers and the students. They include that of being a mentor, being friends or a parental figure. However, in the recent decade, a new type of relationship that is unlawful and illegal has developed. When the connection between the student and the teacher starts being that of more than friends, it disadvantages the student. The teacher-student†¦ 2. Student-teacher relationships-To improve my student-teacher relationship the first thing I will do is get to know my students. I need to find out what they like and dislike, and become approachable. This will help me and the student in the long run because we will have some goodwill built with each other, and they may be able to come to me with personal issues that are hindering their learning. The second thing I would do is listen to my students. It is a sort of dictatorship in the classroom†¦ will begin to normalize certain aspects of ideology. â€Å"The social roles that we occupy throughout our lifetime, like child, student, or employee place us in relationships of unequal power and as a result of ideological value hierarchies†(139). This though is considered norm just like a student is supposed to/expected to do their homework. The relationship between teacher and student is a common one. The next function is privileging basically states that people of power are more important than others.†¦ collaborate with colleagues. Collaboration between colleagues build relationships among teachers and plays a significant role in the growth of an educator. There are many positives to collaboration but communication is essential. We all have different perspectives, and ideas and when people meet, conflict can arise because of the many differences. Furthermore, the personality of teachers can also clash when a group meets. As a teacher leader, it is important to understand colleagues and that can be†¦ Teaching a specialism of any matter requires the teacher themselves to be competent and confident with their own abilities first. To be a competent carpenter requires lots of experience, dedication and time – without dedication, you will not put in the time and in turn not gain the experience. Hence dedication is a fundamental element, which is expressed to all the construction students at Harlow College, in order for them to succeed. Dedication goes hand in hand with motivation, motivation is developed†¦ are three examples of ways a teacher can build a positive relationship with students: a. Making clear relationship between student and teacher is one of respect. This important so the student knows that you are their mentor and you are on their team. You want them to be successful and see it through that they are successful. Always be the student’s personal cheerleader! b. Knowing about the student’s home life is important when building a relationship with the student. By knowing about the student’s†¦ Teacher relationship and the effects on students At a young age, children are molded by the adults around them, shaping how they socially develop and their cognitive development. Once the child is at a school age, the most important adult around them beside family is their teacher. Thus the teacher-student relationship is formed and it must be a positive atmosphere to ensure the child to grow mentally and emotionally. Student-teacher relationships are studied and is found to have a correlation with†¦ Student-Teacher Relationships Create Positive Learning Environments When it comes to the topic of education, most of us will readily agree that a positive connection with a teacher is an essential part of learning and growing as a student. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of will positive student-teacher relationships improve student behavior? While administrators are convinced that strict discipline is the only answer for classrooms, psychologists believe that positive†¦ Student teacher relationship is very important inside of a classroom. With this relationship students and teachers will most likely do great inside of the class, but without this relationship students are more likely to not do well. Throughout this semester, I have learned a lot about how any why these relationship is key to the success of both students and teachers. Successful student-relationship enables good outcomes for both students and teachers. According to Mester et al. we must first see†¦ The teacher student relationship is very important for children. Children spend approximately 5 to 7 hours a day with a teacher for almost 10 months. We ask ourselves what is considered a good teacher? All of us have gone through schooling, and if fortunate had a favorite teacher. A positive relationship between the student and the teacher is difficult to establish, but can be found for both individuals at either end. The qualities for a positive relationship can vary to set a learning experience†¦

Analysis and critique of an lecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Analysis and critique of an lecture - Essay Example He claims that 8/10 people worldwide have a religious affiliation with which they identify. He contends that even 68% atheists have a religion aspect that they follow in their life. He attributes the growth to Religion as having an effect on growth on people who have a following in any particular faith. He claims that on average, atheists are more than a decade older in comparison with those religiously affiliated. He supports this argument by offering an example of the Muslim community, which worldwide, has many women who are in the childbearing age. His argument on age in relation to religion, which he bases on findings that he has looked at, tries to show the importance of religion to an economic growth. Even so, that claim remains largely contestable. He observes that religious freedom is under threat in nearly all parts of the world. Such a threat comes mostly from government and social organization. He notes that 43% of countries are in threat of religious freedom. To support his assertions, he gives examples of government restrictions that exist in different countries. Brian is right to note that animosity arises when social religious groups then endeavor to free themselves from these restrictions. Professor Brian is trying to show the increasing religious intolerance even with increased activity to quell it by international agencies. By this, he also brings out the problem of international business interaction that is growing by day as connected with religious feuds being witnessed particular where resources are unfairly distributed based on religion and sects. He points out how social hostility is advanced mostly by sectarian groups. They exist in countries that have government restrictions. That way, Professor Brian tries to show the connection between government restriction and the current increase in sectarian war. He points out that when he goes out to give talks on the

Analysis of Clinton article America's Pacific Century Essay

Analysis of Clinton article America's Pacific Century - Essay Example All in all, whether the US will be at the center of the action is very much dependent on strategy. The basic assumption when it comes to national perspectives is that each and every state will have its interests that are to be pursued. Colonel Arthur Lykke proposes a three element approach when formulating a strategy (Bartholomees 3). This can be summarized as the end, ways and means approach. Strategy serves to control its surrounding instead of reacting to it. It enables the use of power in either a persuasive or coercive manner to achieve set goals. Based on the USAWC Strategy Formulation Framework, Clinton seems to be on the right track. The ideas articulated in the article are in line with the core national interests of the nation (Bartholomees 399) namely; security, stability, promotion of values and economic wellness. Clinton recognizes the need to invest the US resources wisely over the next ten years as this will have a great bearing the future of the nation as a world power (Clinton 1). She clearly states the strategic vision of the Obama administration as being guided by three principles. These are; maintaining political consensus, quickly adapting into the newly formed alliances and guaranteeing defense for new allies. The importance of the region is greatly emphasized. Clinton first points out that the US needs to reposition and not withdraw from the region as is proposed by some in the political scene. She highlights the market potential in Asia for American businesses as one of the key reasons to reposition. She also reiterates that the key to stability and security at home is the stability of areas abroad. The open markets in Asia are seen as an opportunity to invest, conduct trade and access latest technologies. These markets are also portrayed as being important to recovery of the US economy. Given the economic crisis that the nation went through a while back, it would be unwise not to seize the available opportunity for a speedy recovery. Cli nton advocates for a symbiotic relationship between Asia and the US. This proposal underlies the idea that both the US and Asia-Pacific need each other in order to progress well to the future. The article also distinctively identifies the national interests of the country. The most important is the issue of security. Several ways have been proposed on how to implement the strategy. Clinton first calls for application of a forward deployed diplomacy. In this case diplomatic assets are used to achieve partnership. Six key aspects have been forwarded as the basis for this approach. They are; the strengthening of security alliances; intensifying the work relationships with the emerging powers, this includes China; interacting with multilateral organizations in the region; expansion of investment and trading activities; establishing military presence; and championing for democracy and application of human rights in partner countries. There are several alliance treaties that exist with Co untries such as Japan, Australia, Thailand, South Korea and the Philippines. The countries have been identified as a fulcrum to the strategies that the US plans to apply in the Asia-Pacific region. Though the treaties have proven to be beneficial to the US, Clinton calls for the update of the treaties to make them more relevant to the current times. The alliance with Japan is

Expansion into Diverse Business Environment Coursework

Expansion into Diverse Business Environment - Coursework Example to be selected where population has Stable knowledge about big box stores but don’t have much exposure The population there enjoys shopping Has the buying power Population is high ( will explain this fact later on ) Will be fascinated by new retail store formats. Our consideration set is now reduced to few countries which include Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Vietnam and some more. Pakistan stands out the as the demographics and psychographics indicate a population who look up to the western lifestyle as the ideal lifestyle and are a followers of western culture. Pakistan although overall is economically weak but it’s a known fact that it’s one of those few countries where the public is much richer than the government. A detailed analysis will highlight major points of the business environment. ANALYSING BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT: There are a lot of the factors that affect the business ,the external factors which are called the Macro-Environmental factors (beyond the control of the business) and the internal factors called the Micro-Environmental factors. Analyzing these factors in detail a conclusion can be made whether the environment is favorable for the business or not. PEST ANALYIS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND STRATEGIES A detailed analysis of the Pakistani macro environment, strategies pertaining to them along with recommendations for executing these strategies is mentioned in detail in this section. Political Factors: The Government of Pakistan are looking for opportunities and investors interested to invest in infrastructure development of Pakistan and are willing to offer helping hand. Although there are strict governmental policies on sale of things which are forbidden in Islam and for that policies have to be worked upon in collaboration with the government.... Expansion into Diverse business Environment The retailing sector of the business is the most developing sector these days with all of the technology converged at it to extract most out of this business sector. With the highest amount of returns and compensating to major portions of countries globally retailing has laid its root deep into the business world. Now considering the facts that retailing is also divided into various sectors which cater to different needs ranging from daily household items to luxury products, from products for the masses to products tailored to match to the needs of few. Food Retailing Business & Supermarkets: Food retailing is major share holder in the retailing sector. Traditionally if we analyze the food sector retailing majority of the sales were made by supermarkets. But there has been a shift in trend which has put the traditional supermarkets down to just a 61% share holder in food retailing and now 39% of the sales are made newer formats of stores now opening which include supercenters, wareho use clubs, convenience stores etc. As a result of this superstores have stepped back a little introducing new varieties of services and products offered; variety of non-food items like electronics, cosmetics, toiletries, cutleries and services like bank atms, cafes etc. In the light of the analysis and facts mentioned Pakistan seem to offer a favorable retail market with high ROI. The political and the cultural factors offer great opportunities of growth if the strategies are implemented in a coordinated and planned manner.

Do Judges Make the Law or Find it Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Do Judges Make the Law or Find it - Essay Example An older dimension of the ideology that judges do not make law is captured in saying that judges find or declare law but do not make it.2 The question of whether judges make law or find and the arguments relating to this question is hinged on the roles of the three major organs of the government; the executive, judiciary, and legislature. It is argued that the legislative branch of the government has the mandate of creating the law.3 Nonetheless, it is true that the executive branch can make the law through executive orders which operate as law, and so can the judiciary branch make the law. While it is generally known that the judiciary is mandated to interpret law, it has over the years asserted its authority and has established itself as an equal branch of the government that can make law.4 Case law is a common example of the law that is created by the court system or the judiciary. Case law can be defined as the sum of body of cases that creates a body of law or jurisprudence on a certain subject distinct from legislations and other sources of law. Case laws interpret regulations, constitutional provisions, and statutes. Strasbourg jurisprudence recognized the powers of the courts to make laws.5 In R v Governor of HMP Brockhill Ex parte Evans (2000), it was held that even in the criminal law, the domestic courts can develop law through judicial interpretation of a case or more.6 So, are judges really law makers or are merely law finders? The fact that the main role of the judges is to interpret and apply existing law in a particular case is undisputable. Therefore, judges are supposed to find any existing law that is relevant to a case at hand and apply it to make legal decisions. In this case it can be said that judges are law finders rather than being law makers because they have to find law.7 The doctrine of separation of powers stipulates that each branch of the government should not interfere with the mandate and roles of the other branch and each branc h should be allowed to operate independently. In this respect, the court system should interfere with the legislature’s role of making the law.8 Instead, it should preoccupy itself with the role of interpreting the law. However, it is an appreciated fact within the legal fraternity that the legal system is dynamic and keeps on developing and so does the role of the judges. As such, it is expected that the role of the judges should not be confined only to finding laws and applying them, but rather to make law where necessary and leave their own legal imprint in the legal system.9 In common law countries, the case law left behind by the judges is used in applying to other cases that relate to the previous ones based on the doctrine of judicial precedent. It has been argued to a greater extent that the doctrine of judicial precedent is an indirect way in which judges make law.10 In common law countries and democratic states, the role of judges is perceived to be active and creat ive rather than passive. This explains why they have a special place in the judiciary branch of government. Apart from being expected to interpret the law, they are also expected to contribute towards the growth of the legal system of their countries through their knowledge, skills, experience, and creativity.11 Whereas the

Accountancy is not a profession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Accountancy is not a profession - Essay Example In the period between 1933 and 1934, there occurred tremendous growth in the financial markets and their structure and level of organization improved considerably. That growth can be attributed to the audited financial data’s reliability to a considerable extent (Antle and Suner, 2007). However, over the last decade, a wave of scandals has shaken the structure of accountancy as a profession. The debate surrounding the professional status of accountancy can be traced back to the early 20th century. The supreme court of one of the states in the early 20th century referred to accountancy as a â€Å"business† that did not benefited the public like the â€Å"profession of law†, and further said that the laws of accountancy â€Å"have been passed in the interest of those engaged in the business and for their protection and advantage rather than in the interest of the public welfare† (Turnburee, 1946, p. 47). Profession has been defined as â€Å"a calling, occup ation, or vocation distinguished from a trade or handicraft† (Webster cited in Turnburee, 1946, p. 47). On the other hand, accountancy has been defined as â€Å"the art as well as the science of recording, classifying, summarizing of business transactions in terms of money within an accounting or financial year, with the help of principles and techniques† (Banerjee, 2010, p. 4). ... Formation of such organizations has increased the demand of clarification of the rules. When the accountants get any pressure from the management or are sued, they tend to approach the rule-making organizations and express their concern over lack of clarification of rules in particular cases. Rules are always secondary to professional judgment. â€Å"In the big picture, this shift in emphasis from judgment to rules has damaged their professionalism. No profession can rely on rules as the main basis for its work† (Sunder cited in Antle and Sunder, 2007). The professional status of accountancy has also been challenged by many accountants. For example, the accountant David Logan at the IRIS World Event arranged at Twickenham warned the fellows that accountancy is increasingly becoming a trade rather than a profession; â€Å"I used to have seven audits, but I could do 95% of my business without being registered. We’re competing with anybody who can set up as a bookkeeper. If someone is made redundant and sets up on their own, you can’t compete with that† (Logan cited in Stokdyk, 2012). The recent changes made to the audit exemption criteria have made things even worse as the firms have started to do the works of accountancy without an accountant. These days, many large companies do such works as filing the accounts and bookkeeping without the help of accountants and still no objections are raised by the government (Stokdyk, 2012). Although the government provides business with the relaxation of red tape, yet the accountants are facing restrictions from various avenues for making income. Another accountant Paul Scholes encouraged

Expansion into Diverse Business Environment Coursework

Expansion into Diverse Business Environment - Coursework Example to be selected where population has Stable knowledge about big box stores but don’t have much exposure The population there enjoys shopping Has the buying power Population is high ( will explain this fact later on ) Will be fascinated by new retail store formats. Our consideration set is now reduced to few countries which include Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nigeria, Vietnam and some more. Pakistan stands out the as the demographics and psychographics indicate a population who look up to the western lifestyle as the ideal lifestyle and are a followers of western culture. Pakistan although overall is economically weak but it’s a known fact that it’s one of those few countries where the public is much richer than the government. A detailed analysis will highlight major points of the business environment. ANALYSING BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT: There are a lot of the factors that affect the business ,the external factors which are called the Macro-Environmental factors (beyond the control of the business) and the internal factors called the Micro-Environmental factors. Analyzing these factors in detail a conclusion can be made whether the environment is favorable for the business or not. PEST ANALYIS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND STRATEGIES A detailed analysis of the Pakistani macro environment, strategies pertaining to them along with recommendations for executing these strategies is mentioned in detail in this section. Political Factors: The Government of Pakistan are looking for opportunities and investors interested to invest in infrastructure development of Pakistan and are willing to offer helping hand. Although there are strict governmental policies on sale of things which are forbidden in Islam and for that policies have to be worked upon in collaboration with the government.... Expansion into Diverse business Environment The retailing sector of the business is the most developing sector these days with all of the technology converged at it to extract most out of this business sector. With the highest amount of returns and compensating to major portions of countries globally retailing has laid its root deep into the business world. Now considering the facts that retailing is also divided into various sectors which cater to different needs ranging from daily household items to luxury products, from products for the masses to products tailored to match to the needs of few. Food Retailing Business & Supermarkets: Food retailing is major share holder in the retailing sector. Traditionally if we analyze the food sector retailing majority of the sales were made by supermarkets. But there has been a shift in trend which has put the traditional supermarkets down to just a 61% share holder in food retailing and now 39% of the sales are made newer formats of stores now opening which include supercenters, wareho use clubs, convenience stores etc. As a result of this superstores have stepped back a little introducing new varieties of services and products offered; variety of non-food items like electronics, cosmetics, toiletries, cutleries and services like bank atms, cafes etc. In the light of the analysis and facts mentioned Pakistan seem to offer a favorable retail market with high ROI. The political and the cultural factors offer great opportunities of growth if the strategies are implemented in a coordinated and planned manner.

Accountancy is not a profession Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Accountancy is not a profession - Essay Example In the period between 1933 and 1934, there occurred tremendous growth in the financial markets and their structure and level of organization improved considerably. That growth can be attributed to the audited financial data’s reliability to a considerable extent (Antle and Suner, 2007). However, over the last decade, a wave of scandals has shaken the structure of accountancy as a profession. The debate surrounding the professional status of accountancy can be traced back to the early 20th century. The supreme court of one of the states in the early 20th century referred to accountancy as a â€Å"business† that did not benefited the public like the â€Å"profession of law†, and further said that the laws of accountancy â€Å"have been passed in the interest of those engaged in the business and for their protection and advantage rather than in the interest of the public welfare† (Turnburee, 1946, p. 47). Profession has been defined as â€Å"a calling, occup ation, or vocation distinguished from a trade or handicraft† (Webster cited in Turnburee, 1946, p. 47). On the other hand, accountancy has been defined as â€Å"the art as well as the science of recording, classifying, summarizing of business transactions in terms of money within an accounting or financial year, with the help of principles and techniques† (Banerjee, 2010, p. 4). ... Formation of such organizations has increased the demand of clarification of the rules. When the accountants get any pressure from the management or are sued, they tend to approach the rule-making organizations and express their concern over lack of clarification of rules in particular cases. Rules are always secondary to professional judgment. â€Å"In the big picture, this shift in emphasis from judgment to rules has damaged their professionalism. No profession can rely on rules as the main basis for its work† (Sunder cited in Antle and Sunder, 2007). The professional status of accountancy has also been challenged by many accountants. For example, the accountant David Logan at the IRIS World Event arranged at Twickenham warned the fellows that accountancy is increasingly becoming a trade rather than a profession; â€Å"I used to have seven audits, but I could do 95% of my business without being registered. We’re competing with anybody who can set up as a bookkeeper. If someone is made redundant and sets up on their own, you can’t compete with that† (Logan cited in Stokdyk, 2012). The recent changes made to the audit exemption criteria have made things even worse as the firms have started to do the works of accountancy without an accountant. These days, many large companies do such works as filing the accounts and bookkeeping without the help of accountants and still no objections are raised by the government (Stokdyk, 2012). Although the government provides business with the relaxation of red tape, yet the accountants are facing restrictions from various avenues for making income. Another accountant Paul Scholes encouraged

Work Placement Skills Essay Example for Free

Work Placement Skills Essay Briefing on work placements and the importance of their inclusion in the DDA part 2 It is important to distinguish between different kinds of work placements. Skill would welcome clarification as to which placements will be covered by the amendments to the DDA part 2. Skill has put together this briefing on different types of learning that may include work placements. The examples used are not actual case studies, but reflect the concerns that Skill is aware of, and include situations of which we have been informed. 1Work based learning Work based learning organisations often deliver a large amount of training in the workplace. In a majority of instances trainees are on a Modern Apprenticeship programme and as such are paid as employees therefore are covered under part 2 of the DDA. However, in a substantial minority of cases, trainees are on other programmes where they are taught at a work based training organisation but spend a substantial amount of time on ‘placement’. Skill would presume that these trainees would come under Part 2 under the new regulations. It is certainly essential they do as so much of their programme is delivered in the work place. Tanya is on an office skills course run by a work based learning organisation. Some of her training takes place at the work based learning organisation but Tanya has to attend two substantial work placements. Tanya is a wheelchair user and dyslexic. Some of the adjustments she requires in relation to physical access are that furniture is arranged in a way which allows her free access in her wheelchair and a desk which a wheelchair can fit underneath. In terms of her dyslexia she works best when files etc. are very clearly marked, for example with colour coding. She works much better when using a computer than when having to write down things by hand. Her tutors have visited her work placement with her and can support her with many of the adjustments. However, if they are to be fully implemented they require the active support of her employer and other staff. The employer is clearly disturbed at the fact that Tanya requires these adjustments and mutters that he knows he has duties to his disabled employers but this does not extend to trainees who are merely on work placement. 2Further education Increasingly more and more further education students are going on work placements. In some instances these are students on a vocational NVQ programme. Justine, who is partially sighted, is on an NVQ training course in catering at a further education college. The theoretical and some of the practical parts of the course take place at college but students also have to spend blocks of time in different work places. Two of Justine’s work placements are very accommodating. However the third, a restaurant kitchen, behave in a very unfriendly way. They refuse to print out any recipes in large print saying that this ‘is not their job’ which means that Justine finds it very difficult to carry out her assignments. In the second week they ring up the college and demand that she is removed from the kitchen because they believe that her visual impairment poses a health and safety risk. Her tutor arranges for her to do double time at one of her other placements but this is not ideal as it means that she has a narrower range of experiences than other students on the course. In other cases they are students on an academic programme such as A levels where the work placement is not directly related to their course but is very important in giving them an understanding of how the workplace works and what they might like to do in the future. In some instances they might be students on a more general programme (for example an Entry Level course or a programme for people with learning difficulties). In these cases the purpose of the work placement is to extend their experiences, give them an understanding of the realities of work, and enable them to try out a particular vocational area. Mohammed has learning difficulties and is studying on a life skills course. Part of this course is to have work experience for half a day a week for a term in the local community. Mohammed discusses possible work placements with his tutor and it emerges that he would really like to work in a shop. After writing many letters, Mohammed’s tutor finally manages to arrange for Mohammed to have a work placement one afternoon a week at a local shop. Mohammed’s tutor spent some time at the placement with Mohammed supporting him in how to make the most out of his placement, but he had many students he was responsible for and so could not be there on an ongoing basis. Although Mohammed enjoyed his afternoons at the work placement, the manager of the shop expressed frustration that he was not able to carry out tasks without support and complained about the way in which he was constantly ‘hanging around’ customers which put them off. He said it was not his place to provide support for Mohammed and he needed someone who could ‘get on with the job’. After four weeks the manager sent Mohammed back to the college, saying he wanted someone ‘normal’ next time. 3Higher education In higher education, there are a number of courses that involve vocational work placements. One such example would be that of nursing and midwifery. All such courses have work placements central to them, and rightly so, as they are practical and vocational subjects. However, these placements can be difficult for disabled students. Steve is studying a BSc in Nursing at his local University. In order to complete the degree, students have to pass a number of exams and also undertake three periods of work placements. Steve has dyslexia, which means that his handwriting is poor and so he has asked to be able to type up his patient records. He is also aware that colleagues may think he is more likely to make mistakes on the drugs round, but as all nurses are checked before medication is administered to patients, he thinks this should be ok. Once he is qualified and employed, his employer would make reasonable adjustments such as these under DDA part 2. Despite an excellent track record, the third placement provider refused to make any adjustments for Steve, and spuriously cited Health and Safety law as a reason to expel him from the placement, stating the reason as being because his dyslexia meant he could not do the drug rounds and that his patient records were illegible. Because of this he failed his second year at University and will have to repeat the whole year if he wishes to gain his degree. There are also increasing numbers of sandwich courses on offer from universities, where students undertake a four-year course, of which the second or third year is spent in industry. These placements can be mandatory and without their completion a student may either not be able to progress to the next year of their course or they may not get the extra qualification or recognition that accompanies the completion of the year in industry. Often these placements consist of paid employment, and students are therefore covered by the existing DDA Part 2. However there examples of where students are not paid for these placements. Disabled students may find it more difficult to find a paid placement and so may be more likely to undertake a placement on a voluntary basis. Kerry is studying for a degree in IT. She has MS. As part of her degree, she spends a year in industry. This is a compulsory part of the course, and comes highly recommended by her university, as it will help her to get a job after graduating in a very competitive market. Students are required to complete the placement and also produce a 4000 word report on their placement year, which is worth 10 credits in the final year. Kerry is keen to do a placement, but because of her MS gets turned down from all the places she applies to. Undeterred, she tries instead to find a voluntary placement. She manages to arrange a placement, but her status as an intern means that she is asked to shift boxes and help staff with filing and photocopying, which because of her disability she cannot do. Her colleagues are also very unkind to her because of her disability, and she leaves the placement early, therefore failing the placement year and unable to complete the assignment. Recently, an unpublished survey by AGCAS (the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services) showed that disabled students can be just as successful as their non disabled peers in finding graduate employment. This said, they found that there were higher percentages of disabled graduates starting in clerical and secretarial, craft, personal service and sales jobs, as well as in part time and unpaid work. It was concluded that this may be because they may have difficulties in accumulating work experience while they are students. This clearly calls for work placements to be covered by the DDA so that disabled students have an equal chance to progress onto graduate employment after university. 4Self-organised placements There is also a greater emphasis on students finding and arranging work experience themselves, for example in the holiday periods, not on a paid basis. This is becoming increasingly important for students looking to enter employment. The Dearing Report on Higher Education (1997) recommended that all undergraduates should undertake a period of work experience as part of their course, in order to improve employability. This may be seen as even more important for disabled students, who may find it more difficult to progress onto employment after study. Catriona has always dreamed of being a journalist. She is blind, but uses her ‘Braille ‘n’ Speak’ electronic notetaking device to take notes when she interviews people. She previously worked on her school newspaper, and now that she is at college she wants to get some more work experience. She writes to a number of local and regional papers offering to cover stories for them. One paper offers her a few assignments but states that she must be able to use shorthand, as if she goes on assignment in Court, they will not allow electronic notetakers. Her disability means that she is unable to agree to these terms, despite the fact that she could undertake all other kinds of assignment. Although she feels that she has been treated less favourably, she feels unable to appeal because of her status as volunteer. It is hard to make a clear distinction between which of these types of placement could be classed as part of ‘vocational training’ and which not. Some are more directly related to a vocational learning programme. However, they all have the aim of supporting learners in their transition (whether immediate or in the future) to employment. Currently disabled people are significantly under-represented in paid employment, and it is important that any support possible is given to them to change this situation. A successful work placement is a very important factor in helping this to happen. These periods of work placement also form an integral part of an individual’s learning programme. If a disabled person is discriminated against in the workplace or does not have an essential reasonable adjustment made for them, this may well result in them dropping out of the placement and hence failing a particular part of their course. Under DDA Part 4 education providers currently have a responsibility to disabled learners when on work experience. The education provider has a responsibility to prepare both the student and the placement provider for the placement, and set up the necessary support. However, there is only so far they can go in ensuring discrimination does not take place and in making reasonable adjustments to the work placement. For example they can insist on a statement from the employer but cannot actually ensure that no discrimination takes place; they can suggest that, for example, furniture needs to be rearranged in order to accommodate a wheelchair user, but cannot actually authorise its movement. This can only be assured if employers themselves have duties to people on work placements as they already do towards their employees.