Entrepreneurial Mindset

Participating in any economic activity presupposes dealing with the lack of balance between the existing resources and the factors that affect the entrepreneurship in question. While markets are represented by a correlation between demand and supply, the specified variables are rather unstable, not to mention the internal and external factors that affect markets and their development, e.g. the political forces, the changes in customer trends, etc (Kshetri 27). Herein the reason for the lack of stability in most markets lies.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Entrepreneurial Mindset specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the other hand, however, all of the existing types of entrepreneurship can also be characterized by being based on a large number of paradoxes. Particularly, the correlation between creativity and the need to comply with the company rules deserves to be mentioned. The inconsistency between the con cepts such as planning and a degree of uncertainty, which a company always has to deal with, though typically added to the lineup of the existing problems that the leader of entrepreneurship has to fight, can also be viewed as a positive phenomenon (Schwinge 93). To be more exact, the issue of the lack of certainty can be turned into a major advantage of the enterprise by introducing the principle of creativity to the organization. As a result, the business leader will prompt its members to see an opportunity for improvements in every change that occurs to the company and, therefore, seize this opportunity to improve the overall performance of it. Particularly, the use of uncertainty to the advantage of the organization may begin with the introduction of the latest technological innovations to manage the subject matter by creating stronger ties with the customers’ community. Therefore, the factor in question (i.e., the correlation between the misbalance of the economic and te chnological environment and the planning process) can be viewed as a threat to the overall progress of the firm: â€Å"The rhetoric on uncertainty among ICT people is also likely to create uncertainty outside their own community of practice, in whom the concept of newer versions of technology itself is translated in ‘risk’ rather than ‘opportunity’† (Bernasconi, Harris, and Moensted 23). The specified phenomenon is a graphic example of imbalance within entrepreneurship enhanced by the inconsistency in the impact of outside factors. In other words, the effects of the lack of balance within an organization and outside of it are reciprocal.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Hence, it can be assumed that the process of running a business, including the related operational processes, production, logistics, etc., is fraught with dealing with the lack of balance both within a company and in the designated market. Consequently, none of the theories under analysis is better than the other; in fact, none of the frameworks works on its own once applied to the environment of the global economy. Quite on the contrary, the theories in question only become viable and applicable once they are combined and applied to the analysis of a particular firm. Planning, in its turn, is not supposed to eliminate every possibility of uncertainty occurring; instead, planning g must serve as the basis for developing a strategy that will help address a particular instance of uncertainty. Indeed, the paradoxes that can be observed in a company are inhibited by the economic, financial, social and sometimes even political factors of a particular market. A closer look at the issues such a planning vs. uncertainty, etc. Although the paradoxes in question may seem incompatible in the specified environment, the realm of the global economy invites an oppo rtunity for these paradoxes to not only coexist but also be co-dependent. As a result, a sustainable environment, in which an organization may operate, is created. In other words, the specified theories can be viewed as two ways of looking at the process of running a business. In the realm of the global economy, where organizations are exposed to an increasingly large number of risks on a regular basis, the adoption of both theories for a dual analysis is essential to the existence of these firms. Therefore, it can be assumed that the theories in question should be viewed as two sides of a coin. Being the exact opposites, they complement each other, thus, helping attain the full picture of the threats that an organization may be exposed to. Hence, they both have an equal degree of significance and should be applied to practical dilemmas together. Addressing the paradoxes that operating in the realm of the global economy presupposes for most types of entrepreneurship, be it a small, a medium, or a large one, is an inevitable step in becoming a global company. However, the approach adopted by an organization to resolve the specified dilemmas is often unique, as the selection of the corresponding tools by the company hinges on the assets and disadvantages of the firm in question for the most part.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Entrepreneurial Mindset specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, a general strategy for managing the above-mentioned concerns is still essential to succeed in the target market, as the environment of the global economy traditionally puts a set of similar obstacles on the way of any organization to its global triumph. Therefore, a paradigm in managing the aforementioned issues can be spotted when carrying out an analysis of global companies and their choices. Specifically, large companies such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, etc. solve the problems under analysis by dividing the cash flow in an adequate manner so that the resources possessed by the company could be available and easy to allocate. More importantly, the division of the financial assets of the firm helps drive the line between the roles and responsibilities of the shareholders. Seeing that the companies such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, etc., have several shareholders, it is imperative that the latter should be able to come to an agreement concerning the areas of their influence. It is only with the reconciliation of all parties involved that the process of introducing a business to the concept of sustainability may commence. Some of the paradoxes specified above, however, are dealt with with the help of a different strategy based on the principles of corporate ethics and corporate citizenship promotion. Specifically, the issue regarding the conflict between the elements such as the staff’s personal ideas of corporate behavior and the company’s standards can be view ed as a graphic example of the need to adopt the standards of corporate ethics and develop corporate citizenship in the firm. The issues of flexibility and organization, in their turn, are addressed from a variety of angles depending on the principles that a company is guided by. According to the experience of Microsoft regarding the subject matter, the strategy of cannibalization (Sushil and Bhal 15) is applicable to the dilemma of flexibility and entrepreneurship. Defined as the process involving forced reduction in sales volume and, in some cases, the sales revenue of a particular product for the sake of promoting a different one produced by the same organization (Herzwurm and Margaria-Steffen 33), cannibalization helps arrange the corporate resources in the manner that reduces the threat of a financial loss to zero; as a result, the business has an impressive amount of resources stored for further use in case of an emergency. Hence, even in the worst-case scenario involving the necessity to spend a significant amount of funds, the organization is capable of covering the costs and retaining its sustainability.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Likewise, companies such as Apple and Microsoft make sure that the correlation between risk-taking and risk management should be of an adequate rate. Apple, for instance, incorporates a strategic approach to address the issue in question; as a result, the company is capable of managing the emerging risks in a timely manner. Seeing that the strategy in question is based on the link between the cost capital and the factors that the risks under analysis involve, Apple can afford to take rather big risks. Indeed, the strategy in question is linked directly to the financial approach adopted by the company and aimed at reducing costs. Hence, the resources saved by the organization can be utilized for taking risks when it comes to the projects such as branding of a new product, the promotion of a specific brand, targeting a new audience, etc. The issue regarding the proper use of information technology is also addressed rather efficiently by growth companies. Particularly, the IT devices a vailable to the organization are viewed as tools instead of being an end in itself. Consequently, the specified tools can be repurposed easily and shaped so that their key functions could serve the purposes of an enterprise. As the examples of Google and Apple show, IT tools can be used for gathering feedback from customers and responding them in a timely manner so that the emerging issues could be addressed properly. Correspondingly, the above-mentioned IT tools can also be used as the means of improving the work process flow in the organization, providing staff members with improved strategies for time management and the related concerns. Creativity Although most companies prefer providing staff members with a rigid set of instructions that the latter have to follow, a range of organizations, such as Google and Apple, stress the importance of creativity in the staff’s approach to specific problems. For instance, the high growth companies such as Google and Twitter encourage creativity in their staff members by encouraging their self-expression and helping them discover their talents: â€Å"By allowing its engineers to spend 20% of their work week on projects that interest them, Google is able to tap into the many talents of its employees† (He par. 18). Analytical Ability The ability to adopt an analytical approach to the process of decision-making is the feature that companies such as Google and Apple view as essential. Therefore, the organizations in question encourage the development of the specified quality in the members of their staff. Analytical ability is welcomed among the staff members of Google, Inc, Apple, Inc., as well as a range of other enterprises that have become leaders in the environment of the global economy. Imagination Spurring creativity, imagination is viewed as an important asset of staff members by a range of globally acclaimed companies, including Google and IBM. Modern organizations evolving in the environment of the global economy realize that there is a consistent need for firms to produce original ideas and that these ideas may come from any directions, including the company’s staff: â€Å"In our fast-evolving market, it’s hard for people to know, or even imagine, what they want. That’s why we recruit people who believe the impossible can become a reality† (Wojcicki par. 20). In other words, imagination is an indispensable requirement for candidates in most global organizations. High Autonomy The concept of staff autonomy has been an issue for a number of organizations due to its ambiguity. On the one hand, employees must follow the set of guidelines provided by the firm without any deviations from the prescribed patterns. On the other hand, a company must encourage staff’s understanding of its key processes and their independence in making company-related decisions. Herein the need to promote autonomy based on the firm’s concept of ethics lies. As so on as the organization establishes a specific set of ethical values and starts promoting certain patterns of organizational behavior that presuppose enhancement of corporate social responsibility in the staff members, the premises for increasing autonomy rates without affecting the performance rates negatively will emerge. Leadership As a rule, most companies realize that leadership skills are not intrinsic and need to be developed in an individual. Therefore, it is not the display of leadership skills in a candidate that most companies seek – although the specified quality is also very appreciated – but the premises for developing these skills later on. To be more exact, a candidate must possess a range of character traits, such as being quick on their feet, the ability to solve conflicts, impressive organization skills, etc., for a modern company to consider them as valuable resource. Initiative Taking As it has been emphasized above, being self-sufficient and indepe ndent in their company-related decisions is crucial for the members of global companies’ staff. Herein the need to take initiative for employees lies. As soon as the staff members display engagement in the changes occurring in the firm, the latter is going to prosper. Tolerance for Ambiguity Working in the global environment means dealing with a large amount of data that needs to be processed as quickly as possible. Therefore, at some point, the need to deal with rather ambiguous pieces of information emerges. In other words, the data that can be described as raw and, therefore, may incorporate conflicting information, may be supplied to the staff in the course of the company’s operations. Consequently, it will be reasonable to assume that employees will have to be able to handle ambiguous data and retrieve the information that will define the further course of the company’s operations. While the skill in question can be developed under specific circumstances, i t is desirable that the staff members should be able to identify the possible outcomes of ambiguous conditions intuitively. Intuitive As it was mentioned above, intuition is an essential quality of an employee working for a global organization. Because of a large number of factors that define the performance rates of an organization, including both internal (company-dependent) and external (inflicted by the outside factors) ones, managers need to rely on their intuitive understanding of the business processes to make the related decisions. Works Cited Bernasconi, Michel, Simon Harris, and Mette Moensted. High-Tech Entrepreneurship: Managing Innovation, Variety and Uncertainty. New York, NY: Routledge, 2013. Print. He, Laura. â€Å"Google’s Secrets Of Innovation: Empowering Its Employees.† Forbes 29 Mar. 2013. Web. https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurahe/2013/03/29/googles-secrets-of-innovation-empowering-its-employees/. Herzwurm, Georg, and Tiziana Margaria-Steffen. Softw are Business. From Physical Products to Software Services and Solutions: 4th International Conference. Potsdam, Germany: ICSOB, 2013. Print. Kshetri, Nir. Global Entrepreneurship: Environment and Strategy. New York, NY: Routledge, 2014. Print. Schwinge, Isabel. The Paradox of Knowledge-Intensive Entrepreneurship in Low-Tech Industries: Evidence from Case Studies of the German Textile Industry. New York, NY: Springer, 2015. Print. Sushil, Kanika T., and Surya P. Bhal. Managing Flexibility: People, Process, Technology and Business. New York, NY: Springer, 2015. Print. Wojcicki, Susan. â€Å"The Eight Pillars of Innovation.† Think with Google 2 Jul. 2011. Web. https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-resources/8-pillars-of-innovation/. This case study on Entrepreneurial Mindset was written and submitted by user Santiago Stein to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Measuring Performance

Measuring Performance Introduction The purpose of this essay is to assess whether measuring an employee’s performance is an essential tool for managers within organizations. Most managers and human resource directors view performance management and measurement to be a time wasting activity given the belief that they have hired skilled and experienced workers to perform organizational activities.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Measuring Performance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These managers fail to understand the fact that recruitment, selection and development of employees are important activities that lay the foundation for performance management and measurement. Performance measurement is defined as the sampling of an employee’s current work performance after which the sampled information is measured against a desired result to determine whether the employee is achieving the set out objectives and goals of the compan y (Carlaw et al 2003). Performance measurement is also the management of work outcomes to reduce any variations that might exist in the work performance process. Performance management is seen to be an important activity for many organizations and managers as it allows them to determine whether the employees are achieving the goals, objectives and mission of the organization. Performance measurement provides a sense of direction to employees by showing them what progress they have made in terms of personal goals as well as organizational goals. It provides employees with a gauge of how they have been performing their duties and what they need to do to make their performance better. Performance measurement ensures that employees are motivated to perform their work because of the reward programs that exist for employees who have performed their duties in the appropriate way (Carlaw et al 2003). Performance measurement is the process where an organization sets out the measurements that need to be analysed against the desired results. The main reasons for conducting performance measurement include evaluating how well a company is performing, controlling the performance of employees within the organization by providing managers with the authority to ensure their subordinates are performing their work activities in the right way and also improve the performance of the organization to achieve the organizations goals and objectives (Howell 2006).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Process of Performance measurement Performance measurement is an important activity for organizations since all managers want their employees to perform their jobs well. Measuring job performance ensures that the organization’s resources have been optimally utilised. It also reduces any expenses that might arise due to poor job performance and employee underperformance of work activities. Measuring performance identifies, communicates and rewards the employees who have met the desired organizational results. Performance measurement programs usually originate from the needs and expectations of an organization. Every employee within an organization has a specific need that they should meet to ensure that the organization’s objectives have been met (Mathis and Jackson 2008). The first step in the performance measurement exercise is to identify the expected performance levels that every employee is expected to achieve in their work activities. This will involve conducting a joint discussion between the employees and managers to determine what needs to measured. There are many business processes that require performance measurement and the most important processes are deemed to be those that are important to the organization and its customers. In determining which work activities need to measured managers and employees should ask questions such as what goals and objectives need to be achieved within the organization, what business processes is the organization involved in and what operations are needed to conduct these processes (Platts and Sobotka 2010) After identifying the organization’s business activities, the next step will be to identify the critical activities that need to be measured. This will involve examining the critical activities that are involved in each of the business processes. Critical activities are described as those that have a major impact on the organization’s overall process efficiency, effectiveness, quality and productivity. To determine the critical activities, the organization has determined whether these activities have a direct or indirect relation to the customer’s satisfaction and whether the employees and management view the activity to be critical to the organization. Once the critical activities have been identified, the next step will involve establishing the perfo rmance goals or standards that will be used in the measuring exercise (Hatry 2006) Performance goals and standards are deemed to important in the measurement exercise as they help in determining the desired result of the performance measurement exercise. Goals are usually determined by managers or by customers through their feedback, inquiries or complaints. This will require the organization to know its customers in order to identify their needs and expectations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Measuring Performance specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For every critical activity that has been chosen for measurement, a goal or standard has to be established to measure this activity. The performance measurement goals should be designed in a way that they can easily be attainable and applicable in the existing environmental conditions of the business. The goals should also be legitimate, measurable and easy to understand (Hatry 2006). One the performance goals have been established the next step will involve establishing performance measurements. Performance measurements are usually defined units of measure that are composed of numbers and units of measures. These numbers and units are usually represented by multidimensional units such as work hours, dollars, and number of errors, meters, and number of projects completed in a given time. To develop appropriate performance measures, managers need to identify raw data that can be used to generate performance measures as well as identify what tools and approaches will be used in implementing these performance measures. This stage involves using what the manager wants to measure by using the critical activity to derive a performance measure. Critical activities that have quantifiable goals can be used to easily derive the performance measures for the exercise. If the critical activities lack quantifiable goals, the performance goals can be derived from raw data needed for the performance measurement program. Raw data could be in the form of customer orders, customer complaints or the number of sales that an employee has made (Hatry 2006). Once the performance measures have been identified the next stage will involve identifying the employees to be measured and the people to conduct the performance measurement activities. Appropriate people need to be chosen to conduct data collection as well as analyse employee performance by comparing the collected information to the desired performance. The person required to conduct the performance measurement activity should also be capable of determining whether any corrective action is necessary to improve performance within the organization. The people or person to conduct this process should know what the goals of the exercise are as well as know what the actual performance of an employee is. They should also have the authority to implement necessary changes after the exercise has been co mpleted (Hatry 2006). After the people to measure and be measured have been chosen and identified, the next step will involve collecting the actual employee performance data. The person conducting the performance exercise will have to look at both descriptive and quantitative data related to the performance of the employee. This will include number of sales that the employee has made, number of errors they have made while performing their jobs and the number of hours they have worked.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Once this data has been collected, the next step will involve analysis and evaluation. Data analysis and evaluation determines whether the results of the measurement compare to those of the actual performance or standard. If there are inconsistencies, then the people responsible need to determine whether any corrective action needs to be undertaken to improve performance (Hatry 2006). Importance and Role of Performance Measurement Approaches for Companies While many personnel and human resource specialists concur that performance measurement is an important activity for an organization, some people hold a different opinion on the importance of performance measurement. The generalist view of performance measurements is that they are the tools that managers use to evaluate the performance of an organization and its employees so as to gain understanding of what has been achieved and what needs to be achieved. Performance measures are important for managers as they help them know how th e organization is doing, whether the employees are meeting the organization’s goals, whether the company’s customers are satisfied with the products and services or whether any improvements are necessary for the company’s business operations (Mathis and Jackson 2008). Platts and Sobotka (2010) hold a different view of the importance and role of performance measurement to an organization. The two based their views on a study they conducted on a German gas and electricity company, the results of which revealed that the managers did not use any performance measures on their employees. The results showed that the company used operational excellence instead of performance measurements where the operational excellence depended on organizational mechanisms such as trust and employee responsibilities. The company also used incentives, rewards and inspiration to motivate employees to perform their work effectively (Platts and Sobotka 2010). Conventional research has show n that performance measurement activities within organizations are important activities that help an organization to determine whether it has achieved its goals and objectives and what changes have to be implemented to ensure that the organization achieves its goals and objectives. The traditional roles of performance measurement have been divided into three roles which are inspiration, incentives and accountability where accountability involves the monitoring and reporting of an employee’s performance against the previously determined performance goals (Platts and Sobotka 2010). According to their research, the authors found that an alternative view existed on accountability in performance measurement where the employees in the German company had to prove themselves to be compliant to the principles and guidelines that underlined the operations of the company. They determined from their research that organizations that had a flat structure did not require any performance mea surement metric to drive the performance measurement process. With regards to incentives, the authors observed that the employees working in the German gas and electricity company viewed their clean and healthy working environment as an incentive and motivation for them to perform their work and achieve the set out goals of the company. They also viewed the public recognition of the work efforts to be a more important incentive than monetary rewards (Platts and Sobotka 2010). When it came to inspiration, the authors noted that it came from a desire that the employees had to achieve the stated performance measures. This desire also came from an awareness of the employee’s efforts that contributed to the overall achievement of the organization’s objectives and mission. The alternative view of inspiration that the authors derived from their assessment was employees who identified with the company were motivated to perform well in their work because they had a sense of bel onging. Inspiration within the company was instilled by charismatic leaders and the practice of management allocating more responsibilities to employees (Platts and Sobotka 2010). Platts and Sobotka’s (2010) research noted that the German company practiced alternative means of achieving high employee performance which were through offering inspirational leadership, providing a positive working environment for the employees and encouraging employees to provide their suggestions and opinions on how the company can improve its performance. The authors concluded their research by stating that formalized employee performance measurements were not required in achieving high performance standards within an organization (Platts and Sobotka 2010). Platts and Sobotka’s analysis of the German company showed that performance measurement was not a fundamentally important activity in organizations. A case study of Lloyds TSB Bank showed that the company practised the traditional app roach of performance measurement for its employees since it was involved in a company merger with TSB Group in 1995. The performance measurement program used by the bank was mostly a checklist that assessed the performance of employees within the bank after a given period of time. Performance measurement in the bank was not directed towards the achievement of the company’s goals but it was directed towards the completion of tasks by the bank’s employees. This demonstrated that performance measurement within the bank was more of a bureaucratic process instead of a performance enhancing activity (Houldsworth and Jirasinghe 2006). This reinforced Platts and Sobotka’s view that performance measurement was not an important activity for organizations. The Lloyds TSB Bank incorporated the use of the balanced scorecard in its performance measurement activities where the approach was used to balance the bank’s strategic priorities to its business processes, financ es and its customers. The balanced scorecard did not however measure the performance of employees within the bank effectively because the objectives of the individual scorecards were viewed to be no more than the banks repackaged objectives and goals. There was also a general lack of understanding on how the balanced scorecards worked when it came to measuring employee’s performance within the organization. Such challenges presented an opportunity for the bank’s management to seek new ways of enhancing performance amongst the bank’s employees. These saw the incorporation of five new areas which included franchise growth, contribution, customer satisfaction, risk and people (Houldsworth and Jirasinghe 2006). While the above case studies showed that performance measurement was not an important activity for organizations, the general conception that exists about the activity is that it is important for organizations and managers. Performance measurement is viewed t o be an important key in the success of a business because it communicates the established goals of the organization to the employees. It outlines the activities that need to be achieved by an organization’s employees and it also provides a sense of direction for organizations. Without conducting performance measurement a company cannot be able to determine where it’s going. It also cannot determine whether the set out goals and objectives have been achieved. Performance management therefore becomes an important activity and tool for managers who are determined to achieve the goals and objectives the company (Howell 2006). Conclusion The essay has focused on the aspect of whether measuring employees performance is an important activity for managers. The assessment of the performance measurement process has revealed that the activity is in important in terms of providing a sense of direction to the organization as well as determining what objectives and goals have been achieved by the organization’s employees. The essay also revealed the varied opinions that existed on whether performance measurement was an important activity for an organization. A review of various case studies showed that the activity did not in any way improve the performance of a company meaning that it was just another human resource program that did not add any value to the organization. The case studies revealed that the company’s management practised other activities that were meant to improve the performance of employees within the organization such as using inspirational and charismatic leaders, encouraging employees to take up more responsibilities and encouraging employee loyalty to the organization. While these activities worked for these organizations, the same cannot be applied for other organizations. Despite these variations in opinion, the general consensus was that performance measurement was an important activity for most organizations. References Carlaw, M., Carlaw, P., Deming, V.K., and Friedmann, K., (2003) Managing and  motivating contact centre employees. New York: McGraw Hill. Hatry, H.P., (2006) Performance measurement: getting results. Washington, D.C.: Urban Institute Press Houldsworth, E., and Jirasinghe, D., (2006) Managing and measuring employee  performance. London, UK: Kogan Page Howell, M.T., (2006) Actionable performance measurement: a key to success. Milwaukee, US: American Society for Quality (ASQ) Quality Press Mathis, R.L., and Jackson, J.H., (2008) Human resource management. Ohio, US: Thomson higher education Platts, K., and Sobotka, M., (2010) When the uncountable counts: an alternative to monitoring employee performance. Business Horizons, Vol.53, No.4, pp 349-357

Globalization and Its Impact on Global Business Practices Essay

Globalization and Its Impact on Global Business Practices - Essay Example IGOs are organizations consisting of at least three states as members linked together through an agreement called intergovernmental agreement. Examples of IGOs are WTO, North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), OPEC, World Bank, IMF, UNO etc (Hart, 2008,p15).States create IGOs and are the main actors in the decision making process. Now the main power among the states in the USA. USA, Europe, and Japan called the triad economies have been traditionally dominating the global business and the decision making process in the IGOs (Accenture, 2007). In addition to these, globalization has resulted in the emergence of new political actors ie the Non-Governmental Organizations, which have close links with these international government organizations. The main influences on the boundaries of the nation-state due to globalization according to various definitions can be classified as economic, political and cultural. The rise in liberalization and deregulation and the rapidly declining transportation and communication costs, as well as the reduction in barriers to good and services, have resulted in a high rise in the trade, FDI, and transfer of technical knowledge (Frankel, 2000). The rise in FDI has outweighed the rise in exports all over the world (UNCTAD, 2000). Moreover, as a consequence of the internationalization of production, there has been a shift in the production from goods to services all over the world with the services sector contributing to about two-thirds of the world GDP compared to only half of the world GDP in the 1980s(World Bank,2009). The globalization process has changed the traditional home country determinants of FDI.  

Integrated Marketing communication plan of Honda Civic in the US Assignment

Integrated Marketing communication plan of Honda Civic in the US - Assignment Example Communication plays a pivotal role in determining the success of an organisation in as much as marketing of the product offered is concerned. It can be observed that modern communication technology has made dramatic changes in the contemporary marketing communication landscape given that the consumers are now able to evaluate the choice of the goods they want. On the other hand, the marketers are also aware of these indispensable changes brought about by new information and communication technology and these have compelled them to adopt the use of an integrated marketing communication plan in their operations. An integrated marketing communication (IMC) plan is ideal for Honda Civic in the US. In order to outline the communication plan that can be used by Honda, it is important to begin by explaining the meaning of IMC concept in order to gain a full understanding of it. Basically, an integrated marketing communication can be defined as, â€Å"a concept of marketing communication planning that recognises the added value of a comprehensive plan that evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of communication disciplines such as advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, direct marketing, public relations, sponsorship,† (Cant, 2000 p.285).... ises the added value of a comprehensive plan that evaluates the strategic roles of a variety of communication disciplines such as advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, direct marketing, public relations, sponsorship,† (Cant, 2000 p.285). These communication channels are integrated and coordinated to deliver a clear, consistent and compelling message about the organisation and its products. Kotler & Armstrong, 2004 also posit to the effect that all the corporate messages, positioning and images, and identity are coordinated across all marketing communication venues which reinforce the image and identity of the organisation. The main objectives of marketing communication mainly depend with what the company seeks to achieve through the integration of different communication disciplines. As such, Honda’s IMC plan should include the effective use of advertising, personal selling, public relations, direct marketing as well as sales promotion. In this case, the aim of the IMC will be to create loyal customers through giving them the right information about a particular product or brand offered. Against this background, this report seeks to develop an IMC plan for Honda Civic. According to AutofairHonda (2011), the 2011 Honda Civic GX is powered by natural gas and it does not use fossil fuels like other conventional vehicles. This model of car was developed after the realisation that the environment also needed to be protected given that carbon gas emissions from vehicles significantly contribute to global warming which is seen as an environmental concern across the whole world. Honda Civic 2011 is a luxury vehicle which is environmental friendly. However, of notable concern is the fact that this particular type of vehicle appeals to a unique segment and this is

Mind mapping Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Mind mapping - Research Paper Example Likewise, power providers such as the one displayed in Monster’s Inc. do not necessarily have to concern themselves with competition due to the fact that their competition does not spring up overnight because the entry cost into the market is so incredibly high. As was the case with McDonalds, consumer tastes, the price of food, the performance of the economy, the time of year, and the time of month have massive impacts on overall total sales levels. For this reason, firms like McDonalds are much more beholden to the swings of the external environment than say a power provider. However, at the end of the day, both companies must be mindful of the external environment because to ignore it is to ignore the future viability of the firm. Within Monsters Inc, the viewer is presented with secretaries and administrative staff, the CEO, HR and quality control, machinery technicians, janitorial staff, primary agents (the Scarers), and security and disaster remediation staff. Whereas at a regional McDonald’s location you do not see the stratified corporate footprint as was exhibited in Monster’s Inc.; instead, you see the cooks (technicians), the drive through staff (sales and customer service), cashiers (finance), and shift supervisor (management) (Bacon, 2011). Within Monsters Inc, you are aware of a training department, a quality assurance department, an HR department, a CEO, and a security team. Likewise, when working at McDonalds, the corporate footprint was less stratified. Because of the fact that I was working in the franchise operation, I was not necessarily aware of the larger operations taking place outside my field of view with reference to McDonalds as a corporate entity. Sadly, the environment within McDonald’s was an abysmally miserable one from my personal experience. It was so bad in fact that I chose not to continue my employment with the company longer than the

The impacts of structural and infrastructural elements to service o

The impacts of structural and infrastructural elements to service o I. INTRODUCTION With the ever-changing nature of a global business operation that requires firms to adjust rapidly, operations flexibility capability has become more influencing, underpinning the strength of an organization. World-class service organizations rely on right strategies and practices to enhance their operations flexibility. In Malaysia, for instance, the world best budget airline, AirAsia, applies certain principles, practices and procedures that align with its operations objectives to achieve appropriate level of flexibility in their operations that suited its market segments requirements [1] [2]. In another example, there was a lot of confusion on the part of the passengers and employees of Jet blue airlines in Florida when weather conditions delays flights. In any eventualities, organization must plan ahead on how to deal with the changing circumstances that will affect their operations. Some of the impact of changes must be dealt at the source through some standardization of products, services and process delivery. The remaining must be dealt with at the point of impact using robust structural and infrastructural resources deployment strategies. Among the most essential move to establish and eventually enhance the operations flexibility is the use of technology especially the IT to better communicate internally within organizational units and externally with their customers thus providing flexibility in their operations. Others may rely on smart networking with clients and suppliers so that they will handle the uncertainties together as a group. At the same times, having a flexible workforce will ensure certain level of variability will be absorbed by tactically reassign the workforce. In summary, the changing nature of the environment requires flexibility to be one of the primary competitive components to be applied and considered seriously. To enhance the flexibility capability, firms need to strike a balance with structural and infrastructural decisions. In this paper, we will evaluate the dimension of structural and infrastructural elements and service operations flexibility and their relationship in a multivariate outlook. Few important questions need to be addressed here namely: What is service operations flexibility; what are the important structural and infrastructural elements and how they affect the operations f lexibility of service organization. II. LITERATURE REVIEW It is widely argued that operations flexibility is very much related to changing the structure and infrastructures of the organizations. However, the discussion on the important elements that fall into each category is debated. In following the definitions given by Hayes and Wheelwright [3], and Schroeder [4] suggested structure resources include capacities, facilities, process technology, and vertical integration whereas infrastructures include people, information system, organization, production and inventory control, and quality control system. Slack [5] suggested labor and technology as structural resources that must be supported by infrastructural assets such as the system, relationship and information couplings. Relating the structural and infrastructural elements to operations flexibility, there have been several studies done to address the issue. One of the important studies conducted by Correa and Gianesi [6] associated the broader term of flexibility as being able to respond effectively to unplanned change. They linked uncertainty and variability with unplanned change, which require firms to understand the concept of unplanned change. Managing unplanned change can be divided into two dimensions. One is labeled as flexibility in dealing with change after the unplanned change has occurred. The second dimension is the ability to deal with a certain amount of change and reducing the effect of change. This can be done by finding ways to control the changes by implementing strategies like forecasting technique, maintenance system, parts standardization, and manufacturing focus. These strategies are to prevent and avoid the change before it occurs. This is where the structural and infrastructur al elements play their roles. For example, in order for service firms to be able to implement the chosen strategies both before and after the occurrences of unplanned changes, firms ought to have suitable structural elements such as integration and technology supported by systematic infrastructural elements such as quality leadership and teamwork activities. Harvey et al [7] explained that a flexible firm is the one that can handle variability with minimum penalty and suggest the difference between internal robustness and external flexibility. Internal robustness must be dealt with minimum efforts due to the fact that it will not create value to customers. Harvey et al [7] suggested that in order to deal with the internal variability, firms may require organizational arrangement such as cross-functional teams, empowering contact personal, and building a flat organization, which factors are related to infrastructural elements of operations as well as modifying the structural elements such networking capability. It is the external flexibility that must be managed carefully in order to gain competitive advantage. Central to the issue, Harvey et al [7] proposed the use of structural element, mainly IT technology in order to manage flexibility. This is also supported by Bucki and Pesqueux [8] who also proposed the components of operations strategy on structural and infrastructural elements that contribute to operations flexibility. Adler [9] agreed that flexibility in organizations is a useful tool to improve firms competitive position as related to the use of technologies in implementation and the decision- making process. Upton [10] supported the idea and added that firms should create an infrastructure to allow for system flexibility. As a result of technological improvement and changes in customer preferences, service operations have become flexible and this requires adjustment in the delivery process. Upton [10] also pointed out that customers expect and prefer to get services at their convenient time and location, therefore capability on the part of the service provider to be flexible is imperative. One specific example on how structural elements such as technology and integration play an influencing role in service operation flexibility is the use of ATM machines. Banks that have ATM services have been providing convenient services to customers for years. In accordance with this, ATM services have improved over time. Two of the improvements mentioned include the increase in the limit of the amount in withdrawal transactions and the multiplication of ATM units strategically situated in many convenient locations. In elaboration, ATM services nowadays are not solely restricted to bank premises but can also be found at airports, petrol stations, bus stations, fast food restaurants and many others. The change in the way banks deliver services indicates the degree of flexibility in service operations that benefits banks and customers alike. ATM technology may require some investment on the banks side, but in the long run, it reduces operating costs by decreasing the number of staff a t counter services. Davis and Heineke [11] concluded that reduction in customers waiting time at counter services by improving better services management of process design can certainly reduce customers dissatisfaction and defection and technology could help to achieve this goal. Technologies have proven to be able to offer more opportunities in improving services processes. Collier [12] in a study on electronic devices for check-in and check-out systems in the hotel industry, automatic toll booth in transportation, electronic fund transfer in banking services, the practices of e-ticketing in the airline business have given huge impact on the ticket purchasing system, airport checking process, and service industries as well. Therefore, in responding effectively to customers demand variations, improving services process design by using technology is another approach to increase flexibility of the service system. Based on the above discussion, we have recognized several elements that must be considered in enhancing flexibility capability of a firm which could be further divided into structural and infrastructural elements. Among the most cited structural elements in discussing the service flexibility is technology, particularly the ICT, integration, and facility. With regards to the infrastructural elements, some of the most important factors cited in the literature are team management, worker empowerment, and quality leadership. As for the dimensions of service operations flexibility, we incorporate the types given by Correa and Gianessi [6] who suggest service flexibility capability as design, package, volume, delivery time, delivery location, system robustness and customer recovery with Harveys internal robustness and external flexibility[7]. Thus, we hypothesize; H1: Structural elements consists of facility, location, technology, integration/networking positively influence the external flexibility; H2: Structural elements consists of facility, location, technology, integration/networking are positively influencing the internal robustness, H3: Infrastructural elements consists of teamwork management, worker empowerment, and quality leadership positively influence the external flexibility, H4: Infrastructural elements consists of teamwork management, worker empowerment, and quality leadership positively influence the internal robustness We also propose that the infrastructural elements are more dominant in service industries as the soft power related to human potential are the silent forces that determines the operations flexibility, H5: Infrastructural elements have a greater influence on both external flexibility and internal robustness as compared to the structural elements. III METHODOLOGY This research uses a survey approach. We employed several techniques leading to the final large scale survey. First we conducted a thorough literature review on topics leading to the development of items to measure structural and infrastructural decisions and operations flexibility. Subsequently, the researchers conducted several interviews with operations managers in selected service companies namely; hotel, port management, and airline, to check if the factors found in the literature are relevant to the practical ideas of the managers, particularly in the Malaysian business environment. This technique allows the researcher to explore any relevant ideas pertaining to the issue. The interview will also provide some valuable information on the keywords or the indicators from the Malaysian perspective since the literature is too replete with studies from the different environments of western countries. Each session usually takes more than an hour. Combining the literature review and the interviews, an instrument was developed to measure structural and infrastructural elements, and operation flexibility. The structural and infrastructural elements are mainly adapted from the instruments developed by Boyer and McDermott [13]. The items to measure operations flexibility capability are taken from Correa and Gianessi [6] and Harvey et al. [7]. In summary, the instrument consists of (A)Infrastructural elements divided into worker empowerment(7 items), quality leadership(6 items), team management (4 items) (B) Structural elements consists of location(2 items), integration(5 items), technology(6 items) and capacity(2 items) (C) external flexibility (6 items) and internal robustness (5 items).  A sample of questions is given as follows; Technology: Indicate level of investment in the latest technology relevant for enhancement of the business operations (e.g. latest scanning system for hospital or new ATMs for banks) Capacity: Indicate the level of investment in upgrading / improvement of existing facilities Several workshops and discussion were conducted leading to the final version of the instruments. Before conducting a pilot study, we pre-tested the instrument on our MBA students, whose backgrounds included experience working in service organizations to identify potential problems with respect to the ability of the respondents to understand the questions asked, and clarify the instruments when it is necessary. No major change was made. Consequently, a pilot test was done to test the reliability and validity of the instrument. This is also done to minimize the administration of the questionnaires in the real study. 30 companies were conveniently selected to test the instruments. 25-100 observations were thought adequate for this purpose [14]. The reliability of the instrument was assessed before we proceed with the large scale study. We employed the Cronbach alpha method in gauging the reliability of the scale. All constructs show the alpha coefficient of greater than 0.7. We conclude d that the measurement scale is reliable and thus, will maintain all items measures. The large scale study that involved companies from 9 service industries was followed subsequently. Instead of using mail, which often result in poor response in an emerging economies countries such as Malaysia, we sent enumerators to operations managers or equivalent positions whom we had contacted earlier and expressed their desire to participate in the study. To choose the companies, we used the appropriate directory when it is available. For example, for the hotel industry, we utilized the Malaysian Hotel Association directory and select hotels with the rating of three stars and above. The selection represented both low contact and high contact category [15] :(a) Hotels (Service factory);(b) Fast foods (service factory);(c) Auto repair (Service shop);(d) Private hospitals (Service shop);(e) Private colleges; (f) Retailing (stores) (Mass service);(g) Retailing banking (mass service);(h) Accountant(Professional);(i) Architect firms(Professional).   The total final response was 254 firms. We then analyzed the data using the appropriate statistical techniques such as Factor Analysis and Regression Analysis TABLE 1 SERVICE CATEGORIES Sectors Frequency Percent Hotel Fast Food Private Hospital Auto repair Retail stores Retail banks Private colleges Architect Accountant Total 31 30 24 26 30 30 30 30 23 254 12.2 11.8 9.4 10.2 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.8 9.1 100 III. RESULTS Descriptive Statistics: We had about equal numbers of respondent across the 9 industries as shown in Table 1. With regards to the years of operation, more than 30% of all companies have been in operations for more than 10 years. Of all respondents, close to 60 percents are managers or above with 7.1 percentile hold top management positions. Most firms (about 60%) do business locally or nationally whereas about 25 % cover international market. Factor Analysis: A series of factor analysis was conducted to establish uni-dimensionality of the variables and to reduce the independent variables (structural and infrastructural elements) and the dependent variables (external flexibility and internal robustness) to appropriate factors. In doing this, there is an opportunity to redefine or reduce the number of factors according to the commonalities within the variables. SPSS provides the test for the appropriateness of the use of factor analysis and the adequacy of the sampling size. Bartlett tests indicate that factor analysis is suitable and the KMO test calculated that the sample is enough to conduct factor analysis. The first analysis on the structural elements resulted in three factors with percentage variance explained 74.674 percent. We define the factor as facilities related factors (capacity and location),technology, and integration/networking. We then run the second factor analysis for the infrastructural elements and foun d only two factors with 64.958 percent cumulative variances included and name the factors as teamwork management and quality leadership. Finally a separate analysis for external flexibility and internal robustness, as suggested from the theory, maintain most of the items that measures both constructs. The results of exploratory factor analysis shed light on structural, infrastructural elements and the service operations flexibility: external flexibility and internal robustness. The previously mentioned separate structural factor; facility and location, were remerged into one factor that we could call a facility related factors. Examining the items that measures capacity and locations seem to highlight the facility issues and the merging is not totally surprising. Meanwhile, worker empowerment from the infrastructural elements was diluted as some of the items are highly correlated with the team management. This is also justifiable as the team needs some forms of empowerment to be abl e to work effectively. We however intend to cut short the detail discussion of the result s of the factor analysis as the emphasis of this study is on the impacts of the independent variable to service operations flexibility. Multiple Regression: The first model with internal robustness () as the dependent variable has a good fit with R = 0.662 and R square = 0.439. The strongest factors to influence the dependent variable seem to be the structural elements, with technology ( Ã‚ ¢ = .387; t = 6.839), capacity location ( Ã‚ ¢ = .320; t = 5.706), integration/networking ( Ã‚ ¢ = .180; t = 3.353) show the highest beta-coefficient consecutively. Only team management, one of the two factors of infrastructural elements significantly influences the dependent variables. ( Ã‚ ¢ = .156; t = 2.609). The second model has also a good fit with R = 0.686 and R square = 0.471. This time, technology also plays an influencing factor ( Ã‚ ¢ = .342; t = 6.219), followed by capacity/location ( Ã‚ ¢ = .299; t = 5.499), integration/networking ( Ã‚ ¢ = .197; t = 3.783), team management ( Ã‚ ¢ = .187; t = 3.215), and quality leadership ( Ã‚ ¢ = .151; t = 2.678). Here, it seems that quality leadership fac tor play a significant role in delivering the external flexibility of a service firm. We also notice a reducing degree of influence of structural elements (except integration/networking) to affect the external flexibility of the service firms. Further, it is also quite surprising to observe the structural elements enforcing a higher degree of influence to the service operations flexibility where as we hypothesize that the soft elements of infrastructural should lead the list. The results enable us to confirm H1, H2, H3, and H4 but H5 which it is partially confirmed. This requires further explanations that will be discussed in the next section. IV. DISCUSSION This study confirms the importance of structural and infrastructural elements to the service operations flexibility. As suggested from Harvey et al [7] that the variability will have to be dealt with organizational arrangement such as cross-functional teams, empowering contact personal, and building a flat organization, which factors are related to infrastructural elements of operations as well as modifying the structural elements such as networking capability. Our study not only supported the literature but also specifying which factors contribute the most to the operations flexibility. Contrary to our belief that the soft elements will impact more on the operations flexibility of service firms, we found that the structural part especially the element of technology show a greater influence. We believe this is not totally unexpected as the infrastructural parts have also been found in the literature to play a supporting role in the operations effectiveness. Idris and M Ali highlighted the importance role of quality leadership and best practices in steering the effectiveness of firms [16]. Idris et al. [17] emphasizes quality leadership as an important component of organizational capability to drive company performance. Hussain et al [18] also proposed the prime role of leadership in their Excellence model. Further, regarding a reducing degree of influence of structural elements (except integration/networking) to affect the external flexibility of the service firms, this study highlights the role of infrastructural elements on the enhancement of the external flexibility. External flexibility usually deals with the customer demand that require more involvement on the part of the human resource to bring about the needed adjustments whereas more structural elements such as technology is needed to provide consistent internal results in the form of less confusion and glitches. Implying the results, service companies must invest in the structural elements such as technology and networking capability to boost the operations flexibility. These initiatives must also be back up with the human dimension in the forms of team management, and quality leadership. By recognizing the five factors prescribed in this research, a service company would be able to develop and strengthen the operations flexibility of their firms. There is no further analysis of the categories of service companies that may moderate the level of deployment of structural and infrastructural resources. For example, it is a possibility that a low contact service firms will utilize higher level of technology as compared to professional services. Thus future studies should highlight the issues. In addition, the importance of having operations flexibility may also be moderated by the competitive priorities of the companies and the categories of firms themselves. It is presumed that those companies who strive to make flexibility as their top agenda will deploy higher level certain structural and infrastructural resources as compared to those who have cost minimization as their operation objectives. Finally, this study uses managers perception to assess the operations flexibility. Other objectives measures should be explored for future studies V. CONCLUSION In this study, we investigate the relationship between structural and infrastructural elements and their effects on service operations flexibility. We divide the structural elements decisions into capacity, location, integration/networking, and technology while infrastructural elements decisions include worker empowerment, quality leadership, and team management. Service operations flexibility is divided into internal robustness and external flexibility. An instrument to measure all the factors is designed and pre-tested on 30 MBA students with slight changes as required. Thereafter, a pilot study was directed to operations managers of 23 Malaysian service organizations to check the reliability of the instrument. All items used to measure the studied factors are found to be reliable. Factor analysis readjusts our independent factors. With the new defined factors, we regresses them against the internal and external flexibility. We also found the dominant influences of structural and t he supporting influence of infrastructural elements to the service operations flexibility. ACKNOWLEDGMENT This research is supported by a research grant of National University of Malaysia (UKM GUP EP 07 18 113)

Love and War Essay -- Literary Analysis, The English Patient

War has the capacity to foster love while equalizing social status. The novels The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje and A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute substantiate the fact, through fiction, that during war-time men and women who are not of the same station in life can find an incomparable love with one another. Each novel also gives evidence of love igniting during war and surviving the trials of time and distance. Hana and Kip from The English Patient and Jean and Joe both go through these trials and tribulations associated with love and war. Whether that love is doomed for failure or a future together forever†¦it never dies. The love between men and women of different stations during times of war is manifested in The English Patient between Kip and Hana. Kip and Hana have a cultural difference due to race. Their identities are diverse from one another. Kip was born in the Punjab and raised in India while Hana is a white young woman from Canada and that difference in any other environment would have had an impact on the closeness of their relationship. A relationship between the two in a normal environment would have been unusual. Although Kip’s cultural heritage and skin color is different from Hana, Kip see’s himself as more English than Indian after he spends so much time identifying with other Englishmen. Kip finds himself in a very perplexing situation. He begins transforming and accepting English traditions into his life, while still trying to hold on to his own Indian traditions. Racial tensions were high during the 1940’s, and Indians in England were seen as second class cit izens. â€Å"In England he was ignored in the various barracks, and he came to prefer that† (196). Kip’s self-sufficiency, â€Å"†¦was as much a result ... ...ove and devotion to one another. â€Å"‘Dear Joe. Of course I’m in love with you. What do you think I came to Australia for?’† (248). They had found a bond in the war based on need, a need for companionship and understanding, and in that need they later discovered an enduring love that could never die. During times of war love is cultivated and social statuses are eradicated. War wipes away all the concerns with petty things in life while lifting up the values that we hold so strongly to within our hearts and souls. War makes people remember what is truly important in life and gives individuals a sense of purpose. Love and friendship are unbreakable bonds that we as humans cherish. All of the trivial concerns in our civilized world often tend to make us temporarily forget that fact. Love makes us human, especially during times of war when people can seem so inhumane.

Safety and Protection Services

In the process of creating a security agreement, the first essential task which we should be able to undertake is to differentiate what are those locations as well as specific conditions which the security would be addressed through public good — those that would be provided by the local government — as well as the security issues that would be addressed by private enterprise. Such a differentiation would allow for us to make specific boundaries and avoid security coverage overlaps between those which would be provided by the government and that was what shall be covered by the local agencies which the company would hire. The reason why we would like to avoid overlaps in outlining the report and specify which issues are addressed by one group and which ones are addressed by another is that it would not only avoid regulatory and conflict of interest overlaps but also the cost efficient as well. We must remember that especially for a public good provisions such as security of the company which the government would be providing for the firm, then they have a limited budget in order to do this. Also, the security of the company with respect to the private enterprise which shall be addressed by our firm should also be cost efficient. Recent literature reflecting the costs of private security reflected that they are consistently increasing over the years. We would not want to have overlapping costs that would further create an inefficiency condition for the company (Commission & Toulson, 2004). In the discussion of who would be concerned providing security, there are two units and agencies which we should address. These agencies, however, are only the first step in information dissemination and coordination of security for the firm. These two are the local government units that would be providing security, as well as the security agencies as well as the security staff of the company. They are the two essential units where large focus must be given in drafting a security agreement. However, there also has to be circulating information across both the staff of the company and the government units so that they too may be informed of the further security issues that have to be addressed. The reason for this is that especially in a sensitive matters such as private protection — especially if our company has high in assets, may they be tangible or intangible — there is the constant danger of misinformation and might lead to further problems in the future if those which are in full — even in the smallest sense — are misinformed. The basic primary service that we would like the safety and security services of the law enforcement department of the local government units to perform are those that involve security coverage from the immediate surroundings of the companies location . However what we must remember is that local government agencies in policing already have the responsibility of protecting the surroundings of such public locations. With the security draft must focus on, however, is the schedule time frames or in areas highly sensitive data that are stored within the perimeter of the company. This may be done through interaction with local government units involving security and policing with the respective security agencies and departments of our company. Relevant research reflects higher risk security frameworks especially in institutions that have data assets which would be essential for the success of competition. In discussing security concerns between the company and the policing agencies, the focus must not only be two immediate security and physical assets but also in data security as well this would be discussed later on and further reports (Stamp, 2005). Another probable help the local law enforcement agencies may give to the company is a fast response policy in the case that incidents are reported by the security departments of the firm. This is usually already done in major metropolitan areas although there are times when specific overlaps in misinformation cause for various security holes exist. What the draft and suggestion must identify are the standard operating procedures for local government security in the case that they are required — in an emergency or otherwise — by the security departments of the company. Although it may not be explicitly stated by the government, the agreement, and company, there also probable ways are there to be better security support for such local policing units by giving preferential protection and security response times — even dedicated response servers and direct lines — to the security departments of the company. What we as business analysts would like to compare it to is an indirect method of outsourcing security but only in specific locations in specific instances so that the costs of the hiring additional security in-house would be less than those from the outsourced perspective (Commission & Toulson, 2004). Of course, however, did not reply completely on the security that is provided by local policing agencies. Also, even given the fact that there is a ready and in-house security department at the company, having the ability to tap the resources from outside security units such as those that are provided by the government does not necessarily mean that local security could slack off and relax. In fact, outsourcing and removing in-house the total security method of the company should logically make the company's own security department more vigilant because of the scattered holes and overlaps that an outside security unit with prose. The primary safety and security services that would be performed in-house are those which first, covered a specific geographic insight location of the company. It would be a greater security risk if outside security units that are provided by the government are allowed to roam freely within the premises of the firm. Although it may in fact decrease costs with relation to the amount that are paid to in-house security services, it nevertheless significantly increases risk of outside infiltration of the firm because of the lack of checks, balances, and specific operational controls when making use of outside security in securing the inside of the structures. Therefore, in the draft, we should be able to indicate that outside security units which are provided by the government may only enter the premises upon request for additional assistance in-house security units. Also, because it is completely logical that it is the security department of the company which knows the sensitivity of assets within the firm, as well as the day-to-day security concerns of the company, it is they who have the responsibility of training and informing the outside security resources which would be provided by the government in understanding the way the company works to tighten and cover the various security holes that may be found. In the draft, it is recommended that more responsibilities are placed on in-house security units because of the expected approval of such agreement — the less costs that are crude by the government for security of the company, the more likely it is that the mayor would prove such an agreement. However, we must also make sure that the benefits that the company which received with respect to the efficiency would be experienced by the in-house security Department would be just equal to the benefits that would be taken by the local government units for security (Wyman, 1999). Lastly, the draft should include what are the specific responsibilities that would be done jointly by the local policing agency and the in-house security department of the company. In this respect, the responsibilities included should cover those involving the safety and security of local employees and keeping resources. Unlike tangible assets and data, human resources and employees of the company are allowed to move around. As a result, there is no specific covert locations that could be wisely allocated either to in-house security or to policing agencies. Therefore, it would eventually be the responsibility of the two units to cover the safety and security of employees. However, it is the local policing agency which is largely responsible for the outside safety of employees, while the responsibility of the in-house security of the company would be to make sure that only employees have access to the company's premises as well as the assets that are assigned to employee use. These are the conditions and important factors that should be included in the draft to be written that would be submitted to the mayor of the city. Although there are still other specific minor issues that have not been addressed, these, at least, are the general frameworks that must be followed in drawing an agreement between the two security units and departments.

Islam Relationships with the West

Islam Relationships with the West Introduction Islam is one of the major religious groups spread all over the world. Just like most religious groups derive their principles from holy books, Islam also follow their principles as enshrined in their holy book, which is known as the Qur’an. The devotees of this holy book deem it the word of Allah.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Islam Relationships with the West specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Moreover, Islam adherents regard Prophet Muhammad as the prophet of God and his messenger to the world; they follow his teachings and examples which they regard as normative. Muslims are those individuals who identify themselves with Islam (acquiescence to God). The religious practices of Islam entail what they have been referred to as the Five Pillars of Islam; these concern all facets of life and the society at large (Maqsood, 1995). Islam Relationships in the West It is important to note from the ou tset that the relationship between the West and Islam has never been sufficiently positive right from the start of the 20th century. The West has a perception that Islam is a religion mainly concerned with the act of terrorism (Al-Khattar, 2003). The West has therefore become more cautious when dealing with issues that regard Islam. Due to this fact, the relationship between the West and Islam is set to be the characteristic feature in the 21st century, especially with respect to the Middle East. The questions are the policy makers in the West should engage with the Islamic world, whether the spread of democracy in the Muslim regions stop the military forces that generates terrorism and the Western governments and populace deal with the swelling population of Muslims; and how all these will affect the foreign policies of countries like the United States of America (Bascio, 2007). Moreover, the relationship between Islam and the West has become critical. Both the West, especially the United States, and Muslims have never trusted each other as aggression and terror always come in the mid of the relationship that exists between Islam and the West. The fact is that the Western nations, particularly The United States, have become arrogant to the Muslim world on one hand. On the other hand, the Muslim world has continuously maintained militancy against the Western world. This scenario has placed the relationship in perpetual tension. The tensioned was heightened when the events of the infamous 9/11 took place on the soil of the United States of America in which many people of varied nationalities were killed. The United States respondent militarily and this led to even more tension between the two world’s.Advertising Looking for term paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There is also political competition between the West and the Islam worlds. Both sides are determ ined to dominate each other politically (Al-Khattar, 2003). It is no doubt that the west are worried that Muslim may surpass them in political terms. However, there are also cultural aspects to the relationship between the West and Islam. The Muslims on the other hand hold the fear that the west will disintegrate their culture. Due to this fear, the Muslim nations have always reacted defensively against the Western nations. In fact, the Muslims tend to decline almost everything that has originated from the West (Al-Khattar, 2003). Further, the Muslim world views the West not as a dialogue partner, but as a repressive colonizer and great enemy. In fact, Islam believes that the West should come to the spirituality of Islam; implying that the West should embrace Islam as a way of life. This has been argued to be one of the fundamental reasons the Muslim world started the project of Islamization and the proclamation of the Islamic science. To this day, the bond between Islam and Western nations is weak. The Spread of Muslim Culture in the United States The presence of Muslim culture in the United States of America started as early as 1880s when thousands of Islamic adherents migrated from the Empire of Ottoman and some regions of South Asia into the United States. At that time, the Muslims did not really have distinctive settlement and most probably they were assimilated into the broader society (Kayyali, 2006). The earliest Muslim documented to have been the first to enter the United States was known as Anthony Janszoon Van Salee; he moved to New Amsterdam around the year 1630. In 1921, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community became the oldest Muslim establishment in the United States of America (Scholz Frijhoff, 2007). The Muslim culture in the United States gained its widespread during the 20th century; much of the growth was accounted for by widespread conversion of those already in the United States and large numbers of immigration into the United States. So, it can be a rgued that that the Muslim culture in the United States is spread by three factors. One of the factors is immigration; the second one is continuous conversion amongst those who already lived in the United States. The recent immigration has accounted for the widespread of Islam in the United States. The third factor that may be considered significant in the spread of Muslim culture in the United States is cultural heritage; the Muslim couples in the United States only teach their children about Islam being the only true religion for them. It therefore means that as more Muslims give birth in the United States, they also spread their religious culture.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Islam Relationships with the West specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Factors Contributing to the Growth and Population of Islam Culture in the United States One of the factors that significantly contribute to the growth and population of Islam culture in the United States is the belief that one should have as many children as he can. This implies that in the Muslim culture, birth control is not practiced and is not supported. Related to this belief is the fact that Muslims believe in poligyny; they can marry upto four wives and with the four wives, a Muslim man can sire as many children as he wishes or he deems appropriate. This scenario has raised the fertility rate amongst Muslims more than any religion or any society of individuals (Naim, 2002). The immigration policy of the United States is one of the contributing factors to growth and population of the Muslim culture. The migration policy that allow individuals to come all over the world to enter and work in the United States is significant and strategic for the Muslim communities to find their way into the United States; this is coupled with the fact that the policy does not place any form of restrictions to the effect of religious affiliations even through the West in general is very much concerned with the increasing size of Muslim population in the region (Larkin, 2001). But, then, it may be difficult to stop the growth of the Muslim population in the United States because there are Muslims who have become citizens of the United States either by natural birth or artificially; these Muslims have rights just like any other citizens who are non-Muslims. Therefore, citizenship is one of the fact ors has ensured increase and growth in the population of Muslim culture in the United States. The fact is that as they give birth, the children automatically become citizens of the United States. It should also not be forgotten that the United States of America has granted its citizens the right and freedom of worship. By virtue of this fact, the population has the right to choose whether to become Islam adherents or not; the choice is personal (Larkin, 2001). Conclusion The relationship between the West and Islam has been full of tension and s uspicion. The Western nations have viewed Muslim world and as a religion to be only concerned with acts terrorism. On the other hand, Muslim world has views the West as colonizers and enemies.Advertising Looking for term paper on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The spread of Islam culture to the United States of America began in the 1880s during the reign of Ottoman. It is recorded that thousands and thousands of Muslim immigrated into the United States from the Empire of Ottoman between 1880 and 1914. Since then, the culture of Islam has gained widely spread in the United States. The spread of Muslim culture in the United States is facilitated by immigration, birth and cultural heritage. Factors that contribute to growth of Islam population and culture are the United States immigration policies and the rights and freedoms of worship. Reference List Al-Khattar, A. (2003). Religion and terrorism: an interfaith perspective. United States: Greenwood Publishing Group. Bascio, P. (2007). Defeating Islamic terrorism: an alternative strategy. U.S: Branden Books. Kayyali, R. (2006). The Arab Americans. U.S: Greenwood Publishing Group. Larkin, B. (2001). International Religious Freedom (2000): Annual Report: Submitted by the U.S. Department of Stat e (see 0-7567-1338-2 for ‘01 ed.). United States: DIANE Publishing. Maqsood, R. (1995). Islam. Examining religions. Orxford: Heinemann. Naim, A. (2002). Islamic family law in a changing world: a global resource book. New York: Zed Books. Scholz, M. Frijhoff, W. (2007). Fulfilling Gods mission: the two worlds of Dominie Everardus Bogardus, 1607-1647. Netherlands: BRILL.

Music Essay Essay Example

Music Essay Essay Example Music Essay Essay Music Essay Essay Name: Tutor: Course: Date: Music Essay Twentieth-Century Art Music John Cage Sonata V This piece of music has a rhythmic flow. The rhythmic flow is created by the instrument, which is played by a single performer. The recording by Cage entitled, Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano shows the variation of tone in this piece of music, through prolonging notes. The prolonging of notes is achieved by the author, through using breves. Breves are the longest notes in that are used in the creation of music. In addition, some parts of the music have high pitches, in order to symbolize the climax of the piece. Pitch is a property of sound that describes its frequency. However, some parts of the music piece have low pitches. The performer uses low pitches, in order to reduce the tension of the music piece. Commonly, performers of this genre of music use the variation of pitch in order to create a story that makes sense to the audience. Debussy- La Mer (Valery Gergiev, London Symphony Orchestra) This piece of music is an orchestral version. An orchestra is a collection of instruments that are played in a rhythmical manner, by various performers. According to the clip by Debussy entitled, La Mer: Jeux; Pre?lude A? L’apre?s-Midi D’une Faune, the music in this piece begins with a low and sluggish pitch, which rises gradually. This creates a form of introduction to the audience, allowing them to create a story in their minds. Various sections within the piece are differentiated by short pauses. This is done by the use of quavers. Quavers are short notes that are used in the creation of music. It is evident that low tone music is played on the background. This helps to maintain the mood of the audience while introducing a new section of the piece. In addition, it creates a smooth transition to the following sections of the music. Climax points in the piece are shown by a sudden rise in the tone and pitch of the music. Climax points are the sections in a piece, where the emotions and feelings of the audience are highest. In addition, there are sudden changes in rhythm from fast to slow within the piece. The performers have succeeded in maintaining a constant flow of the music despite these changes. Furthermore, these changes are used to show the occurrence of dramatic and action scenes in the music. This helps the audience to deduce a story from the music. Unlike the first piece, this music has many artists playing different instruments. It is assumed that maintaining the rhythm in this music is more difficult as compared to the first piece. However, the performers have maintained uniformity and coordination throughout the piece. This assists the performers to have an efficient transition of sections within the piece. Additionally, the music also has a single conductor, in order to minimize confusion among the group of performers. Joffrey Ballet 1989 Rite of Spring (3 of 3) The music in this piece begins with a slightly high pitch. This is used by the performers to get the attention of the audience. Moreover, this form of introduction gives the audience an idea of the nature of the performance. The meaning of the music in this piece is simplified using choreographers. In this case, choreographers are people who use systematic steps of body movements, in order to illustrate the story a piece of music. The use of choreographers gives reality to the performance. In addition, they add entertainment to the piece of music. The choreographers’ actions are determined by the change of the tone, pitch and pace of the music. This implies that they should be able to coordinate with the music effectively, in order to maintain a good flow. According to the clip by Ballet entitled, The Search for Nijinsky’s Rite of Spring: Paa Sporet Af Nijinsky’s Le Sacre Du Printemps, the choreographers are dressed specific costumes. This helps the audience to identify the cultural origin of the piece of music. Moreover, the costumes add color to the performance, and this makes it enjoyable for the audience to watch. The performance has various climax and action points. These points are shown by the change in pitch of the music. Consequently, this change helps to vary the mood of the audience according to the performance. John Cage – 4’33This piece of performance involves the use of orchestral actions only to communicate with the audience. The conductor and the performers do not use any form of sound. This orchestral performance allows the audience to understand and interpret the message in different ways. This performance is difficult to understand. However, the intention of the conductor is to help the audience to meditate on the sound produced by the movements of the performance. This allows them to interpret the sound that is produced, in a different way. The purpose of the conductor is to coordinate the movements of the performers. In this performance, three movements allow the audience to interpret the actions. Additionally, it enables the audience to formulate their own stories about the performance. The recording by Cage entitled, The 25-Year Retrospective Concert of Music of John Cage shows how the movements of the performers is synchronized with the actions of the conductor. The Impact of Cultural Events on the Development of Music The development of music in the 20th century can be attributed to social and cultural events during this era. Events such as Christmas, weddings and funerals have led to the introduction of new musical rhythms. Moreover, these social and cultural events have influenced the arrangement of songs into different genres. An event like Christmas has brought up the use of carols. Carols are songs that are sung during Christmas holidays. The rhythm and tone of the carols show a joyous mood, which is the nature of Christmas holidays. Religious events like attending church services have led to the introduction of hymns, as another genre of music. Hymns are songs, whose purpose is to worship and praise the Lord. The tone of hymns puts the audience in a prayerful mood. The illustrations reveal that the social and economic cultures influence the tones that are used to sing some songs. These tones determine the mood of the event in which the song is being performed. The Reaction of the Audience The audience in the 20th century mostly reacted to the sound of the music during this era. Various communities of people attended musical concerts that reflected their cultural backgrounds, through sound. The variation of sound enabled the audience to react differently to the message that was being portrayed by the performers. The basic elements of sound help the audience to understand and interpret the story efficiently. The variation of sound in any piece of music during this era, allowed the audience to determine the mood of the performers. In addition, it helped to relate the mood to the personal lives of the audience. The audience reacts to high and low pitches of a piece of music, in order to show their emotions. Therefore, the intention of performers during this era was to activate the emotions of the audience, by using music. Ballet Joffrey, Nureyev, Rudolf, Waslaw Nijinsky, Nicholas Roerich, Millicent Hodson, Thomas Grimm, Judy Kinberg, Holly Brubach, Allan Lewis, and Igor Stravinsky. The Search for Nijinsky’s Rite of Spring: Paa Sporet Af Nijinsky’s Le Sacre Du Printemps. New York, NY: WNET, 1989. Sound recording Cage, John, and Julie Steinberg. Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano. Berkeley, CA: Music Arts, 2004. Web. 26 July 2013. Cage, John. The 25-Year Retrospective Concert of Music of John Cage: Recorded in Performance at Town Hall, New York, May 15, 1958. Mainz: Wergo-Schallplatten, 1994. Sound recording. Debussy, Claude, Valerii? Gergiev, Claude Debussy, Claude Debussy, and Claude Debussy. La Mer: Jeux; Pre?lude A? L’apre?s-Midi D’une Faune. London: LSO Live, 2011. Sound recording.

Project management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Project management - Essay Example As recommended by literature (Field and Keller 2007, p.198), the forward pass mode has been used for calculating the ETS for each of the activities. The mode is based on the assumption that all previous activities have been finalised. The following equation has been used in calculating its values: ETSj  = max (ETSi  + Ti  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ i - when an activity is linked to j on an arc from i to j). The values of ETS for each of the activities are provided in a Table 1. Early Finish Time (EFT) is calculated by adding the duration time of each activity to its ETS. The Late Start Time (LTS) is calculated through the use of backward pass mode. It is based on the assumption that the latest time the last event can occur is equal to the last event ETS. The following equation has been used in calculating its values: LTSi  = MIN (LTSj  - Ti  -j is an activity linked to i on the path from i to j). The values of LTS for each of the activities are provided in a Table 1. Float The total float in the scheduling provides information on the accepted event delay that will not result in total delay of the whole project (Field and Keller 2007, PMI 2008). It is the difference between the LTS and ETS of each project activity, i.e. Fi = LTSi–ETSi 3. The project duration and the critical path. The minimum required time for the completion of the project is 80 days. A final step in designing the network is the identification of the critical path. A critical path is made out of the critical activities of the project. An activity is assessed as critical when if delayed, will cause a delay of the whole project duration by an equal amount of time (Field and Keller 2007:183, PMI 2008). For a critical activity: The ETS and the LTS of the activity must be equal at the each node; The Float must be equal to 0; Table 1. Task Name Duration Pred. Early Start Early Finish Late Start Late Finish Float Critical path A 4 - 0 4 0 4 0 yes B 4 A 4 8 4 8 0 yes C 2 A 4 6 14 16 10 no D 6 A 4 10 10 16 6 no E 5 A 4 9 11 16 7 no F 8 B 8 16 8 16 0 yes G 10 C,D,E,F 16 26 16 26 0 yes H 7 G 26 33 26 33 0 yes I 6 H 33 39 33 39 0 yes J 5 H 33 38 34 39 1 no K 7 I,J 39 46 39 46 0 yes L 14 K 46 60 46 60 0 yes M 8 L 60 68 60 68 0 yes N 2 M 68 70 68 70 0 yes O 2 N 70 72 76 78 6 no P 8 N 70 78 70 78 0 yes Q 2 O,P 78 80 78 80 0 yes 1. Different Project Scenarios If the project starts on Monday 21st, May, 2011, what is the earliest date it can be completed using a 5 day working week? For calculating the schedule and the earliest date the project can be completed, the project management tool - Gant chart is used, presented in Appendix 2. The calculation is as follows: the total duration project of the (80) is divided with 5 (working days in the week) = 16 weeks. The earliest date is for completion of the project is Friday, September 2nd, 2011. If the following happened what would be the effect on the duration of the whole project? Explain the reasons. a. A two day delay in activity

Principles of Micro Economics (Change in Supply and Demand) Research Paper

Principles of Micro Economics (Change in Supply and Demand) - Research Paper Example The law of demand states that there is an inverse relationship between the price of products and services and the quantity demanded in a given period, all other things being equal. In circumstances where the price of a product increases, the market responds by decreasing the demand. In contrast, when the price of a product decreases, it is expected that the market will respond with an increased demand. The market’s sensitivity to price is also known as price elasticity (Nelson 574). Supply on the other hand increases the number of its produced units when the price of goods and service increases. In contrast, supply will decrease when price decreases. It is expected as producers are driven by profit motive and they are motivated to produce more at a higher price to increase their profit and is not motivated to create when there is no incentive for profit. Corollary, producers will only supply goods and services at a price that is higher than their marginal costs (Maurya 2). For illustration, let us use the demand schedule below; Price Quantity Demanded 1 100 2 80 3 60 4 40 5 20 According to the demand schedule, for every $1 price increase, there is a corresponding decrease in demand of 20 units. The quantity demand will continue to slide by 20 units as the price increases by a dollar. Figure 1 shows how the quantity in demand decreases with every dollar increase of price. Figure 2 will illustrate the change in demand. The demand changes because the price also changed. The illustration in figure 2 shifted to the right because there is an increase in demand as more quantity is demanded at each price. Figure 1. Change in quantity demand. Figure 2. Change in demand Supply on the other hand increases as the price increases. It increases because it provides producers an incentive to profit at a higher price. In figure 4, it showed that as demand increases, supply also increases. Conversely, supply will also decrease when demand decreases as illustrated in figur e 5. Figure 4. Demand rises Figure 5. Demand falls Supply on the other hand tends to increase as price increase. As figure X will show, the corresponding increase in price is matched with a corresponding increase in supply. So how does the change in demand can affect supply? Demand is elastic and is sensitive to price. Supply on the other hand is motivated to produce more with a higher price. The elasticity of demand or its sensitivity to price affects supply by mitigating its production because higher demand that is a result of lower price does not provide much incentive for producers to supply more (Adler and Dumas 182). This contradicting nature of supply and demand (supply increases when price increases while demand increases only when price decreases) enables the price of a product and services to be established in the market. The price of a product or service is a point where the market is willing to pay certain goods and services at a price where the supplier is also willing to supply which is not at a loss to them (McCall 404-405). This is illustrated in figure 6 where supply and demand met. In the final analysis, demand determines the number of units that will be supplied in the market, thus affecting supply. Figure 6. Price established in the market On occasions that supplier will produce more than what is demanded, say for example in figure 5 where the prevailing market price for a