Management, Organisations and People Module Report Essay

Introduction: The aim of this report is to provide an explanation to ‘Mimi Vasquez Hair and Beauty’ managers’ approach to leadership and go on to explore his relationship to his work group and how they have developed over time. It will first outline the methodology used to conduct this report and then go on to introduce the managers and workers and explain how their current work roles have developed over time. Subsequently, the report will provide an explanation to ‘Mimi Vasquez Hair and Beauty’ managers’ approach to leadership and go on to explore his relationship to his work group. To conclude the report, there will be a quick summary of what has already been mentioned and some limitations of the findings, methodology and related theories used in the report. The beauty salon which was named after its manager is privately owned and located in Chiswick in West London. In addition, it has two other branches located in Ealing and Hammersmith, both also within the West London area and owned by the same manager. All three of the beauty salons are relatively small in size making satisfactory profits and located just off the high streets in quieter areas. The first branch was opened in 1999 in Chiswick and the others followed on 5 years later, the Hammersmith branch being the newest. Method This report was conducted using both primary and secondary research. The primary research was collected directly from the manager and team members by interviewing them. By so doing, the research collected was new and wasn’t research that had already existed. Secondary research was collected through the use of books, the internet and articles and hence looking at existing data. Findings and discussion Behavioural theory As the manager, Mimi Vasquez, supervises and manages the overall performance of his staff and the business. His current work role is to analyse and recommend developing strategies on how to improve the quality of their services e.g. more speed and efficiency in cutting hair and accuracy with mixing colours of hair dye. These two examples are some of Mimi’s main targets and he wishes to have met these goals by July 2011. Mimi also examines ways to achieve his business goals of maximising profits and acknowledges that compensations and rewards have worked well in the past as they motivate and encourage staff to work better: Every year he elects 2 people as the most improved and most enthusiastic team members and rewards them in the form of bonuses and HMV vouchers. His work role also involves instructing his team members and allocating them to different parts of the salon when the day gets busy Moreover, this has played a great role in the development of Mimi’s leadership within the business. Yukl (2006, p5) defines leadership as- Leadership is the process wherein an individual member of a group or organization influences the interpretation of events, the choice of objectives and strategies, the organization of work activities, the motivation of people to achieve the objectives, the maintenance of cooperative relationships, the development of skills and confidence by member, and the enlistment of support and cooperation from people outside the group or organisation. Yukl’s definition very closely matches Mimi’s approach to leadership in the sense that it emphasizes the importance of ‘people skills’ and the social influence that leadership can have. One theory to provide evidence for this is the behaviour perspective. This theory claims that people become leaders because of what they do and this can be split into two different categories: task behaviour and relationship behaviour. Task behaviour places the main focus on the degree to which a leader emphasises productivity targets, goal accomplishments and maintaining standards. These behaviours can also be called ‘production-centred’ and it can be seen in Mimi’s leadership style when he uses HMV vouchers to motivate his staff to work harder and faster. Mimi has also said that rewards gave his staff an incentive to work and this played a crucial part in keeping them happy and full of energy, even towards the end of the day. Furthermore, relationship behaviour focuses on manager’s actions that show concern for their staff and their welfare as opposed to behaviours that concentrate on completing tasks. Although this contrasts to task behaviour, this can also be seen in Mimi’s leadership approach in the sense that he aims to improve his staff’s skills and help them gain more confidence in their job role. Trait perspective The controversy in defining leadership has enabled many different theories to be developed in an attempt to explain the meaning of a leader within a business or an organisation. Bratton (2010, p363) cited that ‘individuals who occupy leadership positions possess superior qualities or attributes compared with the traits possessed by non- leaders’. This view is known as the trait perspective and its’ theories such as the ‘great man theories’ focus mostly on positive characteristics such as stamina, intelligence and fluency in speech. Research in 1974 by Stogdill showed that socioeconomic factors also played a great role for example, very few corporate leaders had fathers who held a low class position or who were paid quite poorly. Stogdill also found that intelligence and fluency in speech were very closely related to leadership and used these traits to differentiate leaders from followers. He then concluded that there were ‘specific patterns’ of traits that occurred in some people which gave them an advantage when seeking a leadership position. Shabina and Mario also described their manager to hold very positive characteristics such as friendly, talkative, enthusiastic and organised and wasn’t like the other staff members at ‘Mimi Vasquez hair and beauty’ in the sense that he was much more determined. This therefore justifies why Mimi is a leader. In addition, research into ‘substitute’s for leadership’ claim that there should be a distinct difference between the leader and the followers in a business and there should be inflexible rules and formalized areas of responsibility in order to prevent the followers from being guided by their peers and replacing their existing leader. This would occur if the followers realized that their peers had the skills equivalent to their leader and they decided to follow them instead. Keith Grint (2005) also argues that successful leadership- Is not a list of innate skills and competences, or how much charisma you have, or whether you have a vision or a strategy for achieving that vision, but whether you have a capacity to learn from your followers. This again, provides evidence against the trait perspective stating that this is not what makes an effective leader. The shared/super leadership theory The founding of Mimi’s other branches, helped him gain experience which developed his role even further as he had to identify problems, make choices and provide alternatives actions to his initial plans. His role development throughout the years has been quite significant and his responsibilities have duplicated allowing him to improve his time management and organisation. Mario and Shabina are two team members of the salon who were also interviewed. Mario is a professional hair stylist whose work role involves restyling and cutting clients’ hair, dying, permanent hair straightening, Brazilian hair blow drying etc. His work role is crucial to the business as he has qualities and skills that require a lot of training and experience in order to gain. Mario’s work role has developed over the years as his experience has allowed him to move up the ladder in regards to the styles and haircuts he can confidently perform. The number of clients he reserves on a daily basis has also increased over the past 6 years of working at the salon showing an improvement in his abilities. He is now responsible for his own clients as before he would only deal with Mimi’s clients and help around. However, he is still in a lower position to Mimi and is usually responsible for making sure that Mimi’s clients are booked in for the dates and times they requested, making sure none of the time slots clash with one another. The Shared/super leadership theory suggests that excellent leaders are those who help their followers develop by acting as their teacher rather than keeping all of their knowledge to themselves. To add, Peter Senge(1990) also stated that ‘leaders are designers, stewards and teachers’ which supports the view. Mimi has constantly trained his team members, in particularly Mario and this also adds towards the statement that Mimi is an effective leadership. Fiedler’s leadership contingency theory Shabina is the only beautician at ‘Mimi Vasquez Hair and Beauty’ and her role involves taking care of her own customers and making her own bookings as well as offering all of the services; waxing, laser hair removal, threading, massages etc. Her role doesn’t involve anything to do with hair, and she works in her own room downstairs. However, Mimi is her manager also and so it is her responsibility to follow all of his guidelines and instructions. Her role has developed over the past 3 years as she first started out as an assistant, cleaning around and helping the beautician. She then worked her way up by gaining experience and qualifications and developed her role into a full-time professional beautician. Fiedler’s leadership contingency theory proposes that the effectiveness of the leader depends on whether the leadership style is matched with the followers and the environment. It is based on 3 main assumptions: 1) leader-member relations, which relate to whether the leader receives support, respect and trust of the followers; 2) task structure, which relates to how structured the tasks performed by followers are; 3) position power, which relates to the formal authority that the leader can exert through the use of punishment and rewards. This theory can explain Mimi’s leadership style as it explains why Mimi’s leadership is effective and hence how he has been able to successfully run the business for so many years. In relation to this theory, Mimi is placed to be known as a relationship-orientated leader and so it explains that his team members have been able to develop throughout the years because of his concern for them. The situational leadership theory Mimi’s relationship to his group is fairly hierarchical where he would force influence upon others to do something that they otherwise wouldn’t. This hair and beauty business is a good example as it shows how Mario takes responsibility for making bookings for both, his and Mimi’s clients. The group itself had developed over the years as they have slowly started to work as a team, helping each other and finishing each other’s jobs off when the salon gets busy. In 1999, manager Mimi’s Vasquez’s main roles were to simply open and close the salon, receive payments for the service provided and order raw materials such as; hair dye, scissors, wax etc. Now, with the growth of the business, all of the team members in the salon have developed their roles as they have had to cover for each other and enhance coordination skills. The situational leadership model is where the leaders’ leadership style depends on the maturity of the followers; it can explain that why Mimi trusts his staff to look after his salon whilst he is in a different branch. The friendly nature of the business also allows Mimi to be less formal and more flexible with rules and procedures. Bratton (2010, p.370) states that ‘Follower maturity is determined by the ability and willingness of the followers to accept responsibility for completing their work’. The fact that each team member has their own set of responsibilities proves that their levels of maturity are very high and hence can explain why Mimi’s rules are quite flexible, according to Mario and Shabina. Conclusion The report has explored Mimi’s approach to leadership using the behavioural, trait, shared/super leadership, contingency and situational theories and it can clearly be seen that leadership is not easily defined and its effectiveness isn’t easily measured. It has also outlined the work roles of the manager as well as the team members and explained how their roles have developed. To conclude, although the report gives a sense of idea of what Mimi’s leadership approach may be, in reality it is very hard to accurately describe using only one theory. Appendix Bratton, J. (2010) Work and organisational behaviour. 2nd edn, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan Grint,K.(2005) Leadership: limits and possibilities, Basingstoke: Palgrave Senge, P.M.(1990) The Fifth Discipline. New York: Currency/Doubleday Yukl, G.(2006) Leadership in organizations.6th edn, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall

Problem Solution: Global Communications Essay

Global communication is an operating in the telecommunication industry which provides communication solutions to customers worldwide but currently it is under tremendous pressure and uncertainty as the company is facing challenges pertaining to the rights of its stakeholders and increasing competition in the industry that has left GC behind other companies. This company is getting adversely affected by the over all situations to this extent that the share value of GC fell from $28 to $11 which is a huge blow to the shareholders of GC. So it is high time that they need to take measures and some changes in the policies in order to counter the existing problems. This paper is going to discuss the aggressive approach that the management of GC plans to implement which the introduction of new services to the local and long distance customers, further more the company has planned out a strategy on developing cost cutting measures for the reduction of costs and improve profitability and growth and then do the marketing on a global scale in order to become a truly global firm. Situation Analysis Issue and Opportunity Identification There are a lot of reasons for Global Communications standing in the market today, some of them are due to the external forces, over which the company had no control that is the strengthening of the cable company, however the company did not analyze the future trends in the market and the possibilities of growth and competition which lead to an extreme pressure on the company while some reasons were internal which they could have avoided through strategic planning and strong organizational policies. Broadly defined some of the major issues that GC faced are as follows which require some immediate action by the management: 1) To much competition in the external environment especially because of the emergence of cable companies which came up with distinct solutions related to television, phones and computers increased the pressure on firms such as Global communications, due to which the market share of GC is decreased in the industry. 2) Global communications operates in an industry which requires flexibility and quick adoption of technology advancements and if you fail to do so then even survival becomes and issue. This is what happened with Global communication it was not being as innovative as the other companies which lead to these problems. 3) The company has to deal with the plunging stock price from $28 to $11. This was as a result of intense competition. Shareholders also got worried due to the 60% reduction in the stock value and investments opportunities decreased for the company. 4) Another issue is the lay off of the employees and salary cuts while relocating, when relocation decision took place then there are several other issues that need to be dealt with it these are the relocation of the workforce or hiring newer ones from the local environment and so on. 5) The internal communication of the company is not very effective which leads to other problems and challenges within the internal environment since they are facing problems in delivering the information to the employees. The communication process of the company has been one way in this major decision of relocating. This means that GC was not able to win the workers confidence and support. The company was divided among the different stakeholders and their interests. 6) The management did not involve the workers union in the decision making of relocation due to which they are threatening to take some legal action against the company. Not only this, this also leads to lack of motivation and dissatisfaction among the workers. 7) Employee morale is low because of the management’s way of working and dealing with their issues of interests and concern. This directly has an impact on the result and outcome of the firm. The company needs to address to all the issues in the best possible ways so that it has a positive impact on the organizational performance. Some of the opportunities that they have in hand are as follows: 1) The introduction of new services as addressed by the management of the company to cater to the consumer needs and small businesses , this is also beneficial from the growth perspective 2) Outsourcing of their call centers in places such as India and Ireland which are currently located in the United States will lead to lowering of costs 3) Growth in the international markets 4) Partnership with the wireless provider company this will provide connectivity and ease of access to the customers. 5) Develop and invest in the research and development Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas The negotiations between Global communication and the technologies Workers Union (TWU) is a proof that the company has learnt from its past experience and has decided to implement new ethical codes of decision making. The company plans on resolving them in the coming future and show that business ethics matter at all times. They need a team leader which they have in the form of Katrina who is the CEO; she will come up with relevant theories which will incline towards employee and the company’s benefit and protection. She is well learned individual who is capable of revamping the organization and make it accountable in front of the senior Board. She has the leadership skills and ability to lead the company and implement an effective appraisal system and establish goals and set standards for the work, further more the decisions made will be made under consideration of the ethics of decision making. The core values of the business will be ingrained in the system which will focus of integrity and honesty. All the stakeholders are going to use the theories of ethics as a basis of guidance and reference. Problem Statement Global communications wants to develop the business further into the global market share and stock value for the benefit of all the stakeholders of the company. Global communication is under similar situation like other telecommunication firms in the industry that is competition and pressure. Therefore they have to formulate adequate yet aggressive policies and plans in order to resolves key issues of the firm else even survival will become an issue for the company. However the management has come up with two broadly defined solutions to the company’s current situation that is relocation of the business and developing new services. Along with this there is a lot that needs to be done within the firm to make it strong and integrated. Until the organizational goals, management and the employees are not focused and unified towards one direction and consistent then the long term value of the company can not be increased. Organizational communication Organizational communication is a key to organizations sustainability and grooming. Communication is the exchange of information and ideas that lead to better understanding and implementation of plan which further leads to outcome, results and organizational performance. It can be in any form such as upward, downward or informal which is more like a casual communication way. The form of communication as organization is using depends on its culture and setup and varies from one place to another. However the idea is that the communication process should be clear, concise, and correct and the next person should understand its meaning and should be able to comprehend the message which can be checked after getting the appropriate feedback. Global communication has to work on its internal communication method because of its weaknesses and in ability to give results. It has to strengthen it immediately, and take corrective measures in order to connect everybody in the organization and all the different stakeholders. The company has to address the problem of grapevine, the barriers to communication, the work place structure and the gap between the employees and the management communication which is leading resentment and dissatisfaction among them. The company at the moment needs satisfied and motivated employees which can help the company together to work towards strengthening its position in the industry. The company can set benchmarks by setting the best practices of communication method whichever suits it but it should be a two way method. Benchmarking Benchmarking is the general principles set by the organization to address to key issues and is extremely valuable for the long term performance of the business. These are the points of orientation to which you can refer after completing a specific job area as it helps in analysis and measurement and also effective usage of resources. They set standards of performance. Global communication also needs to set benchmarks for themselves in each department and system procedure of the company. By adopting this into all areas of business the company can give itself room for improvement and efficiency and it will lead to better understanding; the employees need to be trained with the best practice so that the new system can be in built in the organization’s system. Impact of risks and ethics on decision making Business ethics and conduct is an essential part of decision making. But it depends that how much consideration is given by each firm on its importance. Research and study has shown that risk can have an influence on ethical decision making. The global business environment has got increased laws and regulations which can lead to organizational crisis. Unethical decisions can not damage the reputation of the company but also stop the people from consuming their products, the sales and profits go down. Therefore apart form the laws that govern the businesses to act in the company also have to do their job. The managers at GC have to see that the employees have a high moral ground; they are honest to their work, to the community and to the organization. The manager should be aware of the possible risks and the holistic understanding of the external environment and the company’s social responsibility. The job of the management and the leaders in the company is to see that how this is made part of the value system of the company. In this way the individual employee will be able to control their own decisions and conduct and they will not be dependent on the managers and co- workers. To integrate this into the organizational constant vigilance and training of employees is required. Managers also have a tough time in understanding the risks and business ethics. One way of doing this is to understand all the stakeholders who form the ethical issues and concerns and how is this important to the organizations decisions. Measures for performance evaluation The employees and the management of an organization are like partners, together they need to give their best for results and success. GC will set standards for the entire corporation and along with that an effective monitoring system, in the mean time there should be discussions regularly on the performance. The managers need to plan an alternate plan of action in case of failure of the appraisal. It is not a one time process; it’s an ongoing thing that will go on, on a regular basis. It requires proper planning where the company goals are set and the role of each employee is described in detail to them ad to what is expected from them, the performance metrics are set and the employees are given training based on that. There will be a two way communication in this where the employee and the management will meet on regular basis and discuss the issues related to work and performance. Feedback should be taken from the employees and their issues dealt with their involvement in it. The reason GC should invest so much time and effort in the performance evaluation is because it benefits the employees, the managers and the company as a whole. Employees know their contribution to the work and understand it and get the sense of responsibility since everything is so well explained to them so they know their job. Work is more organized and mangers spend more time in planning and managing rather than taking stress. The over all profitability of the company improves and so does the productivity. Research and development Since it is operating in the telecommunication industry here technology changes occur rapidly. Therefore Global communication need to invest in this extensively and allocate separate budget for this in order to stay ahead of the market and come up with better solutions and improved quality for its customers. End-State Vision Global communication wants to see itself grow in the telecommunication industry and gain back more than what it had in this market previously. In order to achieve this goal the company wants to 1. Set realistic, achievable and timely goals for the organization 2. Produce high quality solutions to the customers and service ands products that is way above their expectations 3. Produce a working environment that gives opportunities for continuous learning and growth. It wants to make Global communication as learning organization where innovations and best practices will be implemented and new methods of efficiency would be used and 4. Maximum utilization of company’s resources 5. Set standards for work and effective use of appraisal system 6. Individual Goals should be aligned with the organizational goals 7. Take ethical issues and conduct in considering while decision making 8. Develop relations with other service providers Alternative Solutions 1. Global communication needs to work on strengthening its internal weaknesses and make them the company’s strengths. The other option that it has is to improve its external relations with other companies and rather than working individually it can work with other firms; GC can merge or collaborate with other company’s in the telecommunication industry. In this way the competition will reduce. It will make the two firms more competitive and strong. Their market share will also increase when they join. When two firms merge they will be able to share the knowledge, expertise and technical facilities and capabilities of one another. This will help them in utilizing their resources in a combined and effective manner. The two firms can set organizational goals and work towards its accomplishment. 2. Another alternate the company has is to outsource the business to some other company in the industry however under global communications name. Analysis of Alternative Solutions The solution to merge with some other company has been given the maximum weight because it seems appropriate under the current scenario, however there are different kind of problems when it comes to merger, such as if the management of the two firms do not agree on common terms and conflict of interest, goals an ideas can lead to organizational crisis. The other option is given less weight relatively because if the outsourced company fails to produce results then the name and image of Global communication will get damaged. The share value can further depreciate of the company therefore there is high risk in both the scenarios and it only depends, it is on GC to se that whether they are merging with the right kind of company. For that proper investigation and study will take place, the company will have to find another company in the telecommunication industry that will be willing to merge with GC. Even while outsourcing the business the company will have to analyze whether they are giving it to reliable people and save hands, which would be able to do to justice to the deal. Optimal Solution The company will have to analyze its structure all over again. Starting from the core activities, organizational structure, the values, traditions and working environment, lines of communication and authority they will have to find the flaws in the system before starting up any new venture and plan. After the flaws are found then planning need to done to overcome them and make Global Communication a better working place. The company will redefine its goals and communicate it to the employees. There will be effective lines of communication, benchmarking with the best in the industry and later the employees in the GC should be trained according to that. The company will adopt an effective evaluation appraisal system and proper research and development department in order to stay innovative and competent. There will be monitoring system and the end results will be compared with the set goals. The corporate culture and decision making will be based on honesty, correctness, ethics and code of conduct. The new policies and strategies of the company will give special consideration to all the interests of all the stakeholders, employee’s welfare and involvement will be one of the priorities. It is very necessary to keep a satisfied workforce as this will be reflected in the performance. Apart from that the company will invest in developing new products and services for the customers. Quality will be of high standards and the business will relocate in a country where all the infrastructure, resources and facilities are available however whatever the decision the company will take the labor union and all the important stakeholders will be involved in order to avoid any legal action or resentment among them. Implementation Plan For the accomplishment of the long term objectives of the company there need to be an effective leadership which they have in the form of the CEO Katrina, she along with her co workers are going to make this plan successful. Katrina is going to lead them and each employee’s responsibility will be explained to them thoroughly. Every one will have to work as a team and view the organization as one unit where everyone should work for the company rather than indulge in fulfilling individual goals. This is going to be gradual procedure because integrating values and ethics and appraisal system and its results will take time. All this will be reflected in the performance of the company and the decisions made by the management. Things would start to work by themselves and the lost place of GC will be regained. Evaluation of Results If the planned solution set is applied affectively into GC then soon there will be evident positive changes in the company. There will be set targets for the sales and costs and those will be compared with the end results, thus the end results measurements for the effectiveness of the plan is going to be quantitative as well as qualitative. The quantitative ones will be to amylase the sales and costs results, the employee turnover rate, and the market share and so on where as the qualitative will be in the form of employee job satisfaction and the company’s image in the externally, the management system and the internal communication efficiency and so on. Conclusion Global communication has been facing challenges in the telecommunication industry due to which its stock value and market share was decreasing this lead the company to rethink its strategies and add something new into the company in order to make it compete with the other firms in the industry. The company has plans to expand in the international markets and relocate in India and Ireland and introduce new products however first it needs to overcome the weaknesses in its internal structure that is the relations and interests within the different groups of stakeholders. This problem solution helped me to analyze the interpersonal relationship of different stakeholders and their impact on the company’s decisions and performance, the importance of ethics in decision making and the different roles played by each individual within an organization. References Abbatangelo-Gray, J. , Cole, G. E. , & Kennedy, M. G. (Sep. 2008). Guidance for Evaluating Mass Communication Health Initiatives (AN 26389567). Evaluation & the Health Professions , 229-253. Breaking Cultural Communication Barriers. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 7, 2009, from www. essortment. com/all/culturalcommuni_raxq. htm Dasgupta, S. (2006). Is Globalization Causing A ‘Race To The Bottom’ In Environmental Standards? (Part 4 of a four part series). PREM Economic Policy Group and Development Economics Group , 2-4. Downsizing With Dignity. (2009). Retrieved May 9, 2009, from http://humanresources. about. com/od/layoffsdownsizing/a/downsizing. htm Employee Involvement. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 9, 2009, from Employee Empowerment: humanresources. about. com/od/involvementteams/Team_Building_Employee_Empowerment_Employee_Involvement. htm Globalisation and Environment. (n. d. ). Retrieved May 9, 2009, from http://www. blogspot. globalisation. com/14021 Najam, A. , Runnals, D. , & Halle, M. (2006). Environment and Globalization: Five Propositions. International Institute for Sustainable Development , 13-14. Pealy, J. (2001). Fundamentals of Communication. New York: Gale Research Company.

Consumer Behavior Case Study Analysis Essay

During overview of discussions on user behavior and buying decisions, cultural and economic empowerment decision-making, usually needs an evaluation of who will experience advantages or costs as a consequence of a specific decision. For main decisions, the evaluations can include a number of stakeholders – workers, investors, clients, loan providers, vendors and government departments, amongst other people. The more precise we can be about persons and groups which may experience advantages or costs from a specific decision, the more likely you will demonstrate that fair decisions will be made. User behavior is about the results of decisions on identifiable persons and groups. Here you will observe the way the cultural and economical effects of decisions on recognizable persons can alter with time. A short review which describes a few of the fundamental elements behind the objective of this analysis includes, but not restricted to the following: 1. Promote good causes of user behavior and buying variations. 2.Increase sensitivity to a better knowledge of variations. 3.Offer an atmosphere for searching how ideas, generalizations and presumptions regarding various buying decisions restrict efficiency and interactions. 4.Analyze and eliminate misconceptions regarding Apple ® and Hong Kong Disneyland ® marketing methods. Analysis and Assessments There’s a wish to keep a creative atmosphere which will encourage persons to reach their maximum potential. In 2 case studies, one with Apple ® and the other with the Disney world Organization, administration has got the duty to determine ways to enhance income by making careful and fair attempts to fix imbalances in areas which affect user behavior and buying decisions. The goals of both companies are to: generate an atmosphere which will lure the persons or groups to offer chances for efficiently buying the best product and service. Both companies are preoccupied with long-term expansion and operating efficiency; from all sections of the society; and to guarantee organization compliance with federal, state and regional laws, and relevant national rules outside of the U.S. These attributes are essential for an organization to keep a competitive advantage in the international market. It seems interesting to find out precisely what related problem needed handling the most – attempting to know ways of interacting among different groups. Varied groups stayed dedicated to each other, for example, Asians, Middle Easterner’s, Caucasians, Blacks, and Hispanics generally assist groups within their own nationality. To go to more efficient understandings one must analyze the connections and know the part of varied communication. The implications by not interacting groups lead to misunderstandings, avoidance, lack of less listening, mismanaged interactions, insufficient progress in developing relationships. â€Å"The latest version of Apple’s iPhone has usually been a powerful seller all over the world, except in Japan. Although some experts had predicted that Apple would sell a million pieces of its latest iPhone in Japan, modified estimations put the figure at more like 500,000 phones. Therefore what’s the issue? The cell phone uses the quicker 3G network and provides a touch monitor. And Apple iPods as well as computers are famous in Japan. Apple iPhone’s utilization of the 3G network isn’t a big deal in Japan, since 3G accessibility has been a standard feature on Japanese mobile phones for many years. And as far as the touch screen is involved, some Japanese users believe that they would have issues becoming accustomed to it. Probably the greatest obstacle facing Apple, however, is what the iPhone doesn’t have. Keep in mind, Japanese users enjoy a few of the world’s most technologically sophisticated mobile phone qualities, for example â€Å"a high-end color screen, digital TV-viewing ability, satellite navigation service, very good music player and digital camera.† One more â€Å"must have† function in Japan, lacking  in the iPhone, is â€Å"emoji,† that is clip art which can be included into sentences to create e-mails more appealing. Additionally, several cell phones in Japan let their consumers to use their mobile phones like debit cards or railway passes.† â€Å"Debate began brewing at Hong Kong Disneyland before the park opened up in autumn 2005. At Disney amusement parks all over the world, marriages and wedding receptions are a lucrative business. Disney is intending to deliver shark’s fin soup as an alternative on wedding party meals at Hong Kong Disneyland. Obviously, Disney desires to display its love for Chinese customs, and affirms that it’s not doing anything more than following regional standards-the meal is regarded a crucial part of a Chinese wedding celebration, and may cost at as much as $150 at the ideal eateries. But, ecological groups from all around the globe are up in arms on the possibility of Disney offering this soup that highlights a noticeable difference between Chinese and Western customs. Even though shark’s fin soup has been a Chinese favorite for 200 years, some ecological groups are worried that China’s growing prosperity has resulted in a larger desire for unusual varieties. For instance, Hong Kong authorities lately ceased a delivery of 1,800 freeze-dried penguins which were being smuggled into mainland China. A few animal supporters are scared that down the road complete varieties might be endangered.† Consumer Behavior and Why It Matters There’s an inspiration which is rooted in tradition, which impacts the way we obtain and gain. Persons are inspired based on the strength and wish either to buy things in relation to a typical or to flourish in competitive pricing scenarios. Most of an organization’s achievement depends upon many elements: personal and occupational experiences, product development, and the kind of company. Other elements can result in satisfaction, for example organization buying policies, marketing methods, cost elements, user requirements and interpersonal relationships. Finding good and legal rules of user behavior, can present practical factors  to building upon latest forums. There are many primary means of keeping and coping with user behavior problems that contain: what we pay attention to; the way we respond to other people; and becoming role models by way of teaching and coaching. The roles we perceive in user behavior should be practical in setting with our rules. In any tradition, thousands of things can be built and used to express several ideas. Most companies would have a hard time thriving internationally if existing tradition and values weren’t congruent with today’s varied culture. Understanding Diverse Cultural Barriers and Roles As analyzed in our text, the ability of sharing cultural power causes excitement and devotion in other people. Tapping into varied inspirations (i.e., Advertising agency BBDO’s (Chicago) recent â€Å"GenWorld Global Teen Study† revealed a substantial alternation in the world’s teens) and abilities in other people so as to pursue objectives helps us internationally. If we let us to build up and know many traditions, we can interact and make new cultural ideas. The composition of traditions has a number of features which help us build upon the underlying structure for marketing. Finding the moral and legal rules of traditions can offer practical factors to building upon latest forums. As also mentioned in our text: â€Å"It is usually hard for an organization intending to conduct business in overseas countries to carry out cross-cultural user research. For example, it is not easy within the Islamic countries of the Middle East to carry out Western-style consumer research. In Saudi Arabia, for example, it’s banned to stop people on the streets, and focus groups are not practical since most meetings of 4 or more people (except for family and spiritual meetings) are banned. American companies wishing to do business inside Russia have discovered a restricted amount of specifics of user and market data. Likewise, marketing research info on China is usually insufficient, and questionnaires which ask private questions arouse doubt. For that reason marketers have tried different ways to generate the information they require. For instance, Grey Advertising has provided cameras to Chinese kids so they can get photos of the items they like and don’t like, instead of ask them to describe it to an unknown person.  Additionally, AC Nielsen conducts focus groups in cafes and children’s playrooms instead of in meeting rooms; and Leo Burnett has posted researchers to China just to â€Å"hang out† with users.† There are many basic methods for keeping and modifying traditions which include: what we focus on; the way we respond to other people; and becoming role models by way of teaching and coaching. The roles we see in traditions should also be practical in establishing with value systems. We may motivate input about suitable values and practices for applying our traditions to promote products or services. Most companies would have a hard time thriving if existing tradition, traditions and values weren’t congruent with today’s varied culture. Choosing to reach for the varied market is not necessarily the ideal, but it’s best when we can examine techniques to offer variety in dealing with positive roles to boost businesses. Additionally, the increasing varied languages create difficulty in addition to variations in problem-solving styles and behavioral roles of persons. Language is a part of tradition, and yet it’s so varied. It is key to tradition as it is the way by which most language is learned and communicated. In any tradition, thousands of things may be built and used to express several ideas. The tensions between group and individual language interests may be highlighted through the free ride and sucker-effect ideas. Based on the person’s situation, persons use language and tradition so as to intimidate and change conditions. One example would be, when persons know and speak the English language when it’s easy and other times pretend they don’t know or speak it. Identifying Lessons Learned Apple ® and Hong Kong Disneyland ® marketing lessons developed around offering a standard which would not be rewarding along with a conventional idea which didn’t resonate all over the world. The tradition of numerous communities represents an intricate pattern of values and anticipations shared by many people all over the world. There are traditions described with shared ideas, ideologies, values, beliefs, presumptions, objectives, attitudes, and norms.  One must recognize the importance of varied traditions so as to know it, particularly where major values regarding the tradition are generally nice. Even though we might have common knowledge on particular norms, research depending on world views will assist us to build up new senses when we constantly convey them within traditional system. Several organizations show different ways of interaction and development at different levels, occasions and scenarios. Organizations for example Apple and Hong Kong Disney may move towards a balance when coping with other traditions. Nonetheless they might differ in personal traditions, which could vary from one atmosphere to another. Their attitudes and belief, might propose methods for knowing how everybody can personally relate. Modern society in general may benefit from good cultural differences, just like we do personally. For that reason, much may be discovered a person’s history by recognizing there are differences, knowing the social systems, and understanding that structure and development variables impact our activities in the manner we build upon personal customs. Conclusion America is usually regarded as the great meeting place in which people from any background can integrate into a single culture. This idealistic way of thinking isn’t relevant in the country these days. A more practical viewpoint is among cultural user behavior or multiculturalism. Varied user behavior and spending brings different sets of abilities and experience to the maximum and plays a role in the general progress and success of a company. Apple ® and Hong Kong Disneyland ® Corporations have to recognize, and several companies have, that user behavior adds to the bottom line by creating a status which helps lure fresh buyers. Companies need to see that User behavior administration can be viewed as a reaction to the need to recognize, value, and take advantage of various backgrounds. Different social groups have different ideals, styles, and people, who have a considerable impact on how they conduct business. Instead of penalizing or curbing the various administration styles as they do not  comply with conventional styles, companies must look to these differences as benefits. Not just does varied buying achieve exactly the same results like conventional styles, additionally, it may improve the company’s competitive standing in the business field. Additionally, it is crucial that administration be conscious of the significance of respecting user behavior.

Sex trafficking of children and it's long term affects Assignment

Sex trafficking of children and it's long term affects - Assignment Example Children who maybe victims of sexual trafficking lack positive peer relationships which provide a platform for development of attitude skills and values and hence should be condemned(Goldstein, and Robert 5) . The act of sexual trafficking on a child leaves him/her psychologically traumatized due to the overwhelming blow of forced sex which leaves the child in a situation of self denial. The human body is made up in such a way that the gangers we experience in life tend to be connected and hence exposing the child to sex trafficking will increase the number danger occurrences in the child’s mind which in turn leads to the child living a life with a lot of fear in them(Haggerty 77). The traumatizing experience of sexual exposure leads the child to developing stressing conditions which lead them to slow remembering and thinking while exposed to situations of danger (Territoand George 89) UNICEF has been in the frontline in addressing the issue by publicizing it so that children can be saved from the act. They have opened help sub agencies in most countries which move across the whole country carrying out investigations and helping the children who open up to them. Other agencies such as the WHO have also helped in dealing with the issue due to the risk it poses on the health of the child (Territo and George 89). UNICEF and other agencies with the help of governments in all countries should publicize the issue so that people get to know the channels of acting when such issues happen. They should also educate people on the effects it has so on children so that those who do it without knowing what it would cause to the child can stop it. Bloom, Sandra. "Trauma theory abbrevated."  HOME - The OpenCUNY Academic Medium.N.p.,  Oct.  1999. Web. 31  Mar.  2014.

History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 16

History - Essay Example nce and Technology were taking place, there were a lot many uncertainties pertaining to the stability and political administration of various kingdoms across Europe. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that progress and prosperity came to a halt, if not a decline, during this period primarily due to rampant warfare, theological uncertainty and natural calamities. The Great Famine of the early fourteenth century and the subsequent Black Death (the mysterious epidemic breakout) nearly reduced the European population by one thirds. Given the backdrop of this catastrophe, one can understand the stagnation of fine arts; as at this time basic survival proved a challenging proposition in itself. Other contributors to a general social unrest during this era included collective rebellion of the peasants, witnessed especially in France and England. The other conflict on a larger scale was the notorious Hundred Years’ War. But the most destabilizing event during the period was the decline in authority of the Catholic Church, due primarily to internal disagreements between different denominations. Hence, the Late Middle Ages were a period of chaos, confusion and listless in many aspects. Yet, much of Europe had endured these tough times and had managed to keep the uniqueness of its civilization intact, till the advent of Renaissance, wherein the dormancy of European culture gave way to a new blooming. What prevented Europe from sinking into the abyss of the Dark Ages that was suffered by kingdoms in the Mediterranean, was the continued progress seen within the faculties of arts and sciences, albeit at a less vigorous pace. The most critical element of the artistic preservation and improvement during this era came in the form of a revival in ancient historical texts, especially the ones left behind by the Great Roman Empire. In effect, the founding principles of the Renaissance are to be found within this historical framework. While resources were being made

Presence or Absence of Negligence by Nurses Essay

Presence or Absence of Negligence by Nurses - Essay Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the presence of an IV infiltration should have been identified, noted and taken care of immediately. It was the duty of the nurse who had done the overnight shift check up on the patient to ensure the best interest of the patient. This should have included ensuring that any single complication is noted, properly examined and proper care is given to deal with it. However, this was not the case as can be seen in the case study. The nurse who had done the rounds during the shift when the infiltrate was discovered had seen the infiltrate, failed to record it in the patient’s chart and additionally ignored it. In this case, the nurse had failed to perform her duty of ensuring quality care, health, and safety of the patient. Here is the case of professional negligence rather than ordinary negligence. The parents are in this case right to sue her for negligence and the consequent complications/damage (scarring and motion loss) that resul ted from the lack of action. Negligence is proven by four main elements. The first element is the duty which begins at the moment the patient meets the healthcare provider. The other element is the breach of duty. This according to Helm, occurs when the care provider fails to provide all necessary care and conduct to the patient. Damages, which is the next element is when harm occurs from neglect or breach of duty. The last element is causation. This is determined when the harm is done can be directly associated with lack of proper care. Ordinary negligence is defined as the failure to provide care that any other person would have provided in a particular situation. Professional negligence, on the other hand, involves malpractice done by an expertise such as a doctor or qualified nurse.

Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Movie Review Example I thought the story line to be very interesting because most Indian families are like how Jess’ family was shown. I watched the film by myself but later discussed it with my sister who had the same views as me. Jess was not given chances to be herself and her family was unable to accept that she was different. Her friend Jules mother also thought that Jess and Jules were in a lesbian relationship with each other because they never spent time with boys or doing other stereotypical things that girls are supposed to do. This tells us a lot about how society views a woman in not just the Indian culture but also developed western cultures. This movie is similar to a film called ‘She’s the Man’ set in America where again, a young girl is not given her break to play football and has to fight for her rights and prove to everyone that she is as good as anyone else. This film helps to understand that gender is a social construct and women are not made only for cookin g and cleaning the house; they can have other varied interests too which they should be given a chance to inculcate into their lifestyles and nurture. 39 minutes – Jess’s sister breaks up and Jess is trying to console her while practicing and then the coach comes to her house to talk to her parents 1.12 minutes – Jule’s family takes an interest in football and they’re having a breakfast conversation as her mom tries to learn the game; Jess’ mother prays that her results are good Persepolis, written and directed by Marjane Satrapi is a beautiful account of the life of a young girl as she grows up against the backdrop of the Iran war. As a young girl, she had a number of questions on her mind regarding the war and the consequences it would have on her family. Her parents and her grandmother always protected her so that she would not feel the atrocious effects of the war and later, in order for her to complete her education, they sent her to Fr ance. There, as she grows up into a young lady, she discovers many facets of life by herself with no one to answer her questions. She discovers love and sexuality and also experiments with different kinds of lifestyles, then realizing that she should not give up on her identity, no matter what. Frustrated with herself at times, she finds herself talking to her grandmother in her dreams who helps her get on the right path again. She goes back to Teheran and stays with her parents because she believes that is what will cure her depression. Marjane finds love in her family and soon even gets married. The marriage however ends up in a divorce and she feels that she has more time to study and educate herself and free women around her from the terrible clutches of the patriarchal society that persists in the country. The film ends on a happy note, with Marjane still figuring life out for herself and answering questions regarding why her Uncle gave up his life for the family during the rei gn of the Shah. I loved the manner in which the film was made and even though it was animated it was extremely realistic; Marjane as a woman goes through the journey of life as a vulnerable creature and is wounded many times, however she always gets back on her feet and manages to find answers. The movie was very inspiring and I am sure to suggest it as a must watch to others. 39 minutes – Marjane is sent to France, backdrop of the Teheran war is shown through her

Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

Business Strategy - Essay Example There are other products and services that were added which include Shops, sothebys.amazon.com, electronics, home improvement products and many others. Their continued broadening of spectrum is directly related with their goal of making customers find anything they want online. Huge market capitalization of Amazon.com enabled it to stage an aggressive expansion in the market through introduction of several products and services. Websites were opened in several countries and are expected to continue by also forging partnerships with other internet service providers around the globe (Paavo, Arash, and Alain 2013). The amazon.com in United Kingdom and Germany are listed as the leading sites in sales. In Amazon.com followed a strategy of developing software specialized to their type of business and acquiring commercially made applications. 2,461 million dollars’ worth of assets with inventories representing 7 per cent of total assets was realized in 2002. This shows the strength of the company significantly in that year even before they had began their expansion process in France and Japan. The Amazon.com Commerce Network strategy basically leads the company to earn high revenues with high margins which is also risky provided it acts as a venture capitalist. The company reduces significantly the cost of goods sold by increasing their own distribution channels which allows to the company concentrate on their main focus which is customer service. Ravi suria an analyst at Prudential Securities Company was concerned Amazon was not generating good cash flow essentially because it was swiftly expanding from less than 10 million dollars cash out lay. He also had a genuine worry about the reducing stock turnover of the company as it increased their distribution channels in 1999. Despite of Amazon being one of the largest online retailers, they had been able to hold on to profit making and had fallen in the eyes of the investors. (Rainer, Turban,

Search and Seizure Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Search and Seizure - Term Paper Example Failure to issue of a search warrant or the absence of a search warrant invalidates the evidence searched and therefore necessitates its exclusion as evidence against William. A search warrant is an issue signed by the judge or the magistrate that authorizes the police officers to conduct a search of a definite person, a definite object or material at a definite location and at a specified time. The search warrant will serve as the basis of what the police can search and seize in a person or a property through the specific descriptions indicated in the search warrant. If the search warrant only specifies to search the bedroom, the police cannot search the living room or the backyard for further evidence. Nor can they search for drugs if the search warrant specifies weapons. Over the years, the court has allowed a number of situations in which a search warrant is not essential. An example of this situation is called the emergency exception. For example, a police is in patrol, if the p olice hear an alarming shout from the resident while he is on duty, the police can enter the premises to search and arrest the suspect for spousal abuse or child abuse. But looking in William’s case, a warrantless search can only be valid and admissible if his consent of the search was asked, but it wasn’t, making this physical evidence excludable. This exclusion will not pertain to all evidences because there is a difference between the evidence collected from the Elli’s and Stevens’s townhouses. It is stated in the scenario that â€Å"Mrs. Stevens gives the police consent to search the house for any potential evidence that might identify her husband’s killer†. And it is stated above that a warrantless search can only be valid and admissible if the person in control of the premises consents to the search which Mrs. Stevens approved to. While in William’s case, there was no search warrant issued nor he gave his consent to the

Is Internet Addiction Real Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is Internet Addiction Real - Essay Example Statistics further show that persons between the ages 19-29 cover has a high percentage of users an approximate of 91%. The time spent on the internet keeps increasing. Experts argue that time spent on the internet is a problem even in the workplaces workers tend to create time for internet surfing. The society is being warned for the rise in this issue because the children in their effort to learn computer skills are also exploring the internet. In view of all this, are people addicted to the internet? Experts describe the internet to be as destructive as drug craving and alcoholism. Yes, people have an addiction to the internet, however, to some it is a matter of choice, and this depends on an individual’s choice on how to utilize his extra time. The press has made many stories on the online situation; DeAngelis describes some of these stories, which include men fascinated by online pornography other stories that make headlines are women who abandon their families for online affairs, and people wasting their money on online gambling (DeAngelis 24). The attraction to the internet has led to pitiful situations such as problems in marriages work and even in social settings. However, researchers state that the problems caused by the internet are avoidable, but it depends on the user who if he or she desires can control the use of the internet. According to DeAngelis most of the internet addicts stated that they use the internet to regulate their mood. They also stated that once they were on the net they did lose control. In relation to the greater issue is that a 2010 report showed that the American kids face an obsession with the internet and the various forms of entertainment media. The estimates show that kids ranging from 8-18 years devoted an average of 53 hours a week to the use of the internet. It this devotion was for educational matters then there would be no problem. However, this time is spent on social networks and entertainment sites. The risk is that the network when, not under observation the children explore all sources of information which is unhealthy for these kids. Etengoff reports that 3 out of 10 children state that their parents restrict their use of the internet, watching TV and playing video games. Research proves that both men and women can fall addicts into internet use. Experts show that men and women get attracted to sites that fit behavioural typecast of their own sex. Men get attracted to sites that offer them sexual fantasies, whereas women become addicts to sites that offer them relationships and an area where they can interact. However, Isaac does differ with the issue of addiction he states that addiction is a matter of choice and people have the ability to chose not to become slaves to the internet. Isaac states that most people indulge on the internet due to, and idleness he gives a situation where one can use the time spent on chat rooms and social networks to make some money (DeAngelis 24). Acco rding to Isaac, if people took their job seriously and restricted themselves from surfing then the issue of addiction would not be an issue. He also thinks the choice is a critical part of trying to avoid falling to addiction to the internet. This is possible by avoiding spending free times on the internet. If one uses the internet as an escape to boredom or loneliness, then it is high time to choose a different activity that does not involve the internet.

How did women's fashions change in the 1920's Have these styles Research Paper

How did women's fashions change in the 1920's Have these styles survived or ever been revivied How do they reflect the new fre - Research Paper Example The designs, colours and fabrics and the associated accessories used by fashion technologists are not to be seen merely as expressions of random ideas or creativity. They, in fact, are meant to make statements; statements of joy, liberation, individuality, functionality, self-expression and post-war optimism. The fashion trends of the hedonistic 1920s assume importance in this light and the most wonderful thing about those well-coordinated outfits was the enormous freedom they gave women ‘to choose’. Women are the loveliest creation of god and now they were to become even lovelier. The music of 1920s was a trendsetter and so were the new fashion modules of the period, their ‘classical’ nature notwithstanding. They were simple, yet elegant carrying with them timeless and age-defying sex-appeal. Any discussion on women’s fashion in the colorful 1920s has to be centered on close-fitting cloche hats without rims, sleeveless dresses, slipper shoes, sheer s tockings, Madeleine Vionnet’s very feminine bias-cuts, pantsuits, canes, body-flattering Coco Chanel silhouettes and Art Deco fashion with its integration of the Oriental culture, not to mention La Garconne style, handbags, jewellery and such things so much so that any attempt to visualize their appeal by taking a look at black-and-white snapshots of that period does not just work. 1920s, more commonly known the ‘roaring 20s’, as much as 1940s, both being points of time that have witnessed not only the horror of World Wars but also the serenity that the end of hostilities marked, were historically prone to see a sea change in terms of people’s attitude and women’s in particular in terms of the idea of fashion. The first short skirt sounded the death knell of the haute couture era [Skirt length reached its lowest point in 1923 (1920s Fashions for Women)] and ushered in the modern era of fashion which conceived the idea of erotic beauty. The transform ation of woman from being an object of beauty to becoming a futurist machine was kick-started. ‘Chic’ became a vogue word. And there was no looking back. So we see the cumbersome Victorian clothing gradually losing ground. Crinolines, rear-enhancing bustles and restrictive corsets passed into oblivion, thankfully causing a steep decline in the incidence of ptosis. Lighter, brighter and daringly shorter dresses, straight-line chemises, nemo-flex brassieres, sleek, masculine or boyish look, flat chests with bandeaus, shingle cut and Bubikopf or the bob cut (popularized by actress Louise Brookes) formed the order of the day. The Basque dress or Robe de Style which clubbed the features of straight silhouette and belled skirt was very popular. Make up, in particular, was another ‘shocking’ development. Rising hemlines of the flappers, who characterized the revolutionary spirit of the typical jazz age woman, made dancing the Charleston, for instance to a tune of Duke Ellington or to the frenetic sounds of Bix Beiderbecke, easier. Light weight undergarments made it easier to play sport and drive automobiles. The Women’s Fashion Institute designed the ‘one hour dress’ in 1926 (Flapper Fashion). For the first time in history, pleats, gathers and slits ruled women’s fashion, liberating women from constricting clothes, though the Great Depression, for a while, brought about a roll-back towards conservative wear (The History of 20th Century

Church and Dwight Essay Example for Free

Church and Dwight Essay A. Executive Summary 1. Summary statement of the problem: Church Dwight, more commonly known by its brand name â€Å"Arm Hammer,† has held a commanding lead in the sodium bicarbonate product market for over 160 years with virtually 99 percent of all consumer products in households within the United States. However, in order to promote growth and diversity while maintaining a steady profitability rate of three five percent per year, the company has expanded uses of sodium bicarbonate products so that it is no longer the only focus. The acquisition of a diverse group of consumer products in international markets has been viewed as a viable option to sustain the profitability margins well into the 21st century (Wheelen Hunger). 2. Summary statement of the recommended solution: Since Church and Dwight is a relatively small company, when compared to competitors in household and personal care product markets they must recognize the challenges of growing sales through acquisitions to promote growth and competitiveness within those markets. Church Dwight must incorporate additional acquisitions of solid brands and products in order to grow market share through an expansion of product lines into a variety of â€Å"personal care, deodorizing and cleaning, and laundry products† as well as â€Å"specialty chemicals, animal nutrition, and specialty cleaners† (Wheelen Hunger). In addition, to maintain its position in the world market place, Church Dwight must expand into international markets and gain footholds in product markets through acquisition of manufacturing assets. Simply shipping domestic product lines overseas is cost prohibitive. Foreign manufacturing assets will allow product recognition by local consumers in foreign countries and markets. B. The Situation After 160 years, Church Dwight is a giant in the household domestic product market with brand name recognition more commonly associated with â€Å"Arm Hammer† products. However, this achievement in the market only nets $2.5 billion in annual sales worldwide. The company’s brand portfolio includes over 80 popular brands and competes for market share with other giants including Colgate-Palmolive, Clorox, and Proctor Gamble, which have combined sales of over $100 billion. The company has also expanded over the past decade into other household product lines through acquisitions of consumer brands including Mentadent, Pepsodent, Aim, and Close-up, as well as Trojan. Church Dwight has a core of specialty products primarily based on its successful sodium bicarbonate line of products. It currently holds 75% of the sodium bicarbonate market share. Expansion in the domestic markets has proven successful because of the â€Å"company’s pristine balance sheet†. Gro wth into the foreign markets has proven more challenging than domestic markets. Foreign market net sales in 2009 were only $393 million compared to domestic net sales of $1.8 billion (Cook). II. ANALYSIS A. Analysis of the Situation 1.Management – The Church Dwight Company has continued a tradition of slow and steady leadership with a solid focus on long-term goals. The steadiness of the company’s leadership can be primarily attributed to the fact that 25 percent of outstanding common stock is owned by descendants of the company’s original cofounders, a tradition that continues today. In addition, the management of the company over the past 160 years has been handed down from generation-to-generation until recently when Dwight C. Minton passed on the position of Chief Executive Officer in 1995 to an outsider, Mr. Robert A. Davies, III (Wheelen Hunger). This focused leadership style has enabled Church Dwight to overcome potential leveraged buy-outs and hostile takeovers with a series of calculated actions and savvy business decisions. These actions allowed the board of directors and management to amend the company’s charter and allowed shareholders four votes per share. The board of directors was also re-structured into classes, in which each class serves staggered three-year terms (Wheelen Hunger). In addition to staggering the tenure of the directors, the company initiated employee severance agreements with key officials, providing a severance package agreement to provide a â€Å"safety net† should any of the board member positions be terminated by a hostile takeover or leveraged buy-out by an unwanted suitor. By providing these lucrative packages for senior management, many were able to stay with Church Dwight. This allowed for continuity of leadership styles, vision and mission focus. Because of this steadfast devotion to principles, steady growth over the years has occurred, identifying Church Dwight as a Cash Cow, using the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Growth-Share Matrix. However, as the company focuses more on international markets and enters other potential avenues of growing product lines, it will surely find itself labeled as a Star. 2.Operations – Church Dwight have peacefully existed over the past 60 years with sustained growth and profitability because it virtually held the market in the palm of its hands as other companies searched for ways to enter the household and personal care product lines. As a result of the constant forces in emerging markets, Church Dwight has come to the realization that they have major challenges to overcome if they are to compete with other giants in the industry and continue to thrive. As the company gains a stronger market share in the international consumer products, the growth and profitability standard will continue well into the future. However, Church Dwight also recognize they must remain vigilant to quickly and adequately deal with Porters Five Forces: Bargaining power of suppliers; Threat of new entrants; Threat of substitute products or services; Bargaining power of buyers (customers); and Rivalry among existing firms (competitors) (Wheelen Hunger). When considering Bargaining Power of Suppliers, the force rating could be considered Medium as management must be constantly aware of any potential market shocks or trends. If an affiliate retailer is affected by unforeseen supply chain issues, like increased fuel prices, then those costs throughout the company may be affected to remain competitive. In addition, Church Dwight are well aware of the economic situations that may affect their trade customers who may reduce distribution of products in which sales may decline, or adversely affect the financial performance of the company (Craigie). There was never historically a threat of new entrants into the sodium bicarbonate market prior to 1970. However, since the company has developed new product offerings and other established consumer brands, they now face the same competition threats of mature and domestic and international markets for consumer products. This threat of new entrants has emerged over the past decades and may now be rated high. The threat of substitute products or services is always considered high, as well, because consumers might choose a substitute item, if it is cheaper. This is a problem for any company. Bargaining power of buyers (customers) is generally a medium concern as consumer satisfaction is evaluated in a variety of ways. Otherwise, dissatisfaction can drive prices up or down based on demand, or the lack of. Quality is a hallmark of Church Dwight and the perception by consumers of any potential lowering of standards to decrease prices will typically drive loyal customers away. Finally, rivalry among existing firms (competitors) is high as competitors try to achieve greater market shares to grow potential profit shares. â€Å"Church Dwight has in an enviable position to profit from its dominant niche in the sodium bicarbonate products market since it controlled the primary raw material used in its production† (Wheelen Hunger). 3.Marketing – The Church Dwight marketing strategy has been fairly simplistic since its focus has been on the sodium bicarbonate product lines for over a century. However, with additional acquisitions over the past 20 years, and the expansion into other household products, the brand recognition has become even more important. As a result, â€Å"marketing expenses for 2009 were $353.6 million, an increase of $59.5 million or 20% as compared to 2008† (Craigie). In addition, Church Dwight caters to people of all ages and backgrounds. This wide range of customers allows them to develop more and more organic products and services with large scale agreements to satisfy those demographics. As the company expands globally, markets for one region could also be satisfied by other regions as production opportunities allowed greater cost-effectiveness. Unfortunately, â€Å"attempts to enter international markets have met with limited success, probably for two reasons: (1) lack of name recognition and (2) transportation costs† (Wheelen Hunger). Finally, the company began a ground-breaking marketing campaign by airing commercials for condoms on prime-time television. This â€Å"shock† strategy increased its marketing strength and enabled the partnership with Quidel Corporation, â€Å"a provider of point-of-care diagnostic test, to meet women’s health and wellness needs† (Wheelen Hunger). There are potential problems if va rious brand names fall into â€Å"the precarious line-extension snare† (Wheelen Hunger). As the company expands and acquires more product lines bearing the â€Å"Arm Hammer† trademark, the potential for substandard quality or customer satisfaction could cause a back-lash resulting in reduced sales around the world. Therefore, product marketing is essential to reinforce brand name recognition so consumers never forget the value and quality of a company’s name and its product lines. 4.Finance – Initially, the company’s domestic markets have proven successful. However, in keeping pace with competition in expanding product line markets, acquisition of assets has taken place, which could negatively impact the overall financial picture if profitability is not maintained. In 2009, Church Dwight’s performance worldwide achieved an increase in sales of 4 percent; organic sales increased 5 percent, gross profit margin increased 44 percent while global marketing expenses only increased 20 percent; and the Net Cash Flow grew to a record level of $401 million (Craigie). Perhaps even more significant to investors is the report that earnings per share grew 23% and dividends on investments increased by 35 percent (Craigie). In contrast to the growing profits and expenses, the compa ny also jettisoned noncore assets for the first time, including â€Å"five domestic and international consumer product brands acquired during the 2008 Del Laboratories transaction† (Wheelen Hunger). This posturing of assets will enable a financially sound balance sheet in the future. Therefore, the financial status of Church Dwight continues to grow as it has achieved modest gains from year to year, with hopes of even greater revenue and sales. Finally, the CEO remains focused on â€Å"building a portfolio of strong brands with sustainable competitive advantages† and the â€Å"long-term objective is to maintain the company’s track record of delivering outstanding TSR (Total Shareholder Return) relative to that of the SP 500† (Wheelen Hunger). 5.Administration – Church Dwight enjoys a sound management strategy. It incorporates affiliates through agreements to sell its products. In addition, the former CEO, Mr. James R. Cragie, stated â€Å"†¦We have added $1 billion in sales in the past five years, a 72% increase, while reducing our total headcount by 5%, resulting in higher revenue per employee than all of our major competitors† (Wheelen Hunger). While it may appear unsympathetic to the employee perspective, technologic al advancements allow for increased productivity in various aspects of manufacturing and labor allowing for greater productivity without the added expense of additional manpower. Church Dwight also continue to operate with an ethical employment code in keeping with today’s expectations of utmost respect for both consumer and employee. The following is the company’s published Ethical Standards: â€Å"The reputation and integrity of Church Dwight Co., Inc. are valuable corporate assets, vital to the Company’s success. Each Company employee, including each of the Company’s officers and general managers and each Company director, is responsible for conducting the Company’s business in a manner that demonstrates a commitment to the highest standards of integrity. Specifically, we encourage among Company personnel a culture of honesty, accountability and mutual respect. Additionally, we provide guidance to help Company personnel recognize and deal with ethical issues. Finally, we have provided mechanisms for Company personnel to report unethical conduct. Dishonest or unethical conduct or conduct that is illegal will constitute a violation of these Standards and are grounds for disciplinary action† (Church Dwight). 6.SWOT a.Strengths – The Church Dwight Company has many strengths, with brand recognition being their greatest. In fact, Arm Hammer continues to be their greatest asset and strongest product on the market today; the little yellow box is in over 95 percent of all households across the country. The sodium bicarbonate product line has proven itself for over 160 years with uses in baking, cleaning, and deodorizing, and as an added ingredient for things like drain openers and neutralizing agents. While there may be other similar products, Church Dwight have virtually cornered the market by holding 85 percent of it. b.Weaknesses – A potential weakness within the company is the overextension of branding into many other product lines. â€Å"Until 1970, it produced and sold only two consumer products: Arm Hammer Baking Soda and a laundry product marketed under the name Super Washing Soda† (Wheelen Hunger). The company enjoyed success domestically, but â€Å"in the internat ional arena where growth was more product-driven and less marking sensitive, the company was less experienced† (Wheelen Hunger). Therefore, they relied on acquisitions and management changes to improve its international footprint and reach. With ever-expanding product lines, suppliers, and retailers, the potential for an inferior product or service can cause a negative reputation, impacting the overall brand. Therefore, brand recognition should continue to be the focus when researching future products or investment avenues to ensure the quality of the product/service in the name of the company. Entire corporations have gone away because of a negative connotation to its brand name in the eyes of consumers. c.Opportunities – The possibilities are endless as Church Dwight continue to pursue additional product lines in household, personal care, specialty, and international products. Future expansion in acquisitions and assets may prove more advantageous as potential consumer products become even more attractive to increase the profitability as the manufacturing base is expanded around the globe. Perhaps in 20 years, we may have cars manufactured by Church Dwight, as well. d.Threats – The primary threat to Church Dwight is competition. Competitors have an even greater market share and larger marketing campaigns to remain leaders in their respective niche. There are always going to be threats to its business operations, products, services, and reputation. Therefore, ongoing evaluation of partnerships, agreements, consumer satisfaction, quality of production, quality of service, etc. is always continuing. Without a continuous evaluation process, companies may find themselves outsmarted, out-marketed, out-produced, and out of a job. Church Dwight have done a great deal in maintaining a very loyal customer base through evaluations of consumer trends and ensuring affiliates maintain the highest standards to retain the reputation as the leading household product manufacturer 7.Products or Services – Church Dwight continue to produce some of the most widely known household care products. These products are based on differences in the nature of their uses and organized into three reportable segments: Consumer Domestic, Consumer International and Specialty Products (SPD) (Craigie). The company currently produces 80 different product lines, in which eight major brands make up a total of 80 percent of its business (Craigie). The most famous of the company’s products is Arm Hammer Baking Soda. As a company focused on quality and innovation, Church Dwight has â€Å"a discreet marketing team focused solely on new product development† (Church Dwight). In addition, the company is focused on goals to develop differentiated products with new and distinctive features, increased convenience and value, and engaging outside contractors for research and development activities (Church Dwight). B. Problem Definition 1.The Church Dwight case study identified a corporate problem needing to continue expansion in products and services, while presenting a consistent operating profit and increasing market shares of the household product industry. Expenses were continually evaluated and streamlined to reduce inefficiencies; including product research and development to identify â€Å"new uses/markets for an existing product† (Wheelen Hunger). Unfortunately, constant pressure from global competitors seeking to enter domestic and international markets, as well as an overall poor economy, is creating an atmosphere where continued growth must be developed through new opportunities for expansion into new geographical markets, new products/uses, all while striving to control increasing transportation costs. 2.In order for Church Dwight to retain its position as the leading household product manufacturer, it must continue to provide outstanding customer service, excellence in product quality, invest in cutting edge technology to remain a viable resource for consumers, as well as developing new uses for its primary product line to ensure customers remain satisfied with the product, as promised. In addition, expanding its share of other household product opportunities and innovations will be key to any future growth. Yet another opportunity for Church Dwight to grow is in the business-to-business exchange market for suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to use. By providing this service to its affiliates and partners, they would be able to achieve greater operational efficiencies in their supply chains. 3.As Church Dwight enjoy a considerably large loyal customer base, competing with Proctor Gamble and other industry giants to get customers to switch competitors is no easy task. However, with any challenge comes greater innovation and new ideas. Relationships with suppliers, manufacturers and other retailers allow for greater efficiencies in costs by consolidating orders, developing greater discounts on shipping costs, or even creating greater financial incentives for affiliates to increase sales and customer satisfaction rates by increasing consumer awareness of the quality and reliability of services and products available to them. III. SYNTHESIS A. Alternative Solutions Brand recognition for ARM HAMMER brand products has already been established within the domestic markets of the United States. International markets continue to challenge emerging companies due to cultural differences in market populations, cultural differences in marketing strategies, and language barriers requiring new brand names more suitable for local languages/cultures. With low population growth rates and households in international markets, increasing transportation costs, and intense competition and higher commodities costs, manufacturers are turning to new and innovative processes to increase their share of the household product markets. For example, rising gas prices are a concern since it directly contributes to increased production costs. In response, household and personal care product companies are making efforts to stimulate sales in varying ways, such as entering new markets, creating new product segments, strengthening strong brand image, acquiring businesses, targeting market audiences, and increasing advertising budgets. Another alternative could be to develop joint-business ventures with suppliers, manufacturers, distributers, and retailers. The benefit to this option would be to streamline production and sales and allow the ease of marketing products and services to its affiliates and partners. This option would also allow greater operational efficiencies and translate into lower costs for Church Dwight and lower prices for consumers. B. Recommendations and Conclusions As Church Dwight look to satisfy competitive pressures while still reeling from the recent economic crisis, the following recommendation and solution is presented in hopes of reducing expenditures and continuing company growth through new product development and market expansion. Expanding into new markets with â€Å"major competitors jockeying for shelf space and retailers seeking to rationalize their breadth of product offerings, more changes may be considered† (Wheelen Hunger). Therefore, the best recommendation for Church Dwight at this point in time would be to implement the first alternative, delving into new product lines both in domestic markets and even greater exploration of international markets. This option would be advantageous because of the limited financial investment required to grow already established footholds in foreign countries to manufacture and transport new product lines. In addition, by improving upon past successes and avoiding past mistakes, a s ound marketing campaign could attract additional consumer traffic to its existing retailers and product outlets. Arm Hammer also has premier brand recognition within the United States, which would look to use its large customer base to compete against Proctor Gamble or Colgate-Palmolive, and Clorox. Finally, to satisfy any shortcomings in this solution, it is further recommended that Church Dwight initiate an aggressive marketing strategy incorporating foreign experts in business and marketing development to identify focus groups to better understand cultural differences and expectations in product innovations. Understanding why a specific culture or race chooses one brand over another is key to identifying potential aspects of a new product line that would be warmly received in another country rather than simply pushing an American-made product brand on a culture that has no experience with the product or whose name may have a derogatory meaning in their language. This option could also allow Church Dwight to market potentially less expensive alternatives to Proctor Gamble or other foreign corporations specializing in household products in another country or region. This recommendation provides a potential solution to increase sales while growing market share and staying ahead of the competition. References Church Dwight, Co. Inc. (web). Churchdwight.com. Retrieved on April 8, 2012 from http://www.churchdwight.com/index.aspx Craigie, J. R. (February 24, 2010). Church Dwight co., inc. 2009 annual report: Churchdwight.com. Retrieved on April 8, 2012 from http://www.churchdwight.com/PDF/AnnualReports/2009-CDH-Annual-Report.pdf Wheelen, T. L., Hunger, J. D. (2012). Strategic management and business policy toward global sustainability. (13th ed., pp. 19-20). New York, NY: Pearson Hall.

The Powers Of Europe During 1914 History Essay

The Powers Of Europe During 1914 History Essay In 1914 war was just a disaster waiting to happen, all over Europe tensions were raising with each country looking for the smallest excuse to start one of the greatest wars in history; World War I. On the 28th of June 1914 Austria found its excuse; the heir to the Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir apparent of the Austrian throne, was assassinated in Sarajevo by a Gavrilo Princip; a member of the Black Hand which was a secret Nationalist Serbian group that was devoted to uniting all of the territories with significant Serb populations not ruled by Serbia. This was not the only cause for the First World War however; it was only the match that lit up the unstable barrel of gun powder that was known as Europe during the time. Lots of countries wanted to go to war, but there is just one question; which country was most prepared or would benefit the most from the war? There are a few main factors that should be considered when deciding; economy, military, social Conditions and political polic ies. Economy During the start of the 19th century Great Britain was the kingpin of economic development. This was mainly because of its overseas colonies. 1815 to 1914 was referred to as Great Britains Imperial Century. During that time 10 million square miles and close to 400 million people were made part of the British Empire in which it had access to loads of extra resources. But while Britains economy had jumped during the industrial revolution, its growth had started to slow. This can be shown through its coal production. In 1914 Great Britains coal output was 292 million tons from 250 million tons in 1900, only a 42 million ton increase. This growth compared to Germany, it had a 156 million ton increase in production. As these statistics show, while Britain was growing it wasnt growing as fast as it was during the Industrial Revolution and could soon be overtaken by any potential competitor. Despite this, London was still the worlds financial and entrepreneurial center for international pay ments and Britain still remained a very large creditor nation, lending funds to other countries. The German economy in 1914 was growing at a phenomenal pace and should be considered as one of the greatest economic powers of the world at the time. During the earlier years of Imperial Germanys existence its economy had lagged far behind its competitors (Great Britain, France and Belgium) due to the fact that it was a new country and had to unify all of its affairs from the countries that were created from it, as a result the social structure was not at all suitable for economic or entrepreneurial development. But by the beginning of the 20th century Germany had become one of the world leaders in industrialization second only to Great Britain (which was in a slow decline after the industrial revolution). An example of this would be Germanys steel production. In 1914 it had produced an estimated 14 million tons compared to Great Britain which only produced 8 million tons. The prosperity of Germanys economy was also reflected in the way its population had exploded during the late 189 0s yet when absorbed into the labor market living standards went on without any drastic decline. By 1914 the countrys NDP (Net Domestic Product) was over 20 billion reichsmarks. This statistic can be disputed though. According to Knut Borchardt, the poor state of the statistical material undermines the reliability of many of the detailed figures (Borchardt, 1954) After Austria-Hungary became a dual monarchy its economy had changed in many ways. It had started to replace its medieval institutions with more modern structures. The technological changes during that time also accelerated the urbanization and industrialization of the country. As a result of the improvements of Austria-Hungarys economy, the GNP grew an estimated 1.76% per year during the time period for 1870-1913. This growth compared very favorably with the other super powers of the time such as Britain (1%), France (1.06%) and Germany (1.51%). But in its early years the economy in general economy still could not compare with the others due to its late start in its sustained modernization. But by the end of the 19th century these differences slowly began to even themselves out. By 1900 Austria-Hungary had a strong food industry and agriculture in the east while the western areas excelled in various manufacturing industries. By 1914 Austria-Hungary had become the 3rd largest economi c and industrial country in Europe after Great Britain and Germany. During 1914 Russias economy was not in such great shape. It had an abundance of resources but most were locked in by the vast size of the country and the extreme climate that they were located in. It would seem that Russia may have been a dying man but historians unanimously agree that its economy did grow. By 1900 it had taken Frances 4th place position in iron production and 5th in steel production. Railway mileage had increased by 87% between 1892 and 1903 and its oil extraction had even tripled between 1892 and 1903. All of this industrialization though, required lots of capital to start up and maintain. This though was capital that Russia did not have at its disposal. As a result, Russias industry ended up being predominately owned by foreigners. A few examples of this would be Russias steel and mining industry; 69% and 85% respectively were owned by foreigners. An interesting fact about other ownership of Russias industries is that the knowledge capital that was utilized in Rus sias industrialization were either foreigners or Russian minorities like Jews, Poles or à Ã‚ ¡Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒ Ã‚ °Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ¾Ãƒ Ã‚ ±Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â€š ¬Ãƒâ€˜Ã‚ Ãƒ Ã‚ ´Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬  Ãƒâ€˜Ã¢â‚¬ ¹ (Old Believers). Despite all of these improvements on Russias economy there were very few people in the middle class and most were living in close to medieval-like poverty while the nobility were extremely wealthy. This created a giant imbalance in the workforce which in turn drastically lowered industrial efficiency. These were the main hurdles for Russia to become a major economic superpower and also resulted in unrest within the country. Throughout the first half of the 19th century France was the worlds wealthiest nation. During the time when agriculture was the main occupation of the majority of Europe it had the most abundant resources. It also held the 2nd place in the worlds industrial production after Great Britain. But in 1914 the economy was not like it was 50 years ago. France ranked behind the other main superpowers like Great Britain, Germany Austria-Hungary and Russia in population and was struggling with Russia in terms of industrial production as it had already fallen behind in production. An example would be coal output. France lagged behind both Germany and Great Britain with only a 40 million ton output compared to 277 million and 292 million tons respectively and is only able to have competition with Russia which had 36.2 million tons of coal output. Though the general patterns of growth in France had a resemblance to the other Western European nations, the peaks in its periods of prosperity were lo wer and the troughs in its periods of depression were deeper. Military Might During the beginning of the 20th century, Great Britain had the largest empire in the world which covered over 11 million square miles of territory most of which was claimed between 1750 and 1850. By the late 19th century Great Britain also acquired colonies in Africa and in 1914 King George V reigned over 430 million people. The British Empire was protected by its Royal Navy. This included 18 dreadnoughts, 29 pre-dreadnought battleships, 195 assorted cruisers and 146 destroyers. The Royal Navy was the largest navy in the world at the time. In August of 1914 Britain had around 250 thousand soldiers in active service with the remaining 450 thousand in reserve. About 120 thousand soldiers in active duty were in the British Expeditionary Force and the rest of the army was stationed abroad in all of its colonies except for the white countries/dominions of Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Britain already had an undersized army but the fact that they were spread out all over the world me ant that fighting capacity in the event of war would be limited. Even before 1914 Germany was credited with having the most efficient army in the world. Unlike Britain it employed universal mass conscription for all of the men. The German Army (Deutsches Heer) were first put into short term military service and after that was finished they were put into long term reserve should they be needed in the event of a war. By 1914 the German Army in its entirety had 4.2 million soldiers. The Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine)