Genocide Of either Holocaust or the Rawnda Essay

Genocide Of either Holocaust or the Rawnda - Essay Example (Kagame and his RPF were said to be the ones who ended the genocide) Later on, Kagame is elected as President and has ruled the country since March of 2000. Gourevitch recently wrote that Kagame â€Å"has come to be recognized by his adversaries and his admirers alike, as one of the most formidable political figures of our age† (cjr.org). A detailed report from the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) regarding the events in the run-up and during the April to July of 1994 provided the scale of the genocide in a straightforward lead: â€Å"Between April and June of 1994, an estimated 800,000 Rwandans were killed in the space of 100 days† (news.bbc.co.uk). The genocide all started from the assassination of Habyarimana and other officials when the airplane they had boarded â€Å"was shot down above Kigali airport on 6 April 1994† (new.bbc.co.uk). By Kagame’s account, dissident Hutus were behind the killing of Habyarimana just to give excuse for Hutus and state fo rces to purge the Tutsis out of Rwanda; but a French judge has blamed Kagame. It is clear that several factors had phenomenally laid the groundwork for the horrible genocide to happen. Aside from the shooting down of Habyarimana’s plane, cases of violence–specifically between Hutus and Tutsis which are the two races in Rwanda–replete the torrid history of Rwanda. â€Å"Ethnic tension in Rwanda is nothing new. There have been always disagreements between the majority Hutus and minority Tutsis† (news.bbc.co.uk). Way back in 1916, Belgian colonists considered the Tutsis as superior. Tutsis stood tall and had had â€Å"enjoyed better jobs and educational opportunities† (news.bbc.co.uk) than the Hutus. It is the Hutus’ ethnic hatred towards the Tutsis which added more fuel in burning genocide. In the midst of the Rwandan genocide was Paul Rusesabagina, 56. A hotel manager of the Millie Collines, a luxury hotel in capital Kigali, Rusesabagina has saved many Tutsis from the armed Hutus. His actions transformed him into being an â€Å"unlikely hero† (nationalgeograophic.com). His story was filmed and premiered in Hollywood on the December of 2004 as Hotel Rwanda. Hotel Rwanda has revealed the daily struggles of Rusesabagina just to keep many Tutsis safe in the luxury hotel. It revealed the corrupted and disordered local politics in Rwanda. It has also shown the cowed response of the United Nations’ peacekeeping force in handling the situation. It has also revealed many impoverished families who mired in hunger and poverty. Ultimately, it is a success story on the part of Rusesabagina that despite of all the intimidations he’s been through, he successfully saved his neighbors and loved ones from the genocide. The UN is pretty straightforward in its campaign against genocide. Under the UN Agreements on Human Rights, it is stipulated that the convention bans â€Å"acts committed with the intent to destroy, i n whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group† (hrweb.org). It also declared that â€Å"genocide itself, conspiracy or incitement to commit genocide, attempts to commit or complicity in the commission of genocide all to be illegal† (hrweb.org). It is clear that the true intent of the convention is to straighten the fact that genocide is illegal thus deserves

Middle East Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Middle East Story - Essay Example Mariam is Muslim and Tony is Christian. I personally believe this change greatly changes the story and makes it even more impossible for Mariam and Tony to be together. Also, it is important to note that the story does take place in 2006. America and the Muslim world is at a point where any communication leads to inevitable misunderstanding and yet, Tony, an American Christian soldier falls in love with the Islamic Qatari Mariam. I really like my modernized version of the play. I feel that since there is so much hostility between the Americans and the Muslims, showing a play where both sides want to give up what they stand for and just be devoted to each other shows that love prevails over all. Throwing dirt on others does not make us a better person; and violence is definitely not the answer to all questions. Middle East Story shows that life is short, and questions, is it wise to spend a short life hating and killing those who disagree with our viewpoint In my modernized version, Tony does die. I felt it was important for Tony to die, because even after he dies, Mariam shows her affection for him. She covers his face with her head covering, her identity of being a Muslim. I felt this was a very powerful scene in the play. This play is based on the musical, West Side Story, and I have attempted to modernize it by making a few... Mariam is the sister of Qatar's Islamic groups' leader, Ibrahim. Ibrahim wants Qatar to be independent of the American soldiers because he fears the Americans would Westernize the Qataris and cause trouble. From the start it is established that Mariam's family is against the American soldiers. Tony, the guy with whom Mariam meets and falls in love, is an American soldier. This racial difference is very difficult to deal with. The American soldiers pity the Qataris whom the Americans believe are living a backwards life. The American soldiers believe women should have more freedom and the country overall should be more open-minded. The lack of understanding between both races leads to hatred; the American soldiers stationed in Qatar and the members of the Islamic groups have a hard time tolerating each other. A social class difference also exists between Mariam and Tony. Mariam comes from a very wealthy family. Her family owns a big house and she enjoys a comfortable lifestyle. Tony, on the other hand, comes from a middle class family. He lives in an apartment and does not enjoy a luxurious lifestyle. According to Qatar standards, a girl that comes from a wealthy family is supposed to be married to a man who is either of equal financial status or preferably richer. The last and major difference is the religion difference. This difference is not mentioned in the West Side Story. Mariam is a Muslim woman and Tony is a Christian man. According to Islam, it is not permissible for Mariam to get married to Tony. Also, Mariam came from a family that was religiously active and consistently reinforced the teachings and principles of Islam. Theme The whole play revolves around conflicts between the

History of Colonization

History of Colonization Revolts in French ruled countries as opposed to Britain ruled countries To understand the causes of consequences, it becomes binding to have an idea of the background before the matter in dwelled into as a larger picture. The scramble for Africa started at the end of nineteenth century. European powers wanted to establish separate dominances over varied parts of the continent. After the initial hindrance of the geographical location was taken care of, each European power had vested interest in particular areas. Thus, they redrew the boundaries and the structure of the countries in the continent was revised to an immeasurable extent. The already existing political institutions were not concentrated upon. It led to forced partitions and mergers of a majority of the African countries. The traditional groups and monarchies were forced to break down and share their territory with literally new people. Thus multiple independent groups with each having their own history, culture, language and tradition were now belonging to one territory which would be ruled by one or more powers. Each ruling power was only looking for their own benefit. After a mass re division of the land, some parts were traded between the ruling countries to satisfy their own goals. Any kind of resistance by the native Africans was severely oppressed and made to die down by various Treaty and Conquest tactics. Although the colonial rule was expected to go on for over a period of more than 100 years, the ruling powers lacked sufficient man power to take over administration, governance over the economic growth. Indirect rule was favored with African authorities and thus emerged a new class if intermediaries whose job was to make sure that the government orders were fully executed. The pattern of economic activity started changing with commercial agriculture at a good pace. The countries started fair exports of these commodities as well as minerals. In certain parts of the continent, a given holding of a territory was declared as White Land. The literacy and primary education introduced throughout Africa by the Christian Missionaries led to the elites espousing nationalist ambitions. But it didn’t result in anything at this point as the African countries had nothing among them which would or could hold them together against the colonizing powers. Africans were residing in mere geographical boundaries. With the second World War, the game changed in Africa. All the new infrastructural developments and the rapid increase in agricultural production as well as the manufacture of other items that took place were to ensure the sustainability of the ruling European nations in the war. When the African troops were deputed for war, they learnt to a great deal about the freedom movements and struggles in the other parts of the world. When the war came to an end, just like the rest of the world, there was a lot of restlessness and frustration in Africa. Those who had served in the army were hoping to be rewarded by some share in the government of their country. The standard of living by then was in complete shambles. No proper housing facilities, high prices, no jobs and the problems continued. In order to provide some relief which would benefit their own interest, the colonial powers carved a way to include some of the African people in the political game. But gradually, some African thinkers started to believe in the idea of ‘self-government’ and demanded the same from the colonial power ruling that particular country. When this freedom was granted, the upcoming African political leaders were not trained and capable enough to run a country. Thus policies and decisions were not suitable for the development which led to increased corruption. Although no one really campaigned for independence, the political aspirations were centered on securing for the African population the same rights and privileges as those enjoyed by the fellow metropolitan people of the colonial power. But gradually, the march towards independence started in Africa. Like in any revolution, there were revolts across countries, against the governments. But there was a very obvious difference between the type and intensity of revolts in countries ruled by Britain and those ruled by the French. This is more of a comparative understanding rather than an analytical one. Here on, there is a sincere effort been made of following a timeline. When the continent of Africa was being divided by lines pre decided by the colonial invaders, some territories were swapped to satisfy their purposes. The British were primarily interested maintaining secure communication lines to India which led to initial interest in Egypt and South Africa. Then they intended to establish a Cape-Cairo railway. The control of Nile was also viewed as a strategic and commercial advantage. France had two motivations for its colonisation. Firstly, it wanted to establish markets, strategic bases for the French military and trading fleets around the world. Secondly, it wanted to exploit the natural resources and cheap labour of the colonies. Britain traded parts of northern Nigeria with France for fishing rights. France exchanged parts of Cameroon with Germany in return for German recognition of the French protectorate over Morocco. At the end of all the exchanges, the French claimed 3.75 million square miles while the British claimed 2 million square mil es. Early African reaction to European intrusion into Africa in the late 19th century was not uniform. A few groups that had suffered from long-term warfare or slave raiding (such as in parts of East Africa) gave an uncertain welcome to European presence in their regions in hope that there would be peace. Other groups strongly resisted the coming of European political control. However, many people had no initial reaction to colonialism. This was because the early year’s colonialism had little impact on the lives of many rural African peoples. This situation changed as the impact of colonialism became more widespread and intense in the middle decades of the 20th century. Until after the Second World War almost all the Africans living in the colonies of France were not citizens of France. Rather, they were French Subjects, lacking rights before the law, property ownership rights, rights to travel, dissent, or vote. Until after the Second World War almost all the Africans living in the colonies of France were not citizens of France. Rather, they were French Subjects, lacking rights before the law, property ownership rights, rights to travel, dissent, or vote. But post WW2, France started regarding their colonies not as separate territories but as a part of ‘La Plus Grande France’ But Britain’s strategy of pacifying all the nationalist ideas was different. They started by introducing new constituencies, providing for elections for a handful of members of the legislative councils. In the 1950’s, violence broke out in Algeria as France refused to grant Independence. The Algerian war started with the insurrection organised by the National Liberation Front (FLN), on November 1st, 1954, and lasted until 1962 when Algeria became independent. During those eight years one million Algerians died. In 1954 there were 200,000 Algerians living in France. Of those 150,000 were working, the majority in the building or steel industries. Slowly but surely the FLN began to organise Algerians in France. It was Algerians in France that were to finance the war. Tunisia and Morocco were granted independence and the rest 14 territories that France had under its wing, remained loyal to them. In British West Africa, everyone who was politically conscious was deemed to be a nationalist. On the other hand in French West Africa, there are Catholics and anti- clericals, Communists and Gaullists, Socialists, Syndicalist and Existentialists. LÃ ©opold SÃ ©dar Senghor was the first President of Senegal and the first African to be elected as a member of the French Academy. He wanted to not just stay in the French Union but the French Republic. Thus, he advocated political federation rather than independence between France and Africa. Post World War 2, the French Government bore a considerable amount of the administrative costs and provided subsidies for export crops. Until 1958, majority of the public investment and a sizeable amount of annual running costs plus vast sums of infrastructure were financed by France. When a new constitution was being drafted in the French ruled countries, except for Guinea, all other countries voted for a Franco-African community. But this did not last long and the African rulers demanded greater control. France then reached the conclusion that all territories under them would have to be launched as independent states. Meanwhile, in all the Britain ruled countries, the violence had been reaching a boiling point forcing England to jettison all long term plans of independence. Throughout the period of colonization, the French, no doubt ruthless colonisers, seem to have been more willing to consider the people of Africa a part of their culture and nation rather than believing in the principle of the ruler and the ruled upon as followed by Britain to a large extent. The French also wanted to see the fruits of their anti-slavery efforts in West Africa. Assimilation was one ideological basis of the French colonial policy. In contrast with British imperial policy, the French taught their subjects that, by adopting French language and culture, they could eventually become French. The famous Four Communes in Senegal can be seen as proof of this. And probably the only proof of the same. Here Africans were, in theory, afforded all the rights of French citizens. The French Assimilation concept was based on the idea of expanding French culture to the colonies outside of France in the 19th and 20th century. Natives of these colonies were considered French citizens as long as the culture and customs were adopted. This also meant they would have the rights and duties of French citizens. The French appeared to understand fully, even at an early stage, that assimilation of West Africans under tier control was not in the offing. Both the cost of implementing such a program and the tenacity of the indigenous populations prevented full-scale assimilation. Instead, the French sought to control the West African populations. By contrast, in the British colonies the approach was the opposite: they used local power holders rather than installing a whole new administration. Each system aimed to benefit the colonizers. The French were rather harsh in their administration and their attempts to increase their economic footholds, utilizing such means as forced labor and imprisonment to maintain and expand their interests. One of the most important aspects of the French colonization of West Africa was the requirement placed on the colony to pay its own way as a colony. The French administration sought to increase productivity and extract valuable resources. They fostered production of groundnuts and cotton where appropriate conditions were present and imposed taxation as a means of inducing participation in the cash economy. Where crops could not be grown, they encouraged migration to wage- earning areas. The French colonial encounter in West Africa was driven by commercial interests and, perhaps to a lesser degree, a civilizing mission. The political administration and the economic interests were fairly uniform throughout the colonial period. Little was done to improve the lives of West Africans, although attempts were made to provide minimal health and educational services. Whereas in the British areas of West Africa some portion of the economic gain accrued to an African middle class, no such dynami c occurred in the French context. Bibliography https://exploringafrica.matrix.msu.edu/students/curriculum/m7b/activity4.php http://www.historytoday.com/martin-evans/french-resistance-and-algerian-war http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africanaage/essay-resistance.html http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=2920 file:///C:/Users/hp/Documents/africa/List%20of%20French%20possessions%20and%20colonies%20-%20Wikipedia,%20the%20free%20encyclopedia.htm file:///C:/Users/hp/Documents/africa/French%20West%20Africa%20-%20Wikipedia,%20the%20free%20encyclopedia.htm file:///C:/Users/hp/Documents/africa/Scramble%20for%20Africa%20-%20Wikipedia,%20the%20free%20encyclopedia.htm http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-17_u-504_t-1362_c-5244/qld/sose/colonisation-resources-power-and-exploration/colonisation-history/france http://www.africa.upenn.edu/K-12/French_16178.html -Shalmali Ghaisas

The Struggle in Bread Givers Essay -- Bread Givers Essays

The Struggle in Bread Givers  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Several changes have occurred since the 1920s in traditional family values and the family life. Research revealed several different findings among family values, the way things were done and are now done, and the different kinds of old and new world struggles. In Anzia Yezierska's Bread Givers, Sara and her father have different opinions of what the daughters' role should be. Sara believed that she should be able to choose what her life will be, because it is her life. She was assimilated to the new world in this sense. She felt that since she lived in America she should have the right to be free to chose her lifestyle and make it what she wanted. She believed that she should be able to keep some of her hard earned money for herself and that the father should get off his behind and work instead of reading the Torah all day long over and over. Her father believed that he should be able to chose what his daughters and wife did. He wanted them to work and give the money to the family. In the meantime he practiced the Torah. He felt that he should have all the good portions of the meal even though he did not work to provide the meal. This is an example of the new world VS. the old world. There is a definite generational tension over assimilati on, into America and expectations are different for the father from that of the women in the family. Sara's father also feels that he should get to pick the man that his daughters will marry. This is so old world, and Sara is not going to have it. She has watched her sisters who are so unhappy with the husbands that the father picked for them. Her father believes, "No girl can live without a father or a husband to look out for her," "It says in th... ... point of view the story of her life and her experiences. She does a wonderful job of depecting the struggles that she had with her father and the desire to become independent. This book shows us an in depth description of the life of an immigrant and their struggles to fit in and be like all the others. She works through the hard times and makes her life what she wants and fulfills her goal. Sara inspires us by showing us that if we work hard enough we can overcome anything and meet the goals of our life. Works Cited Cowan, Neil M. and Cowan, Ruth Schwartz, Our Parents' Lives. New York: New York Press, 1989. Kristeva, Julia, Strangers To Ourselves. New York: Addison-Wesley, 1991. Yerkes, Robert M., Book Review Digest: Reviews Of 1925 Books. New York: H. W. Wilson Co., 1926. Yezierska, Anzia, Bread Givers. New York: Persea Books, Inc., 1999.    The Struggle in Bread Givers Essay -- Bread Givers Essays The Struggle in Bread Givers  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   Several changes have occurred since the 1920s in traditional family values and the family life. Research revealed several different findings among family values, the way things were done and are now done, and the different kinds of old and new world struggles. In Anzia Yezierska's Bread Givers, Sara and her father have different opinions of what the daughters' role should be. Sara believed that she should be able to choose what her life will be, because it is her life. She was assimilated to the new world in this sense. She felt that since she lived in America she should have the right to be free to chose her lifestyle and make it what she wanted. She believed that she should be able to keep some of her hard earned money for herself and that the father should get off his behind and work instead of reading the Torah all day long over and over. Her father believed that he should be able to chose what his daughters and wife did. He wanted them to work and give the money to the family. In the meantime he practiced the Torah. He felt that he should have all the good portions of the meal even though he did not work to provide the meal. This is an example of the new world VS. the old world. There is a definite generational tension over assimilati on, into America and expectations are different for the father from that of the women in the family. Sara's father also feels that he should get to pick the man that his daughters will marry. This is so old world, and Sara is not going to have it. She has watched her sisters who are so unhappy with the husbands that the father picked for them. Her father believes, "No girl can live without a father or a husband to look out for her," "It says in th... ... point of view the story of her life and her experiences. She does a wonderful job of depecting the struggles that she had with her father and the desire to become independent. This book shows us an in depth description of the life of an immigrant and their struggles to fit in and be like all the others. She works through the hard times and makes her life what she wants and fulfills her goal. Sara inspires us by showing us that if we work hard enough we can overcome anything and meet the goals of our life. Works Cited Cowan, Neil M. and Cowan, Ruth Schwartz, Our Parents' Lives. New York: New York Press, 1989. Kristeva, Julia, Strangers To Ourselves. New York: Addison-Wesley, 1991. Yerkes, Robert M., Book Review Digest: Reviews Of 1925 Books. New York: H. W. Wilson Co., 1926. Yezierska, Anzia, Bread Givers. New York: Persea Books, Inc., 1999.   

There are many difference between Leaders and Managers

Q #1 : There are many difference between Leaders and Managers. Explain 5 Major differences with relevant examples. On a close look it can be seen that many managers are not leaders, though successful in their field. Leaders lead from the front and managers believe in directing controlling and planning and improving the efficiency of the organization. A manager makes the subordinates to work, a leader work with the people. Management philosophers and thinkers have been interested in identifying the difference between a manager and a leader. Some leaders show management skills and some mangers show leadership skills. It is now well established that there is difference between a manager and a leader. A leader leads from the front. His language will be like come let us do the work. On the other hand a manager believes in planning and coordinating the work. He uses management techniques to manage others. Followers voluntarily follow the leader. This may not be the case with managers. Subordinates is been asked to obey the instruction of the manager by virtue of his position. The subordinates may be obeying the manager on his leadership skills or may be just as it is part of their duty. It is also common the subordinates dislike the manager and still follows his action to save his or her job. A leader has his interest common to the followers. When the common interest is being identified, people voluntarily follow him. Rather than asking the people to work, a leader prefers to call them for work and they just follow the instructions of a leader. This important quality makes a big difference between the style of functioning of a manger and a leader. #1 Difference in working style There is a big difference in the working style of a manager. A leader attracts the people with the charisma he is having. He used to have an upper hand in technological knowledge than the workers. Leadership may not have any relevance with the functioning of the organization. On the other hand the management is different in its way of functioning. A manager keeps the organizational priority at his best. He has to do certain tasks as per the guidelines set by the organization. He then plans to achieve this by his people. Here the manager uses the modern management tools. He is interested in directing, planning and organizing. To make this effective he also uses modern management tools. A leader innovates and the manager administers. Leadership is setting up vision and Direction and management is implementation of this. A leader set his vision and the followers follow his vision almost voluntarily. He seldom needs force to attract towards him in execution of his direction and vision. On the other hand the manager executes the vision of the organization. On his journey towards this he will also be using leadership skills to effectively manage his people. A manger with leadership skills can effectively manage the organization. There should be a force attracting the followers or a subordinate to the person directs them. In case of leadership it is often the quality of the leader or his charisma that attracts the people to him. On the other hand the manager and the leader should be the two sides of the coin. Latest management trends show an inclination towards improving the leadership qualities of a manager. It is accepted that a manager should improve the output of the organization but it should be on the cost of the people working in the organization. #2 Directing Function The directing function of the manager is making people ready to perform certain task or assigning certain task to the people. This functional area of the manger has more to do with leadership. Once a task is to be performed, the concerned manager has to detail people or direct people to accomplish the task. This is mostly done in different ways by a manager and a leader. However both leader and a manager use the function of directing. Followers voluntarily work as per the direction where as manager needs to have something else for motivating the people to work. This may be different to different organization and also as per the management style it differs. Organizations have special structure and policies to motivate the people to work and managers are part of it. In the field of emergency medical services the directing function of the manager has a lot to do with routine jobs. Things are to be done at high pace and many times immediate decisions are to be taken. The chances of going these decisions wrong are high. In this scenario subordinates should be motivated and encouraged to take decisions at time of emergency. Also the manager should be able to provide directions without any delay. His competence as a leader is very important. A leader comes forward to take the responsibility of the actions of his followers. The followers also recognize this fact and there are more people willing to work under a leader under emergencies. This is what actually needed in an emergency service. At the same time the leader should be conversant with the procedures adopted in an emergency. A manager is a technical person and he is likely to be thorough in procedures and policies. Union of managerial qualities and leadership skills will be a good formula for emergency medical services. #3 Emotional Intelligence Leaders are emotionally more intelligent than ordinary managers. A manager wants to be successful should have high emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and control one’s emotions and to understand the emotions of others. People having high emotional intelligence tend to be leaders. According to Terry, â€Å"a leader shows the way by his example. He is not a pusher; he pulls rather than pushes (Terry R G, 1988). A typical manager does not follow this style. He plans and direct people to get the work done. There is set of duties and responsibilities for each person in the organization. A manager ensures this is been done. He uses his control function to see things are going as per the schedule. A manger often uses his control powers. In contrast a leader expects his subordinates to perform the way it is desired. For example if a staff is coming late to his duty. The typical manager may think of taking corrective action, where as a leader may be thinking to find out the reasons behind the late coming of the staff and may be willing to support that person. Similar actions make the follower emotionally attached to the leader and they keep the individual interest only next to the common goals In emergency medical service, emotional intelligence is a highly required quality of the person heading the operation. A leader who is empathetic and understands the emotions of others can do a lot in getting people involved in the service. A leader should avoid knee jerk reactions. It is already said emotional intelligence makes the difference in actions of a manager and a leader. A manager who is low in emotional intelligence may follow only the rule book and this kind of attitude may lead to poor quality service especially in emergency medical service. It is good to be knowledgeable but at the same time the managers should understand the need of being empathetic to the subordinates and the customers. 4 Functions of management Functions of management are Directing, Organizing, Planning, controlling and staffing. Professional managers are trained to perform these functions. Some people are on the view that Directing is the most important function of a manager. Many managers believe decision making is an important function of the manager. In the Emergency Medical Service Industry manager should be go od at decision making. He will have to make decisions in seconds. A manger is trained to have these qualities. In management schools Case studies are used to impart the skills of decision making. A leader has the quality of decision making and directing, a leader’s method of directing and decision making differ from that of a manager. Leaders decision are derived from that of his team members where as the managers decisions are learned decision and the decision the manger thinks to be good for the company. In respect to other function like controlling and planning a manger uses modern management tools. An ordinary leader may not know these tools for planning and controlling. Hence in these function a manger may have an upper hand in delivering the duties. But if the manager has leadership skills then he can really outperform an ordinary manager. All leading management institutes have special curriculum to sharpen the leadership skills of the managers. It is also said it is important to become a leader then become a manager by learning management tools. Management is ‘managing men’ and a leader is expected to do this function well. Leadership involves in common interest and goal. By this common interest and goal a leader can motivate people to attain common goals. Managers seek scientific methods to perform their task. Leaders are not interested in going for such tools and management techniques. They are good motivators. #5 Managers and Leaders Successful managers are efficient leaders. Bill Gate is a successful leader as well as a good manager. There are other examples too. Most successful managers are not MBA holders rather they are good leaders. On a close view it can be understood that it is important to become a leader first than becoming a manager. Story of successful managers in all fields underlines this factor. There are other differences in the styles of managers and leaders. A manager makes his decision and then sells his decision to his followers. Manger compares alternatives before making decisions. He asks his subordinates to question if they have any doubt. In case of a leader his decisions are more acceptable to the mass and that is the reason they follow the leader. Conclusion There is a difference between leadership and management. Managers are more concerned about planning, controlling, staffing and organizing. Leaders are more concerned about directing and organizing people. They act more as a representative of the followers. People follow leaders voluntarily than by virtue of their position. Leaders should have high emotional intelligence. In Emergency Medical Service leadership qualities are more sought after than mere management skills. Managers with good leadership skills can produce best result. Successful business people are good leaders as well as good manager. To be successful in the long run a manager should have leadership skills.

Strategies to Implement Sustainability Programs

Strategic Supply Chain Management: Individual Assignment Table of Contents Content Introduction What is Supply Chain Sustainability? Why is Supply Chain Sustainability important?Traditional supply chain vs sustainable supply chain Advantages of Supply Chain Sustainability Strategies to implement sustainability in supply chain process Step1: Access the current supply chain Step 2 Access Environment: Current, Potential, and Future Impact Factors Step 3: Evaluation: Identifying Potential Risks and Opportunities Step 4: Extend or Re-design the Supply Chain Strategy Step 5 & step 6: Implementation with the Sustainable Supply Chain Scorecard Conclusion References Page No 2 2 2 2 3 3 5 6 6 6 7 8 9 AHMG Kibria Page 1 Strategic Supply Chain Management:Individual Assignment Topic: Strategies to implement sustainability programs in the supply chain firms Introduction: Environmental issues are becoming the main concerns of many global supply chain practitioners in today’s world. In order to address these emerging environmental issues, businesses around the globe are looking for a total solution on the reduction of the waste generated from the current supply chain process. Meanwhile, implementation cost that is needed to implement these environmental issues plays a major part in their considerations in selecting an implementation strategy.Recent studies by Carter and Rogers (2008) emphasised that sustainable supply chain development in terms of social, economic, and environmental benefits should be taken into consideration in a supply chain practice. More specifically, supply chain management can be defined as the integration of the social, economic, and environmental practices within a global supply chain that provide green products, excellent services and accurate information sharing that beneficial to all employees, shareholders, business partners and the wider community.The intent of this research is to propose strategies to implement sustainability in supply cha in firms. There are many different strategies have been used by the supply chain firms. This report analysed six step process approaches to implement sustainability in the supply chain process. What is Supply Chain Sustainability? Supply chain sustainability is the management of environmental, social and economic impacts, and the encouragement of good governance practices, throughout the lifecycles of goods and services.The objective of supply chain sustainability is to create, protect and grow long-term environmental, social and economic value for all stakeholders (consumers, community, government, society, employees etc). Why is Supply Chain Sustainability important? There are many reasons why companies start a supply chain sustainability journey. Primary among them is to ensure compliance with laws and regulations and to support international principles for sustainable business conduct.In addition, companies are increasingly taking actions that result in better social, economic a nd environmental impacts because society expects this and because there are business benefits to doing so. By managing and seeking to improve environmental, social and economic performance and good governance throughout supply chains, companies act in their own interests, the interests of their stakeholders and the interests of society at large.According to Penfield (2009) Supply chain operations are fundamental to sustainability performance and supplying for sustainability is being touted in management circles as the future of competitive supply chains. Traditional supply chain vs sustainable supply chain Conventional supply chains are more interested in serving the purpose of logistics than optimization. On the other hand a focus on sustainability aims at creating and protecting value with reference to long-term social, environmental and economic components in bringing goods AHMG Kibria Page 2 Strategic Supply Chain Management:Individual Assignment and services to the market. The primacy of operations is to adequately meet current demands while making reserves for future generations. Linton et al (2007), indicates the focus of sustainable logistics is on optimization of resources along the entire production so that final production is of the highest value at the lowest cost. There is strategic optimization of resources, reduction of wastages, as well as utilization of supply by-products. In addition, it entails a focus beyond delivery to consumers, to other areas beyond the traditional scope of supply chain management.According to IBM report (2009) supply chain management in contemporary business practice faces five key challenges: cost containment, supply chain visibility, risk management, growing market demand and globalization impacts. Conventional chains only focused on delivering the end-products and, as such, suffered diminished returns owing to the growth in market and volatile consumers. On the other hand, supply chain sustainability seeks to not onl y deliver the utility, but also seeks to improve social, economic and environmental performance.As such, companies and supply chain managers deliver their own interests and those of the stakeholders and the society (Misra, et al. 2010). Advantages of Supply Chain Sustainability Social Advantage – Primary benefits are derived from positive environmental and social externalities that are enjoyed by both customers and companies’ stakeholders alike. For example Wal-Mart has implemented a program that successfully minimises the waste allocated to landfill within the USA (19. 1%), and increasingly China and Brazil (52%), which has the potential to prevent 11. million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually (Wal-Mart, 2012). Financial Advantage- Companies are realizing competitive benefits from investing in supply chain efficiency, Wal-Mart generated in excess of $231million in 2011 through a combination of increased recycling revenue and decreased expenses (Wal-Mart, 2012). En hanced supply chain security – Improvements in labour conditions has the compounded benefit of reducing employee induced work stoppages and can positively impact a company’s ability to continuously manufacture goods and services, increasing customer satisfaction and revenue.Increased competitiveness of suppliers – Buyers increasingly interprets suppliers’ good CSR performance as a sign of strong overall management, which affects other elements of supplier development, such as quality and on-time deliveries. In the long run, suppliers that work to continuously improve their environmental and social performance will gain better access to markets and clients (BSR Survey). Strategies to implement sustainability in supply chain process In order to develop strategies supply chain managers need to consider what a supply chain strategy is, link the strategy to the competitive strategy and sustainability.The following figure shows the three important elements in o rder to develop a successful sustainable supply chain. AHMG Kibria Page 3 Strategic Supply Chain Management: Individual Assignment Figure: Three areas to integrate sustainable supply chain Cetinkaya (2011) This report analyses an iterative six step process approach to implement sustainability in Supply chain firms. A systematic approach to strategy design and integration can help companies developing a sustainable supply chain to create a value proposition.This iterative six-step approach has to be seen as a cycle which should be executed regularly in your supply chain, since relevant conditions may change quite quickly and sometimes radically for example, the oil price spike of 2008. AHMG Kibria Page 4 Strategic Supply Chain Management: Individual Assignment Figure: Steps of a sustainable supply chain strategy Cetinkaya (2011) Step1: Access the current supply chain: Step 1 aims to take stock of the current state of company- and supply chain specific characteristics regarding strate gy, resources, and current and planned practices.It is mainly concerned with internal factors and considers elements which are usually within the control of a company. It seeks to discover whether there is a common strategic alignment, and whether the goals of each strategy element are integrated, aligned, and complementary. A company’s own supply chain strategy which is not aligned to the corporate and cross-company supply chain strategy cannot be sustainable. Potential short- and long-term goal conflicts can rapidly become serious barriers to implementing a sustainable supply chain along its members; especially if the supply chain is required to adapt quickly to change.The analysis also shows if top management commitment is given within the individual companies and the supply chain. In summary the findings from this step are: ? ? ? ? The existing corporate and competitive strategies The sustainability strategies (if sustainability is not already part of the corporate strate gy) The company-specific supply chain strategies, and finally The cross-company supply chain and collaboration strategy Cetinkaya (2011). AHMG Kibria Page 5 Strategic Supply Chain Management: Individual AssignmentStep 2 Access Environment: Current, Potential, and Future Impact Factors The second step of this process deals primarily with what is changing in the business environment, what kind of scenarios your company will face in the medium and long term, and finally, what the main driver of change may be. This will lead, together with the analysis from step 1, to the definition of potential risks and opportunities for your supply chain strategy in step 3. Supply chain input resources such as fuel, energy, and natural resources nowadays deserve close attention in supply chain management logistics.The trend of rising prices and increasing scarcity make input resources major risk management factors in an economic perspective, especially when a company runs cost- and energy-sensitive s upply chains. Understanding and forecasting input resource-related information helps in developing a sustainable supply chain strategy Cetinkaya (2011). Step 3: Evaluation: Identifying Potential Risks and Opportunities: After analysing first two steps of this process it is easier to identify potential risks and opportunities to implements sustainability in supply chain process.Supply chain firms can use framework to access supply chain capabilities in the context of the scenarios identified in the step2. The assessment then serves to determine supply chain specific Threat-OpportunityProfile. Companies need to understand the cause-and-effect relationships between potential success factors to undertake evaluation. For example, companies should be able to estimate that the regionalization of procurement structures in response to an oil price increase would be likely to reduce transport costs Cetinkaya (2011).Step 4: Extend or Re-design the Supply Chain Strategy Based on the Threat-Oppo rtunity-Profile, now it is possible to define strategic gaps on the route to a sustainable supply chain; gaps between current supply chain strategy and the changing business environment. The greater and more relevant the potential risks and opportunities, the larger will be the gaps, and the greater the need to act and make strategy changes. At this stage the following strategic programs can be distinguished: 1. Compliance- to obtain the benefit and competitive value of reducing and managing risk. 2.Process-Re-engineering- to obtain the benefit and competitive value of improving productivity and efficiency and in consequence, of reduced supply chain costs, increased resource productivity, and reduced environmental impacts. 3. Restructuring- to obtain the benefit and competitive value of the long term and fundamental improvement of effectiveness and early prevention of risk. 4. Innovation- to obtain the benefit and competitive value of differentiation. 5. Progression- to obtain the b enefit of first mover advantage, and establishing market entry barriers Cetinkaya (2011).AHMG Kibria Page 6 Strategic Supply Chain Management: Individual Assignment Step 5 & step 6: Implementation with the Sustainable Supply Chain Scorecard: After completing step1 to step4 companies must be able to develop appropriate scope of strategic vision and determine the right actions to align supply chain strategy to the changing business environment. These findings have been incorporated into the reformulation or redesign of existing supply chain strategy and the associated objectives. Now, the following step will show how to implement them.This research analyses â€Å"Balanced Scorecard† developed by Kaplan and Norton from 1990 in order to show implementation of findings from stage1 to stage4. Figure: The Kaplan/Norton Balanced Scorecard Cetinkaya (2011) The Balanced Scorecard is a (performance) management system providing a framework to translate a strategy into balanced operationa l terms via objectives and measures, organised into four different perspectives: financial, customer, internal business process, and learning and growth. The measures represent a balance ?Between external measures for shareholders and customers, and internal measures of critical business processes, innovation , and learning and growth. ? Between the outcome measures – the result from past efforts- and the measures that drive future performance, and ? Between objectives, easily quantified outcome measures and subjective, somewhat judgmental, performance drivers of the outcome measures. Scorecard: the financial perspective: Assess social and ecologic activities accurately from the economic point of view.Scorecard: the sustainability perspective: Link financial figures with customer needs. Extend this link by the environmental and social perspective. AHMG Kibria Page 7 Strategic Supply Chain Management: Individual Assignment Scorecard: the supply chain perspective: Incorporate t actical and strategic decisions along the end-to-end supply chain. Collaborate with your sales and product development departments and partners Cetinkaya (2011). Scorecard: The learning and growth perspective: Drive supply chain wide learning.So, after analysing Balance Scorecard it has seen that supply chain companies will be able to implement their strategy and also evaluate their strategy. Conclusion This research paper described the importance of sustainability in supply chain process. It also showed the differences between traditional supply chain and sustainable supply chain, the advantages of having sustainability in supply chain process. Most importantly this research analysed the strategy to implement sustainability.In order to do that it showed a six step process which is: step1: access the current supply chain, step2: access environment: current, potential, and future impact factors, step3: evaluation: identifying potential risks and opportunities, step4: extend or re-des ign the supply chain Strategy, step 5 & step 6: how to implement strategies with the sustainable supply chain scorecard which shows the financial, sustainable, supply chain and learning & growth perspective. Supply chain companies will be able to implement sustainability in their process by following these six step-by-step processes. AHMG Kibria Page 8Strategic Supply Chain Management: Individual Assignment References: ? BSR20, Maximizing Benefits From a Sustainable Supply Chain, BSR, March, 2011, viewed 28 September 2012, http://www. bsr. org/reports/BSR_Maximizing_Benefits_From_A_Sustainable_Supply_Chain. p df Carter, C. R. and Rogers, D. S. â€Å"A framework of sustainable supply chain management: moving towards new theory,† International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, vol. 38, pp. 360-387, 2008. Cetinkaya, B. , 2011, 1st edn, Developing a Sustainable Supply Chain Strategy’, Sustainable Supply Chain Management, viewed at 13/11/12. http:// www. pringer. com/business+%26+management/production/book/978-3-642-12022-0 IBM, 2009. The smarter supply chain of the future: Global chief supply chain officer study, New York: IBM Global Services. Linton, J. , Klassen, R. & Jayaraman, V. , 2006. ‘Sustainable supply chains: An introduction’, Journal of operations management, Kaplan RS, Norton DP (1996): The balanced scorecard: translating strategy into action. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business School Press Misra, V. , Khan, M. & Singh, U. , 2010, ‘Supply chain management systems: Architecture, design and vision’, Journal of strategic innovation and sustainability, vol. , no. 4, pp. 102108. Penfield, P. 2009, Seven Steps to Implementing a Sustainable Supply Chain, Syracuse University, Charlotte. Sisco, C. , Chorn, B. , Jorgensen, P. , 2010, Supply Chain Sustainability- A Practical Guide for Continuous Improvement, UN Global Compact Office and Business for Social Responsibility, viewed at 12/11/12 http://www. u nglobalcompact. org/docs/issues_doc/supply_chain/SupplyChainRep_spread. pdf Walmart Boyend 50 years: Building a sustainable future, Walmart, viewed 27/09/12 http://www. walmartstores. com/sites/responsibility-report/2012/ ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? AHMG Kibria Page 9

What to Do If You Have a Bad College Professor

What to Do If You Have a Bad College Professor Perhaps the best way to kill the excitement of a new semester is realizing that one of your professors is not quite what you were hoping for. In fact, he or she might be downright bad. With so many other things to manage- not to mention a class to pass!- knowing what to do when you have a bad college professor can sometimes seem overwhelming. Luckily, even if youre totally stuck with Prof. How-Did-He-Get-This-Job, you still have some options for working around the situation. Switch Classes See if you still have time to switch classes. If you realize your situation early enough, you may have time to switch to another class or even postpone this class until a later semester (when a different professor takes it over). Check with the campus registrars office about the add/drop deadline and what other classes might be open. If you cant switch professors, see if you can just sit in on another lecture section. While this only works for large lecture classes, you might be able to attend a different professors lectures as long as you still go to your particular discussion sections/seminar. Many classes have the same daily reading and assignments, regardless of who the professor is. See if someone elses lecture or teaching style better matches with your own. Get Help Get help from other students. Chances are youre not alone in struggling with your professor. Check in with other students and see how you can help each other out: meetings after classes? study groups? sharing notes? helping to read each others papers or lab drafts?Get a tutor. Bad professors often can lead to bad grades. If you find yourself struggling, get a tutor as soon as possible. And dont be shy about it, either- would you feel worse asking for help now or possibly failing (and having to retake the class) again later? Check with a tutoring center, your residence hall staff, or any upper-class students about how to find a tutor as soon as possible. Drop the Class Remember that you have the option of dropping the class- by the deadline. Sometimes, no matter what you do, you cant make it work with a bad professor. If you need to drop the class, make sure you do so by the appropriate deadline. The last thing you need is a bad grade on your transcript on top of the bad experience. Speak With Someone If something serious is going on, speak to someone. There are bad professors that dont teach well, and then there are unfortunately bad professors who say offensive things in a classroom or who treat different kinds of students differently. If you think this is going on, talk to someone as soon as possible. Reach out to your adviser, your ​RA, other faculty members, the chair of the department, or even the ​dean or provost  to bring the situation to someones attention. Change Your Approach Take a moment to see how you can change your own approach to the situation. Are you stuck with a professor who you always disagree with? Turn those in-class debates into a well-researched argument paper for your next assignment. Do you think your professor has no idea what he or she is talking about? Show your mastery of the material by turning in a stellar lab report or ​research paper. Figuring out what you can do, no matter how minor, in dealing with a bad professor is a great way to at least feel like you have some control over the situation!

My Fair Lady essays

My Fair Lady essays The Victorian period (Queen Victorian reign, 1837-1901) was a time of revolution and change. It saw great expansion of wealth, power and culture. The modern idea of 'invention' was invented. Religion was in doubt. Romantic emphasis was placed on self-emotion and imagination. Victorians created astonishing innovation and change in democracy, feminism, unionisation of workers, socialism and Marxism. Above all, it was an age of paradox and power (www.landow, 2000). This essay critically analyses 'My Fair Lady' in terms of power, class and gender relations, all of which were predominant features in the Victorian period, and other attitudes of this time. I will be considering the ways in which material culture is used to reinforce, undermine and negotiate these relations. Issues that will be discussed in the essay with regards to 'My Fair Lady' are: the class differences during the Victorian period, the power differences between the classes and genders, ie. the power Henry Higgins had over Eliza Doolittle, the gender relations between Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins and the gender relations between Eliza Doolittle and Colonel Pickering. Eight times Oscar winning movie 'My Fair Lady' (www.eusa, 2000) was made into a movie in 1964 after nine years of Theatre performances. The musical was adapted from George Bernard Shaw's 1914 book 'Pygmalion' by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Learner (www.imagi-nation, 2000). 'My Fair Lady' is based in the Victorian era of England. The story revolves around Eliza Doolittle, a cockney flower girl from Covent Garden, who agrees to take speech lessons from phonetician Henry Higgins in order to fulfil her dream of working in a flower shop and to increase her standard of life. Henry Higgins has other plans. He makes a bet with a fellow phonetic expert Colonel Pickering to see whether Eliza could pass as a Duchess at the Embassy Ball (www.flickfilosopher, 2000). Eliza's cockney mannerisms and uncouth manne...

University of New Haven Admissions and SAT Scores

University of New Haven Admissions and SAT Scores If youre interested in applying to the University of New Haven, the good news is that they admit the majority of applicants. Learn more about their admission requirements. About the University of New Haven The University of New Haven is a private university located on an 82-acre campus in West Haven, Connecticut. New Haven and Long Island Sound beaches are just minutes away. Undergraduates at the university can choose from nearly 100 degree programs, and the school has notable strengths in criminal justice, fire science, and forensics. The university emphasizes hands-on experiential learning. Academics are supported by a 16 to 1 student/faculty ratio. Student life is active with over 100 student clubs and organizations and 70 percent of undergraduates living on campus or in university housing. In athletics, the UNH Chargers compete in the NCAA Division II Northeast-10 Conference. The university fields eight mens and nine womens intercollegiate sports. Will you get in? Calculate your chances of getting in with this free tool from Cappex. Admissions Data (2016) University of New Haven Acceptance Rate: 81Â  percentGPA, SAT and ACT Graph for UNH AdmissionsTest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 470 / 570SAT Math: 460 / 570SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanCompare SAT scores for Connecticut collegesACT Composite: 20Â  / 26ACT English: 19 / 25ACT Math: 18Â  / 26What these ACT numbers meanCompare ACT scores for Connecticut colleges Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 6,835Â  (4,936 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 50 percent Male / 50 percent Female92 percent Full-time Costs (2016-17) Tuition and Fees: $37,060Books: $1,000 (why so much?)Room and Board: $15,130Other Expenses: $1,660Total Cost: $54,850 University of New Haven Financial Aid (2015-16) Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 96Â  percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 96 percentLoans: 78 percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $20,569Loans: $11,245 Academic Programs Most Popular Majors: Biology, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Fire Science, Forensic Science, MusicWhat major is right for you? Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Transfer, Graduation and Retention Rates First Year Student Retention (full-time students) 80Â  percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 45 percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 56Â  percent Intercollegiate Athletic Programs Mens Sports: Soccer, Football, Basketball, Baseball, Cross Country, Track and FieldWomens Sports: Lacrosse, Tennis, Volleyball, Softball, Basketball, Track and Field, Soccer, Cross Country If You Like the University of New Haven, You May Also Like These Schools University of Bridgeport: ProfileYale University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphAlbertus Magnus College: ProfileSouthern Connecticut State University: ProfileQuinnipiac University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBrown University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphBoston College: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Rhode Island: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphHofstra University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of Hartford: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphDrexel University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphSacred Heart University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph University of New Haven Mission Statement mission statement from https://www.newhaven.edu/about/ The University of New Haven is a student-centered comprehensive university with an emphasis on excellence in liberal arts and professional education. Our mission is to prepare our students to lead purposeful and fulfilling lives in a global society by providing the highest-quality education through experiential, collaborative and discovery-based learning. Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

How Lijiaxia hydropower plant disturbs Kanbula forest ecosystem Term Paper

How Lijiaxia hydropower plant disturbs Kanbula forest ecosystem - Term Paper Example Huge mountains extend from the forest with trees covered resembling a sea of forest. The are deflated hills around the Kanbula Forest that are formed due to erosion from wind and sand. The hills are called red cloud landforms (China Ecotourism 2009). Amid the mountains, the weather of the forest change frequently. The forest does not experience four distinct weathers, but the hot and cold weathers that it experience are divided into two quarters. Cold seasons at the forest features cold, windy and dry air. Warm season features monsoon and warm and humid air. The forest’s tough topographical features form a role of microclimate. According to meteorological data records, the average temperature of the forest is l-2.9. The warmest month (July) has a daily temperature of 11.5-13.4. The coldest month (January) has average daily temperature -12-10.1. 3-9 month average is temperature of 7-8.4 â„Æ'; stable over time through 0 â„Æ' for 190 days; plant growing period mean diurnal temperature 13.l â„Æ', frost-free period is about 120 1 134 days; ≠¥ 0 â„Æ', ≠¥ 5 â„Æ', ≠¥ l0 â„Æ' accumulated temperature were A 1500 â„Æ' 1800 â„Æ', 1300 â„Æ' for a 1700 â„Æ', 900 â„Æ' for a 1100 â„Æ'. 2 622-2900 hours of annual sunshine hours, global solar radiation 609-647 kJ / cm. Annual rainfall is 450-490 mm, annual evaporation 1923 mm. Annual average wind speed 19 meters / second, more concentrated in the January-April. Kanbula forest’s soil has five categories. First type is alpine shrub meadow soil that is found at the altitude between 3600 and 3900 meters. Second is the upland meadow shrub soil that is found at an altitude between 3200 and 3700 meters. Third is the grey cinnamon soil that is found at 2600 and 3400 elevation. Fourth type is the chestnut soil that is found at an altitude of 2600 and 2800 meters. Fifth is the grey desert soil that is found at an elevation below 2400 meters (Qinghai Forest Survey Records). Huge mountains extend

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 232

Assignment Example At the same time, they wanted a departmental reward whereby their departments would be praised for the attainment of the overall aim that the hotel wanted to achieve. The managers initially thought that there was going to be a solution to the problem they were facing my making the employees wear their nametags. In the assumption of the managers, the nametags would make the employees look sharp and professional. As the hotel wanted to raise its status, such a universal practice would help them attain the coveted status. They also thought that the nametags would help them identify employees whose efforts were not helping the company so these could be punished. As the ultimate goal of the managers was to engage in a departmental blame game, the motivation of the employees not to wear the nametags came from the fact that the wanted to be scapegoats. As much as the managers were finding ways to blame the employee, the employees were also finding ways to stop this from happening. The employees were also worried that there was not telepathy between the employees and the managers that would make it possible for them to get assistance from the managers. To find the real problem, a number of Power of Pause practices were used. In the first place, there was an opportunity given to the staff to explain their point. This was a very important practice to avoid the assumptions being used to determine what the problem was. What is more, there was a very healthy interaction that was free from blames and excessive complains. Even where the points of the staff were not clear, they were given the opportunity to express themselves well. The employees were willing to talk about their fears because they thought that expressing their opinions would help solve the problem. What is more, the employees were scared that the propaganda agenda in place could actually have an impact on them and thus

Writing about Hospitality Industry Research Paper

Writing about Hospitality Industry - Research Paper Example With expectations built on prior basic research aided by an omnipresent internet spewing details with adventurous reviews, a revised marketing strategy focusing on the Price-Conscious, Hyper-Connected customer is but a priority. A multi-billion-dollar technology, E-Hospitality has provided an avenue of cultivating the ultimate customer experience, right from improved availability to accommodate travelers’ needs round the clock to the enlightening, participative forums where professionals share information in private chat rooms, with the possibilities of developing new friendships and/or business connections (Hatch par 3-4). The technology has enabled sharing of efficiency boosting experiences in terms of managerial capabilities, ethical dilemmas in the same, and ad targeting that reaches out directly to the travelers who are most likely to book reservations. The utilization of the innovative ideas is barely past the takeoff stage, with hotels sparingly replacing the traditional methodologies in their managerial aspects. The injection of advanced skills in technology into this particular industry is, however, fundamental in reducing costs [the main objective of business organizations] and conserving the world’s limited resources for a sustainable future (Nikolis par 2). Leisure professionals, therefore, have no choice but to adapt to the new reality to maintain

There is a real danger of a house price bubble in London. Discuss Essay - 9

There is a real danger of a house price bubble in London. Discuss - Essay Example Currently, effects of the bubble cause disruption in housing and economic system in London. The danger in housing bubble is becoming more eminent due to factors surrounding the London economy. UK housing bubble is demand related with prices falling slightly in 2008 due to low demands (Economic Outlook, 2013, p.6). Identification of economy bubble is easy contrary to beliefs of many economists. Signs of housing bubble were evident in London over two years ago. Over a year since then, the prices have continued to rise making the more unaffordable to people. This poses many dangers to those living or willing to live in London city, as the cost of living will also is unbearable. The house price bubble probably affects all the sectors in London’s economy. Localization of the effect of house price bubble has base in London alone now and other areas may experience their own bubbles. Rise in houses prices does not currently discriminate location of the area. It takes place all over the city. At first, one may think investors have taken even the poor regions of the city due to high prices. Percentage house prices increases in Brent and Lambeth were almost similar to those in Hammersmith & Fulham and Westminster. The rate of price rice in London is above that in any place in Britain and the rise is consistent since 2003 while all other factors changed slightly. House price rise estimation is at 18 percent. Although the rate of increase has not reached tat of 2007, its overall prices remain high than those in 2007. Building society has confirmed that t this percentages are greater than they had been before. The impact of high house prices affects the economy, which in turn cause low living standards. High debts numbers has macroeconomic impact that may cause recession, which has great effects. The house prices in comparison to employees’ wages bring out the effect clear. In the past decade, salaries payable to any

Best Buy's Code of Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Best Buy's Code of Ethics - Essay Example 34). Best Buy (2009) defines ethics as â€Å"putting principles into action,† which to the company is a matter of integrity and self-restraint (p. 1). Aiming â€Å"to be a responsible, values-driven global enterprise,† (p. 6), Best Buy declares its values into four strong statements: (1) â€Å"unleash the power of our people;† (2) â€Å"learn from challenge and change;† (3) â€Å"show respect, humility and integrity;† and (4) â€Å"have fun while being the best† (p. 5). These are achieved through mutual partnership, honest and accurate information, respect for employees’ autonomy, recognition of work, strict observance of confidentiality, zero-tolerance on retaliation, responsibility to stakeholders, respect for diversity, legal compliances, health and safety in the workplace, respect for the physical environment, financial integrity, fair competition, corporate social responsibility, protection and proper use of company assets, and pr otecting intellectual property. These values are well-ingrained in the companies stated responsibilities: Responsibility to each other – deals with the company’s internal environment, ranging from the relationship of management to employees, employees to the company, and employees to their co-employees; responsibility to customers – tackles the company’s ethics in advertising, market distribution, and relationship with diverse customers; responsibility to shareholders – emphasizes financial integrity, transparency, and the safeguarding of the company’s assets; responsibility to business associates – highlights fair competition and conflict of interest; responsibility to communities – spells out the company’s corporate social responsibility and its legal and responsible global operations; and the special obligations of employees with financial reporting responsibilities -- stresses honesty, accountability, compliance, obj ectivity, promptness, and full disclosure. Following Takamine’s Justice Model, which integrated both the Blanchard-Peale Model and Velasquez Model (Takamine, Date, p. 38), Best Buy’s code of ethic

Peer-reviewed journal article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Peer-reviewed journal article - Essay Example In this study, the authors predict that exercise-induced arterial hypertension might portend negative influences on the athlete’s cardiac function, while it might also play a significant role in the exercise induced cardiac fatigue. There is a significant association between endurance sport and cardiac injury, where long-term training could result in myocardial fibrosis, arterial fibrillation, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac arrest (Leischik et al., 2014). The authors selected a sample of (n=51) male triathletes who had either completed the long distance Ironman triathlon (n=34) or the middle distance Ironman triathlon (n=17). The participants were also selected on the basis of having completed two years of training. The study used spiroergometry and echocardiography in determining the steady state blood pressure, anaerobic/aerobic thresholds, and the left ventricular mass of the selected participants (Leischik et al., 2014). The probability of hypertrophy and elevated blood pressure among the participants were calculated using odds ration analysis. Each triathlete was assessed in 2011 and 2012 using echocardiography and spiroergometry in succession. The spiroergometry involved a phased stress test after successful volume and gas calibration between the phases. The echocardiographic analysis was conducted using the American Society of Echocardiography recommendations for muscle mass and the modified Simpson method for ESV and EDV (Lei schik et al., 2014). The authors actually found that myocardial hypertrophy is dependent on exercise-induced arterial hypertension, confirming that there was a hypertensive response in athletes as a result of exercise. The athletes with exercise-induced arterial hypertension also showed increased left ventricular mass at 205g/m2, especially in comparison to athletes without exaggerated response in BP to exercise who had a left ventricular mass of 143g/m2 (Leischik et al, 2014). In addition, the findings also show that systolic

Best Buy's Code of Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Best Buy's Code of Ethics - Essay Example 34). Best Buy (2009) defines ethics as â€Å"putting principles into action,† which to the company is a matter of integrity and self-restraint (p. 1). Aiming â€Å"to be a responsible, values-driven global enterprise,† (p. 6), Best Buy declares its values into four strong statements: (1) â€Å"unleash the power of our people;† (2) â€Å"learn from challenge and change;† (3) â€Å"show respect, humility and integrity;† and (4) â€Å"have fun while being the best† (p. 5). These are achieved through mutual partnership, honest and accurate information, respect for employees’ autonomy, recognition of work, strict observance of confidentiality, zero-tolerance on retaliation, responsibility to stakeholders, respect for diversity, legal compliances, health and safety in the workplace, respect for the physical environment, financial integrity, fair competition, corporate social responsibility, protection and proper use of company assets, and pr otecting intellectual property. These values are well-ingrained in the companies stated responsibilities: Responsibility to each other – deals with the company’s internal environment, ranging from the relationship of management to employees, employees to the company, and employees to their co-employees; responsibility to customers – tackles the company’s ethics in advertising, market distribution, and relationship with diverse customers; responsibility to shareholders – emphasizes financial integrity, transparency, and the safeguarding of the company’s assets; responsibility to business associates – highlights fair competition and conflict of interest; responsibility to communities – spells out the company’s corporate social responsibility and its legal and responsible global operations; and the special obligations of employees with financial reporting responsibilities -- stresses honesty, accountability, compliance, obj ectivity, promptness, and full disclosure. Following Takamine’s Justice Model, which integrated both the Blanchard-Peale Model and Velasquez Model (Takamine, Date, p. 38), Best Buy’s code of ethic

William Carlos Williams Essay Example for Free

William Carlos Williams Essay The poem that I like the best was â€Å"Catch† by Robert Francis. I thought this poem was the me of my childhood and it represents what poetry should be. The imagery in this poem was great; it took me back to when I was a youngster when I and my brother would play catch for hours. We would throw the ball every way possible to make it more challenging and fun to play just like the poem described. The third line in the poem says â€Å"Teasing with attitudes, latitudes, interludes, altitudes† really grabbed me with the use of assonance’s and the hard T and L sounds gave the poem intensity. I also like how the poem represents how poetry should be. For example, line 10 says â€Å"Over his head, make him scramble to pick up the meaning.† Poetry is supposed to be challenging, surprise the reader and makes them think what the deeper meaning is; which creates interest. If poetry was simple and easy to read it would be a short narrative story and be engaging or satisfying. The poem was a great representation of what poetry should be and brought me back to my childhood which is why I chose it to be the best. The poem I liked the least was â€Å"The Red Wheelbarrow† by William Carlos Williams. I liked it the least because I couldn’t find a deeper meaning of the poem. All I got from it was an image of a red wheelbarrow with rain water glistening on it sitting beside white chickens. I’m sure Williams wanted the reader to get deeper meaning out of the poem than just an image. I went through the five questions and tried to decipher the meaning of the poem and still came up with nothing. Why does so much depend on a red wheelbarrow? Does he have a bad back and depends on the wheelbarrow to haul stuff around to make a chicken coop for the chickens to survive? I have no idea. The poem has interesting diction but I thought it was vague which is why it is was my least favorite poem.

Planning principles involved in developing a marketing strategy

Planning principles involved in developing a marketing strategy Yum! Brands Introduction Yum! Brands, Inc., based in Louisville, Ky., is the worlds largest restaurant company in terms of system restaurants with more than 37,000 restaurants in over 110 countries and territories and more than 1 million associates. Yum! is ranked #239 on the Fortune 500 List, with nearly $11 billion in revenue in 2009. Four of our restaurant brands KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and Long John Silvers are the global leaders of the chicken, pizza, and Mexican style food and quick-service seafood categories. The Yum! system including 3 operating segments which are: U.S. market, Yum! Restaurants International, and China Division. In 2009, the Yum! expanded more than 4 new restaurants each day of the year outside of US, making it a leader in international retail development. Results for 2009 once again affirmed Yum! consistent record of success with 13% Earnings Per Share (EPS) growth, which marks the eighth straight year we delivered at least 13% growth and exceeded our 10% EPS growth target. Within 2009, the company opened more than 1,400 new restaurants outside the U.S. Moreover, Yum! brand maintained their Return on Investment Capital (ROIC) of 20% and continued to be an industry leader. YUM! Products KFC KFC is the leader in the chicken segment in the Singapore Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry. This is possible because rooted to its cores are simple but real values that allow KFC to offer only the best its customers. Captivating aroma that triggers your senses. A satisfying feast of hearty, mouth watering food specially prepared with the Colonels secret recipe. Generous portions of fresh, succulent side dishes. Salads to balance your diet. At KFC, the restaurant offer high quality and great tasting food in a popular array of complete meals such as Daily Savers Meals, WOW! Meal s and Family Feast, that enable the whole family to share a fun and satisfying experience with all affordability and convenience of Quick Service Restaurant. Pizza Hut Pizza hut operates in 84 countries and territories throughout the world under the name Pizza Hut and features a variety of pizza with different topping as well as pasta, salads, sandwiches and other food items and beverages. The distinctive decor features a bright red roof. Pizza Hut has been named the number one national pizza chain in America according to Restaurant Institution 2001 Choice in Chains survey. Pizza Hut is the recognized leader of $ 25 billion pizza category and has been since 1987. Building the leading pizza company has required innovation, a commitment to quality, and a dedication to service and value. But perhaps as much as anything, it has taken the qualities of entrepreneurship, growth and leadership, which have characterized its business through more than four decades of success. Taco Bell Taco Bell is an American restaurant chain based in Irvine, California. It specializes in Mexican-style food and quick service. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items and a variety of Value Menu item. Recently, Taco Bell serves more than 2 billion consumers each year in more than 5,800 restaurants in the U.S., of which more than 80% are owned and operated by independent franchisees. Long John Silvers Long John Silvers, Inc. is a United States-base fast-food restaurant that specializes in seafood. The name and concept were by Robert Louis Stevensons book Treasure Island. Its headquarters are in Louisville, Kentucky. A W Restaurant A W Restaurants, Inc. is a chain of fast-food restaurants, distinguished by its draft root beer and root beer floats. AW was arguably the first successful food franchise company, starting franchise in 1921. Today it has franchise locations throughout the world, serving a typical fast food menu of hamburgers and fries, as well as hot dogs. A number of its outlets are drive-in restaurants with carhops. The company name was taken from the last name initials of partners Roy Allen and Frank Wright. The chain is currently owned by Yum! Brands. Yum! Vision Strategy Yum! brands are committed to continuing the success realized during our first ten years. Our success has only just begun as we look forward to the future, one which promises a long runway for growth, especially on an international level. Yum! is building a vibrant global business by focusing on four key growth strategies. Build leading brands across china in every significant category Our experienced and tremendous local team led by our Vice Chairman of Yum! Brands and President of China, Sam Su, grew our profits a whopping 25% in 2009 on top of 28% in 2008. You dont need to be a math major (and Im not!) to easily calculate thats over 50% growth in two years. The good news is that we achieved these results even though our same store sales were slightly negative as the consumer generally lagged Chinas relatively strong economic growth. We added a record 509 new units in Mainland China and now have nearly 3,500 restaurants that generated near record restaurant margins of 20% in 2009. In spite of this robust profit growth, some investors have asked: Is Yum!s recent relatively weak same store sales performance in Mainland China an early indicator that something is wrong with the business or Yum! is growing too fast? We believe the answer is definitively NO! Drive aggressive international expansion and build strong brands everywhere. Yum! Restaurants International, which operates in over 110 countries and territories outside the US and China, continues to deliver on this strategy as it delivered 5% system sales and profit growth both excluding foreign currency translation which negatively impacted our reported profits by 11 percentage points in 2009. We treasure this divisions high return franchising model with over 90% of our new restaurants built by franchisees that generate over $650 million in franchise fees, requiring minimal capital on our part. Driven by this franchisee development machine, we opened nearly 900 new restaurants in over 75 countries. Thats the tenth straight year we have opened more than 700 new units and our pipeline remains strong as we go into 2010. Dramatically Improve U.S. Brand Positions, Consistency and Returns. Theres no question 2009 was a very disappointing year for our US business. Overall our same store sales declined 5% as we grew profits only 1%, led primarily by a restructuring initiative we took the prior year which yielded a $65 million decrease in our general and administrative expenses. Nevertheless, we remain confident were taking the right steps to deliver stronger brand positioning, higher returns and consistent growth performance to tap the inherent sales opportunity and ultimate value in our 18,000 restaurants. And the good news is we have the marketing strength to do so with category leading brands along with outstanding unit economics on a stand-alone basis. We also have a system that generates a steady earnings stream of over $700 million in franchise and licensing fees. As we go forward, our strategy is to better leverage our large US restaurant asset base and all our restaurants around the world with what we have coined incremental sales layers in these 5 areas: 1) More options for consumers across our menu. 2) More contemporary beverage options unique desserts. 3) Expanded day parts, especially breakfast. 4) Broader protein offerings. 5) Contemporary assets. Drive Industry-leading Long-term Shareholder and Franchisee Value Extremely proud and continue to be a leader among consumer companies with return on invested capital at 20%. The companies defined a global cash machine, with each of our divisions generating free cash flow or effectively funding their own capital investments. As this capital is deployed to high growth opportunities. Planning principles Marketing planning is the process that leads to the creation of a marketing plan. The marketing plan is a systematic design for achieving the objectives of creating value for customers and competitive advantage, growth, and profitability for the organization. Steps of the planning principle can be described as following: Strategy Before Tactics Develop the strategic marketing plan first. This entails emphasis on scanning the external environment, identifying early forces emanating from it, and developing appropriate strategic responses. Involve all levels of management in the process. A strategic plan covers a period of three to five years. Only when this plan has been developed and agreed upon is a one-year operational marketing plan developed. Never write the one-plan first and extrapolate it. Situate Marketing Within Operations For the purpose of marketing planning, put marketing a close as possible to the customer. When practical, have both marketing and sales report to the same person, who is not the chief executive officer. Shared Values About Marketing Marketing is a management process whereby the resources of the entire organization are use to satisfy the needs of selected customer groups to achieve the objectives of both parties. Marketing is an attitude of mind rather than a series of functional activities. Structure Around Markets Organize company activities around customer group if possible rather than around functional activities, and conduct marketing planning done in these strategic business units. Without excellent marketing planning in strategic business units, corporate marketing planning is of limited value. Scan The Environment Thoroughly The following are requirements for an effective marketing audit: Checklists of questions customized according to level in the organization are prepared. The checklists form the basis of the organizations Marketing Information System (MIS). The marketing audit is required activity. Managers a not allowed to hide behind vague term, such as poor economic conditions. Managers are encouraged to incorporate the tools of marketing in their audits, such as product life cycles and portfolios. Summarize Information In SWOT Analyses Information is the foundation on which a marketing plan is built. From information (internal and external) comes intelligence. A SWOT analysis does the following: Focuses on each specific segment of crucial importance to the organizations future Is a summary emanating from the marketing audit. Is brief, interesting, and concise. Focuses on key factors only. Lists key external opportunities and threats only. Identifies the real issues, is not a list of unrelated points. Is clear enough for reader to grasp instantly the main thrust of the business, even to the point of being able to write marketing objectives. Answers the implied question which mean that..? to get the real implications. Does not leave out important fact, questions, and issues. Skills and Knowledge Ensure that all those responsible for marketing have necessary marketing knowledge and skills for the job. In particular, ensure that they understand and know how to sue the tools of marketing, such as the following: Information and scanning. Positioning. Market segmentation. Targeting. Product life cycle analysis. Portfolio management. Gap analysis. Boston Consulting Group matrix. Directional policy matrix. Four Ps of management-product, price, place, promotion. Marketing personnel also need communication and interpersonal skills. Systematize The Process It is essential to have a set of written procedures and a well-argues common format for marketing planning. The purposes of such a system are as follows: To ensure that all key issues are systematically considered To pull together the essential elements of the strategic plan in a consistent manner In a multi business enterprise, to help corporate management to compare diverse businesses and to understand the overall condition of and prospects for the organization. Sequence Objectives Ensure that all objectives are prioritized according to their impact on the organization and their urgency and that resource are allocated accordingly Style and Culture Marketing planning is not effective without the active support and participation of top management. But even with this support, the type of marketing planning has to be appropriate for phase of the organizational lifeline. This phase is measured before an attempt is made to introduce marketing planning. Accurately describe and critically evaluate a range of tools and techniques use to produce a strategic marketing plan Marketing Audit Marketing audit can be easily identified as an essential part of an efficient marketing planning process. It is a very important process that is not only carried out at the begging but also at regular intervals during the actual marketing planning process. A marketing audit has a lot of influence upon the marketing planning process through the various external and internal factors. There are a number of tools and techniques that are used during a marketing audit. Some of the tools are: SWOT Analysis: One of the most important tools of marketing audit is the SWOT or Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats analysis. This tool is of a lot of help to the marketers and is used at the beginning of the marketing audit process. The SWOT analysis comes along with a lot of advantages but it has some drawbacks as well. Some of the drawbacks of SWOT analysis are that it is very subjective and cannot be relied upon too much. Thus, it has always been recommended that the SWOT analysis be used as a guide in the marketing planning process and not as a prescription to the various problems. PEST Analysis: This is the analysis of the various factors that have an effect upon the marketing process. The organization undergoing a marketing analysis should be taking into consideration all the environmental factors and give it a thorough analysis. These environmental factors may be internal or external. The internal factors compromise of the staff and queries related to them. The external would be the external customers and the various distributors connected to the concern and the political and economic factors are also taken into consideration. Porter Five Force Analysis: This is an analysis that enables the marketer to have a clear picture of the competition outside in the market. This type of analysis has some similarities with the PEST analysis and is different in the sense that it focuses its attention upon a single business or a single concern. In this analysis the marketer basically goes through five basic areas of concern. These areas can be classified as the areas of treat of entry, the suppliers power the power of the buyers and also the threats revealed by the competitors and the rivals. Some of the advantages associated with this analysis are that it leads to economies of large scale with the help of mass purchase and sales. The various distribution channels can also be easily accessed and also finds out if the cost of switching over to some other supplier is low or not. Yum! Brands, Inc. SWOT Analysis The Yum! Brands, Inc. SWOT Analysis examines the companys key business structure and operations, history and products, and provides summary analysis of its key revenue lines and strategy. Strengths The Companys continuous expansion into Asia and other regions. Well-developed restaurant brands and exceptionally efficient and ever-improving restaurant operations. The idea of multi-branding which causes one establishment to appeal to varying customers. Strong advertising campaigns. Constant updating of menus and specials to appeal to current trends and fads. Weaknesses Some brands (concepts) may weigh down profits of top performing ones. Sensitivity to market fluctuations. Opportunities International expansion and growth. In domestic markets, turning one-brand units into multi-brand units to appeal to more customers, which will cut into competitors revenues. Improvement of operations. Threats The highly competitive nature of the restaurant industry. Entry of competitors into foreign markets first. Menu appeal. Yum! Brands (Yum Brands) operates franchises and licenses a chain of restaurant brands including Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Long John Silvers (LJS) and All America Food (AW). The company operates in over 110 countries around the globe. It is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky and employs about 336,000 people. The company recorded revenues of $11,279 million during fiscal year ending December 2008 (FY2008), an increase of 8.3% over FY2007. The operating profit of the company was $1,506 million during FY2008, an increase of 11% over FY2007. The net profit was $964 million in FY2008, an increase of 6.1% over FY2007. Task 2 Examine A Range of Marketing Strategy Options Explain with clarity a range of marketing strategy options available and evaluate their benefits and limitations, using supporting examples. 4.1. The Porter Generic Strategy Model If the primary determinant of a firms profitability is the attractiveness of the industry in which it operates, an important secondary determinant is its position within that industry. Even though an industry may have below-average profitability, a firm that is optimally positioned can generate superior returns. A firm positions itself by leveraging its strengths. Michael Porter has argued that a firms strengths ultimately fall into one of two headings: cost advantage and differentiation. By applying these strengths in either a broad or narrow scope, three generic strategies result: cost leadership, differentiation, and focus. These strategies are applied at the business unit level. They are called generic strategies because they are not firm or industry dependent. The following table illustrates Porters generic strategies: Target Scope Advantage Low Cost Product Uniqueness Broad (Industry Wide) Cost Leadership Strategy Differentiation Strategy Narrow (Market Segment) Focus Strategy (low cost) Focus Strategy (differentiation) Cost Leadership Strategy This generic strategy calls for being the low cost producer in an industry for a given level of quality. The firm sells its products either at average industry prices to earn a profit higher than that of rivals, or below the average industry prices to gain market share. In the event of a price war, the firm can maintain some profitability while the competition suffers losses. Even without a price war, as the industry matures and prices decline, the firms that can produce more cheaply will remain profitable for a longer period of time. The cost leadership strategy usually targets a broad market. Some of the ways that firms acquire cost advantages are by improving process efficiencies, gaining unique access to a large source of lower cost materials, making optimal outsourcing and vertical integration decisions, or avoiding some costs altogether. If competing firms are unable to lower their costs by a similar amount, the firm may be able to sustain a competitive advantage based on cost leadership. Firms that succeed in cost leadership often have the following internal strengths: Access to the capital required making a significant investment in production assets; this investment represents a barrier to entry that many firms may not overcome. Skill in designing products for efficient manufacturing, for example, having a small component count to shorten the assembly process. High level of expertise in manufacturing process engineering. Efficient distribution channels. Each generic strategy has its risks, including the low-cost strategy. For example, other firms may be able to lower their costs as well. As technology improves, the competition may be able to leapfrog the production capabilities, thus eliminating the competitive advantage. Additionally, several firms following a focus strategy and targeting various narrow markets may be able to achieve an even lower cost within their segments and as a group gain significant market share. Differentiation Strategy A differentiation strategy calls for the development of a product or service that offers unique attributes that are valued by customers and that customers perceive to be better than or different from the products of the competition. The value added by the uniqueness of the product may allow the firm to charge a premium price for it. The firm hopes that the higher price will more than cover the extra costs incurred in offering the unique product. Because of the products unique attributes, if suppliers increase their prices the firm may be able to pass along the costs to its customers who cannot find substitute products easily. Firms that succeed in a differentiation strategy often have the following internal strengths: Access to leading scientific research. Highly skilled and creative product development team. Strong sales team with the ability to successfully communicate the perceived strengths of the product. Corporate reputation for quality and innovation. The risks associated with a differentiation strategy include imitation by competitors and changes in customer tastes. Additionally, various firms pursuing focus strategies may be able to achieve even greater differentiation in their market segments. Focus Strategy The focus strategy concentrates on a narrow segment and within that segment attempts to achieve either a cost advantage or differentiation. The premise is that the needs of the group can be better serviced by focusing entirely on it. A firm using a focus strategy often enjoys a high degree of customer loyalty, and this entrenched loyalty discourages other firms from competing directly. Because of their narrow market focus, firms pursuing a focus strategy have lower volumes and therefore less bargaining power with their suppliers. However, firms pursuing a differentiation-focused strategy may be able to pass higher costs on to customers since close substitute products do not exist. Firms that succeed in a focus strategy are able to tailor a broad range of product development strengths to a relatively narrow market segment that they know very well. Some risks of focus strategies include imitation and changes in the target segments. Furthermore, it may be fairly easy for a broad-market cost leader to adapt its product in order to compete directly. Finally, other focusers may be able to carve out sub-segments that they can serve even better. A Combination of Generic Strategies Stuck in the Middle? These generic strategies are not necessarily compatible with one another. If a firm attempts to achieve an advantage on all fronts, in this attempt it may achieve no advantage at all. For example, if a firm differentiates itself by supplying very high quality products, it risks undermining that quality if it seeks to become a cost leader. Even if the quality did not suffer, the firm would risk projecting a confusing image. For this reason, Michael Porter argued that to be successful over the long-term, a firm must select only one of these three generic strategies. Otherwise, with more than one single generic strategy the firm will be stuck in the middle and will not achieve a competitive advantage. Porter argued that firms that are able to succeed at multiple strategies often do so by creating separate business units for each strategy. By separating the strategies into different units having different policies and even different cultures, a corporation is less likely to become stuck in the middle. However, there exists a viewpoint that a single generic strategy is not always best because within the same product customers often seek multi-dimensional satisfactions such as a combination of quality, style, convenience, and price. There have been cases in which high quality producers faithfully followed a single strategy and then suffered greatly when another firm entered the market with a lower-quality product that better met the overall needs of the customers. Generic Strategies and Industry Forces These generic strategies each have attributes that can serve to defend against competitive forces. The following table compares some characteristics of the generic strategies in the context of the Porters five forces. Generic Strategies and Industry Forces Industry Force Generic Strategies Cost Leadership Differentiation Focus Entry Barriers Ability to cut price in retaliation deters potential entrants. Customer loyalty can discourage potential entrants. Focusing develops core competencies that can act as an entry barrier. Buyer Power Ability to offer lower price to powerful buyers. Large buyers have less power to negotiate because of few close alternatives. Large buyers have less power to negotiate because of few alternatives. Supplier Power Better insulated from powerful suppliers. Better able to pass on supplier price increases to customers. Suppliers have power because of low volumes, but a differentiation-focused firm is better able to pass on supplier price increases. Threat of Substitutes Can use low price to defend against substitutes. Customers become attached to differentiating attributes, reducing threat of substitutes. Specialized products core competency protect against substitutes. Rivalry Better able to compete on price. Brand loyalty to keep customers from rivals. Rivals cannot meet differentiation-focused customer needs. Sources: Task 3 Explore the implications of changes in the marketing environment of organizations Assess the current changes in the marketing environment for an organization Changing Marketing Environment Professional marketing has become more important as advanced countries have shifted from a supply to a demand environment. For most of history the world has been characterised by insufficient supply: not enough food and material goods to meet human requirements. The key priority in the past has been improving production, purchasing and finance of trade. Today this has all changed. Now, the advanced countries are characterised by excessive supply. The central problem is attracting demand, not meeting it. Faced with an array of alternatives, the customer is spoiled for choice. The priority in management is how to identify and develop goods and services that are more attractive to customers than those of competitors. As the market environment changes, managers have to adapt their strategies and organization. Unless these changes are made obsolete by changes in customer wants, new technologies and new competitors that have adapted more effectively. Fashionisation: In the past fashion was identified with womens clothing. But today more and more markets watches, motorcycles, beer, cars, pharmaceuticals, cinema music, electronics goods, even management courses are characterised by annual model changes, rapid obsolescence and an unpredictable and fickle demand. Companies that cannot handle novelty, rapid model replacement, fashion and style see their market shares slipping and their profit margins. Without novelty and continual feature enhancement, the company will see its prices and market share relentlessly chiselled away. The original iPod was launched in 2001 and updated twice within the next year. By mid -2005 the range had grown to four basic models all targeted at different uses and users and positioned as the music fashion accessory. Micro-markets: The old textbooks to postulate that a company could between a differentiated and an undifferentiated strategy. An undifferentiated strategy is where a company makes a single product for the whole market. The usual example was Coca-Cola, which, it was said, offered one product, in one bottle size, at one price and with one advertising message to all customers, everywhere in the world. No longer. Even Coca-Cola is today offered in an increasing and bewildering variety of forms-new Coke, classic and cherry, with or without caffeine, diet Coke, in cans or in numerous bottle sizes, all advertised in various style and formats. Todays customers expect the manufacture to customise the product and service to their specific needs. Technology has made this variety expansion economically viable for companies. New flexible systems, such as computer-aided design and manufacturing and customised software, permit ever-finer market segmentation and product range expansion. Finally, the new communications technology makes it possible to deliver individual messages. Rising expectation: Changing environment Marketing strategy Organization for marketing Fashionisation Speed Breaking Hierarchies Micro-Markets Customisation Small Business Units Rising Expectations Quality Selt-Managing Teams Technology Information Networks Re-Engineering Competition Core Competences Strategic Alliances Globalisation Think Global Transnational Organisation Service Software Augmentation Learning Organisation Commoditisation Partnerships Account Management Erosion Of Brands Innovation Expeditionary Marketing New Constraints Stakeholders Role of the Broad The changing marketing environment and its implication 3.2: Analyse how an organization could respond to the changes Changing Organization for Marketing: The rapidly changing business environment makes existing products and marketing strategic obsolete. Companies have to become faster, more flexible, more innovative and capable of forging new partnerships with customer and suppliers. To put in place such strategies, however, requires sweeping organizational changes. Yesterdays giant organizations such as Marks Spencer, General Motors, ICI, Midland Bank, Sears an