Machiavelli And Socrates - 1579 Words

Machiavelli and Socrates Niccolo Machiavelli and Socrates both lived during turbulent, political times. Machiavelli in Florence, Italy and Socrates in Athens. Machiavelli’s The Prince outlines the necessary features and traits of a sovereign, primarily, a Prince. It served as a handbook to effective rulership in the 16th century. By analyzing Machiavelli’s belief that a prince should be strategically feared, the role of free will , and the role of the people , I will argue that Machiavelli has an ally in Socrates. I will also address the counterargument that Machiavelli and Socrates wouldnt have seen eye to eye, specifically on a prince’s focus on war. The Prince is the head of the state, and essentially the face of his people. As†¦show more content†¦Socrates believes that, â€Å" he who is a corrupter of the laws is more than likely to be a corrupter of the young and foolish portion of mankind† (Socrates). The prince, in essence, is the law. And should be respected as such. In Crito, Socrates expresses his deep adoration for Athens, the nation brought [Socrates] into the world, and nurtured and educated [us]† (Socrates). He insists that â€Å"[Athens] is more to be valued and higher and holier far than mother or father or any ancestor, and more to be regarded in the eyes of the gods and of men of understanding† (Socrates). The state should be regarded, even feared, highly by the people, especially the Prince. This It’s worth noting that Socrates was accepting of his death sentence simply because it was his punishment for breaking the law. The law is very important, especially since the people will glorify those who enact and enforce the law. In this case, the Prince is the one to benefit from the glory. If princes are indeed superior to the people in enacting laws, in organizing civil governments, then doubtless the people are so superior in maintaining what has been instituted that they increase the glory of those who instituted them† (Machiavelli). Socrates would agree that the connection between the laws, the Prince, and the people is essential to the operation of a functioning state. Building this relationship with the citizens, especially rooted in the law of the land and even if based offShow MoreRelatedSocrates And Machiavelli1681 Words   |  7 PagesSocrates, in his early works, maintained a steadfast distance from involvement in politics, making a comparison or evaluation of a political system in his persona technically impossible. To claim that Socrates would or would not be supportive of any political system might then seem irresponsible, a presumptuous analysis not fitting for an academic recognizing the false equivalence between Socrates’ philosophy and Machiavelli’s political ethics. The strategy to conduct any sort of liable and validRead MoreMachiavelli And Socrates896 Words   |  4 PagesMachiavelli and Socrates are two of the most prominent philosophers of history. Each men are characterized by developing distinct schools of thought regarding individual rights and statehood. Machiavelli’s The Prince is a manual for rulers: lessons based on empirical observations of history. In The Apology written by Plato, Socrates delivers a justification to an Athenian court. It is notRead MoreMachiavelli And Socrates1840 Words   |  8 Pagesrespective times, Socrates and Niccolà ³ Machiavelli had very different methods and beliefs of how a political system should be run. The mindset of Socrates can be seen in the works Apology and Crito by Plato. Socrates, who values wisdom and justice over power and prestige, would view Machiavelli’s concept of a Prince very contradicting to how he believes a good life should be lived. In his work, The Prince, Machiavelli details how a prince should rule and maintain power. Socrates would not be supportiveRead MoreSocrates An d Machiavelli1860 Words   |  8 PagesPolitical Theorists: Moralities and Wisdom Political theorists, Socrates and Machiavelli, each provide their own ideas and philosophies for political structure that are still being discussed today. In Plato’s writings of â€Å"Apology† and â€Å"Crito†, he defines Socrates as man of wisdom and humbleness as he goes through trial and death of a crime he did not commit. Machiavelli’s writing of â€Å"The Prince† was written as a way to advise a Prince on how to achieve the greatest success as a ruler. These twoRead MoreSocrates And Machiavelli1660 Words   |  7 Pagesworks of Socrates and Machiavelli are as polarized as the phrases â€Å"the unexamined life is not worth living† and â€Å"the ends justify the means.† The Prince by Machiavelli and The Last Days of Socrates by Plato are both crucial texts to the discussion of what makes a good political leader. Well, what makes a good political leader? Socrates would disagree with Machiavelli’s ideation of the Prince becau se of the immorality that he allows this model to have in the public sphere. However, Socrates would findRead MoreMachiavelli And Socrates1713 Words   |  7 PagesSocrates and Niccolà ² Machiavelli were both political philosophers who lived through corruption, violence, and political restlessness. These circumstances prompted them to develop their own solutions for their respective societies. This included the creation of a stable political system with a strong and effective leader through the examination of the faults of said societies. To Machiavelli, this leader is known as the â€Å"Prince.† He believes that the Prince should be pragmatic in his actions, andRead MoreSocrates And Machiavelli1961 Words   |  8 PagesWhat would Socrates think of Machiavelli’s political world? Socrates and Machiavelli were some of the most influential political philosophers in their respective times. Some argue that their view of empowering individuals, whether it be through free speech or ruthless fighting, are quite similar. However, their views of leadership and government do not align. Socrates’ support for free expression and due process makes his view of effective governance far different from Machiavelli’s focus on nationalRead MoreSocrates And Machiavelli2009 Words   |  9 PagesSocrates and Machiavelli are both very influential philosophers and two of the great minds of their time. However, both of these men had their own separate ideas that did not completely agree with one another. Machiavelli was born into a Renaissance time period of fragmented politics, lots of bloodshed, and angry citizens while Socrates grew up in a time of political adjustment and instability in Athens. Machiavelli constructed The Prince as a political pamphlet to his frie nd Lorenzo de MediciRead MoreMachiavelli And Socrates1976 Words   |  8 Pagesand turmoil, both Socrates and Machiavelli use philosophy to evaluate people and politics. After seeing corruption, fragmentation and death, both philosophers developed different views. Machiavelli’s concept of a Prince includes strong stances on morality and religion. Socrates would be likely to agree on the general ideas that Machiavelli believes a Prince should have but he would differ mainly in how they should be executed. I believe that Socrates would agree with Machiavelli that there needs toRead MoreSocrates And Machiavelli Analysis936 Words   |  4 Pages Socrates instilled value in living life as it ought to be and ingrained the pursuit of truth into all of his actions. He relished living as a gadfly to the state; arousing thoughts in others as a means to bring them to higher points of understanding and critical examination, which they then were to apply to their own society. He wanted people to live lives as they ought to live them and for the state to be a reflection of that aim. The leader advocated by Machiavelli, The Prince, is far more authoritarian

Chapter 22 Exile in Dapitan - 1546 Words

CHAPTER 22 EXILE IN DAPITAN(1892-1895) Rizal lived in dapitan, a remote town in Mindanao which was under the missionary jurisdiction of Jesuits from 1893 to 1896. He practiced medicine, pursued scientific studies, continued his artistic and literary works, widened his knowledge of languages, and established a school for boys, promoted etc. BEGINNING OF EXILE IN DAPITAN Rizal did not agree with the conditions given by Father Superior Pastells to Father Obach. He lived in the house of the commandant, Captain Carnicero. Rizal admired Carnicero and wrote a poem, A Don Ricardo Carnicero on August 26, 1892. WINS IN MANILA LOTTERY Mail boat Butuan came on September 21, 1892 who brought lottery ticket no. 9736 , jointly owned by Captain†¦show more content†¦Mr. H.F. Cameron was one of those who praised Rizal COMMUNITY PROJECTS FOR DAPITAN Rizal spent P500.00 to equip lighting system consisted of coconut oil lamps placed in dark streets of Dapitan. Beautification of Dapitan with the help of Father Sanchez was done by remodelling the town plaza. RIZAL AS A TEACHER Rizal planned to establish a modern college in Hong Kong for Filipino boys so that he could train them in modern edagogical concepts. In 1893, he established a school which existed until the end of his exile in July, 1896. It began with 3 pupils then increased to 16 and later to 21. He said that this pupils did not pay any tuition instead he made them work in his garden, fields, and construction projects in the community. He taught his boys reading, writing, languages, geography, historyy, mathematics, industrial work, nature study, morals, and gymnastics. He trained them how to collect speciments of plants and animals, to love work, and to â€Å"behave like men†. HYMN TO TALISAY Rizal had written a poem entitled â€Å"Himno A Talisay† for his pupils to sing. CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENCE Rizal had contributed in the collection of concology (36 shells representing 203 species). Some of the rare species he discovered were Praco rizali (flying Dragon), Apologia rizali (a small beetle), Rhacophorus rizali (a rare frog). He also conducted anthropological, ethnographical,Show MoreRelatedExile in Dapitan1444 Words   |  6 PagesChapter 22 Exile in Dapitan, 1892-96 Rizal lived in exile in far away Dapitan, a remote town in Mindanao w/c was under the missionary jurisdiction of the Jesuits, from 1892-1896. This four year interregnum in his life was tediously unexciting, but was abundantly fruitful w/ varied achievements. He practiced medicine, pursued scientific studies, continued his artistic and literary works widened his knowledge of languages, established a school for boys, promoted community development projectsRead MoreRizal Chapter 22 Summary1957 Words   |  8 PagesChapter 22 Exile in Dapitan, 1892-96 Rizal lived in exile in faraway Dapitan, a remote town in Mindanao which was under the missionary jurisdiction of the Jesuits, from 1892 to 1896. This four – year interregnum in his life was tediously unexciting, but was abundantly fruitful with varied achievements. Beginning of Exile in Dapitan Steamer Cebu – brought Rizal to Dapitan carried a letter from Father Pablo Pastells, Superior of the Jesuits Society in the Philippines, to Father Antonio ObachRead MoreRizal Chapter 22 Summary1967 Words   |  8 PagesChapter 22 Exile in Dapitan, 1892-96 Rizal lived in exile in faraway Dapitan, a remote town in Mindanao which was under the missionary jurisdiction of the Jesuits, from 1892 to 1896. This four – year interregnum in his life was tediously unexciting, but was abundantly fruitful with varied achievements. Beginning of Exile in Dapitan Steamer Cebu – brought Rizal to Dapitan carried a letter from Father Pablo Pastells, Superior of the Jesuits Society in the Philippines, to Father Antonio ObachRead MoreLife of Dr. Jose P. Rizal6588 Words   |  27 Pagesgo to the bierbrauerie, or beerhall, to speak German with my student friends.† He lived in a Karlstraße boarding house then moved to Ludwigsplatz. There, he met Reverend Karl Ullmer and stayed with them in Wilhemsfeld, where he wrote the last few chapters of Noli Me Tangere. A plaque marks the Heidelberg building where he trained with Professor Becker, while in Wilhemsfeld, a smaller version of the Rizal Park with his bronze statue stands and the street where he lived was also renamed after himRead MoreIntroduction to Rizal Course11998 Words   |  48 PagesRizal Y Alonzo Realonda (Pepe / Moy) is the 7th child of Don Kikoy and Dona Lolay. Was married to Josephine Bracken, he had a son by her but this baby boy died a few hours after birth. Rizal named hi â€Å"Franciscoâ€Å"after his father and buried him in Dapitan. 8. Concepcion Mercado Y Alonzo (Concha) born in 1862; she died of sickness at the age of 3 ; her death was Rizal’s first sorrow in life. 9. Josefa Mercado Y Alonzo (Panggoy) was an epileptic born in 1865 but with a strong personalityRead MoreThe World During Rizals Time3501 Words   |  15 PagesCHAPTER 1: THE WORLD DURING THE TIME OF RIZAL * Philippines- still a colony of Spain, largest and richest in terms of natural resources and trade potential * 19th century reform movements are  political movements  such as  abolitionism  or  temperance  which played a significant role in the political life of the  nineteenth century. The movements found organizational form in the United States in organizations such as the  American Anti-Slavery Society. SPANISH RULE DURING THE 19TH CENTURY DuringRead MoreChronology of Rizals Travels2143 Words   |  9 Pagestyrants; ⎈ To find out how Noli and his other writings were affecting Filipinos and Spanish in the Philippines; and ⎈ To inquire why Leonor Rivera remained silent. October 1887 Calamba Started writing his second novel – El Filibusterismo. February 8 – 22, 1888 Hong Kong and Macau ⎈ Hounded by powerful enemies, Rizal was forced to leave his country for the second time. He was a full – grown man of 27 years of age, a practicing physician, and a recognized man–of–letters. ⎈ During his two-week visit

Top Down Fundamental Analysis Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Top Down Fundamental Analysis. Answer: Top Down Fundamental Analysis Of The Overall Economic Environment Fundamental analysis is defined as the analysis of the financial position and the financial performance of the company through the financial statements. The main areas of consideration are the assets, liabilities and the earnings of the company along with the conditions of the market prevailing at that time and the working of the competitors. The fundamental analysis is conducted through two approaches one is Top down and other one is Bottom up. In the top down approach, analysis starts with the economy for the company at the global level, then at the domestic level, then the analysis of the particular sector and the industry in which the particular company is operating and at the last the business of the company is analysed. In this section, the analysis has been done through top down approach. In other words, this approach takes the bigger things first and the smaller at the last. The fundamental analysis is usually done with the annual financial report of the company as it contains the financial statement of the company along with the future plans of the company according to the market conditions. In the following manner the top down approach has been conducted for two companies namely Australian Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited and Mayne Pharma Limited. Both are in the sector of pharmaceuticals. Global Economy The world has faced the various tragedies relating to the pharmaceutical industry in the year of 1950s and 1960s due to which the new laws and procedures and the related guidelines have been provided by the government of Australia (Singh, 2017). At this level, the major emphasis has been made on the economies of scale present across the globe. The research question under this level is that whether the economies across the globe are in recession or not. As per the Australian Industry report for the year 2016, the forecast for the growth at global level has been reduced from 3.8% to 3.1% which shows that the economy at the global level is in recession (DOI Australia, 2016). The effect of the same has been mentioned in the annual report of both the companies that the industry in which the company is operating has become competitive and there are fewer chances for the growth as new and upcoming companies are entering into the market. As the GDP rate has come down on the g lobal basis, there are fewer chances of improvement and the future expansions. Domestic Economy Under this heading, the economy of the country of Australia is analysed with regard to the medicine industry. As per the Australian Industry report for the year 2016, Australia has developed the industry growth centre which is known in an abbreviated form as IGCs for different industries (Shaw, 2008). It facilitates the entrepreneurship and the innovation rather than making the industry dependent on others. The IGC relating to the medicine industry has been known by the name of MTP Connect and its main aim is to drive the industry to grow in terms of the innovative technologies, commercialization and the future expansion. Its second aim is to make Australia as the Asia Pacific hub for the medical and pharmaceutical companies. Following are the major factors which are considered while conducting the analysis at domestic level: Foreign Currency Fluctuation - In the given two companies, both companies have their operations in different parts of the World. The first company Australian Pharmaceuticals limited have the operations in New Zealand as well as in Australia and other company Mayne Pharma Limited have the operation in Australia as well as in United States. As the medicines are sold across the world, the chances of having the foreign exchange fluctuations will be high. The former company has recorded the gain on exchange differences of $3161000 AUD whereas the latter has recorded the gain of $1990000 AUD. It depicts that both the companies are growing and hence the medicine industry at domestic level is growing. Employment The industry has shown the growth in the rate of employment in the medicine sector. As Mayne Pharma Limited has employed more than 700 plus staff across its offices. The unemployment rate in Australia is lower as 5.6% though in the past six years it has been stagnant. It depicts that Australia is capable of generating more opportunities for work. Government Role As per the PWC Survey on the Pharma industry of Australia, it has been noticed that the industry has been facing various challenges regarding the policies of the Government and most of them has not even taking the benefit of various schemes notified by the Government like listing on Pharmaceuticals benefits scheme due to long dawn and never ending procedure (Boyce, 2015). In the annual report of the Australian Pharmaceuticals limited, it has been mentioned that the further price deflation has been recorded with the reforms in the pharmaceuticals benefits scheme. Mayne Pharma Limited has not made the disclosure regarding the benefits scheme. Specific Sector and Industry Both companies are related to the Manufacturing sector, the sector has contributed 99.4 million Australian dollars to the country out of 1400 million dollars of all the industry. Individual Business The financial statements of the both the companies have been analysed and following has been inferred: Australian Pharmaceutical Limited has recorded the profit before income tax at AUD $49837 for the year ending 30th of June 2017 and Mayne Pharma Limited has recorded the profit before income tax at AUD $68909 for the year ending 30th of June 2017. It depicts that the company is growing despite of the fact of having low procedures at the government and the declining GDP rate. Australian Pharmaceutical Limited has recorded the employee benefit expense at AUD $22402 for the year ending 30th of June 2017 and Mayne Pharma Limited has recorded the employee benefit expense at AUD $81389 for the year ending 30th of June 2017. It shows that the company has been generating the employment opportunities. Mayne Pharma Limited has spent AUD $2222 in the research and development expense in the year ending 30th of June 2016 which shows that the company has been growing and thus contributing to the development of the industry and the country of Australia. From the above top bottom analysis, it is concluded that the pharmaceutical sector has been growing and contributing to the development of country. References DOI Australia, (2016), Australian Industry Report 2016, available at https://industry.gov.au/Office-of-the-Chief-Economist/Publications/AustralianIndustryReport/assets/Australian-Industry-Report-2016.pdf accessed on 06/09/2017. Shaw B, (2008), Australian Pharmaceutical Industry at a Crossroad? available at https://medicinesaustralia.com.au/files/2009/12/Australian-Pharmaceutical-Industry-Report-2007.pdf accessed on 06/09/2017 Singh R, (2017), Financial Management in Pharmaceutical Industry, available at https://www.slideshare.net/dentobizz/drricha-project-cfm accessed on 07/09/2017. Boyce J, (2015), PWC Pharma Industry Surveys Highlights available at https://medicinesaustralia.com.au/media-release/2015-pwc-pharma-industry-survey-highlights-challenges-for-innovative-medicines-sector/ accessed on 06/09/2017.

Organizational Environment Essay Sample free essay sample

A scheme is a long term program of action designed to accomplish a peculiar end. in most instances a scheme is used to win. accomplish or work out peculiar job. A scheme involves garnering many thoughts and doing determinations toward a program. Before developing a scheme some elements or factors must be considered like choosing cardinal nonsubjective and appropriate marks. understanding the probiem. resources available. apprehension of the specific interim ends to make thescheme and so make up ones minding the ways to make them. Scheme can be domestic or international depending on its range of operation. Domestic scheme planning is program of action which is taken to win. accomplish or to work out peculiar job within one state. On the other manus international scheme planning is aplan of action designed to accomplish apaticular end which covers more than one state. For illustration before the United States of America assailing Iraq foremost the American side made international stratgey planning so that they can win the war. We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Environment Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page International scheme is really of import in many ways. For case it has to competition among many states hence addition of new engineering into the markets. It as besides lead to betterment in the universe broad common services taking to better and timely information. It as lead to increased profitableness due big countries that are involved which increase the demand for a given merchandise or service. Another of import factor that makes international scheme preferable is when natural stuffs can be obtained stingily in an international market. These are imported and used to fabricate finished merchandises that can be exported at a net income. it has led to goods and services made available to clients due to progresss of micro-electronics engineering which has been revolutionized. Through international competition client rights are enhanced footings of merchandise quality ad safety. Finally. through international scheme greater interconnectedness of universe people is made easier hence increasing trading and commercial activities. In my ain ideas it is better we invest a batch in scheme both domestic and international strategic planning since through strategic be aftering a state will win on it program and able to accomplish all its ends both locally and internationally. as the strategic planning use new engineering and accomplishments. Most states which use strategic planning are able to come in into the universe market and vie successfully. To be able to present merchandises and services to clients a state as to utilize strategic be aftering so as to give quality merchandises and services. Some state due to their political and legal constabularies are left out of consideration every bit far as international schemes is concerned. Some the grounds that may do a state non be considered include ; wars force and breach of human rights. which may take to international countenances. Other grounds include hapless economic policies which make the cost making concern expensive and hence unfavourable. These make a stat e to be ignored by the international community. In my ain ideas political and legal constabularies which are passed should be indulgent because these make a state to be left out of consideration doing the state undeveloped. people suffer more so kids who get assorted diseases due to malnutrition coercing households to migrate to other states for interest of security. counties should come in to safe this state of affairs in earlier phases like united states. In decision may state that international scheme is desirable over domestic scheme because it provides more net incomes besides furthering international cooperation through trade. International schemes besides improve the quality of goods and services due to the stiff competition that exists in international markets. Mention: Koontz. H.Management( 1988 ) . McGraw-hill Book Company.

Born Under the Flag essays

Born Under the Flag essays Mao Zedong had ruled China for more than a quarter of a century. During his rule in China for twenty-five years, he had failed to bring prosperity to China. Maos policies had brought so many catastrophes and suffering to China. In 1966, Mao had launched a Cultural Revolution, a political movement to regain credibility after the fiasco of the Great Heap Forward, a campaign launched by Mao himself to dramatically speed up economic productivity through establishing peoples communes and decentralizing industrial protection. A decade later in 1976, Mao died leaving Chinas economy in shreds and the people of China exhaust due to more than two decades of political chaos. As China began to move away from Maoism, Hua Guofeng, Maos official successor, brought back Maoism by quoting, We must obey chairman Hua like we obeyed Mao. In 1978, Hua lost power to Deng Xiaoping and his followers. A new era had begun for China. A new chapter BORN UNDER THE FLAG was written for Chinese history. Never in E arths history had a nation been transformed with such speed and magnitude. Deng Xiaoping was a former Communist Party leader who had been purged twice in the Cultural Revolution. At first, Deng allowed a freer political atmosphere during which people began to air their long-suppressed grievances. During that time period a new movement, so called the Democracy Wall Movement had surfaced. At first Deng allowed the people to voice out and rebel against the Communist Party, but once it became too strong, he cracked the movement by jailing the activists and leaders. Deng, along with his reformers Hu Yaobang and Shao Ziyang, began blending socialism with a free market economy and Special Economic Zones were opened along the east coast to attract foreign capital and technology. The agriculture collectives located in the countryside were all dispersed and the peasants were allowed to profit fro...

USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) in World War II

USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) in World War II An Essex-class aircraft carrier, USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) entered service in 1943. Joining the US Pacific Fleet, it supported Allied efforts during the island-hopping campaign across the Pacific. On May 11, 1945, Bunker Hill was severely damaged by two kamikazes while operating off Okinawa. Returning to the United States for repairs, the carrier would largely be inactive for the remainder of its career. A New Design Conceived in the 1920s and early 1930s, the US Navys Lexington- and Yorktown-class aircraft carriers were designed to conform to the restrictions set forth by the Washington Naval Treaty. This pact placed limitations on the tonnage of various types of warships as well as capped each signatorys overall tonnage. These types of restrictions were affirmed through the 1930 London Naval Treaty. As global tensions escalated, Japan and Italy left the treaty structure in 1936. With the failure of the treaty system, the US Navy began creating a design for a new, larger class of aircraft carrier and one which used the experience gained from the Yorktown-class. The resulting vessel was wider and longer as well as incorporated a deck-edge elevator system. This had been employed earlier on USS Wasp (CV-7). The new class would typically carry an air group of 36 fighters, 36 dive bombers, and 18 torpedo planes. This included the F6F Hellcats, SB2C Helldivers, and TBF Avengers. In addition to possessing a larger air group, the class featured a greatly enhanced anti-aircraft armament. Construction Designated the Essex-class, the lead ship, USS Essex (CV-9), was laid down in April 1941. This was followed by several additional carriers including USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) which was laid down at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, MA on September 15, 1941 and named for the Battle of Bunker Hill fought during the American Revolution. Work on Bunker Hills hull continued into 1942 following the United States entry into World War II. Bunker Hill slid down the ways on December 7 of that year, on the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. Mrs. Donald Boynton served as sponsor. Pressing to complete the carrier, Fore River finished the vessel in the spring of 1943. Commissioned on May 24, Bunker Hill entered service with Captain J.J. Ballentine in command. After concluding trials and shakedown cruises, the carrier departed for Pearl Harbor where it joined Admiral Chester W. Nimitzs US Pacific Fleet. Sent west, it was assigned to Rear Admiral Alfred Montgomerys Task Force 50.3. USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) - Overview Nation: United StatesType: Aircraft CarrierShipyard: Bethlehem Steel Company, Quincy, MALaid Down: September 15, 1941Launched: December 7, 1942Commissioned: May 24, 1943Fate: Scrapped Specifications Displacement: 27,100 tonsLength: 872 ft.Beam: 147 ft., 6 in.Draft: 28 ft., 5 in.Propulsion: 8 Ãâ€" boilers, 4 Ãâ€" Westinghouse geared steam turbines, 4 Ãâ€" shaftsSpeed: 33 knotsRange: 20,000 nautical miles at 15 knotsComplement: 2,600 men Armament 4 Ãâ€" twin 5 inch 38 caliber guns4 Ãâ€" single 5 inch 38 caliber guns8 Ãâ€" quadruple 40 mm 56 caliber guns46 Ãâ€" single 20 mm 78 caliber guns Aircraft 90-100 aircraft In the Pacific On November 11, Admiral William Bull Halsey directed TF 50.3 to join with Task Force 38 for a combined strike on the Japanese base at Rabaul. Launching from the Solomon Sea, aircraft from Bunker Hill, Essex, and USS Independence (CVL-22) hit their targets and defeated a Japanese counterattack which resulted in the loss 35 enemy aircraft. With the conclusion of operations against Rabaul, Bunker Hill steamed to the Gilbert Islands to provide cover for the invasion of Tarawa. As Allied forces began moving against the Bismarcks, the carrier shifted to that area and conducted strikes against Kavieng on New Ireland. Bunker Hill followed these efforts with attacks in the Marshall Islands to support the invasion of Kwajalein in January-February 1944. With the capture of the island, the ship joined with other American carriers for a massive raid on Truk in late February. Overseen by Rear Admiral Marc Mitscher, the attack resulted in the sinking of seven Japanese warships as well as several other vessels. Serving in Mitschers Fast Carrier Task Force, Bunker Hill next conducted attacks on Guam, Tinian, and Saipan in the Marianas before hitting targets in the Palau Islands on March 31 and April 1. Battle of the Philippine Sea After providing cover for General Douglas MacArthurs landings at Hollandia, New Guinea in late April, Bunker Hills aircraft conducted a series of raids in the Caroline Islands. Steaming north, the Fast Carrier Task Force began attacks in support of the Allied invasion of Saipan. Operating near the Marianas, Bunker Hill took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea on June 19-20. On the first day of the fighting, the carrier was struck by a Japanese bomb which killed two and wounded eighty. Remaining operational, Bunker Hills aircraft contributed to the Allied victory which saw the Japanese lose three carriers and around 600 aircraft. Later Operations In September 1944, Bunker Hill struck targets in the Western Carolines before mounting a series of attacks on Luzon, Formosa, and Okinawa. With the conclusion of these operations, the carrier received orders to depart the war zone for an overhaul at Bremerton Naval Shipyard. Reaching Washington, Bunker Hill entered the yard and underwent routine maintenance as well as had its anti-aircraft defenses enhanced. Departing on January 24, 1945, it steamed west and rejoined Mitschers forces for operations in the Western Pacific. After covering the landings on Iwo Jima in February, Bunker Hill took part in raids against the Japanese home islands. In March, the carrier and its consorts shifted southwest to aid in the Battle of Okinawa. Steaming off the island on April 7, Bunker Hills aircraft took part in defeating Operation Ten-Go and aided in sinking the battleship Yamato. While cruising near Okinawa on May 11, Bunker Hill was hit by a pair of A6M Zero kamikazes. These caused several explosions and gasoline fires which began to consume the ship and killed 346 sailors. Working valiantly, Bunker Hills damage control parties were able to bring the fires under control and save the ship. Badly crippled, the carrier departed Okinawa and returned to Bremerton for repairs. Arriving, Bunker Hill was still in the yard when the war ended in August. Final Years Putting to sea in September, Bunker Hill served in Operation Magic Carpet which worked to return American servicemen home from overseas. Deactivated in January 1946, the carrier remained at Bremerton and was decommissioned on January 9, 1947. Though reclassified several times over the next two decades, Bunker Hill was kept in reserve. Removed from the Naval Vessel Register in November 1966, the carrier saw use as a stationary electronics test platform at Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego until being sold for scrap in 1973. Along with USS Franklin (CV-13), which was also badly damaged late in the war, Bunker Hill was one of two Essex-class carriers that saw no active service with the postwar US Navy.

Wrtie an executive summary based on Why It's So Hard to be Fair for Essay

Wrtie an executive summary based on Why It's So Hard to be Fair for your supervisor who is having trouble rallying his team - Essay Example ve the underlying reasons as to why employees are being laid off or if they do, time is not taken to allow for questions or even employees’ input on the matter. Firm B employees are further advanced good layoff packages as a sign of consolation. The employees of company B later file law suits claiming unlawful layoffs while none or just a few from firm A file similar suits (122-23). Firm B fund itself using a lot of resources in the lawsuits over and above the funds and benefits granted to the laid off workers. The difference in the above outcome was solely based on the approach taken to handle the situation and this is in regards to process fairness. This entails the manager treating the employees fairly and for the employees to feel that they have been treated as so. After the layoffs it was noted that for firm A the productivity increased for those who were left while in firm B it reduced. This therefore means that the employees who were left were affected by either in a positive manner or negatively. Those of firm A increased productivity because they believed that they had a responsibility toward enhancing organisational growth and felt that if they fail to work hard everyone stands to lose in one way or the other. In firm B workers felt that the laying off process was unjust as no much explanation was give and this reduced their morale a great deal (Brockner 123). As seen above time, resources and productivity was lost simply because the manager in firm B did not take time to be courteous enough to explain the issue at hand or even listen and discuss the situation with employees. The firm also ended up losing a great deal of money in the process. Employees need to feel in such situations their views are taken into consideration as well as their plight. This calls for the management to involve employees in decision making more so in areas that will affect their wellbeing. This scenario is also true with customers who need to feel that they have been

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 37

Case Study Example Due to having a good reputation and success Creative Bus Service management must ensure that they come up with a good strategic plan. With the board meeting’s conclusion of expansion of profits they have to choose a good strategy that will ensure growth of profits. Mr. Ghosh market survey can be presented clearly through the Internal Rate of return (IRR), Net Present Value (NPV) and Modified Internal Rate of Return (MIRR). These will clearly state the outcome of the proposed projects by the Creative Travel Bus service. The success of the company revolves around the top management ability to manage effectively projects B operating from Delhi to Patna and A operating from Delhi to Joypur. Mr. Ghash should address congestion that hinders bus transport to the management to seek a way out in order to ensure their customers enjoy efficient services and they maintain the good reputation and name the company possesses (The World Bank, 2011). Being the most reliable transport system in India it has to make a decision so as to uphold their name and services to customers. The World Bank, (2011). India Transport sector. Retrieved on 27th November 2012

Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 †A Book Analysis Essay Example for Free

Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 – A Book Analysis Essay In his book, Fahrenheit 451, author Ray Bradbury highlights the power and importance of obtaining knowledge through books but decries the impact that technological innovations, particularly the television, pose in stifling intellectual and creative development. As a science fiction book that was first printed in 1953, many readers particularly literary critics and students correlate the book to state censorship and subsequent cultural decay presaging the eras following the book’s publication. Indeed, it can be easily gleaned from the main character’s occupation as a book-burning fireman that the book burning per se may be emblematic of   a common situation that most societies have found themselves grappling with – specific stages in nations’ histories whereby basic inalienable rights and freedoms were suppressed. Literary censorship, in particular, has been a recurring theme in many great works of literature. In real life, censorship is something that most governments have resorted to for varied reasons other than as a means of quelling what they categorize as rebellion or insurrection, and in almost every instance, books that echo the sentiments of many great nationalists or radical-thinking individuals have borne the brunt of censorship laws. Some analysts point out that in Ray Bradbury’s book, Fahrenheit 451, â€Å"The book burning is not a government mandated censorship Instead, it is a society-built degradation of the written word. Society has rejected the black and white messages bound in leather and paper† (Przybyszewski).   The author himself does not dispute this observation. Whether it is art imitating reality or the other way around, Fahrenheit 451 is a successful attempt in making readers including those who got to read the book generations after its initial publication ponder on key social and political issues like censorship, even if the author himself had clarified that his novel â€Å"is actually about how television destroys interest in reading literature† (Oleck, par. 1). A lover of the written word, Ray Bradbury hails from humble beginnings in Illinois, which set the stage for his profound yet realistic insights, searing views and cunning overall approach to his subject matter. He was born on August 22, 1920 in Waukegan, Illinois; studied in a Los Angeles High School in 1938, and furthered his education by working nights in the library and pounding away at   typewriter keys and selling newspapers in Los Angeles by day (â€Å"Ray Bradbury Biography†).   It can be noted that Fahrenheit 451, in many ways, pays homage to Bradbury’s Waukegan hometown.   It is in this locality that he developed an enormous and lasting appetite for books and a love for libraries, something which is continually described in his book. As Bradbury himself narrates: From the time I was 9 up through my teens I spent at least two nights a week in the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   town library in Waukegan, Ill. In the summer months, there was hardly a day I could   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   not be found lurking about the stacks, smelling the books like imported spices, drunk   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   on them even before I read them (Moran). Based on the author’s personal narrative, one clearly sees how he obtained the characteristic ease in describing to readers a well-stacked library, and how he skillfully let some of his characters express forceful sentiments about books not just as a storehouse of knowledge and cultural heritage of nations, but as instruments to guide man in living and making decisions about the future. Ray Bradbury’s Waukegan roots likewise armed him with first-hand knowledge and distinct style of writing about a specific subject matter as firefighters. As another writer gathering from Ray Bradbury’s musings in writing Fahrenheit 451: Bradburys wary respect for fire can be traced back to his Waukegan youth, where he   Ã‚  Ã‚   would pass the firehouse on his way to and from the Carnegie Library and end up   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   writing down his descriptions (Moran). Ray Bradbury’s remarkable style is indeed something which has not escaped discerning book readers and analysts. â€Å"While a lesser writer would have to content himself with beating the reader over the head with description and exposition, Bradbury is able to make his nightmare world real with economy and subtlety. The horror never grabs you by the throat as in a Stephen King novel; instead it creeps into your soul almost unnoticed† (Wright). Content-wise, what American writer Ray Bradbury sought to impress on his readers is the fact that humanity stands to be strangled by the very forces – or trappings of modern living   that had originally been conceived to make life better. Bradbury makes a very good point in singling out television as the piece of equipment that most people have been overly relying on, and it comes at a very huge price: a stifled intellectual development. Indeed, of all the new modern conveniences or gadgetry the world has ever seen, one medium of communications which remains all-powerful or influential to minds and attitudes of people of all ages is the television. It is evident that Bradbury possessed remarkable foresight in ascertaining early on that people are bound to be enslaved. One of many insightful reviews about Ray Bradbury and his book states: Bradburys novel — or novella, really — is an inspired criticism of what we now call   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   the information society, and the yawning chasm it is creating in our collective soul.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In it he managed to predict with frightening accuracy such current social pathologies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   as the dumbing down of popular entertainment and education, our growing addiction   Ã‚  Ã‚   to empty sensory stimulation, the rise of random violence among youth, the increasing anomie and alienation among everyone (Wright). Indeed, it takes a meticulous eye attuned to his surroundings for a writer to realistically depict current real-life situations as well as future scenarios. One important point that Ray Bradbury stressed in Fahrenheit 451 is that most of the time, people’s enslavement, whether by societal forces or modern technological advances, do occur from their own volition or free will. â€Å"It’s ordinary people who turn away from reading and the habits of thought and reflection it encourages. When the government starts actively censoring information, most people don’t even bat an eye† (Bradbury 183). It is true, of course, that in the present society, there are many cases of jaded individuals – especially ordinary citizens who wield little or no power to go against the powers-that-be – who initially protest but end up allowing circumstances like government   restraints on media/information to prevail or take place.   It is, however, an inescapable fact that many freedoms, like free speech and expression of ideas through books, are not absolute. This is something that advocates of censorship keep harping on. Introspection will show that in many ways, people, during these increasingly complex times and informational bombardment, do succumb or let government impose controls as the latter may deem morally and socially and politically fit. In doing so, it becomes a clear case of the antagonist turning into an ally. In societies which do a good job of balancing interests and rights, this may be permissible. There are, however, exceptions to the rule. There are people may rant and do nothing, but there are some individuals who even band together to form a coalition or cause-oriented group/association to bat for what they perceive as just. To their minds, the words of 18th century political theorist and philosopher Edmund Burke, of letting evil triumph if good men do nothing, may be ringing loud and clear. Reverting to the other main issue tackled by the book, which is the tendency of people to allow themselves to be enslaved by new technology and turn away from the many virtues of reading books, this is a universal problem pervading modern societies today. Ray Bradbury may have crafted decades ago a concise book about a dystopian society, but its message reverberates up to the present age, when gadget-toting new generations turn to books only when school requires them to, or when a bestselling book-turned-movie or escapist adult novels catch their fancy. In effect, the firemen’s task of burning books in the novel is actually a metaphor for the way a society’s citizens allow themselves, or their knowledge and future, to be stunted.   â€Å"The firemen are rarely necessary. The public itself stopped reading of its own accord† (Bradbury 87).

Eating Disorders Essay -- Papers Health Weight Fat Essays

Eating Disorders An eating disorder is a serious disruption of a persons eating habits, in some cases it may be a reflection of abnormal psychological functioning. The two most common eating disorders are, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa. Both of these eating disorders are most common among adolescent girls, but they do occur amongst older people and are becoming more and more frequent amongst men. Also they were originally only found in European countries but are becoming more common all over the world. Anorexia nervosa This is a disorder where the person fears that they might become overweight. (despite being seriously underweight) therefore they engage in self starving to try to prevent this from happening. Bulimia nervosa This is a disorder in which the person will engage in episodes of uncontrollable eating ?bingeing? which is then followed by self indulged vomiting, ?purging?. People who have bulimia have abnormal concerns with body size and a morbid fear of being or becoming fat. Characteristics of anorexia There are four listed criteria for anorexia Anxiety This is a key characteristic of anorexia. The anxiety associated with the disorder and the excessive fear of becoming fat. People who have anorexia not only become obsessed with weight but they also become fearful of weight gain. Weight Weight loss has become to be considered abnormal when it drops below 85% of the persons normal weight, based on their age and height. People who have anorexia develop abnormal eating habits. For exampl... ...rigger biological responses and a behavioral cycle of reinforcements. If someone fears weight gain, ho or she diets and starvation leads to changes in neurotransmitters. If an individual starts losing weight and dieting then this leads to an increased attention and attractiveness, encouraging further weight control. The found concept of faulty cognitions may also offer a form of treatment for the disorder. By dealing with the fear of weight gain itself. It may also offer methods of detecting people at risk of developing bulimia. It may also be that certain characteristics co-vary with a persons faulty perceptions. E.g. a person, who has maladaptive assumptions, may also have a more rigid cognitive style. It could therefore be this rigid cognitive style rather then the faulty perceptions that causes bulimia.

Comparison Between E-Business and Traditional Business

INTRODUCTION Electronic Business (E-Business) is a perplexing practice due to the numerous aspects it involves. In today’s rapidly changing environment, organizations adopt E-Business to respond to several business drivers. The progressions of the macro-environments are creating innovative business environments, in which E-Business is considered a normal practice. This paper attempts to model the business environment and evaluate its competitive characteristics by comparing the traditional business with E-Business. Kreplin.K, et al (2000), identified â€Å"Reality† and â€Å"Virtuality† terms; these terms differentiates traditional business from E-Business. According to Kreplin. K, et al (2000), E-Business is based on a virtual (digital) business process with a virtual agent, and virtual product. Traditional Business is a physical business process with respect to the macro-environments. The macro-environment components can influence the way entrepreneurs use the internet to coordinate export businesses. Analysis of the macro-environment comprises of cultural, economic, competition, political and legal factors that affect the way business transactions are made today.CULTURAL CHALLENGES In the cultural dimension, traditional business entrepreneurs will face a major challenge. In this case, infrastructure cost is what worries traditional businesses of today. As opposed to E-businesses, online business transactions incur minimal cost (Robertson. B & Sribar. V, n. d. ). Whereas, traditional businesses will have to incur a significant amount of cost in order to remain competitive in the market. This is due to the fact that there is a paradigm shift towards a more innovative market alongside the consumers.Through the report it is assured that in the long term infrastructure cost will be the key obstacle for traditional entrepreneurs as newer technological innovations take place (Robertson. B & Sribar. V, n. d. ). Opposing to the traditional method of business, E-businesses also have their share of cultural challenges. Firstly, entrepreneurs will experience a change in the nature of workforce (Parreiras. F , n. d. ). According to Heerwagen. J, Kelly. K, Kampschroer. K (2010), the structure of work is now more cognitively complex, team-based, nd time pressured. This movement causes entrepreneurs to be more competitive. Secondly, there is resistance to change when an organization moves towards adopting E-business (Parreiras. F, n. d. ). In a research done by Ahmed. Z and et al. (2006), it was determined that the resistance to change will cripple the organization. Thus, it is important for the entrepreneurs to adapt to rigid cultures. ECONOMIC CHALLENGES In the aspect of economy, the nation’s currency plays a vital role. Thus, it also poses as an obstacle for traditional businesses.In areas of importing and exporting, entrepreneurs need a mutually agreed upon currency (e. g. U. S dollar) due to different payment methods. Furthermore, being sensitive towards exchange rates of currencies is vital as it will affect the buying decisions (Kavas. F, 2011). As compared to E-business transactions, the fluctuation in currency is harder to depict; thus, becoming a challenge for traditional businesses. On the other hand, E-businesses also experiences economic challenges. Firstly, the free entry into the digital market will be a problem for entrepreneurs.As there are minimal barriers to entry, it would mean that E-businesses are operating in a highly competitive market whereby competitive advantage is almost impossible as highlighted by M. Hassan & E. Harris (2007). With this tight competition among entrepreneurs the issue of imitation of products will arise. As described in the related research paper, it was revealed that a massive amount of imitation took place as it was a cost effective method to most entrepreneurs. Therefore, it becomes an obstacle for E-business entrepreneurs. COMPETITIONWhen it comes to t raditional businesses, entrepreneurs will definitely face competition. One major factor that entrepreneurs have to consider while exporting their products is the difference in time zones. An article written by Henricks. M (2006) explains that the time zone differences will cause a lot of difficulty in terms of decision making, planning shipment, organizing logistics and more. As opposed to E-business, E-business have online softwares that enables smooth communication through digital platforms regardless of time zone differences.For E-business entrepreneurs, the first challenge here is the difficulty to obtain capital large enough for any ventures. This includes the research and development needed for the product. In the report â€Å"Managing Worldwide operations & Communications with Information Technology† (2007), it was highlighted that many venture capitalist will incur higher risk with large sums of capital. This is because there is high uncertainty of success for entrepr eneurs to compete in an open market environment. In addition, another factor arises which is also known to be labour market exuberance.This is described as an irrational competition that arose with the increasing need of technical skills (e. g. software programming). Therefore, firms will likely experience a short supply of skilled workers (Wright. P & Lee. D , 2000). POLITICAL & LEGAL CHALLENGES In the area of political and legal, there is a major concern of the country’s policy for traditional businesses. Entrepreneurs need to abide by both the local and the other country’s laws and regulations while selecting to export goods over. This is due to several laws are made according to the country’s culture and beliefs (Kavas.F, 2011). For instance, products that contain pork are restricted in Islamic countries due to their religious beliefs. Apart from that, there is an essential concern of the security and privacy of E-businesses (Parreiras. F, n. d. ). A researc h on â€Å"Security and Trust in E-Business† by Valmurugan,M. S (2009) discussed the unawareness of E-business transactions and the degree of confidentiality of E-business transactions. Without the trust of consumers, entrepreneurs in the E-business line will be facing serious competition to obtain their share of the market.Another major concern is the government regulations. The government needs to play a role to protect the consumers against unfair and deceptive trading especially when it comes to Internet banking (Kay. A, Hafeez. K & Siddiqi. J, n. d. ). Therefore, this would become a small obstacle for E-business entrepreneurs as they need to adhere closely to government policies. CONCLUSION This research paper covered numeral aspects of traditional businesses and E-businesses with respect to the macro-environmental challenges faced by the entrepreneurs.Because we live in a rapid changing environment, businesses will continuously face multiple challenges. The traditional way of business may have been successful in the past, but now is the time for change. E-business enables organizations to reach global markets; thus, crossing borders with less restraint from trade barriers. Evidently illustrated by Fleenor. C & Raven. P (n. d. ), the adoption rate of internet is growing tremendously and that governments of international countries recognises such growth; hence, promoting it as well within their country (e. . E-government). Although there may be areas that E-business is a challenging area to pursue; however, without such obstacles businesses will never revolutionalize. Therefore, it goes to show how businesses have evolved over the decades. Business entrepreneurs need to be more innovative as traditional business will soon be uncompetitive. 1,111 words Reference List Ahmed, Z. et al. (2006)  RESISTANCE TO CHANGE AND ERP IMPLEMENTATION SUCCESS: THE MODERATING ROLE OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES. [online] Available at: http://web. usm. my/aamj/11. . 2006/AAMJ%2011-2-1. pdf [Accessed: 26/9/2012]. Fleenor,, C. and Raven, P. (n. d. )  Barriers To Effective E-Business In Developing Countries. [online] Available at: http://www. google. com. my/url? sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CC0QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcluteonline. com%2Fjournals%2Findex. php%2FIBER%2Farticle%2Fdownload%2F3912%2F3957&ei=dTRlULXHAcnlrAeTuICgDg&usg=AFQjCNFo3MqMmHHbqbtHGpyGH9MPiLUQhA&sig2=NnGIv4mCofIkSx211W9PVw [Accessed: 28/9/2012]. Hassan, M. and Harris, E. 2009)  Entrepreneurship and innovation in e-commerce  . [online] Available at: http://www. journalamme. org/papers_vol32_1/32114. pdf [Accessed: 25/9/2012]. Heerwagen, J. et al. (2010)  The Changing Nature of Organizations, Work, and Workplace. [online] Available at: http://www. wbdg. org/resources/chngorgwork. php [Accessed: 26/9/2012]. HENRICKS,M . (2006)  How Time Zones Affect Global Businesses. [online] Available at: http://www. entrepreneur. com/article/160228 [Accessed: 28/9/ 2012]. Kay, A. et al. (n. d. )  AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE KEY DRIVERS AND

Google Business Strategies Essay

Executive Summary This report provides an analysis of Google’s development of new strategic resources, dynamic capabilities and core competency, Analysis of competency test, Google’s competency foundation to compete in shopping related searches and the positive impacts of Google’s competencies towards its business model. Moreover, this report provides recommendations that Google are effectively able to utilise. Introduction Google, a provider of multiple products and services, with the mission to â€Å"organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful†, is the number one web search engine. Additionally, Google has an old online shopping service site whose rivals include Amazon and eBay (Newth, F 2012). However, recently, in 2012, Google announced its adaption of a new paid model, where retailers were now starting to get charged. Moreover, the bases discussed throughout the report will be grounded in Google’s competency test, and its impact towards Google business model (Newth, F 2012). Google’s development of new strategicresources, dynamic capabilities and core competency Google’s recent change of passing on costs, a fee, to online retailers who display their products on the Google online shopping site (Hartwig, J. I 2012), will require Google to develop new strategic resources, dynamic capabilities and a core competency. Firstly, developing new strategic resources to work aside Google’s new paid model (Hartwig, J. I 2012), will mean that Google will need to improvise on teaching Google employees currently working in the Google online shopping sector, to adapt to the new changes appropriately, through being educationally mentored on new policies, procedures and most importantly, advancing this new process in a sustainable way (Sullivan, J 2007). Moving on to the development of dynamic capabilities, here, Google will need to effectively make changes towards the company’s internal and external organisational skills, resources and functional competences moreover, reviewing the company’s strengths, as a result of adapting to the new change(Newth, F 2012), that is, the re positioning of Google’s online shopping paid model. This is a crucial change to develop, as vice president of product management for Google shopping, Sameer Samat, explained that by  repositioning to an all-paid model will increase further trustworthy data(Sullivan, D 2012) , hence, it will greater improve the shopping search experience for its customers. Additionally, Google’s core competencies have already created various competitive advantages for the company, and as a result, Google will need to review their most valuable competitive advantage, and put emphasis on those advantages they have over other similar companies, such as Amazon who provides an online shopping service (Sullivan, D 2012). Analysis of competency test Referring to â€Å"appendix 1†, a competency test of Google was completed, and is now going to be further analysed. Additionally, the competency test as completed was based around three of Google’s strategic assets, that is, their employees, Google’s strong brand name and their loyal customer base. It should also be noted that the analysis for the business model impact will be discussed further in the report. The first strategic asset discussed is Google’s experienced and knowledgeable employees. Google is the number one best company to work for in America, as voted by the company’s very own employees (Sullivan, J 2007). Alongside this, Google acknowledges its employees by offering employees everything they need to get them focused on specific aspects such as creativity and innovation. Google also focuses on helping their employees have the correct information and resources in regards to their work (Sullivan, J 2007). Moving on, whilst providing to the employee’s work needs in every way possible, Google’s unique employees are also provided with outstanding people management practices, as a result of the company’s use of the people analytics approach. Google training efforts aren’t the usual traditional tactics applied, Google’s development efforts are decentralized meaning Google employees demonstrate self directed learning (Sullivan, J 2007). Along with self directed learning employees also demonstrate, continuous learning and development, and adapting to changes when needed, are key features that can be direct parallel to the core employee competencies at Google (Sullivan, J 2013). Moreover, when undergoing a â€Å"VIRO test†, to assess whether or not Google’s employee dynamic capabilities can become a competency, as presented, Google employees pose three of the four characteristics; valuable, organisation and rare. These characteristics are related to the employee’s competencies, as here, the  main employees competencies include, information and gathering, where employees are able to locate and collect data from a variety of sources, whilst also analysing the data in order to prepare it into meaningful reports (Sullivan, J 2013). Another competency is business perspective, whereby employees use an understanding of the company’s issues, processes and outcomes in order to enhance Google’s overall business performance. Additionally, Google employees manage important resources such as financial information, in order to achieve short and long term goals (Sullivan, J 2007). Moving on, the next strategic asset is Google’s strong brand name. Google’s brand name is one of the most recognised brand names globally, and is one of the leaders in internet brands. In 2010, Google for the fourth time was presented as 2010’s world valuable global brand, close to major competitors such as Microsoft (Interbrand, 2010). Alongside Google’s significant brand image, Google’s strong infrastructure base, another dynamic capability, is the base for providing new and advanced innovative products and services to end users; that is consumers (McDermott, T). Here, the company brand name plays a rather large role to add to Google’s strong brand name, as the strong infrastructure base allows Google’s new innovative products to gain a competitive advantage, hence keep its strong brand name visible(McDermott, T) . Moreover, like Google’s employees, the company’s strong brand name lies within similar VIRO test characteristics, such as , Valuable, rare and Imitability. Alongside these characteristics, Google’s strong brand name competencies as presented in table one, have given Google the opportunity to enter in a wide variety of markets, and has produced a competitive advantage, as well as, making Google profitable for the company in both short and long terms(Tsai, M 2011). Additionally the last strategic asset for Google is loyal customer base. Google’s dynamic capabilities in this case, refers to the company’s strong customers based brand equity and Google’s ability to create outstanding customer value. Starting with customer based brand equity, here Google utilises its customer brand loyalty which is attached to many benefits for the company such as greater brand loyalty from users and an increase in Google usage (Bhasin, K 2011), just to name a few. Here, Google is able to command for increased price premiums and receive additional trade cooperation and support. To add, customer value and customer brand relationships are the foundation of Google’s brand  resonance, for instance, Google’s search advertising has created a better fit between meeting potential customers’ needs and the relevant advisement. Hence focusing on these attributes has allowed Google to add these as one of their strengths towards the o verall company (T. Y. Chan, C. Wu, Y. Xie 2011). Furthermore, Google’s loyal customer base VIRO test characteristics as presented in table one, makes Google’s capability a true competency. In regards to this, the main reason it could be drawn upon that Google has a loyal customer base is through its ratings (Bhasin, K 2011). This can be seen through Google standing out as one of the top search engine for users, hence the reason for such a large customer base, whilst beating Bing and Yahoo, other competitors in the same category (Bhasin, K 2011). Google’s competency foundation to compete in shopping related searches An analysis of the competency test derives favourable outcomes for Google to more effectively compete in shopping related searches. Considering the fact that Google already has a highly established reputation, it sets itself as the most used search engine for users, hence allowing Google to better compete in online shopping (Bhasin, K 2011). Google’s high consumer awareness, strong market position and core employee competencies further contribute to their competitive advantages, resulting in a higher chance of shopping-related searches. Referring to Google’s online shopping transition to an all paid model, Google believes â€Å"that by having a paid relationship, it can better ensure the quality of what it lists in Google shopping† (Sullivan, D 2012). To add, Google also believes that it will provide more trustworthy information, which improves the shopping online search experience for both retailers and customers (Sullivan, D 2012). Overall, Google has the ability to utilise its competencies and competitive advantages in providing users with more out of their search engine, by working on making it easier for users to search and compare products whilst shopping online. In addition, by assisting shoppers to locate the best deals, they’re able to increase traffic to retailers in order for shoppe rs to easily find their sites (Sullivan, D 2012). The positive impacts of Google’s competencies towards its business model Furthermore, as mentioned above, Google has the proper competency base to effectively compete in shopping related searches. As Google has the proper  mechanisms and competencies to compete, it brings alongside it positive impacts towards Google’s business model. The positive impact of employee competencies at Google, include the positive attributes Google employee’s pose such as strategically working on intrinsic challenges on a daily bases, effectively gathering and processing appropriate information to further enhance Google’s culture of innovation , having a rather unique business perspective and resource management have greatly impacted the company’s business model (Sullivan, J 2007). Moreover, Google’s strong focus on human capital and retention (Sullivan, J 2007), overtime, has given employees the opportunity to make a positive business impact towards the company’s overall business model, such as their ability to execute their move into online shopping, whilst competing with other large online shopping companied such as EBay and Amazon. Moving along, like Google employees, the company’s strong brand name also has a positive impact towards Google’s business model, as Google’s strong market position allows Google to be innovative with its offering products and services, which in the long term adds value for the company, through increased sales (T. Y. Chan, C. Wu, Y. Xie 2011). Google’s outstanding recognition, through high consumer awareness, allows the company for more opportunities to seek, such as still being an effective competitor in the online shopping sector, though previous changes were put into place (Sullivan, D 2012). Overall, Google’s strong brand names, and its competitive advantages such as the competencies as mentioned above, play an important role in positively impacting the company’s business model. Similarly, like competencies from knowledgeable and experienced employees, and the company’s strong brand name, Google’s loyal customer base also has a positive impact. Google’s recognition as the top search engine for online users (Interbrand, 2010) gives Google the opportunity for expansion, as its built customer base are more likely to become a continuous user of Google’s product lines and services, if they are able to be correctly executed, such as Google’s online shopping changes, that even though there were speculations (Morphy, E 2014), once placed into action, it was a more effective way for users to and retailers to sell and buy products. Whilst creating value from Google’s loyal base, in the long term, this largely impacts Google’s overall company’s business model, as this competency has created a competitive advantage (T. Y. Chan, C. Wu, Y. Xie  2011) that even though other search engine company’s may be successful, Google is still deemed as the most popular and most chosen by its users. Recommendations Presented, are recommendations Google should effectively consider and utilise in order to stay competent, meet to its consumers need and moreover keep an overall positive impact towards the company’s business model. Google is grounded in its culture of innovation; however, with the increase of competition, Google will need to overcome this challenge. In order to preserve its culture of innovation as they grow, it is highly recommended that Google overlooks its employee’s competencies and re adjust some aspects, so employees are able to effectively execute any task given, in order to keep Google’s innovations unique, and superior (Morphy, E 2014). Google should utilise appropriate dynamic processes that result in capabilities that adds to the strength of the company, in order to develop strong and positive competencies that support Google’s unique business model. In turn, this will result in a competitive advantage that Google will be able to override its c ompetitors. Moving along, in order to compete with competitors in the online shopping sector, such as Amazon and eBay, Google will need to effectively build onto its dynamic capabilities, by critically reviewing the strengths of their strategic assets, such as Google’s strong name (McDermott, T). This can be done through promotional strategies and the correct use of their enormous brand recognition in order to allow Google to make smart investments in terms of their retail efforts. Moreover, in regards to the Google online shopping site, in order to terminate speculation (Owen, V 2013) with Google’s customer base, Google should provide search results that are in the best interest of consumers shopping online, not provide customised search results that only work in the best interest of retailers and advertisers. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that Google has positive competencies to contribute to the company’s business model, as a result of Google’s strategic assets, dynamic capabilities and its competitive advantages. Moreover, this has allowed Google to maintain its strengths, whilst allowing for greater opportunities for growth and expansion. References Bhasin, K 2011, â€Å"The 20 Brands -The Most Loyal Customers†, Viewed 24th March 2014, < http://www.businessinsider.com.au/brand-loyalty-customers-2011-9?op=1 > . Hartwig, J. I 2012, â€Å"Google Shopping: Preparing for Paid Listings† Viewed 5th April 2014, . Interbrand 2010, â€Å"Interbrand Releases 11th Annual Ranking Of The 100 Best Global Brands†, viewed 20th March 2014, McDermott, T, 2004, â€Å"Defining Google†, Viewed 18 March 2014, . Morphy, E 2014, â€Å"Google Can Handle Data, But Can It Handle Actual Shoppers?†, Viewed 28th March 2014, Newth, F 2012 â€Å"Strategic Management and Business Models: A Modular Approach†, Business Expert Press, 1st edition, pp.80. Owen, V 2013, â€Å"Sellers Hit By Google Chargers†, Daily Mail, United Kingdom. Sullivan, D 2012, â€Å"Google Product Search to Become Google Shopping, Use Pay-To-Play Model† Viewed 20th March 2014, Sullivan, J 2007, â€Å"Google†, Journal of Workforce Management, vol.86, issue 20, pp.42. Sullivan, J 2013, â€Å"How Google Is Using People Analytics to Completely Reinvent HR†, Viewed on March 25th 2014, < http://www.tlnt.com/2013/02/26/how-google-is-using-people-analytics-to-completely-reinvent-hr/ >. T. Y. Chan, C. Wu, Y. Xie 2011, â€Å"Measuring the Lifetime Value of Customers Acquired from Google Search Advertising† Marketing Science, vol.30, issue 5, pp.837-850. Tsai, M 2011, â€Å" A Grounded Theory Study On The Business Model Structure Of Google†, International Journal Of Electronic Business Management, vol.9, issue 3, pp.231-242.

Battle Of Antietam Essays - Military Personnel, American Civil War

Battle Of Antietam Essays - Military Personnel, American Civil War Battle Of Antietam The Battle of Antietam was fought on September 17, 1862. The United States Army of the Potomac led by General George B. McClellan fought against the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia led by General Robert E. Lee. The battle was fought along the Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg, Maryland. Both of the armies were densely concentrated in the Sharpsburg area, and it was a very bloody battle. The Union Army lost over twelve thousand men, while the Confederate Army lost around ten thousand men. General Robert E. Lee narrowly escaped defeat this battle and the lack of men cause him and his army to retreat back in to Virginia. Lee had good reason for wanting to bring Maryland into the Confederacy. With having Maryland, he would have good location to attack the major cities like Washington D.C. and Philadelphia. It would also give him a chance to get to the rich farmland of the North that would give his army supplies of food. Lee split up his army of fifty thousand men, sending Stonewall Jackson to capture the Union arsenal at Harpers Ferry. He told James Longstreet to move north towards Hagerstown, Maryland. Smaller groups were left with the task of guarding against McClellans troops. Even with all the planning, his adventure seemed to be doomed from the very beginning. The people of Maryland did not give Lee and his Confederate troops a happy welcome. Instead of being treated like heroes as Lee thought, they were treated like invaders. Even the secessionist from Maryland did not like the idea of the Confederacy invading their state. Lee was setback once again when a letter containing his plan of attacks a nd the locations of all Confederate troops were found by a Union private near Frederick, Maryland. If McClellan had moved quickly, he could have easily crushed Lees army and ended the whole war altogether. But McClellan did not move quickly enough and within twenty-four hours, Lee learned of his danger and pulled his troops to Sharpsburg. On September 15, Stonewall Jackson captured Harpers Ferry and was moving to join up with Lee at Sharpsburg. When Lee arrived at Sharpsburg, he met Longstreet and, with their troops, they occupied a ridge overlooking the Antietam Creek. Later on during that very same day, McClellans troops, under the command of Major General Ambrose Burnside came up and occupied the other side of the creek. Longstreet was horribly outnumbered, almost five to one, but McClellan did not order the attack. Instead, he took an entire and studied the situation. During the time McClellan took to study the situation, Jacksons forces rejoined Lee, and another Confederate div ision under the command of General A.P. Hill, was moving to join Lee. On September 17, 1862, the Battle of Antietam, or Sharpsburg, began. There was a massive attack of cannon and rifle fire. General Joseph Hookers men crushed the Rebel troops. Only a counterattack by a Texan force kept the Yankees from breaking the Confederate line. Hooker threw his troops up against the Rebels, causing heavy losses. Several hours later, General Mansfields Union Corps struck at Hoods men in the second Union attack. Mansfield was killed almost instantly, but that did no stop the fighting that just raged on and for hours the pattern attack and retreat was just repeated. Neither side seemed to get the clear advantage. In the third attack of the day, General Sumners Corps found themselves caught in a pocket and in a matter of minutes, over 2,000 men fell to the ground. The fourth Union attack of the day, two other divisions of Sumners Corps were met by Daniel Harvey Hills troops at a suknen road in the middle of the Confederate position. Since this was the site of some of the most bitter and desperate fighting of the day, that area was called The Bloody Lane. The Union troops just kept on pushing forward and finally reached a position that overlooked the entire battlefield. At this point, McClellan had another chance to end the battle just by sending a large-scale attack from their high ground, but the call never came. After trying to cross the creek over the bridge, which is now named after him,

The best ways to beat work procrastination

The best ways to beat work procrastination Are you such a compulsive procrastinator that you’ve even found a way to put off figuring out how to overcome procrastinating? If things have gotten that bad, it’s likely time to make a positive change in your life. The effects of procrastination on your life can be far-reaching and extreme if you let things get out of hand- everything from avoiding individual growth and missing out on opportunities to constantly disappointing people in your personal and professional orbits are common for those who choose this behavior pattern. The results can have a negative impact on your life path and well-being- both in the short-term and over the long haul.Step back and take a personal inventory of your typical habits and behaviors. All aspects of your life are fair game- from your work life to relationships with friends and family to handling your personal responsibilities and chores on a daily basis. Be honest: are you often guilty of putting things off? Do people in your life ro utinely call you out for avoiding important tasks? Has procrastination taken its toll and left you with a series of regrets and lost chances? If you’ve answered yes to any or all of these questions, it’s no wonder you’re looking for ways to end this destructive cycle and stop putting things off as a matter of habit.If you’ve decided not to procrastinate any longer and address your problem, then consider the following strategies to put it in your rearview mirror.1. Have a to-do checklistIf feeling overwhelmed by a nebulous and free-floating list of tasks often leads to your procrastination behavior, then try organizing your daily to-dos into a structured checklist. By using a straightforward and easy-to-follow checklist, you can clearly see exactly what you need to take care of each day and chart your progress, which can be a great motivating tool in itself- the more you get done and the more checkmarks you see on your list, the more motivated you’l l be to push forward and finish your chores!2. Avoid non-functional multitaskingSure, these days the average person juggles multiple activities at any given time during the day, but is it affecting your ability to stay focused and on task enough to follow it through to the end? Everything from texting while on the phone to watching YouTube videos while finishing up key assignments has become standard operating behavior, but for some people, this type of â€Å"multitasking† really just keeps them from confronting- and completing- the things they need to get done. If this sounds painfully familiar, then you may be spreading yourself too thin or making it too easy for your focus to shift away from your priorities. When facing an important task, try giving it all of your attention and effort instead- not only will it be easier to finish, but you’ll also likely complete it faster, which means you can move on to other (possibly more fun) things quicker.3. Break down big task s into manageable chunksDo the size and scope of difficult, complex, and multi-step projects send you running in the opposite direction? If so, then get strategic and break down big tasks into manageable steps that don’t fill you with fear and anxiety. There’s an old saying that â€Å"a journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step,† and the same notion holds true for large-scale projects. When faced with a big â€Å"1,000-mile† task, lay out all the steps you need to take to get to the end, and then take them on one at a time.4. Give yourself positive reinforcements and negative consequencesThe truth is, you’re likely your own best â€Å"overseer† when it comes to getting things done, and you’re in the perfect position to treat yourself for staying on task- and conversely, providing the appropriate consequences when you procrastinate. When it comes to staying motivated and focused, there’s nothing like a little reward for a job well done at the end to keep you on task. Also, the desire to avoid a negative consequence can be equally as motivating as you fight against your  evasive behavior.If you’re tired of procrastination and the negative effects of putting things off have taken its toll on your life, then use the strategies presented here to break free from these unhealthy behavior patterns and make positive and lasting changes in your life.

End of the Century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

End of the Century - Essay Example Opening the introduction of Reading the 'Fin de Siecle', Sally Ledger and Roger Luckhurst say: "The Victorian fin de siecle was an epoch of endings and beginnings. The collision between the old and new that characterised the turn of the century marks it as an excitingly volatile and transitional period; a time when British cultural politics were caught between two ages, the Victorian and the Modern; a time fraught with anxiety and with an exhilarating sense of possibility, (2000, p. xiii). According to them, women, imperialism, realism, journalism, drama, art, psychology, science, communication, education, democracy, politics, and meaning and expression of sex were all changing, at the turn of century. Intellectuality had a new meaning and geography of Europe, relationships between governments and countries were fast altering beyond recognition. They say that the allure of fin de siecle, its 'naughtiness' were reflected in the fantasies of the late twentieth century. Those are the ending of Victorian days, days of Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, Arthur Rimbaud, Thomas Hardy, Oscar Wilde, steam engines, literary groups, learned institutions, proud cultural heritages. In Europe, everything was so well established that people and intellectuals were craving for some change to break the monotony. It was a moment that started a literature movement in almost all the regions. As the authors say, the end of the century was also the beginning of another century in the true sense. World was ready for a new era full of new ideas, wars, scientific discoveries, new art and individuality in every scene. The era of Postmodernism had started. They were the days when Paris was full of radical ideas in literature and various forms of arts. "When German troops withdrew from Paris after the Franco-Prussian War of 1871, French anarchists briefly established the Commune of Paris. Though the Commune of Paris was not long-lived, it seemed to set off a time in French culture when radical ideas in literature, art, theatre, and architecture were allowed to blossom. Paris became the center of avant-garde culture" http://lala.essortment.com/literaturemovem_rzkb.htm The unconventional ideas of writers like Stephan Mallarme, Guy de Maupassant influenced the new generation enormously. The saddest moment of fin de seicle came when Captain Alfred Dreyfus was falsely accused of spying for Germans, convicted and was deported into Devil's Island. Writer Emile Zola in his famous open letter 'J'Accuse' defended Dreyfus and eventually Dreyfus was brought back and exonerated, after much turmoil. Zola himself had to flee to English accused of a libel case and his novel Germinal kicked up a great scandal. This experience, in no way, hindered either Zola or other writers of fin de seicle. Then there is the most famous Art Noveau movement, started by two stalwart architects, Hector Guimard and Victor Horta. They initiated the entire art movement of the century. "The fluidity and asymmetry of these works had never been seen before, and was shocking to the bourgeoisie.

The inquiry into the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Assignment

The inquiry into the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust - Assignment Example Goals: According to the annual report of 2008, the basic goals of the trust were as follow. They wanted to develop and maintain the position as the first preference of a broad range of acute services. They wanted to achieve this by increasing the diagnostic direct access. In this way, the patients can make direct bookings for the diagnostic tests such as scans. Moreover, they wanted to decrease the waiting time of the patient in the hospital and to improve their experiences. By expanding the range and nature of services, they declare their ultimate goal was to increase their market share. They were trying to achieve this particular goal by developing the interventional cardiology services and implementing the marketing strategy. Further, they wanted to develop specific services into the Centres of Clinical Excellence. They were trying to expand the services of the hospital by developing the Dermatology Centre of Excellence, Orthopaedic and Rheumatology clinical expertise and scope of practice. They wanted to develop a seamless service provision across acute and community service. To bring the services closer to the patient’s home, the trust wanted to develop outreach consultant clinics. Other than this, they wanted to provide services like chemotherapy, in the homes of the patients. It was also part of their goals to develop services on the Cannock Chase Hospital site so that they can better meet the needs of the community. This was done by maximising the use of Cannock Chase Hospital, by relocating the trust services into two floors. With the help of partner organisations, they wanted to develop new health related services in vacant accommodation. Their last goal was to be the cleanest place in the town. This can be done by further investing in the recruitment of cleaning staff. This goal can also be achieved by providing high quality services with modern facilities. Likewise, they would be able to have strict hygiene standards (Mid Staffordshire NHS Fo undation Trust Annual Report, 2008). In the coming years, these goals were not given the due importance by the management and thus, were ignored by them. Since the management did not stick to its goal, the trust collapsed when it was reported that around 1200 patients died due to the negligence of the staff between the years of 2005 and 2009 (Ellicott, 2010). As a result, on 9th June 2010, the secretary of State announced a full public inquiry in the form of commissioning, regulatory bodies, and supervisory (The Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry, 2010). Literature review on healthcare system Heath care has emerged as a complex and dynamic organization. As the environment is ever changing and competition is becoming intense, the healthcare has also become technology oriented. This is done because in a small span of time they are expected to please their patients, keep good relationship with the staff, accommodate the shareholders, and meet the requirements of othe r stakeholders such as government, financial institutions, consumer forums, professional bodies and others. To maintain all the desires, management of the healthcare has to stay in touch with latest developments and the recent trends in patient care. Other than this, the management should improve their skills for better use of the existing resources and powerful technology. The management has to assess

Reasons for pursuing a legal educaton, goals on the future, plans upon Personal Statement

Reasons for pursuing a legal educaton, goals on the future, plans upon graduation, and experiences that made me realize - Personal Statement Example In addition, I also worked as the co-owner of Triune Studios which produces music for some top selling artists including Madonna and Shakira. Furthermore, I also tried my hand in film production by working as script supervisor and even did scouting services for the director of Next Models, one of the top talent agencies in the world. However, my lack of knowledge about the rules pertaining to entertainment industry is a matter of serious concern for me. I believe it is highly necessary for me now to get some knowledge about entertainment law. During these years, I have noticed one thing that there is an acute deficiency in the number of legal experts who deal with the issues of entertainment industry. . I have my friends who have graduated in law but they still possess relatively less idea about this field. This made me realize the fact that one who specializes in entertainment law is certain to have a lucrative career ahead. From my experience in the music field, I know very well th at the legalities in music industry are quite complex in nature including talent agreements with musicians and composers, producer agreements, synchronization rights, intellectual property issues and copyrights. And the film industry has issues like option agreements, finance, chain of title, talent agreements including film directors, actors, composers, production designers, distribution, intellectual property issues and trademark. However, many people in this field have little or no knowledge about these jargons and there is an acute shortage of experts in these fields. I thought about this issue over and over and found that this is my field as there is a large number of factors in my favor. First of all, during my career in film and music industry, I have developed a lot of connections with a large number of people in these fields and I am sure to have a lucrative career being their legal adviser. In fact, I will not have any problem finding clientele as I have a lot of contacts. My knowledge about these fields will help me understand the issues in a better way and studies must be easy for me. Education and entertainment industry are my passions. I already earned graduation in Arts and Psychology. The Arts degree has enormously helped me in improving my performance in the field of entertainment. I admit that it sharpened my skills to a great extent. In addition, my degree in psychology gives me a better understanding of the expectations of the target audience, thus making my productions a huge success. So, where I am lacking severely now is in the matter of legal aspects of this industry and hence, law education has become very essential for me. In fact, it is my desire to produce more films and music videos. As my career and business are growing by leaps and bounds, there is a need to have better understanding of the legal jargons including option agreements, finance, chain of title, talent agreements including film directors, actors, composers, production designers, distribution and intellectual property issues. This knowledge will certainly add a lot to my repertoire and will give me more confidence in my pursuit. Recently, one of my friends in the entertainment industry had a dispute over copyright and it reached the court soon. In that situation, no one in my friend circle had enough knowledge regarding the legalities involved in the issue. Had he got enough knowledge in the issue, he could have avoided such a situation. This incident made me realize the

Sizing Up The Active Wear Market Marketing Essay

Sizing Up The Active Wear Market Marketing Essay In the wake of falling sales and decreasing profit margins, Harrington Collection is evaluating the opportunity to expand into the high-growth active-wear market. The idea of expanding into lower priced fashion product lines was not new to the company (Tedlow Beckham 2008) which was renowned for its sophisticated high class roots. However, after three years of consecutive lacklustre sales and margins Sara Huey, Vice President of Strategic Planning and her team have to take a critical look at the active-wear product line option as a possible solution to reverse the companys negative performance trend. To come up with sound decision Harrington Collection executives would have to analyze the financial implications of the opportunity, assess trade and competitor reactions, consider the risks, and determine whether they have the capacity to successfully launch and manage the new product line. This basically means that they will have to assess consumer behaviour, product introduction and financial implications. Consumer behaviour Consumer buying behavior refers to the buying behavior of final consumers (individuals households) who buy goods and services for personal consumption. This is generally affected by consumer culture, social, personal and psychological characteristics. Consumer products are designed to be attractive to consumers, so that they feel encouraged to buy. This makes it mandatory for any organization to understand and manipulate product attributes so as to positively influence consumers to buy. However, buying behavior is also a function of the competing products in the marketplace and the brand marketing strategy applied by that given firm. In order to design the best product, it is necessary to understand not just the physical and chemical nature of the product, but also the psychology of consumers and the sociology of consumer groups. Harrington Collection is a company with decades of expertise (Tedlow Beckham 2008) that has an excellent relationship with its retail trade (Tedlow Beckham 2008) therefore their knowledge of consumer behaviour is high. Moreover we are told that the company also commissioned surveys and focus groups which revealed that their target customers showed considerable interest in buying active-wear clothing (Tedlow Beckham 2008). The push for introduction of a new product line is also supported by three factors that determine consumer behaviour i.e. loyalty, sociology and psychology. Loyalty is defined as that tendency for consumers to stick to the same products. Loyalty is also manifested through what is referred to as the memory effect, which represents that tendency of consumers in returning to products they had previously used, after trying something new they then did not like. The focus groups commissioned by Harrington Collection showed that a subset of Harrington customers who had been loyal throughout their careers were interested in something fresh and comfortable that would fit their active lifestyles (Tedlow Beckham 2008). On the other hand the sociology factor was heightened by the popularity of active-wear among Hollywood celebrities. Sociology in this context implies how one persons buying is influenced by that of others. We are told that this trend toward more contemporary athletic fashions resulted in rapid growth for firms that offered these lines. Harrington Collection estimated that over seven and a half million active-wear units were sold in 2007 with the projection that this would grow to 15 million by 2009 (Tedlow Beckham 2008). Moreover by 2009 it was expected that 40% of the 15 million buyers would prefer the better category which is what Harringtons Vigor division specialized in. Vigors market expertise could come in handy in deploying the active-wear better product line. Psychology covers what, and how, aspects of the actual items on the shelves influence people to make their choices, possibly buying something different from previously. Most firms would use advertising to influence consumer psychology. Harrington on the other hand we are told was known for its top in-house design staff, extensive national advertising campaigns and its exceptional quality and styling (Tedlow Beckham 2008). Plus, after analyzing the better sets of active -wear that were in the market Harrington knew that the standards they had could not allow them to produce such poor quality products. Therefore a launch of a product line in active-wear could provide Harrington with an opportunity to display their superior products to the low end consumer market and thus rapidly increase their market share and probably pull though a customer lock-in. Also we cannot ignore the fact that introduction of a new product onto the market by as renowned a fashion company as Harrington has the ability to change the way consumers, or at least some of them, view the other established active-wear brands. Harringtons quality and styling might draw attention to some quality which was not previously much regarded by consumers in this category, or it might make people give different weightings to the established products when making their decisions. If Harrington Collection decides to go ahead with the idea to add an active-wear product line to its existing business then they would have to model their target consumers behavior. They will need to look at the external stimuli that assist the consumer to make the decision to buy their product. An external stimulus that Harrington Collection has direct influence over is the marketing mix: product, place, price, promotion, people, process and physical evidence. Product is the active-wear itself and here decisions regarding the features of the product, quality level, product lines and branding will be addressed. Place caters for decisions on channel type, service levels, managing the channels, transporting and delivering, market exposure, intermediaries, locations and stores. Pricing in this case is vital considering that the target market is price sensitive and there are other large competitors such as Liz Clairbornes Juicy Couture. Decisions regarding the discounts to be allowed, allowances and whether pricing will change with product life cycle will also depend on the breakeven analysis that we shall be looking at later in this paper. Promotion decisions regard the communications mix, the type, qualifications and number of salespeople needed the required media, sales promotion, and publicity. People decisions regard the type of customers, the customer care personnel and their knowledge, qualifications and motivations for participating during the service encounter. The process factor looks at the length of the process, the activities that can be done during the process and technologies that will facilitate the process and finally, physical evidence is concerned with decisions on the types of tangible evidence available to customers. In spite of all the theories and models made with respect to consumers it is still acknowledged that the buyers decision process is a black box that even with knowledge of characteristics that affect consumer behaviour. Product Introduction The introduction process of a new product into any market is highly complex. It requires ability to coordinate work of numerous teams within an organization, as well as with the extended network of partners and suppliers. The new product in here would be the active-wear apparel (hoodies, tee-shirts and pants). One aspect of the complexity is derived from the use of several different new parts, each of which may need unique design, specifications, development, and other specialized conditions. This complexity is compounded further by the myriad of tools used during the new product introduction (NPI) process e.g. computer aided design (CAD) applications, project management tools and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. A typical new product development and introduction process would consist of three core phases: 1) product definition, 2) product development, prototyping, and testing, and 3) product build and ramp to production. Each of these phases requires effective project management to ensure that at the end we have optimized productivity and results. In modern best-in-class NPI processes, a collaborative approach is encouraged, that is, where manufacturing integrates into the design phase early, ramping up the manufacturing effort as the design progresses to production. Engineering continues to participate even in the production phase to ensure the design is correctly built (Arena 2007). This joint approach shortens new product introduction time to market and enhances product quality. However, it also necessitates greater levels of communication and coordination amongst the project teams. The first phase in the new active-wear apparel introduction would be product definition. At this stage the design and marketing teams come up with new ideas either from market research. The NPI team for Harrington Collection would then perform technical feasibility studies and business case analysis (which we shall look at later in this paper using the breakeven analysis). This is duly followed by the creation of initial market and product requirements. These initial planning documents outline the objectives and goals for the new product introduction (NPI). The real challenge at this stage is in the selection of the right ideas and managing them to commercial success. It is advisable for organizations to develop a disciplined portfolio management process that they shall be using to aid them in consistently choosing the better product ideas and NPI processes to bring better products to market, before their competitors do so. After product definition we proceed with the product development phase. How this phase is managed generally determines how quickly the innovative idea reaches the market. New product development is complex partly due to the huge number of participating groups required to collaborate e.g. the design team, sourcing, quality control and others. These teams carry out hundreds of activities, such as design, prototyping, sourcing, quoting, testing, manufacturing and planning. This situation could be worse for global outsourced players because of the geographical distance and the extension of the teams beyond the boundaries of a single company. To deal with such a complex team environment the organization would need to set up a centralized and shared project and data management infrastructure, so that cross functional and cross enterprise teams are able to access the latest design files, work instructions, change orders, task list, and project plans as and when they are revised. The idea that Harrington Collection should pursue this product development under its Vigor division is heavily supported by this point. Being a division that is already running we would expect most of the infrastructure required for data management and information sharing to be in place in contrast to having to set up everything a new in the case where a new division is formed to handle this new product line. Also, with the increasing environmental and regulatory compliance pressures from different countries where the active-wear would eventually be sold, an organization at this product development phase must seek cost-effective solutions to meet product and process compliance requirements such as Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), Global Best Practices for Clothing Manufacturers and ISO standards. Harringtons is advantaged here since it has not outsourced its manufacturing. In an outsourced environment, companies need to assess compliance risks of all outsourced activities, implement necessary controls, and create documentation to establish an audit trail. This adds to complexity and has high cost effects too. The final key phase for NPI is the production phase. To ensure that manufacturing is efficient and cost-effective all teams (operations, manufacturing, testing, component manufacturing and design engineering etc.) must work together to ensure that a given design is manufactured to correct specifications. The earlier teams begin to collaborate the better equipped they will be for a rapid production ramp. According to Arena to facilitate efficient and accurate communication of product bills of materials (BOM), companies must ensure that the product record is available to all involved in the production and change implementation, including internal groups, contract manufacturers, and suppliers. Providing contract manufacturers and suppliers with selected visibility to centralized product record allows them direct access to the most recent changes. It removes the data communication bottlenecks that result from relying upon individuals and reduces the potential costly revision errors (Arena, 2007, p5). It is our opinion that having the product line run under Vigor division would be more efficient and effective than establishing a new division to do it because it has a seasoned team, supportive infrastructure in place and Harrington Collection could more easily develop a cross-functional product development process which is important to ensure the success of the new product introduction (NPI). From the shared project and data management infrastructure within Vigor division teams involved in the NPI would be able to access the latest project plans and tasks that are related to parts, sub-assemblies, and assemblies. It is also easier to ensure that project revisions are accessible to everyone involved. Demand and Profitability Analysis Template Table 1: Start up costs table Start Up Costs: Amount ($) Start-up Costs Pants Plant 1,200,000.00 Start-up Costs Hoodie and Tee-shirt Plant 2,500,000.00 Equipment Pants Plant 2,000,000.00 Equipment Hoodie and Tee-shirt Plant 2,500,000.00 Launch PR, Advertising 2,000,000.00 Fixtures for Company Stores* 2,500,000.00 Total Start-up Costs 12,700,000.00 Annual Depreciated Start-up Costs** 2,540,000.00 *For Fixtures for Company Stores we assumed that only the exclusive Vigor stores would be stocked with active-wear apparel. The company owned stores are 120 in total but exclusive Vigor stores are 50 (Tedlow Beckham 2008). Fixtures for each Company Store would cost $50,000.00 (Tedlow Beckham 2008). The figure obtained above was therefore obtained by multiplying $50,000 by 50 stores. **We are told that all launch fixture, plant start-up, and equipment costs would be depreciated over a five year period (Tedlow Beckham 2008). We used the straight-line depreciation method: Table 2: total fixed operating costs Annual Ongoing Operating Costs Fixed Overhead Pants Plant 3,000,000.00 Overhead Hoodie and Tee-shirt Plant 3,500,000.00 Rent Pants Plant 500,000.00 Rent Hoodie and Tee-shirt Plant 500,000.00 Management / Support 1,000,000.00 Advertising 3,000,000.00 Total Fixed Operating Costs 11,500,000.00 Table 3: total direct variable costs Direct Variable Costs Hoodie ($) Tee-shirt ($) Pants ($) Sew and Press 3.25 2.00 2.85 Cut 1.15 0.40 0.70 Other Variable Labor 3.20 2.40 3.05 Fabric 9.10 2.20 7.50 Findings 3.85 0.50 2.30 Total Direct Variable Costs 20.55 7.50 16.40 Table 4: total unit direct variable cost Direct variable costs translated into unit cost Hoodie ($) Tee-shirt ($) Pants ($) 20.55 7.50 16.40 multiply by 0.50 1.50 1.00 10.28 11.25 16.40 37.93 Table 5: Vigor unit Retail Price Suggested Retail Unit price Hoodie ($) Tee-shirt ($) Pants ($) 100.00 40.00 80.00 220.00 Wholesale unit price = 50% of Retail unit price = $110 Table 6: total variable costs as % of Wholesale Price Total variable costs as % of wholesale price working capital requirements 3.00 sales commissions 4.00 inventory costs 1.00 bad debt 0.70 transportation 0.24 miscellaneous 0.15 9.09 Table 7: total variable costs per unit Indirect variable costs Wholesale unit price 110.00 Total variable costs as % of wholesale price 9.09 Indirect variable costs per unit 10.00 Direct variable costs per unit 37.93 Indirect variable costs per unit 10.00 Total variable costs per unit 47.92 Table 8: contribution per unit Contribution Wholesale price per unit 110.00 less total variable costs per unit 47.92 Contribution per unit 62.08 Table 9: Breakeven units Breakeven Fixed annual costs (operating and depreciated start-up) 14,040,000.00 Ã · Contribution per unit 62.08 Breakeven Units 226,174.37 Table 10: Vigor active-wear approximate revenue Vigor active-wear approximate revenue Total units sold in 2007 7,500,000.00 Vigor Market share % 7.00 Vigor total unit sales for 2007 525,000.00 Vigor retail unit price 220.00 Approximate Vigor revenue for 2007 115,500,000.00 Table 11: Profit Margin Profit Margin Revenue 115,500,000.00 less fixed annual costs 14,040,000.00 less total variable costs (Vigor total unit sales for 2007 x total variable costs per unit) 25,160,100.00 Profit before tax 76,299,900.00 Profit margin before tax % 66.06 Making the Decision Based on the breakeven analysis we see it would be prudent for Sara Huey to approach the board and advise them to embark on the new active-wear product line because within a year Harrington Collection would have been able to not only breakeven but make a pre-tax profit of $76.3 million. Secondly we believe that the new product line of active-wear should be folded within the Vigor division so that it can benefit from the already existing infrastructure and sales channels. Moreover, like Myers suggested, the active-wear line would be a perfect addition to the Vigor division because it also focused on better wear plus fewer than 2% of respondents in their customer research survey felt that a less-expensive active-wear line would cheapen the brand (Tedlow Beckham 2008). This is a big thumb up from the most important public for the Harrington Collection, i.e. the consumer. We have also seen from the consumer behavior analysis that Harington Collection has got a lot more to gain from intr oducing the active-wear line for example we are told that the aging baby boomer population wanted clothes that would not make them feel old. In addition to that, another survey showed that 10% of customers purchasing apparel in the $100 $200 price range would buy an active-wear set if they could get one with superior styling, fabric and fit, which is what Harrington Collection was intending to manufacture and sell.