HR Strategies for Employees Commitment and Engagement Essay

HR Strategies for Employees Commitment and Engagement - Essay Example In this quest, it has been an observation that besides external factors such as market environment, social and cultural influences etc, human resource management (Brewster, 2003, pp. 16-27) has become an imperative tool for employers to ensure their survival and more importantly, their organisational success in the market. In this regard, human resource managers are now having a greater responsibility of ensuring higher productivity and better performance of employees in the organisation. Moreover, a huge number of researchers and experts have carried out studies to understand the role and impact of HR management and strategies on employees’ productivity and performance. Such studies have indicated that various factors play a crucial role in increasing productivity and enhancing performance of the workers, and particularly, employees’ commitment and engagement dominate the list of factors. As the result, recent developments (Brewster, 2003, pp. 16-27) in the field of HR M are now looking towards different human resource strategies that can facilitate organisations in gaining commitment and engagement of their employees. ... On the other hand, employee commitment also falls in the psychological state of an individual; however, the level of commitment determines connection (Guirdham, 2002, pp. 339-345) of the worker with a particular job/task besides his/her presence during it. Experts (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2002, pp. 192-199) have indicated that besides engagement, commitment provides a psychological environment to the employees to acquire an identity in relation to the organisation without which the engagement remains temporary and does not transform into commitment that is essential for organisational success. The paper will now include discussion on various strategies that the human resource managers can employ to ensure both engagement and commitment of employees in their organisation. DISCUSSION Goal-setting It is an observation that organisations always expect maximum performance from the employees; however, they overlook the importance of goal setting and alignment in this process. Experts (Csikszen tmihalyi, 1997, pp. 29-35) have shown that it becomes very challenging for individuals to ensure their engagement to a task if they are unable to match their skills with the task. In this regard, the foremost HR strategy should be identification of an achievable and unambiguous goal since HR departments often forget to focus on these two characteristics of a job, which results in anxiety and subsequently, lack of motivation and engagement with the task. Beliefs and values play a significant role in every society, and therefore, during the setting and alignment of a goal, it is imperative for HR department to ensure sharing of beliefs and values of the organisation with the job task. HR managers often perform this step after selection of the employees; however,

History of Table Tennis Essay Example for Free

History of Table Tennis Essay The sport got its start in England towards the end of the 19th century when, after dinner, some upper-middle class Victorians decided to turn their dining room tables into miniature versions of the traditional lawn tennis playing field. Several different every-day objects were employed in constructing the sport. They used a line of books as the net. Rackets were lids from empty cigar boxes, and a little later, parchment paper stretched around a frame. The ball would be either a ball of string, or perhaps more commonly, a champagne cork or rubber ball. Before â€Å"Table Tennis.† When the game first started it was called by a number of different names. â€Å"Whif whaf,† â€Å"gossamer,† and â€Å"flim flam† were commonly used to describe it. The words, as can be assumed, were derived from the sound that the ball made when hit back and forth on the table. In 1901 though, English manufacturer J. Jaques Son Ltd registered one of the more popular names, Ping-Pong, as a copyright. He later sold the trademark to the Parker Brothers in the United States. Then in the 1920s the name and the sport were revived in Europe as table tennis. Evolution The turn of the century brought many other refinements to the sport. Players started using celluloid balls after the English man James Gibb discovered them during a trip to the United States in 1901 and proved them to be perfect for Ping-Pong. In 1903, E.C Goode replaced parchment paper and cigar box lids with pimpled rubber on light wooden â€Å"blades† as rackets. And after the world championships in Prague in 1936, where two defensive players took over an hour to contest one point, the net was lowered to make the pace of the game-play faster. (In another effort to make the game more fast paced and entertaining, rules were again changed in 2001- see Rules). It Spreads Also around this time, the sport spread to other European countries and to the United States. Asian countries like China, Korea and Japan are understood to have learnt about it from British Army officers who held posts in those places. There was an unofficial world championship held in 1901, but the first official world championship was held in London in 1927 by the International Table Tennis Federation. The ITTF was founded in Berlin in 1926 by England, Sweden, Hungary, India, Denmark, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Wales. Asian Factor Although it may seem today that the sport, in the professional realm, is dominated by Asian countries like China and Korea, it wasn’t always that way. Before the late 1950’s and early 60’s, European players from Hungary especially, but also from France and Sweden seemed without competition. But in 1952, Japanese player Horoi Satoh introduced the foam rubber paddle. The paddle made the game faster and spinning the ball became an even greater factor. Japan became the main winner in the world competitions in 1960, and by the mid 1960’s China took over the reigns through to the early 1980’s. Their absolute domination of the sport was finally subdued with the entering of table tennis into the Olympic Games in 1988 and the participation of players from Korea and Sweden. Table Tennis and the Cold War On April 6th, 1971, the US table tennis team was invited on an all-expenses-paid trip to play in China. Four days later, nine players, four officials and two spouses crossed the bridge from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland. They were the first group of Americans to be allowed into the country since the communist take-over in 1949. One of the first signs during the Cold war of improved relations between the United States and China, Time magazine called it â€Å"the pong heard throughout the world.† It was shortly followed with a visit to China by President Nixon. Facilities and Equipment The Table The playing surface, should be rectangular, 2.74m long and 1.525m wide, and shall lie in a horizontal plane 76cm above the floor .The playing surface should not include the vertical sides of the tabletop. The playing surface should yield a uniform bounce of about 23cm when a standard ball is dropped on to it from a height of 30cm. The playing surface shall be uniformly dark colored and matt, but with a white side line, 2cm wide, along each 2.74m edge and a white end line, 2cm wide, along each 1.525m edge. The playing surface shall be divided into 2 equal courts by a vertical net running parallel with the end lines, and shall be continuous over the whole area of each court. For doubles, each court shall be divided into 2 equal half-courts by a white center line, 3mm wide, running parallel with the side lines; the center line shall be regarded as part of each right half-court. The Net Assembly The net shall be suspended by a cord attached at each end to an upright post 15.25cm high, the outside limits of the post being 15.25cm outside the side line. The top of the net, along its whole length, shall be 15.25cm above the playing surface. The Ball The ball shall be spherical, with a diameter of 40mm.and weigh 2.7g. The ball shall be made of celluloid or similar plastics material and shall be white or orange, and matt. The Racket The racket may be of any size, shape or weight but the blade (wooden face) shall be flat and rigid. The covering material (rubber sheets) shall extend up to but not beyond the limits of the blade, except that the part nearest the handle and gripped by the fingers may be left uncovered or covered with any material. The surface of the covering material on a side of the blade, or of a side of the blade if it is left uncovered, shall be matt, bright red on one side and black on the other. Slight deviations from continuity of surface or uniformity of color due to accidental damage or wear may be allowed provided that they do not significantly change the characteristics of the surface. Rules of the game Serving The server shall project the ball near vertically upwards, without imparting spin, so that it rises at least 16cm and then falls without touching anything before being struck. The ball shall not be hidden from the receiver by any part of the body or clothing of the server or his doubles partner and as soon as the ball has been projected, the server’s free arm shall be removed from the space between the server’s body and the net. If the umpire is doubtful of the legality of a service he may, on the first occasion in a match, declare a let (see below) and warn the server. Any subsequent service of doubtful legality of that player or his doubles partner will result in a point to the receiver. Whenever there is a clear failure to comply with the requirements for a good service, no warning shall be given and the receiver shall score a point.

Teaching Philosophy :: Education Teachers Reflective Writing Essays

Teaching Philosophy Education is the means by which a student gains the tools for a successful future. Through education, a teacher is not only teaching facts, but also teaching life skills. Education teaches students discipline, responsibility, and many other life skills. As a teacher, I hope to instill these skills in my students. I also hope to help them develop as adolescents. Education should allow students to fully understand and discover themselves, in addition to giving them the ability to survive in the real world. Education involves respecting every student's race, sex, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and religion. Education should teach the students to think on their own, and to accept and embrace their individuality. For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to teach. Through various tutoring experiences, I have really solidified that decision in my mind. I would really enjoy teaching in a middle school environment. I feel that the middle grades can really make or break a students’ enjoyment for mathematics. I hope to bring an enthusiasm and love for the subject, and spread that feeling to my students. As an educator, I hope to encourage students to do their best and have then accept nothing less. I believe that education is not just about the classroom, it is about knowing your students and encouraging them to grow as individuals. As a teacher, it is very important to build a relationship and understanding with your students. Education is not just about teaching facts, it is about developing a students knowledge about the subject and about themselves. I think it is important to challenge the students while maintaining their confidence. Through interactions with teachers and fellow students, a student will learn how to interact with others. Schools are a structured environment that will give students the groundwork to lead them into the work environment in their future. As a future math teacher, I understand that many students struggle with the subject of math. I don’t expect my students to love math, but I hope that through my teachings they will understand and appreciate the subject. Mathematical concepts are very prevalent in society and by teaching this, I will be instilling useful skills for the rest of their life.

Harmful Algae :: Geology

Abstract The purpose of this term paper is to provide information about the different kinds of algal blooms and their effect on our environment and ourselves. There are still a lot of things that are not known about the algal bloom phenomenon, and many different hypotheses have been presented to explain these. Throughout the course of this paper those hypotheses will be presented and discussed, allowing the reader to derive their own opinion about the origin of algal blooms and what will happen in the future. table of contents Table of Contents I. Harmful Algae II. What are Algal Blooms and Red Tides? III. Why do Algal Blooms occur? IV. What are the effects of Algal Blooms? V. Where and how often do Algal Blooms occur? VI. Resources I. Harmful Algae All algal species are not harmful. Only a few out of the thousands of species are associated with the phenomenon known as an algal bloom. These algae fall into two categories. The first category of harmful algae produces toxins that are released when ingested by animals or humans. The dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense (left) and the diatom Pseudo-nitzschia australis (right) are examples of toxin producing alga. The other category of harmful algae kill without toxins. These are equipped with structures such as spines and serrated edges that allow them to lodge in fish gill tissues. When this occurs it causes irritation which leads to overproduction of mucus which eventually leads to death. This Chaetoceros species (above) is an example of an algae that kills by using specialized serrated structures. back to table of contents II. What Are Algal Blooms and Red Tides? Algal blooms are when algae grows at a fast rate and accumulate near the surface, hence the term "algal bloom". The term "Red Tide" is a misnomer because it has nothing to do with the tides. It refers to a specific type of algal bloom that occurs when certain species of phytoplankton that contain red pigments "bloom" causing the water to look red. Red Tides are usually not harmful. The California Noctiluca Bloom is an example of a Red Tide back to table of contents III. Why Do algal blooms Occur? Scientists aren't exactly sure of how or why algal blooms get started. One theory is that when temperature, salinity, and nutrients reach certain levels there is a massive increase in the amount of algae.

A person whom I admire

There are so many heroes in this world, from cartoon heroes to, maybe, your life saver. But I am going to talk about my friend. She died when we were 6; she was my best friend and only person I knew at that age. Her death made me miserable and sometimes thought of following her to be with her. But I had my family support and became to realize that there was nothing for me to do. No one told me how and why she died and I still don't know. She was always bright and that's why it is more upsetting. Before I met her I didn't know anyone and anything. I just went to the nursery school and sat there doing nothing and came back home. I didn't have any friends and I always looked angry. I was shy and not talkative; everyone thought I was a loser and some kind of freak. I had to move to another nursery because we were moving house. When I first went to the new nursery everyone was nice to me. I guess that was because they didn't know me. On the way home I found out that she was leaving near to my house. We gradually became to know each other and eventually we were best friends. She was very forward and that's why we connected. We were completely the opposite. Being with her always made me happy, she made me laugh and we had fun together. It was not long after that when she died. I remember the day when the accident happened. It was in the afternoon, I was just having my lunch when the phone rang. It was Saturday so I didn't have to go to the kindergarten. As I was finishing my lunch my mum came in and sat next to me. Because I was young I didn't know. She told me that my best friend just died. I refused to believe her, because it didn't seem real. I saw her yesterday the day before and I was going to see her that evening. It was so hard to get over it; I was so shocked I couldn't even cry. I didn't go to anywhere and sat on the sofa watching TV all day. Now I look back I don't even remember what I was doing and what I was watching. I was lost and couldn't find the way back. We were asked to go to her funeral but I didn't go. I became ill and unhealthy. It was a year after that I came to my senses. I was actually going to a proper school and I didn't want to become my old self, no friends, known as a loser and especially I didn't want to be by myself. So I pretended, I pretended to be her. Everyone liked her and I wanted to be liked and have friends. I started a new life. She wasn't in my new life but she was in me. It would have been better if she didn't die but if she didn't I wouldn't have changed. It is so unfair and unfortunate that she died because she was loved by so many people and she will be remembered by all those who knew her. Her death woke me up to reality and made me into a human being and a person who I am now. I decided to write about my best friend because she was the person who was able to change me into a completely different person. I am thankful that I met her and she was in my life. I am over her death and I miss her occasionally. I prefer not to talk about her often because it takes me back to my old memories which I would rather forget.

Free Essays on Children

Deep Book Discussions Research findings Children construct meaning from their experiences. They are not just passive receivers of information; they cognitively interact with new information, based upon what they already know. The traditional theories of learning are teacher dominated. The teacher transmits a body of knowledge that is assumed to be true. The social constructivist perspective proposes that knowledge increases as learners interact with each other and the world. Thus, deep discussion of text is an integral part of the constructivist classroom. Readers must access prior knowledge and interact with the text in order to facilitate comprehension and assimilate new knowledge. In the classroom One way for deep discussion to happen is through social interaction. Students talking to each other-discussing, questioning, sharing points of view-helps them gain and assimilate knowledge. (Gavelek and Raphael) Students need multiple opportunities to talk about text such as:  · Whole class settings  · Student led small-group discussions In whole class settings:  · The teacher reads aloud to the class. Not only is the teacher's enthusiasm for reading contagious but "think alouds" (sharing of the teacher's reading processes as well as related ideas) model reading strategies.  · In Fishbowl or Hot Seat, student takes on the role of a character in the story and answers questions posed by the rest of the class. This may be in a "talk show" format.  · In class brainstorming and/or clustering, teachers and students generate ideas, impressions, facts spontaneously without correction. In student-led, small-group discussions: Reciprocal Teaching. The teacher models strategies of a good reader-generating questions about the content, summarizing, clarifying points, predicting. The students then take over the teacher's role in small groups as they assume responsibility for leading the dialogue. Literature Circles. Two potent ... Free Essays on Children Free Essays on Children Deep Book Discussions Research findings Children construct meaning from their experiences. They are not just passive receivers of information; they cognitively interact with new information, based upon what they already know. The traditional theories of learning are teacher dominated. The teacher transmits a body of knowledge that is assumed to be true. The social constructivist perspective proposes that knowledge increases as learners interact with each other and the world. Thus, deep discussion of text is an integral part of the constructivist classroom. Readers must access prior knowledge and interact with the text in order to facilitate comprehension and assimilate new knowledge. In the classroom One way for deep discussion to happen is through social interaction. Students talking to each other-discussing, questioning, sharing points of view-helps them gain and assimilate knowledge. (Gavelek and Raphael) Students need multiple opportunities to talk about text such as:  · Whole class settings  · Student led small-group discussions In whole class settings:  · The teacher reads aloud to the class. Not only is the teacher's enthusiasm for reading contagious but "think alouds" (sharing of the teacher's reading processes as well as related ideas) model reading strategies.  · In Fishbowl or Hot Seat, student takes on the role of a character in the story and answers questions posed by the rest of the class. This may be in a "talk show" format.  · In class brainstorming and/or clustering, teachers and students generate ideas, impressions, facts spontaneously without correction. In student-led, small-group discussions: Reciprocal Teaching. The teacher models strategies of a good reader-generating questions about the content, summarizing, clarifying points, predicting. The students then take over the teacher's role in small groups as they assume responsibility for leading the dialogue. Literature Circles. Two potent ...

How to Land an Interview When You Arent Qualified

How to Land an Interview When You Arent Qualified Anyone searching for a job has spotted classified job ads for what appear to be interesting positions. However, the person’s skills might be less than perfect, and he or she is hesitant to put in an application. Even if your qualifications aren’t a perfect match, should you go ahead and apply? Learn how to prove you are a good match for the position, even if your qualifications aren’t the best match. Not All People Being Interviewed Have the QualificationsThe first thing you need to know when thinking about applying for a position you found in the job classifieds you don’t have all the qualifications for is that you aren’t alone. According to a survey, 92 percent of job seekers find interviews stressful, and 11 percent feel they may be underqualified for the position they are seeking. If you have most of the qualifications the company is looking for, you shouldn’t dismiss applying for the job, especially if you can add on to your skillset to match the qualifications or have other things to offer.Focus on Your SkillsIf a company is advertising for a hire who has extensive experience in a position, this may not be the job to apply for if you are a recent graduate or your experience is limited. However, a lack of technical skills in the job requirements is doable because you can catch up on those before the interview. When your skills are a little short of the mark, focus on your transferrable skills and accentuate your soft skills such as your versatility, how you were an asset in previous jobs and ability to be a team player.Honesty HelpsLet’s say the position calls for five-years of experience in the field, but you only have two. Sometimes, job ads can stretch the qualifications hoping to get that master candidate to apply. That doesn’t mean the company has all the job requirements written in stone. Use this opportunity to explain why you would be a good candidate, despite the shorter work experience.Let Y our Resume Speak for YouA good resume will help get your foot in the door. Write it and include your qualifications that fit the description for the position, ensure that no errors in spelling or grammar exist and follow up a few days later. Being professional and showing interest can’t hurt your chances of getting that important first interview. Use your resume to show what a great candidate you are and how you have the motivation to fit well into the position.Preparation Is Key to a Successful InterviewIt’s easier to conduct a successful interview if you have done your homework and learned about the company. This makes it simpler to answer and ask questions and shows that you are interested in that particular job. You can learn a lot by checking out the company’s website, LinkedIn page and Facebook. Knowledge is power, and appearing knowledgeable about the company shows that you’ve invested some time into learning how you can fit in.Interviews Are Condu cted the Same WayWhether in person or on the phone, interviews are conducted the same way and should be prepared for the same. On a phone interview, dress professionally as you would for an in-person interview and remove any distractions behind you that might interfere, such as a busy background or noise that might disrupt. Prepare in advance since you might not know when the interviewer will call.Confidence, poise and advance preparation can help you get your dream job, even if your qualifications might fall a bit short. TheJobNetwork helps you find job openings the easy way by sending you email notices as soon as those jobs become available. All you need to do is fill out your qualifications and job interests to get started. You can start right now when you sign up with TheJobNetwork.

The Bible Code essays

The Bible Code essays The Bible Code is a report of the discovery concerning certain codes hidden in the Bible that are able to foresee events. The code was first broken by an Israeli mathematician, Dr. Eliyahu Rips, and has been confirmed by famous mathematicians around the world. The three-thousand-year-old code foretells events that happened thousands of years after the Bible was written. It foresaw both Kennedy assassinations, the Oklahoma city bombing, the election of President Bill Clinton, everything from World War II to Watergate, from the Holocaust to Hiroshima, and from the Moon landing to the collision of a comet with Jupiter. In an extremely complicated procedure, Israeli Doctors Doron Witztum, Eliyahu Rips, and Yoav Rosenburg, were the first to search and analyze the Bible for secret codes that reveal the future by using equidistant letter sequences and statistical analysis. The Israeli researchers made careful examinations and developed a collection of hypothesis, a collections of maybes. Statistics provided the tools to test each and every one these maybes. A hypothesis in mathematics may be declared false by the presentation of a single example, which violates the hypothesis. The very first thing the researchers did when they started their investigations was to make observations. They grouped their observations and formulated a hypothesis. Then, they tested the hypothesis. For example, a very common idea in statistics is the concept of average. As a very simple proof we would declare false a value for an average height for people of 10 feet. We all know that an average height of 10 feet is definit ely not possible. Definitely, we can say that the concept of average participated in the analysis and conclusions when the Israeli researchers investigated the letter and word sequences they found in the Bible Code. Other statistical concepts that are easy to grasp a ...

My negotiating skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My negotiating skills - Essay Example The first scenario involved employee recruitment in which the employee offered a 20000-pound remuneration rate while the employee wanted a 25000-pound rate. The second scenario involved an employee seeking a pay rise against the employer’s will. I assumed both employer and employee situation in both cases in alternation. Each of the scenarios in the negotiation exercise involved persuasive discussions for each party. I used several negotiations skills such as asking questions, good listening ability, focusing on my relevant values to the topic of discussion, and being flexible. These skills were successful, as I won in all roles that I played. As a recruit and an employee seeking pay rise, I managed to convince the employer who agreed to my request. As an employer however, I only managed to reduce the amount that employee wanted by significant percentages, more that 75 % in each case (Pannett, et al. 2013, p. 168). I have learnt, from the simulation, that am good in negotiation and that I can incorporate different negotiation skills to win in negotiations. Negotiating for better offers as an employee was the easier aspect of the simulation because of available proofs for the desired position. Negotiating against realistic facts such as disputing an employee’s potentials and experience towards desired remuneration amount was however difficult. Ability to verify offered information is the negotiation skill that I need to develop in order to become a better negotiator. My goal for developing the skill is to be able to verify validity of offered information in a negotiation. I will measure progress by simulating negotiation scenarios, validating offered information in the scenarios, and then comparing my validation results with reality. Achieving the goal will require published resources on psychological intelligence and sensitivity, together with time and a tutor on human psychology. Being able to

International Business Examination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

International Business Examination - Essay Example First stage In the first stage, the emphasis is on research and development that is focused on new product development. The firm is able to maintain its leverage in the market due to high demand for the product which has relatively few competitions. The stage is also marked by high profitability which gives further thrust to technology and processes. But the new product has smaller domestic market. The first stage is inherently linked to strategic initiatives of the firm which are used to exploit its competitive advantage to progress to the next level. Second stage The second stage of product’s life cycle is process of maturing which leads to competition because other firms compete on variations of the product putting downward pressure on the prices. This necessitates the innovating firm to expand globally and focus on technology and intense marketing to maintain its niche market position. The phase also highlights growth of the firm with higher emphasis on internationalizatio n in order to gain leverage by shifting production to new location in other countries with low production cost and increase profit. The near standardisation of product results in established technologies, low focus on R&D and growing domestic and export market. FDI emerges as attractive option mainly for two reasons: to ease out price pressure from the domestic market; and to overcome the barriers of import in foreign countries and lower production cost (Krugman & Obstfeld, 2009). Moreover, the stage is also relevant because it provides opportunities for firms to expand their market internationally and create new avenues of growth. Third stage In this phase, the product is matured and completely standardised and there is intense competition. With market saturation, the production is moved to overseas production sites with low production cost so that finished goods can be re-imported from these locations for home market with higher profit margin. Some scholars believe that the maturi ty of the product accelerates R&D to infuse it with greater value added service so that it can serve the changing needs of the customers as new product (Leinwand & Mainardi, 2010). This is interesting because it promotes the concept of recycling of products and product cycles to constantly improve and improvise market. Thus, firms can maintain their niche position through constant innovation and growth in new market and existing market. 1(b) In the 21st century, the model provides a realistic description of firm internationalization. The stage approach is supported by various scholars who believe that sequential progression in the stages of product life cycle creates linkages for internationalization of firms (Li, 2007; Johanson & Vahlne, 1990). The virtual economy, liberalization of market and most importantly, the inter-dependence of resources promote expansion of market and serve as major imperative for internationalization of firm. The innovative firm in the developed country fi rst serves domestic market and gradually expands to other developing nations to serve local markets to leverage increasing competition. Later emerging markets provide them with locations that are cost effective in terms of production and become attractive. Most importantly, in the 21st

A Life-Changing Moment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

A Life-Changing Moment - Essay Example It can be so huge to the extent of altering many lives and at the same time it can be so minute and unnoticeable; it can be effected over a period of time or in one single moment. In my case, change occurred in my life in one moment. The kind of life that I was used to was every child’s dream. I was used to the high life as my parents were well-off. My dad attended school in his youth and attained a degree in business management. Moreover, he even went farther and attained a master’s in the same field. This was late in the 1980s. With this kind of credentials, my father was a force to reckon with in the business world. His businesses were successful; he had a big house and a good family; he basically had everything going for him. My mother, on the other hand, was a medic. She was a fully trained and qualified doctor and her expertise in the field enabled her to begin her own practice. Michael’s was a household name in the state because of how they were flourishin g. We were 4 siblings and I was the last born in the family. Like any other last born, I was the spoiled one. Everything that I wanted, I was always given. I was the envy of my siblings as I was the perfect child. I never got in to trouble with my parents and we never engaged in any kind of feud. One day, I went about my normal routine preparing myself for school. In totality, it was a normal school day. After leaving the house, the driver routinely dropped my elder siblings to school and then went ahead to drive me to school. As I watched the outside through the window, everything was normal in the city. People were going about their businesses as usual. We all did not know the danger that awaited to befall the city in the next few moments. It could have never crossed my mind that such a catastrophe was going to happen, especially to the city. In just a fraction of time, the peace that traversed through the city was suddenly replaced by chaos and discomfort. Everyone was running fo r their lives; the traffic was chaotic. The big explosion that was succeeded by a short tremor sent rubble flying. Cars collided while others run in to the footpaths, trying to evade the rubble flying from the sky. All this was happening too fast. I was in so much shock that I couldn’t feel any kind of sensation. I was numb. The driver was trying to steer the car to safety, but suddenly everything went blur. For a few seconds all that ran through my mind was death; I could hear nothing but a shear piercing sound in my ears. When I came forth, I could smell fuel and smoke. I tried to tell the driver to get out of the car so we could run for safety, but it was too late: he was gone. I shook him hoping against the odds that I’d bring back the life to him, but it was too late. I had to save my own life. I had hit my forehead and blood was trickling down my left eye. I was staggering my way to safety. I did not have the energy in me but knew I had to do it to save my life. I became too drowsy and fell down. In my head, I knew that that was the moment. I was exhaling my last breath and bidding good-bye to the life I so cherished. In my moment of despair, I saw medics running towards me. At that moment, my heart was at rest; I knew I was safe. The last thing I remember was staring at the ambulance and passing out. I was not sure of the time when I fainted. When I came forth, I was on bed. It was not a hospital bed. I heaved a sigh of relief because I knew that I was home. I

Definition of the words Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Definition of the words - Assignment Example The Painting is part of Church in Convent of Santa Maria in Milan (Ladwein, 13). It has an historic precedence to the times of Jesus Christ, exactly on the evening where Jesus along with his followers shared a dinner. Stage: Stage is that part of the theater where the actors perform their roles. Stage can be arranged and organized in multiple ways, with curtain covering the backend unit. Stage is mounted part of theater that is visible from all angles of the theater. Semiotics: Semiotics/ Semiology is a theory, and philosophy related to the study of signs and signals. In art it is the deciphering of the message from the silent image that may not be clearly evident and comprehendible to the ordinary observation. It is the study of art and architecture in form of the signals and signs interpretation. Fresco: A specialized form of painting that is performed over the fresh plaster. It is associated with the mural form of painting. Water colors are used over the wet plaster which later on dries up to hold their shape and design. Perspective: A technique in drawing and design, in which multiple parallel lines are shown to converge. It embodies the 2-D image on a 2-D frame . Linear and aerial perspectives are two predominant patterns used in this regard. The pioneers of this art are Leon Baptista Alberti and Filippo

Marketing presentation coninstar company PowerPoint

Marketing coninstar company - PowerPoint Presentation Example Meaning a significant change in price has little impact on quantity demanded. Therefore, a small change in prices does not affect such products (Coinstar, 2014). Queency juice can be priced the same as those of competitors; it can be priced at a reduces price as compared to other market competitors or can be priced at a higher price. Coinstar may also consider cost-based pricing in order to regain costs that have been incurred in coming up with new product. Three approaches may be used: Coinstar will introduce a new product, Queency juice, in the market by setting the prices to be high reason being the company offers a mystique and unique product that will be highly valued by customers. The product mainly targets affluent members of the society and is prestigious. The strategy is appropriate because it considers customers who are only willing to pay high prices hence potential customers will not be forced to buy the product (Smith, 2012). The culture of Coinstar in promoting a new product involves participating in charity events, that are not only unreliable but also expensive and time consuming as it involve distributing Queency juice for free despite the higher cost of producing it. During special events such as sports, the direct marketing executives will be involved in creating awareness about Queency drinks. The marketers will give free samples to the audience and the players so that the can have a test of the product. Customers will be taught about the new product free of charge. The Company will also create a new website where awareness of the new product can be created. Advertisement is a very vital tool that can be utilized in product promotion. It should be catchy in order to stimulate demand. Coinstar will also participate in special events such as sports as a way of promoting its new product where free samples of the new product will be given to the participants. Promotional

Definition of the words Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Definition of the words - Assignment Example The Painting is part of Church in Convent of Santa Maria in Milan (Ladwein, 13). It has an historic precedence to the times of Jesus Christ, exactly on the evening where Jesus along with his followers shared a dinner. Stage: Stage is that part of the theater where the actors perform their roles. Stage can be arranged and organized in multiple ways, with curtain covering the backend unit. Stage is mounted part of theater that is visible from all angles of the theater. Semiotics: Semiotics/ Semiology is a theory, and philosophy related to the study of signs and signals. In art it is the deciphering of the message from the silent image that may not be clearly evident and comprehendible to the ordinary observation. It is the study of art and architecture in form of the signals and signs interpretation. Fresco: A specialized form of painting that is performed over the fresh plaster. It is associated with the mural form of painting. Water colors are used over the wet plaster which later on dries up to hold their shape and design. Perspective: A technique in drawing and design, in which multiple parallel lines are shown to converge. It embodies the 2-D image on a 2-D frame . Linear and aerial perspectives are two predominant patterns used in this regard. The pioneers of this art are Leon Baptista Alberti and Filippo

Corporate Governance- Proposal Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Corporate Governance- Proposal - Dissertation Example The core objective of corporate governance is to prevent the negative impact of the unethical business practises on society. The past experience of the corporate governance failure has offered enough evidences for negative impact of society due to corporate failure. On the other hand, the theories of society and business relations explain that every business owes to society and hence, its major priority is to meet the social responsibilities by not practising any unethical business activities (Eweje, 2004, p.16). However, with the passage of time, the rate of corporate governance failure has increased significantly due to multiple corporate scandals. On the other hand, at present, the relationship between the business and society has become more important and it has been evolving constantly. Therefore, the responsibilities of business towards its society have also become more significant. In this respect, management of stakeholders and business ethics are two most necessary criterion s. Both of these two aspects are generally addressed in the code of the corporate governance that strives to meet the overall responsibilities of society (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2008, p.24). Considering the prevailing importance of corporate governance for the social and economic benefits, many developed countries and world organisations like OECD have developed certain common and desirable code in corporate governance. Other developing countries and emerging nations usually follow these codes of corporate by making certain adjustment based on their own culture, belief and business policies. For example, in Islamic countries (mainly in Middle East region), the entire financial market is based on Islamic religious law known as Sharia. However, the role of corporate governance is to control and guide the companies for practising and conducting the ethical business (Swanson and Fisher, 2011, p.275). 1.2. Saudi Regulations of Corporate Governance The growing importance of the capital ma rkets and other financial markets raise the necessity of a matured corporate governance system so that investors’ trust can be maintained. Hence, the Saudi Arabian Government strived develop a standard set of corporate governance codes in accordance to the compliance of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). â€Å"In February 2009, the World Bank (WB) released its Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes (ROSC) Country Assessment on Corporate Governance in Saudi Arabia† (eStandardsForum, 2010). Saudi Corporate Governance is based on six principle including â€Å"Ensuring the Basis for an Effective Corporate Governance†; â€Å"The Rights of Shareholders and Key Ownership Function†; â€Å"The Equitable Treatment of Shareholders†; â€Å"The Role of Stakeholders in Corporate Governance†; â€Å"Disclosure and Transparency†; and â€Å"The Responsibilities of the Board† (eStandardsForum, 2010). The Board of Capital Market Authority has framed specific laws for corporate governance based on the capital market authority. The laws for corporat

DNA Profiling Techniques in Forensic Science Essay Example for Free

DNA Profiling Techniques in Forensic Science Essay Abstract Since 1985, DNA profiling in forensic science has become very important in this virtual era of technology and in the world of science that solves both major and minor crimes. Small traces of DNA are considered in all circumstances from how the DNA was collected to fully obtaining the profile in its significant form. Traces of sweat, blood and semen are the most common type’s evidence found at crime scenes. There are several different methods for creating a DNA profile such as STR (Short Tandem Repeat), PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), Y chromosome analysis, Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) and Mitochondrial DNA (MtDNA) analysis. All these types of methods are able to extract DNA from a chosen sample taken from a crime scene. DNA profiling is the information of how a sample is processed and analysed and a DNA profile must be created by collecting and analysing VNTR’s (Variable Number Tandem Repeats), these are unique sequences on the loci which is an area on chromosomes. Most DNA sequences in different people look too similar to tell apart whereas VNTR result in bands that are unique enough for identification of individuals. Introduction DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the hereditary material in almost all living organisms. In 1953 researchers J. Watson and F. Crick saw the structure of DNA. DNA consists of two long strands that are built up chain like, each consisting four nucleotide subunits, attached to a sugar phosphate backbone. Adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C) and thymine (T) are bases that are arranged pairwise in the middle of the DNA stand. The nucleotides are covalently linked together, from which the bases A and T, G and C bind by a hydrogen bond (Bray et al 2010: 173). Figure 1 shows the order of the bases, which determine the biological information available for building, and maintaining an organism, the sugar phosphate group molecules form the vertical side piece and the base pairs form a ring shape to create a spiral called a double helix. The two backbone chains run in opposite directions, this is specific for base to base bonding which allows this genetic information contained in DNA to be copied accurately from one generation of cells to the next. Figure 1 – DNA By Jaspreet (Bray et al 2012) There are 23 pairs of chromosomes in humans inherited from our parents, with each parent contributing one half of each pair. Chromosomes are made up of DNA, 22 pairs are autosomes and the last pair is a sex chromosome fig 2 shows this. Autosomes are chromosomes that are not sex chromosomes; they are individual which means that each person has a DNA profile as unique as a fingerprint. No two DNA profiles or fingerprints can be the same due to the combination of marker sizes found in each person makes up his/her unique genetic profile. When determining the relationship between two individuals, their genetic profiles are compared to see if they share the same inheritance patterns at a conclusive rate. Chromosomes are located in the nucleus of each cell and consist of long DNA strands where they are tightly packed and coiled around specific proteins called histones, which are looped and fixed to specific regions of the chromosome. There are 5 different kinds of histones (H1, H2A H2B, H3 and H4); they all bind to DNA to form chromatin in the nucleus during cell division where the chromatin condenses into visible structures that are the chromosomes itself. The DNA wrapped around each histone core is 200bp (base pair) long. Histones can be purified from DNA as H2A and H2B stick together as do H3 and H4 therefore making 8 proteins in each histone core with DNA wrapped is called a nucleosome which is 10nm (nano meter) fibre thickness, H1 is not part of the histone core as it binds to the nucleosome to give an even more structure to the chromatin and waits for the next interaction to take place. Fig 2 – 23 pairs of Chromosomes DNA is specific to its kind where identical twins are formed when a fertilised egg splits into two and develop into a full embryo. Identical twins will have the same genes making them alike in everything controlled by the genes itself. Although they have different phenotypes the DNA itself is expressed in different ways too. If identical twins are raised in different environments and stimuli they can develop some changes such as a genotype for a particular weight and height but this can only happen if they have enough food or a genotype for a potential IQ but again this will rely on the education and the right kind of stimulus received for that individual. Variation within humans result in the genes inherited from your parents and the environment you live in. (David Wright, 2000: 162) Main Body The techniques for identification of DNA profiling only need just a small amount of DNA but in some methods a larger amount is needed. DNA profiling is carried out when human biological fluid or human tissue is found at crime scenes and is used for evidence to link or exclude a possible suspect from the scene. DNA profiling can only be used if there is enough DNA within the sample taken and is only useful for comparing the samples. Samples taken can be compared to a national database of DNA profiling where there are over 700,000 samples in the UK national database alone. When there is a match, the two samples may have originated from the same person but before DNA can be profiled, it must be extracted from the sample in any of the following analysis depending on what the sample is and how much of it you have. One of the first techniques that were adapted for forensic DNA profiling was Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) where this kind of analysis determines variation in the length of a single DNA fragment. If two samples originate from different sources, RFLP can differentiate them using fewer loci than other systems. RFLP can determine whether a single sample contains DNA from more than one person but this can only happen if there is a large amount of greater quality DNA, this technique is stated to be ‘laborious and difficult to automate’ (Rudin and Inman. 2002: 41) (2). Fig 3 shows the RFLP process. Fig 3 – RFLP by Jaspreet (Botstein 2012) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a process where a specific region of DNA is replicated over and over again to make copies of a particular sequence. Fig 4 shows the process which involves the heating and cooling of samples in a thermal cycle pattern of three steps denaturation, annealing and elongation. The strands get separated and bind to primers (fig 5), which are pieces of DNA so that they attach to the DNA at each end of the region for it to be copied. PCR is very sensitive and effective in many ways in the use of forensic science. PCR only needs a small amount of blood compared to RFLP needs about a quarter. Fig 4 – PCR by Jaspreet (Prof Santiago 2012) The primers used in PCR define the region of the genome that will be analysed. Primers are short pieces of DNA that anneal to the template molecule at either end of the specific region Fig 5 illustrates this. For a forensic PCR analysis the primers must bind to the regions of the DNA sequence to effectively amplify the human DNA while at the same time taking precautions not binding DNA to any other species. (Goodwin et al, 2007) Fig 5 – Primers binding to the DNA strand which is known as the annealing stage. By Jaspreet (Davidson 2012) Short Tandem Repeat (STR) technology is a forensic analysis that evaluates specific regions, loci that are found on a DNA strand. STR is when the repeat units are shorter and each loci can be used simultaneously of two to six bases long. STR regions are analysed for forensic testing between one DNA profiles to another. The purpose of having a core set of STR loci (13 set loci) is to ensure that all forensic laboratories can get the DNA from databases and share valuable forensic information. STR’s does have some limitations on sensitivity where it will work on degraded DNA samples such as damaged body tissue or bone destroyed by fire but sometimes there just isn’t enough sample to be tested giving no results at all for example aged bone. To test even smaller sample of DNA currently mtDNA is the choice of technique. (Gill et al, 2001) Mitochondria produce 90% of a cells energy, and contain their own genomes in the form of a double-stranded circular molecule known as mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). MtDNA is important for finding missing person’s investigations, mass disasters, and other forensic investigations. MtDNA is valuable for determining DNA recovered from damaged, degraded, or very small biological samples that techniques such as STR cannot extract with small amounts of DNA. MtDNA is a small circular genome located in the mitochondria, which are located outside of a cells nucleus. Fig 6 illustrates this. There are two properties of mtDNA: high copy number and maternal inheritance. Samples such as hair, bone and teeth can be used to examine common ancestry between individuals. Maternal inheritance such as grandmother, mother and daughter all have statistically the same mtDNA sequence within them as they have been passed on from generation to generation. This can help to find unidentified remains for analysis and comparison of the mtDNA profile to any maternal relative. High copy number is valuable for when the amount of material within the cell is very small for analysis. (Goodwin et al, 2007) Fig 6 – MtDNA by Jaspreet (Ferullo 2012) Y-chromosome analysis targets only the male population of biological samples as they are passed down from father to son unchanged, except when mutations occur. They can also be used to trace family members amongst males only. A reference Y-chromosome profile has to be compared with an unknown sample match for significance, to confirm that the match actually exists. The Y chromosome DNA testing is important in situations where a small amount of male DNA may be recovered in the presence of excess female DNA, such as in sexual assault evidence. Y chromosome analysis can also benefit missing person’s investigations as it extends the range of potential reference samples. Since fathers pass their Y chromosome onto their sons unchanged all males in a paternal lineage will possess a common Y chromosome haplotype. Conclusion DNA profiling technology is constantly evolving where techniques such as PCR, STR and mtDNA and new loci are being discovered and are being used widely around the world to solve crimes globally. From research and experience we know that the technique RFLP requires too much DNA for the process to take place, it also takes longer too this is the reason why forensic scientist do not use this anymore. However, PCR can be used to amplify very small amounts of DNA, usually in 2-3 hours, to the levels required for RFLP analysis. Therefore, more samples can be analyzed in a shorter time. The ability to analyse such small amounts of samples of evidence taken from crime scenes increases the automation and promises faster and more effective results for forensic evidence in court. DNA degradation can be easily identified on an electropherogram where the process can reduce the height of some alleles, making them too low to be recognised from the data. When there are too many samples of DNA degraded it is classed as no results being obtained and can complicate the interpretation of the samples if two or more are similar to each other. Degradation is more likely to occur during the technique of STR as the amplification of specific regions on the DNA strand will not be successful. References Books 1. John M. Butler, 2005, Forensic DNA Typing – Biology, Technology and Genetics of STR Marker. Elsevier Academic Press (USA). 2nd Edition, page 42 and 63. 2. Norah Rudin and Keith Inman, An introduction to Forensic Analysis, 2nd Edition, CRC Press LLC 2002, page 41, 58 3. Alberts Bray et al, 2010, Essential Cell Biology. Garland Science, Taylor Francis Group LLC. 3rd Edition, page 173 4. William Goodwin et al, 2007. An Introduction to Forensic Genetics. John Wiley Sons Ltd. Page 41, 71, 127-132 5. David Wright, 2000. Human Physiology and Health. Heinemann Educational Publishers. Page 22, 162. Websites 6. http://www.nij.gov/topics/forensics/evidence/dna/basics/analyzing.htm#mitochondrial accessed 21st November 2012 at 11.30am 7. http://www.iitk.ac.in/infocell/Archive/dirnov3/science.html accessed November 20th, 2012 8. Ferullo, Daniel. 7.342 Powerhouse Rules: The Role of Mitochondria in Human Diseases,Spring 2011. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT OpenCourseWare), http://ocw.mit.edu (Accessed 29 Nov, 2012). License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA Journals 9. Gill, P., Sparkes, R. and Tully, G. (2001). DNA Profiling in Forensic Science. John Wiley Sons Ltd. (1), 1-6. (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/npg.els.0001001/pdf) accessed 19th November 2012 10. Renata Jacewicz, Krzysztof Lewandowski, Joanna Rupa-Matysek, Maciej Jedrzejczyk, Mieczysław Komarnicki and Jarosław Berent. 2012. Genetic investigation of biological materials from patients after stem cell transplantation based on autosomal as well as Y-chromosomal markers. Int J Legel Med. (1), 1-4. 11. Andreas Meyerhans, Jean-Pierre Vartanian and Simon Wain-Hobson. (1991). Strand Specific PCR amplification of Low Copy Number DNA. Nucleic Acids Research. 20 (3), 521-523.

Understanding the Definition of Strategy Formulation

Understanding the Definition of Strategy Formulation Strategic formulation is the process of determining appropriate courses of action for achieving organisational objectives and thereby accomplishing organisational purpose. In a business context, it means what are the products and services the organisation will deliver, what type of market they will entry, which capabilities are required, how will they allocate the resources, and what the returns organisational seeks? Strategic formulation is very important as it is the crucial part in the strategic management. A good and effective strategy is very important to the organisation because it helps the organisation handle threats, seeking and grab the opportunities, and solve the weeknesses and enhance the strengths of the organization in order to survive in the competitive environment. 3.1 Distinction between Business Strategy and Corporate Strategy Business strategy is a long-term plan of action designed to achieve a particular goal or objectives. Corporate strategy is the scope of the different industries and markets the organization competes within in order to achieve its organizational purpose. Normally, corporate strategy is supposed to be determined before the marketing strategy. In strategy formulation, it must included three stages of strategy. There are business level strategy, corporate level strategy, and international or globalisation level strategy. 3.2.1 Business Level Strategy Business level strategy is an integrated and coordinated set of commitments and action of the organisation uses to gain a competitive advantage by exploiting major competencies in specific products and services. It is concerned with how the organization business competes in a specific market. It also concerned the strategic decisions about the product choices, meet the customer expectations, exploiting or creating new opportunities, and gaining competitive advantages. Besides, it is refers to the aggregated strategies of single business firm or a strategic business unit (SBU) in a diversified corporation. According to Michael Porter, an organisation must formulate their business strategy into three generic strategies to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage and long-term success. The three generic strategies are cost leadership, differentiation strategy, and focus strategy. 3.2.2 Cost Leadership The first generic strategies in business level strategy which are identified as Porters Five Forces is known as cost leadership strategy. Cost leadership is involving a firm being the lowest cost producer within the industry. This allows the firms to outperform rivals within the industry because it can be charged in lower prices. Although, the firm charge in lowest cost base, it stills can earn a profit. A dominant market share allows the firm to accumulate the greatest experience and the market share can continuing to grow to increase the cost advantages. A strategy of growth which enhance the accumulative experience and further lowers costs. A cost leadership strategy allows an organization to generate above-average profits even it is intensive rivalry. A low cost producer will be in a better position in relation to the threats of new entrants and or substitutes. Cost leadership risks can be expensive as the organisation continually updates the capital equipments. The activities of the cost leader maybe easy to imitate. 3.2.3 Differentiation Strategy Differentiation strategy is aimed at a broad market and involve the organisation competing on the basis of a unique or different product which is sufficiently valued by customers for them to pay a premium price. A major advantage of producing differentiated product is vitals will find it difficult to imitate. Besides, they also required different resources, capabilities, and organisational arrangements than cost leadership. There are some several types of differentiation strategy that are design or brand image, customizing products to suit the customers in specific requirements, state-of-the-act of technology, marketing ability, reliability, products engineering skills, and creativity. A differentiation strategy provides a defence against competitive rivalry because it creates brand loyalty which helps to protect an organisation from price competition. The brand loyalty is to be overcome by defence against new entry and substitutes. The buyers are constrained by a lack of alternatives and premium price are easier to pay back for suppliers. Differentiated strategy has inherent risks. The high or premium price charged for differentiation cannot be too expensive above the competitors that it results in reduced the brand loyalty. Competitors may narrow the attributes of differentiation which results in customers being faced a viable substitute. 3.2.4 Focus Strategy Focus strategy occurs when an organisation undertakes either a cost leadership or differentiation strategy but within only a narrow segment of the market. It also can be defined as market niche strategy, concentration on specific geographical market, isolating a unique segment product line, and isolating a specific buyer group. By focusing on a niche of the market, the organization must be placed to meet the buyers expectation. By focusing on the needs of specific segments that exist in the industry, the organisation can achieve competitive advantage either through lower costs or differentiation. The risk of following in focus strategies are the customer preferences may change and the niche player may be unable to respond, broad-based competitors believe the segment represents an attractive submarket and outfocus the focuser, and the difference between the segment and the main market narrows leaving focus-based competitors at a disadvantage. 3.3 Resource-Based Approach to Strategy Formulation The two fundamental reasons for making the resources and capabilities of the firm the foundation for its strategy are internal and capabilities provide the basic direction for a firms strategy. The resources and capabilities are the primary source of profit for the firm. Resources are the inputs into the production process while capability means the capacity to perform some task. Resources are the source of an organizations capability but capabilities are the main source of an organizations competitive advantage. The value of resources and capability of a business are sustainability and appropriability. Sustainability included durability, transparency, transferability, and replicability. 3.4 Corporate Level Strategy Corporate level strategy means overall scope of the different industries and markets the organisation competes within in order to achieve the organisational goals. Corporate strategy decisions included investment in diversification, vertical integration, acquisitions, and new ventures; the allocation of resources between the different businesses of the firm, and divestments. 3.5 Growth Strategies Growth strategies have four strategies that an organization might follow that are market penetration, market development, product development, and diversification. 3.5.1 Market Penetration Market Penetration is to increase market share in your existing markets using your existing products. This strategy relies upon the organization existing resources and capabilities and therefore is relatively low risk. 3.5.2 Market Development Market Development means entering new markets with your existing products. This can be targeted the new market segments and new geographical area, or devising the new uses for the products. 3.5.3 Product Development Product Development is developing the new products to sell in your existing markets. The ability to innovate is crucial in developing products for rapidly changing customer markets. 3.5.4 Diversification Diversification is developing new products to serve new markets. This will involve greatest level of risk it may be necessary where the organization existing products and markets offer little opportunity for growth. There are two diversification strategies such as related diversification and unrelated diversification. Related diversification refers entry into related industry which there is still some link with organizations value chain. It is included vertical integration and horizontal integration. Unrelated diversification refers to a situation where organisation moves into a totally unrelated industry. It can be called conglomerate diversification to reflect that managing a portfolio of companies. Thus resulting four core categories of strategy alternatives can be achieved internally through investment and development, or externally through mergers, acquisitions, and strategic alliances 3.6 Portfolio Analysis Portfolio analysis is simply different business units that organisation possess. The two primary models are the Boston Consulting Group Matrix and The General Electric-McKinsey Matrix.T he business portfolios overall uses is to determine whether the combined growth and profitability of the businesses in the portfolio will allow the company to attain its performance objectives. 3.7 Corporate Parenting Corporate parenting is concerned with how a parent company adds value across the businesses that make up the organisation. Corporate parent refers to all those levels of management that are not part of customer facing and profit run business units in multi-business companies. The concept of corporate parenting is useful in helping an organization to decide which new businesses it should be proceed on. It also helps parent company decide how to manage the business. 3.8 International Level Strategy International level strategy refers to the linkages between markets that exist across worldwide. What happens in one county has an impact on occurrences in other countries. These linkages may be economic, financial, social, political, in effect, anything that leads to increased interdependence among nations. These strategies have included four types of international strategy that are multidomestic strategy, global strategy, and transnational strategy. 3.8.1 Multidomestic Strategy Multidomestic strategy is aimed at adapting products and service in national markets. Thus, responding more effectively to the changes in local demand conditions. The local manager needs to determine how the products and services can meet the local customer expectations. 3.8.2 Global Strategy Global strategy is the organisation provides a standardised products and services for international markets. An organisation seeks to have their own manufacturing, marketing, and RD centralised in a few locations. A combination of standardisation with centralised facilities and functions enable them to reap substantial economies of scale. 3.8.3 Transnational Strategy Transnational strategy is seeks to simultaneously achieve global efficiency, national responsiveness, and worldwide leveraging capabilities of its innovations and learning.

Speed Limits Essay -- Expository Speeding Government Essays

Speed Limits Jim was leaving work late, and he knew that his wife was at home waiting on him. She had prepared a nice meal for their anniversary and was sitting on the couch all alone. As Jim pulled out of the plant and onto newly paved two-lane highway, he noticed a large white sign with the words â€Å"speed limit† and the number â€Å"50.† It was a thirty minute drive home, and he could easily make up the time he lost at work if he could just drive as fast as he wanted. For the next half hour, however, Jim drove fifty miles per hour, all the while, contemplating why we have speed limits. Why do we have speed limits? What is the point in setting a limit on how fast you can drive your vehicle? Shouldn’t you be able to set your own personal speed limit? Who really has a say in what the speed limit is set at? Does any good come from having a speed limit, or is it just set up as a means for the government to make money? These questions and more just like them have been an impor tant topic of discussion for many years. In 1995, the national speed limit was dropped, and states were allowed to set their own speed limits. Many of the states raised the limits. California promptly rose to 65 mph, and Texas went even as high as 70 mph. Some states, however, kept the limit the same. The reason this topic has so much significance is that it affects every driver on America’s roadways. As well as affecting the way we drive, speed limits affect us in other ways. Some smaller towns rely on speed limits as a source of income. This income results from issuing citations to speeders. If drivers fail to yield to the speed limits, they may face consequences. A citation for speeding is considered a minor misdemeanor and requires the payment of a stated amount ... ...he speed limit change† (Griffin). Even worse than just an increase in crash rates, is the result of speed in a crash. â€Å"The higher the traveling speed, the greater the risk of serious injury or death in a crash† (Speed). Speeding is an issue of personal ethics. We are commanded to obey the laws that are made by the people God has placed in power on earth as long as those laws don’t contradict what He has first commanded in the Bible. If we choose to speed, we are not only being unethical, we are disobeying God. So, if you are unsure about whether to vote for or against raising the speed limits, make a wise decision. Choose to keep the limits where they are. There is no reason that we need to travel any faster than we already do. The more reasonable answer is to stick with the speed limits we currently have, and focus our attention on making people better drivers.

Apostrophe & Personification: Poetic Comparison Essay -- essays resea

Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem, "Ode to the West Wind" and Sylvia Plath's poem "Mirror" both employ the poetic tools of apostrophe, the address to something that is intangible, and personification, the application of human characteristics to something inanimate. However, they form a paradox in the usage of these tools through the imagery they create. Both poets have breathed life into inanimate objects, however death and aging are the prominent themes within both of these works. In "Ode to the West Wind", Shelley personifies many of nature's elements by attaching descriptions of remains of death that are typically human. He begins the poem with a simile by comparing the autumn leaves to ghosts. Though leaves are in fact, living things, the term "ghost" implies a spirit or presence from a living being who has passed on. To become a ghost, it is necessary to have a soul and this is specific to humans and other mammals. Shelley uses the idea of giving a soul to an inanimate object in the second stanza of his poem as well. In the fourth line, he uses angels as a metaphor for decaying leaves. Here, the reader is compelled to envision spirit beings falling from the sky with the rain and lightning. In another area of the poem where Shelley applies human death attributes, he states that each of the "winged seeds" is "like a corpse within its grave" (Charters, p. 871). Again, he gives us the image of a human who has died a nd is lying in he or she's burial place. In the third stanza of Shelley's poem, he uses personification by assigning emotion to some of nature's elements. In the eleventh line, Shelley declares that the "sea-blooms and the oozy woods" will "suddenly grow grey with fear". The emotions he assigns are relative to the idea of death. These are the feelings that humans develop when they feel that death is near. Shelley has again, managed to give the reader an intense image of foliage shaking in their roots at the thought of the west wind's approach. As the poem progresses, Shelley puts a new twist on the idea of personification. Or, more accurately, Shelley reverses the idea of personification by attaching inanimate qualities to the person speaking in apostrophe form to the west wind. In t... ... give the reader a picture of arms from the mirror extending outward toward the woman. In desperation of a different, younger image, the woman begins to cry. (Charters, p. 1105) The mirror acknowledges the process of age in the second to last line as well, by stating that "in me she has drowned a younger girl, and in me an old woman rises toward her day" (Charters, p. 1105). Though both poems utilize the same tools, they do so in very different styles. Sylvia Plath used personification to encompass the entire poem by allowing the inanimate object to be the speaker itself. She also gives the object various physical and emotional traits that are specific to humans. Shelley's poem, conversely, applies elements of personification to a few of the objects in his poem. Most of the human attributes Shelley gives to these objects are mainly metaphysical. The paradox of Sylvia Plath's "Mirror", is that the mirror is given life to reflect the image of aging, and the sadness of the inevitability of death. Ironically, Shelley has managed to employ the tool of personification, not by giving life to an inanimate object, but by giving it death.

“Midsummer’s Night Dream”: Themes, Symbolism, And Contrast Essay

The fundamental themes of a Midsummer’s Night Dream are magic, dreams, and the difficulty of love. Throughout the play, these universal concepts are nourished in every scene by the recurring use of contrast. Shakespeare’s ideas are represented by his use of symbolisms. A Midsummer’s Night Dream conveys the themes of love, dreams and magic through use of contrast and symbolism throughout the play. When Lysander comments, â€Å"The course of love never did run smooth,† he declares the most important theme in the play, that of the trouble of romance. The romantic situations of the play are out of balance because Lysander and Demetrius are both in love with the same woman, Hermia. This leaves Helena by herself to ponder the nature of love. She says, â€Å"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,† because she feels that Demetrius does not see her own beauty because he is so busy thinking about Hermia. In the same way, the relationship between Tatiana and Oberon is out of sync because Oberon wants the Indian boy. Also, an imbalance in nature occurs when Tatiana falls for Bottom’s ass-head. These contrasting scenarios all have in common the potential for harmony amongst all the lovers and finding harmony is the basis of the play and necessary for the expected happy ending. Shakespeare uses magic as a theme when he uses the fairies magic, symbolized by the love potion, to create hilarious situations in the play. The potion is symbolic of the supernatural power of love and contributes to the surreal and fantastic atmosphere of the play. The potion causes havoc, but in the end creates balance amongst the lovers. Dreams are an important theme in the play because they go hand in hand with the magical chaos in the forest. The recurring theme of dreams is evident when the characters try to explain bizarre events in which they are involved. For example, when the lovers are found in the forest and awakened by Egeus, Hyppolyta and Theseus, Lysander says, â€Å"My Lord, I shall reply amazedly, half sleep, half waking; but, as yet, I swear, I cannot truly say how I came here.† It seems that Shakespeare was interested in Dreams and sought to convey that to his audience by the use of fairies and magic in the forest. At the end of the play, Puck says, â€Å"If we shadows have offended,  think but this, -and all is mended, -that you have but slumbered here while these visions did appear. And this weak and idle theme, no more yielding but a dream.† This gives the play a sense of illusion necessary for the audience to experience the play’s surreal and fantastical atmosphere. Contrast or opposition is used throughout the play to develop the structure of the play’s themes. Oberon is the King of the fairies is ruler over the magical forest. His desires revenge on Titania leads to chaos. In contrast, Theseus, the duke of Athens represents power and order. Also, he is only seen in the beginning and end of the play, and is removed from the happenings in the forest. The land they rule over is also in contrast. Athens symbolizes reason, whereas the forest symbolizes a place of mystery. The best example of visual contrast in the play is when the beautiful, graceful Tatiana falls for the grotesque and clumsy Bottom with the asses-head. Symbols represent abstract ideas. In A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Theseus and Hippolyta represent order. The realm they rule over is that of reason. Oberon and Tatiana rule over a dream realm that symbolizes mystery and uncertainty. The love potion symbolizes the fickle nature of love. The play-within-a-play symbolizes a mirror held up to A Midsummer’s Night Dream itself. In essence, the play is making fun of itself. Shakespeare’s uses powerful themes, symbolism and contrast to create a fantastical realm of dreams and illusion. The lighthearted structure of the comedy lets the audience know that a happy ending is at hand and leaves the spectator at ease to ponder over love’s difficulty, the magic or supernatural power of love, and what is illusion or dream.

Report on Red Bull brand Essay

The energy drink market started to grow in the past 25 years. Red Bull was the first energy drink that started this kind of business. Throughout the unique branding strategy and extraordinary investment on marketing this brand maintained the best selling energy drink worldwide. This report will discuss on the Red Bull’s brand expression and how successful is the user perception of the brand image. History The Austrian businessman Dietrich Mateschitz created Red Bull’s energy drink formula in Thailand in mid 1980’s and the first can sold in Austria in 1987. He also developed a distinctive marketing strategy that established a new category of products. When Mateschitz questioned about the absence of energy drinks market he replied, â€Å"We’re going to invent one†. In 1992 the product reached other markets like Hungary and Slovenia, and then the United States in 1997 and the Middle East in 2000 . Today Red Bull is available in more than 160 countries and more than 35 billion cans been sold so far. Market Share Due to high demand and popularity, the market for energy drinks is constantly growing. People can now find several brands of energy drinks that offer several flavors, options and themes. With all this growth, Red bull still manages to dominate and lead the market over its main competitor such as Monster. With that, it was stated that this makes it the most popular every drink in the world. This can be reflected through the increase of Red Bull’s sales every year, selling 4.6 billion cans in 2011 and 5 billion in 2012. Customer Segmentation With Red Bull’s famous international tagline â€Å"Red Bull gives you wings†, and as an energy that is promoted to ‘increase performance’, it’s websites states that the best times to consume Red Bull is on the road, during lectures, study sessions, at work, while doing sports, playing video games, or going out day and night. This reflects that Red Bull is having a target audience of youth between 18 to 35 years old. In addition, Red Bull had a â€Å"Red Bull Brand Ambassador† Program targeting university students who work on representing Red Bull and bring the energy drink to events or parties, to attract more customers. In addition, Red Bull states that their cans are 100% recyclable, which proves being environmentally friendly and attract people concerned with the environment. Because of this unique branding strategy Red Bull was able to create loyal customers who only go for Red Bull when ever energy is needed, or not! Brand Expressions and Image The Red Bull Company tries to associate their brand with energetic and extreme events although as life style product. The current identity shows a direct connection between the product and it’s target audience, Athletes, students, hard workers, and who needs to â€Å"Vitalities body and mind†. The visual identifier is consist of two bulls butting each other which embodies strength, challenge and energy while the tagline â€Å"Energy Drink† describe the product in a quick catchy way. . Red Bull advertisings are not only pushing into being part of the cool extreme crowd and the risk-taking attitude but also showing that Red Bull is suitable with all aspects of user’s life (work, study and play). Methodology The objective of this research is to investigate publics’ attitude and perception towards the Red Bull brand. A 10 questions survey was designed based on an introductory research. The survey was distributed online and been giving to students and tutors in the Polytechnic campus. A total of 49 responses were gathered. Analysis Graph1: Demographics of respondents Graph2: Product usage It has been noticed that the majority of the respondents are not considered consumers, but since we are investigating the brand reception and not the product itself. Graph3: Aspects and associations This section is narrowed down for the respondents who consume the product and who are not, and examines their motives behind their behavior and attitude towards the brand indirectly. The results shows significant contrast between sports and studying as being what motivate the consumers, hence the brand image here support the brand expression of being part of the life style and not for sport events only. Graph4: User Perception Results indicate that most of the respondents are disagree when Red Bull is associated with sports. While above average satisfaction with the idea of it is being trending. Findings Red Bull’s current expression is focused on making the product appropriate as a life style drink and not connected to one aspect (i.e. sports). The survey that was conducted previously reflects the lack of gap between the current brand expression and the consumer perceive. The respondents are aware of the brand value that the company is trying to portray. This awareness is reflected on the public attitude which both the brand expression and image are settled on the impression of Red Bull as for the cool, fun, risk-taking crowd, not just a drink for athletics enthusiasts. Conclusions This report and survey results showed that Red Bull made successful brand equity that maintained it self on the first rank with customer satisfaction and market share. It also succeeded on delivering the right message and values to the right target audience. Red Bull keeps proving that an effective marketing plan and good brand equity could be a successful impactful business. RefErences Aaker, D. (2012, December 21). How Red Bull Creates Brand Buzz. Retrieved April 16, 2013, from Harvard Business Review: http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/12/how_red_bull_creates_brand_buzz.html Bhasin, K. (2012, Febuary 15). How Dietrich Mateschitz Ignored The Haters And Created The Top Energy Drink. Retrieved April 16, 2013, from Business Insider: http://www.businessinsider.com/how-dietrich-mateschitz-ignored-the-haters-and-created-the-top-energy-drink-on-the-planet-2012-2 Boome, A. (2011, May 31). How food superbrands manage to become your family. Retrieved March 25, 2013, from BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13598581 Miller, J. (2011). Red Bull’s Brand Equity. West Virginia University. West Virginia: News America Marketing. Red Bull GmbH Company Profile. (2013). Retrieved April 16, 2013, from Yahoo! Finance: http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/101/101316.html Red Bull GmbH. (2013). Red Bull the company. Retrieved April 3, 2013, from Red Bull: http://energydrink.redbull.com/company Red Bull History. (2004). Retrieved April 17, 2013, from Funding Universe: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/red-bull-gmbh-history/ Appendix A: Survey sheet Red Bull Brand Questionnaire 1- Age ââ€" ¯ Less Than 15ââ€" ¯ 16-20ââ€" ¯ 21-25 ââ€" ¯ 26-30ââ€" ¯ Above 31 2- Gender ââ€" ¯ Maleââ€" ¯ Female 3- Which energy drink do you drink the most? (Select one) ââ€" ¯ Red Bull ââ€" ¯ Power Horse ââ€" ¯ Boom Boom ââ€" ¯ I don’t drink any ââ€" ¯ Monster ââ€" ¯ Burn ââ€" ¯ Other _______________ 4- How often do you drink Red Bull? (Select one) ââ€" ¯ Everydayââ€" ¯ Frequently (Once or twice a week) ââ€" ¯ Occasionally (Once a month)ââ€" ¯ Rarely (Once every four months) ââ€" ¯ Never 5- If applicable, Why do you drink Red Bull? (You can select more than one) ☠ Taste☠ Studying☠ Work☠ Physical activities (sports) ☠ Lifestyle ☠ Mixing drinks☠ Driving☠ Brand design and image ☠ Marketing strategies, events, and sponsorships 6- If applicable, Why you do not drink Red Bull? (You can select more than one) ☠ Taste☠ Pricy☠ Unhealthy☠ I don’t believe in it ☠ Bad Reputation 7- On a scale of 1 to 10 Rate the following. Do you think that Red Bull is associated with extreme sports? Not at all

Impacts and implications on the performance and growth of small and Dissertation

Impacts and implications on the performance and growth of small and medium-sized enterprises in London - Dissertation Example In this research paper, after a review of the existing literature, new econometric results on the impact and implications on the performance of SMEs, the ongoing evidences of 2009 and forecasts (2010-2013), and drive some key financial and economic policy implications. Financial crises have impacts on all the economic units as is in accordance to the case study of London and SMEs’ structure at micro and macro stages. The main purpose of this study is to determine how SMEs, which are considerably the smallest sections of economics and have a share rate of about 95% (percent) of both developing and developed countries’ economic compositions, have been both negatively and positively been influenced by the effects of financial downturn in London. Small and medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) have been recognized as catalysts to spur the economic advancement of London. In this regards therefore, special focus has been given to the well being of these SMEs in recognition of the f undamental roles they play in economic advancement of the London’s economy. Several research findings indicate that the small business sector has a greater importance for the national economy, the employment and the innovative environment of a country-London. Despite the encouragement and support given to the SMEs, their success and failures compared gives a more picture of frequent failures due to internal and external environmental factors. This study, therefore, gives some recent and final data for the 2009 and forecasts for 2010-2013 on financial and economic downturn impacts on the SMEs’ performance in London. Key words: financial crisis, economic downturn, econometrics, Access to Finance (ATF), small and medium-sized enterprises. TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦.†¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. i 1. CHAPTER ONE: GAP IN THE RESEARCH 1.1. Background of the study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦. 1 1.2. Competitive Advantage as Determinants of Success†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 1.3. Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in London †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦...†¦.. 4 1.4. Research Problems†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 1.5. Main Objectives of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 1.6. Specific Objectives of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 1.7. Research Questions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 1.8. Research Hypotheses†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦....†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 8 1.9. Significance of the Study†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.†¦.. 11 1.10. Scope and limitations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦11 2. CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1. Financial and Economic Crises and Notion of SMEs†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..13 2.2. The Concept of Strategic Management †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 15 2.3. The Effects of Financial and Economic downturn and External Environmental Factors on Performance and growth of SME in London†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 17 2.3.1. Porter’s generic strategies†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦.. 20 2.4. Threats of New Entrants†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦

Change Management in Telecommunications Sector Omantel in Sultanate of Essay

Change Management in Telecommunications Sector Omantel in Sultanate of Oman - Essay Example This indicates that the country is highly literate and privatizations of government owned corporations indicate a liberalization of government economic and trade policies. However, not all organizations keep up with the social, economic and political changes in the country, there are those who remain traditional and resist change. Change is inevitable if the organization wants to pursue progress and growth. Change in the organizational structure, management and use of technology indicates that the organization is moving towards better measures of effectiveness and industry standing. â€Å"Change will not disappear nor dissipate. Technology, civilizations and creative thoughts will maintain their ever-accelerating dive onwards† (Paton & McCalman 2008, p. 5). As with any process and change, this is often met with negativity and apprehension. Even if the change is for the greater good of the company, there will always be anxiety and tension that is caused by the process of change . The study is talks about the extent to which change management process are taken by the company Omantel. It is the first Oman based Telecommunication Company and also pioneer of complete solutions for communications in the Sultanate of Oman. The Omantel is established in 1987 and the target customer of the company includes government, residential and corporate. The company provides complete solution for all the communication related problems. Organizational change is brought about by a number of factors; this could be from mergers and acquisitions, a government take-over or the privatization of the organization. The anxiety provoking aspect in any organizational change is not actually the transformation of the organization or the change in management but the fact that the employees have to leave their old ways of doing things; it is the learning of new tasks, new protocols and new operating procedures that threaten employees to face the organizational change. By definition, change means discarding the old and embracing the new, the new may not always be accepted and appreciated by the employees. â€Å"Two underlying beliefs and their associated assumptions about how change occurs have shaped much of the development of organizational change models. First is the belief that organizational change can be planned and managed through an understanding of its sequential steps. The second belief which has largely evolved due to the criticisms of planned change has been the belief that change is an organic process which cannot be managed† (Turner et al. 2009, p. 27). But some form of anxiety and apprehension are actually natural reaction to any change, and it is welcomed by the agents of change as an opportunity to make the employees become aware of what is happening in the organization. It is the time when questions can be answered, when fears and doubts can be placated and when employees are engaged as advocates of the change process as they now have the know ledge and information that they can share to other employees who may have the same concerns. Change Management in organization is all about the actions necessary for an organization to recognize, organize, execute and take full advantage of considerable change. The ultimate aims of Change Management organizations are: The successful plan, execution, measurement and preservation of a change initiative of the organizations and improvement of their on-going ability for managing change. Here the study is talks to evaluate change management in Telecommunications sector Omantel in Sultanate of Oman. â€Å"The Sultanate of Oman is among the Region’s most progressive countries in the telecom sector in terms of

Manufacturing process for rear spoiler for formula 1 Coursework

Manufacturing process for rear spoiler for formula 1 - Coursework Example Since the rear wing assembly is made from carbon fibre, it has very low weight coupled with high strength and rigidity. In terms of rigidity, it is comparable to steel, although it is roughly 5 times lighter. The drawback is the high material costs and the multifaceted process of manufacturing. It is of note that 1m2 – one square metre – of pre-impregnated carbon fibre sheet cost ranges from â‚ ¬50 to â‚ ¬200. A typical F1 rear wing is build with around 210m2 of pre-impregnated sheet of carbon fibre costing in the region of â‚ ¬42,000 to make the carbon fibre components alone. The rear wing is manufactured to weigh only 10 kgs (Moore 2012). The manufacturing process of an F1 rear wing is a complex process. The process initially begins with manufacturing the carbon-fibre pieces to be used in making the rear wing. At first, the rear wing is designed on the computer using Computer Aided Design (CAD). The data is then processed and acts as a foundation for Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM). With the use of a 5-axis milling machine, the form is then cut into a tooling block which will essentially serve as a positive mould (Sauber Motorsport 2014). The laminators place the pre-shaped pieces of carbon fibre on to this tooling block. When this process is finished, the whole item is bundled into a polythene bag. It will then be vacuum-sealed and put in an autoclave wherein it gets cured for between 10 hours to 20 hours at a temperature of roughly 50Â °C. After a few last touches, the resultant negative mould is then ready to be utilized in manufacturing the actual carbon fibre component – the rear wing (Anderson 2013). ). In manufacturing the rear wing, 2 sets of aerofoils which essentially make up the F1 rear wings are made separately. The lower aerofoil comprises one element; it is smaller than the upper aerofoil and provides some downforce. The upper aerofoil comprises 1 element and provides the most downforce and it varies from one

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 44

Marketing - Essay Example A retail client of mine wanted to increase the number of shoppers buying the higher value products in their range, and believed a key issue was its packaging. So, the team made several prototype packs and, over course of a couple of days, tried them in a store. They then simply observed how customers interacted with the different versions, and picked a winner that has subsequently driven double-digit sales growth in that category. Different customers have different tastes, thus, a close monitoring of the customers’ buying and/or consumption trends is vital especially where the commodity comes in different versions or tastes so as to determine which version of the commodity is popular among buyers (Business Intelligence, 2005). This helps establish the stature of the product in the market as a result of increased sales once the customer favorite commodity is identified. Even if you are focused on internal clients, direct experience of your offering can bring home to you what its like to be your customer. Only when youve been standing in a retail stores queue with a screaming baby, or perhaps have tried to use your call centre to ask for support, do you get a realistic view of your customers experience. A good business person should some times be able to step into their customer’s shoes as it helps them have a vivid understanding and have value for their customers. In addition, this enables one to help create products and services that are fair to everyone at any given moment so as to keep attracting more customers. Even  Steve Jobs, who eschews most customer research, set up a prototype store when developing  Apples  retail concept. The insights gained from this helped the team develop innovative in-store services such as The Genius Bar. According to Business Intelligence (2005), the current market is growing rapidly which is in line with prototyping; this will help collect sufficient information rapidly about your