Organisational Culture Jc Penney free essay sample

Do you think JC Penney was legitimized in selecting Mike Ullman, an outcast, as CEO rather than Vanessa Castagna, taking into account that Castagna was instrumental in pivoting JC Penney in the mid 2000s? Before long a while later, Castagna left the organization. What are the advantages and disadvantages of â€Å"bringing in an outsider† and advancing from within†? Examine too the effect of such choices on the confidence of the representatives. JC Penney is a mid range chain of American retail establishments, which was first begun by James Cash Penney 1902, when he was offered a 33% organization in another store with Guy Johnson and Thomas Callahan called The Golden Rule. The store was a dry merchandise and attire store in Kemmerer, Wyoming and from here the chain spread quickly all through the United States changing its name to JC Penney in 1913 when James Penney took a more noteworthy responsibility for chain. At about this time a few accomplices met at Salt Lake City to draft â€Å"The Penney Idea†, a lot of business rules that were to control the business from that point on. We will compose a custom exposition test on Hierarchical Culture Jc Penney or then again any comparable theme explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Wikipedia. com saw ninth September 2007. Throughout the years the chain of the retail establishments kept on developing through a framework where the administrators put value into their stores giving them more authority over what was sold. Subsequently the promoting framework was decentralized while every one of its rivals had a progressively brought together framework permitting them to comprehend what was available at any one time, what was moving and what was not; and to have the option to publicize on a national premise. With the extreme rivalry found in the retail segment in the late 1990s, JC Penney started to discover its place in the market was feeling the squeeze and benefits started to decay. At this stage it made the new arrangements of Allen Questrom as the CEO and Vanessa Castagna as the new COO. Castagna came to JC Penneys with a lot of promoting experience picked up from other retail chain stores. With this experience she helped Questrom pivot JCP by unifying the purchasing framework, diminishing the quantity of lines sold, shutting down non performing outlets and reimaging the lines offered to the customers.This in addition to the selling of some of the company’s different interests left it in a generally excellent monetary position staying away from what resembled conceivable debacle. These progressions carried JCP into line with its rivals and in doing this Castagna indicated phenomenal administration abilities. The offer market additionally affirmed, as can been seen with shares ascending from about $20 when she joined the organization in 1999 to over $40 when she quit in March 2005, as can be seen in Diagram1. Chart 1 http://contributing. businessweek. com/research/stocks/diagrams/outlines. sp? symbol=JCP saw ninth September 2007. Despite the fact that Castagna indicated incredible administration aptitudes she didn't really show the vision or initiative abilities that were important to make JCP the following stride further were it could draw in, train and keep great staff just as present another picture that would energize and pull in new clients and guarantee old clients continued returning. Kotter (1996, pg 25) expressed, â€Å"Management is a lot of procedures that can keep a muddled arrangement of individuals and innovation running smoothly.The most significant parts of the board incorporate arranging, planning, sorting out, staffing, controlling, and critical thinking. Initiative is a lot of procedures that makes associations in any case or adjusts them to fundamentally evolving conditions. Administration characterizes what the future ought to resemble, adjusts individuals to that vision, and moves them to get it going in spite of the obstructions. † When Myron E. Ullman joined JC Penney as Chairman and CEO late in 2004 he found that the organization had kept up an inflexible old world culture that disheartened newcomers and smothered innovative thinking.Morale among representatives was high, however simply because the organization had quite recently maintained a strategic distance from catastrophe and Ullman felt to build assurance and hold quality staff the way of life inside the association needed to change significantly. He had a dream to take the organization to the business initiative level through the â€Å"Long Term Plan† which has been refreshed in the course of the most recent few years and can be summed up as follows: Annual Report (2006, Pg 4) †¢Develop solid suffering associations with clients †¢Inspire clients with our product and administrations †¢Being the favored decision for a retail vocation Establish JCP as the development chief in the retail business Unlike Castagna, Ullman has shown high intellectual authority capacities permitting him to see the hidden issues inside JCP and follow up on them with creative thoughts. Of the five factors that make up Cognitive Intelligence, he shows significant levels in every one of them. †¢Experienced in retail industry. Accumulated data about JCP before acting †¢Creativity was appeared through in scope of social change activities †¢Recognised when individuals are locked in with work they relate better to clients †¢Showed farsightedness through the â€Å"Long Term Plan† Putting 164 hrs into Retail Academy indicated receptiveness Ullman has demonstrated that he is Strategic Leader as appeared by Daft (2005, Pg 510-53). †¢His Mission was basic and it was to take the organization to the Industry Leadership Level. This gave the association something to focus on for the future, built up a standard of greatness and it reflected high beliefs. †¢The Mission is as the â€Å"Long Term Plan†. It characterizes the JCP’s character, guiding principle, remains generally steady over a multi year time span and gives a premise to making the Mission. The procedure plan is the social change activities that were required to manufacture a client centered culture. Tragically Castagna left her situation as the COO just a few months after Ullman started in his job, as together, while thinking about their capacities, they would have made an awesome group. Anyway considering the administration aptitudes and capacities that Ullman brought to JCP, it was a bet that merited the hazard that the board took. Stone (2005, pg 192) records the accompanying points of interest and burdens of advancing from inside or outside an association: From OutsideAdvantages †¢Pool of Talent is greater †¢New experiences, abilities and skill can be brought into the association †¢It is now and then less expensive and simpler recruit workers †¢Outside representatives are not individuals from existing inner circles Disadvantages †¢Attracting and choosing new workers is progressively troublesome †¢New worker modification and direction takes longer †¢Morale may endure among existing representatives who have been ignored †¢Incumbentâ€⠄¢s execution or character is underneath what was normal or is adequate From WithinAdvantages †¢Have information on candidate’s qualities and shortcomings †¢Candidate definitely knows the association †¢Employee spirit and inspiration are improved †¢Return on interest in preparing and advancement is upgraded †¢Can produce a progression of advancements †¢Organisation needs to enlist just section level competitors Disadvantages †¢Employees may advanced past their degree of capability †¢Employee infighting for advancements can influence assurance †¢Inbreeding can smother imagination and development †¢System can become bureaucratic Excellent preparing and advancement programs become vital One would possibly picture the effect on resolve when the head on an association was sourced from outside the gathering and afterward to discover the COO, whom it was generally expected to have taken on this job, to offer her renunciation and leav e. The mind-set at JCP which was very high in view of the ongoing pivot in budgetary fortunes would dispersed rapidly. Anyway the low spirit that had come about would have pivoted once the social activities that were actualized begun demonstrating beneficial outcomes. A few examiners consider that culture change is driven from the top, while, others state that the framework drives change, not top administration. Give your remarks with reasons. DuBrin, Dalglish and Miller (2006, Pg. 429-30) characterize authoritative culture, in three segments: †¢The Artifact Level This incorporates the physical format of the premises, the wording, the signs, ceremonies and accounts of the association. On account of JC Penney, this would incorporate such things as the desire to consistently dress officially, the prohibition on embellishing and customizing work spaces and the tending to of administrators in a conventional way. The Value Level This is the individual’s feeling of what should be, as particular from what may be. These are proclamations made about the association, what it does, and how it does it, which mirror the way of life. The Penney Idea is a case of this, the record embracing esteems, for example, being pleasant, moral authority, frugality and the requirement for representatives to behave with a specific goal in mind both at work and at home. †¢The Underlying Set of Assumptions These presumptions create whe n esteems become so dug in they are underestimated and are thought to be unchangeable. In the wake of being in presence for more than one hundred years JCP had dug in values that would take coordinated endeavors to change. DuBrin, Dalglish and Miller (2006, Pg. 430) likewise recognize four manners by which the authoritative culture can be affected: †¢The convictions and estimations of the associations originator. James C Penney purchased his first shop in quite a while, the CEO until 1917 and stayed as the Chairman of the Board until 1946 and after that as the Honorary Chairman until his passing in 1971, Wikipedia. com saw ninth September 2007.With this long association and the association bearing his name it is anything but difficult to un

Symbols and Symbolism in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner :: Rime

Mystery Hunt 2006 announced

Mystery Hunt 2006 announced Earlier this evening, I received the official email announcing Mystery Hunt 2006. What is Mystery Hunt? Mystery Hunt is one of IAPs most exciting activities. In short, the Hunt is a weekend long competition at MIT where students and others team up to solve lots of puzzles, with the ultimate goal of finding a coin hidden somewhere on campus. For a more in-depth description, you should check out these longer articles from the Boston Globe and Games Magazine. Anyway, heres the email: Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2005 18:07:33 -0500 From: 2006 MIT Mystery Hunt To: [emailprotected] Subject: 2006 MIT Mystery Hunt Hi everyone, It's almost IAP -- time to start thinking about Mystery Hunt. The 2006 MIT Mystery Hunt will begin at 12:17 pm on Friday, January 13, 2006. Team registration is now open. Like in the last two years, we are handling the job of assigning rooms for team headquarters. Accordingly, Schedules will not entertain requests for rooms for Hunt; teams that want classroom space will need to reserve rooms through us. If your team wants to reserve a room (or more) through the official registration system, you MUST REGISTER BY DECEMBER 15. If you do not want a room, we strongly encourage you to register by then anyway, but will accept reservations up until Hunt itself, or later. THE EARLIER YOU REGISTER, THE BETTER. If your team has already registered, we still need your room preferences (if you want a room). To see the list of available rooms, go to http://mit.edu/puzzle/www/rooms2-06.html. To read about the registration system, go to http://mit.edu/puzzle/www/rooms-06.html. To register, go to http://mit.edu/puzzle/www/mailto.html. If you have any questions, please email us at [emailprotected] Thanks very much. Roger Ford for [emailprotected] Let me show you some pictures from my team in last years Mystery Hunt The Hunt kicks off in MITs Lobby 7 at 12 noon, the Friday before Martin Luther King Day, every IAP. A bit before noon, a large crowd began to gather This year, we gathered not only for a kickoff speech (announcing the theme: Normalville), but also for a giant kickoff puzzle! Construction paper meteorites rained down from above, containing a message Back at team Lost in Space Waffle headquarters we came together to start solving the puzzles because had a wall full of unsolved puzzles to work through. Of course, we also solved many puzzles (my quickest solve: Take Me Out). Our map of Normalville kept the team up-to-date on our progress. This years winning team comes from the Random Hall dormitory. And what do they receive for their victory? The honor and privilege of writing Mystery Hunt 2006, of course =) 59 days and counting until Mystery Hunt! Post Tagged #Mystery Hunt

Masculine Bravado in Death of a Salesman and A Streetcar...

What is it to be a man? Masculinity is defined and characterized differently across cultures and time – there is no â€Å"global† standard. In some cultures, being a man may mean being comfortable with both your masculine and feminine sides or it could suggest being â€Å"tough† and not letting your feelings show at all. Manliness can be demonstrated in some cultures by providing for a family through work, and in others, it might mean scoring the winning goal in a championship game. It is not an easy thing to define an entire gender based on the arbitrary set of ever-changing social and cultural norms, but somehow- it still happens. Trying to define one’s own masculinity and live up to its standards is a tough and grueling task that many men†¦show more content†¦Nevertheless, with both in the sales industry, it’s easy for them to turn on that charismatic charm and sell not only their ideals, but â€Å"themselves in the form of their winnin g personalities† (Cardullo 29). Stanley Kowalski is the typical hyper-masculine example of a man in the late 1940’s to early 1950’s. He is described by his sister-in-law as an â€Å"ape† (Williams 121), he is abusive towards his wife, and he is the breadwinner of the family- he literally brings home the meat and throws it at his wife to catch and cook. Masculinity itself is not a character flaw, but when expressed with such ferocity it can become a crutch and unflattering. Stanley displays his manliness in several different ways throughout the play, something that the author Tennessee Williams did on purpose to reflect on the societal norms of the time and to do so in a questioning manner. The manliness that Stanley has is not one that is kept tamed and unleashed in appropriate moments, but is a type that is constantly wanting people to know that he is â€Å"the king† (Williams 138) of his home and family. By asserting his dominance, Stanley is show ing how masculinity can be a force that drives one to do absurd things in order to keep up a faà §ade. Willy Loman’s disposition is not as boisterous as Streetcar’s anti-hero, Stanley, but is instead more internal and self-reflective. His views of masculinity arise from the

Social Justice Issues - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1195 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/04/08 Category Society Essay Level High school Topics: Social Justice Essay Did you like this example? Anyone may say that the force is unfair and unjust. Yet, who is actually ready to accept the consequences for going against the unjust law? Is breaking the law worth the penalty? The government is the one to determine whether the law is fair but what if the people think its not? should we protest the force? Civil rights leader like Henry David Thoreau, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr. represented very different philosophies. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Social Justice Issues" essay for you Create order Thoreau and King shared the same civil disobedience ideology. King Look forward to the time when blacks and whites would sit down together at the table of brotherhood words taken from his I Have a Dream speech made in Washington in 1963. Malcolm X was interested So I cite these various revolutions, brothers, and sisters to show you that you dont have a peaceful revolution (552). They differed on the use of violence to achieve their goals and they differed on the roles of whites in the civil rights movement. On the Duty of Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau was the way of educating people on why they should not go for the ideal regime. Thoreaus job in this message that it constitutes our responsibility to put off the inadequate administration, as said by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence insisted that it is our duty to throw off an unsatisfactory government. The reading talks about Thoreaus polar viewpoint towards unjust authorities. On the Duty of Civil Disobedience touches about why people of why people choose not to do anything about a government they are unhappy with. The reading is an excellent way or educating people on they should not settle for a less than perfect government. Henry David Thoreau outlines a utopian society in which each individual would be responsible for governing himself. His opposition to a centralized government is an effort to disassociate with the American government, which at the time were supporting slavery and unjustly invading Me xico. Thoreau argues that individual should not permit governments to overrule or atrophy their consciences and that they have a duty to avoid allowing such acquiescence to enable the government to make them the agents of injustice. Message in the Grassroots is a speech which was written to persuade the black people of America to put their differences aside and unite against the American racist hypocritical culture and defend themselves, so they can stay in America by forming a black nation. Evidence of this is when he states, forget our differences and come together and, he calls the black people the same family, he then says that they need to defend our own people right here in this country. This shows that Malcolm X has a strong opinion that the black people need to stick together and have a united front in front of the oppressing white man. However, the whole speech is very emotive and touching and creates great imagery. The Message to Grassroots, by Malcolm X, g Initially it was the verify he was a black man and he was Muslim, but more so than that he was a part of American History, Black History. After reading his speech he could be viewed as an Anti- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In making this statement, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., former a movement for the betterment and equal and/or civil rights for Blacks, and then for the rest for the rest of the nation. However, Malcolm X saw this plight as cowardice and a sure recipe of disaster. In the speech, Message to Grassroots, X makes the point that a revolution is an event the takes place with bloodshed. It is not possible for a nation of any kind to fight for rights or revolution without bloodshed, so in this instinct, the non-violence social movement held no residence in really changing the treatment of blacks in America, based on X speech. In the opening of the speech makes a case that now is a call for action, when X states: We all agree tonight; all of the speakers have agreed that American has a serious problem. Not only does American have a very serious problem, but our people have a very serious problem. The message being sent grabs the attention of the audience immediately due to the word order. The consistency use of the word problem gets the audience engaged wondering what the problem at hand is, it opens or alert the persuades that it is more to come that would be a new uh huh moment. Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. had a common purpose for African Americans; justice and equality. Illustrated through their speeches and letters, Malcolm Xs Message to the Grass Roots and Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail. The two did not share techniques or ideas. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote Letter from Birmingham Jail in order to address the biggest issue in Birmingham and the United States at the time. The Letter from Birmingham Jail discusses the great injustices happening toward the black community in Birmingham. In order to justify his desire for radical justice and equality, King uses ethical appeals. Although not being from Birmingham he said he need to be there because of the many injustices whites do toward black people. Martin Luther King Jr.s Justification on defying unjust laws is talked about in his letter and how King cites conscience as a guide to obeying just laws and defying unjust laws, in the same way, Thoreau wrote in On the Duty of Civil Disobedience. Apart from Kings added religious beliefs, Thoreau and King shared the same ideas concerning civil disobedience and the way in which one should deal with just and unjust laws, although they demonstrated their viewpoints indifferent. Social justice is defined as justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society. Social justice has always been an engaging topic, there so much history that goes with it. Hearing those two words I automatically think to get as close to equal in the given situation. In American society, there is a big sense of individualism and focusing on what makes us happy and just focusing on ourselves for the most part. Although self-care is not a problem I believe that people should be more willing to speak more on social injustices. If you have a voice you should use it because no one wants to fight a battle alone. I believe speaking about problems is the only way to resolve them instead of tossing them under the rug. We allow too much to go undiscussed. We live in a society in which people desensitize themselves to atrocities going on in the world if they are not personally affected. By living in the United States, we have been given resources such as the internet and social media to spread awareness of situations going on in other countries and even in the United States to be a voice for the people who are not allowed or are too afraid to speak up. With all tools and internet outlets given to us, we could definitely start using those for change.

Critical Analysis of Wilfred Owens poem Arms and the Boy

Eng 432 Outline Critical Analysis of Wilfred Owens poem Arms and the Boy I. Introduction: 1. Introducing what is going to be discussed in the paper (analysis of Arms and the Boy , its relation to one of Owens poem). 2. Thesis Statement : Wilfred Owens poem Arms and the Boy can be discussed to represent the horror of war. II. Body: 1. Owen was a soldier and a modern poet who was known as anti-war poet. A. A summary of Owens poetry in general . B. His representation of the horror of war in his poems. 2. Arms and the Boy is about an inexperienced young soldier who went to war. 3. Analysis of the poem. A. Analysis of the first stanza. B. Analysis of the second stanza. C. Analysis of the third stanza. 4. Poetic techniques that are used†¦show more content†¦These bullets are sharp and can cut as the torment of the grief and death. In the last stanza, the speaker is talking about the boys teeth, who is happy, as they are for eating an apple. However, these teeth are not weapons and he has no claws underneath his fingers. Also, God would not give him talons at heels and antlers which mean that God would not help him. So, the speaker says here that this boy is not like animals which have talons and antlers to help them kill their prey and in fighting with other animals. This stanza perhaps is showing that God is against wars and wars are a man-made catastrophe. If God wanted the soldiers to be homicidal, He would give them claws, talons, or antlers. Let the boy try along this bayoLet the boy try along this bayonet-blade Owen used, in this poem, an alliteration to add emphasis to the poem and the image it presents. The phrases like bayonet-blade, blind, blunt bullet and famishing for flesh have alliterations of the letter b and f which create an effect on the ears. The letter b is pronounced harshly to emphasize the cruelty of these weapons which is used to kill. Also, the letter f is pronounced harshly, but it is used to emphasize the heartlessness and inhumanity of having such thoughts by the boy. These alliterations give greater significant in regard to the exact image. Also, there is a use ofShow MoreRelatedEssay on A Comparison of World War I Poetry2088 Words   |  9 Pagesfundamental ideas and values towards our society. In this essay, I will discuss the issue of the War Poetry during the Great War along with comparing and contrasting two talented renowned poets; Wilfred Owen (1893-1918) and Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967). We tend to focus on the definition of War Poetry as poems that concentrated on the subject of war, which are written during a war that seems to have a noticeable influence on the poet . The crucial focus here is one war in particular: namely the First

Criticacal Thinking and Problem Solving Decision Making

Question: Describe about the Criticacal Thinking and Problem Solving for Decision Making. Answer: As a social work student, throughout this session, I have learned to appreciate the peaceful, yet exhilarating moment when dealing with various cases of social problems. Since I was a young boy, I had the passion of becoming a community counsellor and at the same time serve as a community resource mobilizer. To achieve these, I needed to have excellent critical thinking and problem solving skills. However, towards the end of my high school, I almost gave up on my pursuit of this career path as most of my friends had discouraged me that critical thinking was a very difficult and complicated field and that those who pursued this course in most cases ended up being hard liners as they argued on every issue. Nonetheless, my studies in critical thinking and problem solving this session have left me with a completely different notion about this field. My lecturer, Dr Angelina Zubac has proved to be a very resourceful person. I have always been a thinker, but all along the session, my critical analysis skills have greatly been sharpened. Through the study of Prospect Theory, I learned how to choose between two alternative risky situations where I learned that when presented with two situations that are risky in nature, I should choose the one that will give me more benefits in terms of financial gain or that situation that will save me from incurring losses (Boyd Fales, 1983). Moreover, I studied another theory that can help me in problem solving whenever faced by a difficult situation; Expected Utility Theory, which I learned that it is premised on the assumption that when faced with a situation that has an uncertain outcome; I should focus on a solution that at the end will satisfy my need (Langer Colton, 1994). Through a workshop organised in week 2 of my study, I had a chance to listen to several problems and to taste my problem solving and critical thinking skills. I was involved in a dialogue with Susan, one of my group members. Through the dialogue, I was able to observe how she presented her issues and gave my views. This I had learned was a process to help enhance my critical thinking skills through listening to and analysing other peoples issues. To retain the information I had acquired during presentations, I recorded all the activities including dialogue and presentations using my smartphone. Furthermore, to enhance my critical thinking skills, I read on-line materials such as essays, research papers, publications and proposals by various world known authors on critical thinking such as Plato. For instance, Platos writing on the Allegory of the Cave was really fascinating and sharpened my analysis of situations from a critical point of view (Kennison, 2006). I discovered that to be a good decision maker, I have to compromise as this will enable me achieve the objective of either the organisation or management. In whatever decision I make, I ought to ensure that there is no conflict with other peoples decision and to achieve this, I must always strike a compromise (Frederick, 2005). Moreover, there must be rationality in my decisions. Oral presentations and debates enhanced my communication skills and reduced the anxiety I have always had during presentations. I learned that a good decision maker ought to embrace high self-efficacy skills such as being courageous, active, competent and optimistic. It also entails having high self-esteem and employing the use of high social integration skills (Paternoster Pogarsky, 2009). These skills were further sharpened through practical learning experiences such as debating, presentations in workshops and in the classroom. Through watching videos, my decision making skills were further enhanced. I have always assumed the responsibility of leadership throughout all stages of my study. For instance, I served as a class prefect and school captain respectively at primary school and secondary school. When I joined the university, I really had the desire to continue and to advance this passion. It was therefore my goal to serve as a student leader at the university. To achieve this goal, I needed to acquire good leadership skills which I have learned requires good decision making and critical thinking skill (Lipman, 1987). This was surely the right class session for me. Despite the constraints I faced such as a tight work schedule, anxiety during class presentations and during debates and lack of a smart phone, I managed to acquire the skills. Through help from my family, I was able to afford a smart phone which I used to record presentations for future review and to access online learning information on decision making and critical thinking skills. The session has really been of help to me as my leadership skills have been enhanced. I learned that a good leader ought to possess decision making skills such as influencing and persuading skills, appreciating other peoples views, how to agree and disagree amicably and how to present my views (Profetto-McGrath, 2005). Today using the acquired skills, I can gladly vie for the leadership position. The leadership skills acquired are not only of great help in my university student leadership position but will also help me in my community service and in my future life leadership roles. Based on the knowledge I have I acquired I believe I am ready to take up my roles as a community mobilizer and as a social worker since my decision making and critical thinking skills have been sharpened. By taking up these roles, my skills will be sharpened even more as I will have a chance to exercise my learned skills and to face on-field challenges and devise ways to overcome the challenges. My passion in decision making having been awakened and will see me read further on similar topics to expand my knowledge beyond limits. Furthermore, having acquired leadership skills throughout the session, I believe I am ready to take up leadership responsibilities at the university and later even try the field of leadership at the national level. References Langer, G. M., Colton, A. B. (1994). Reflective Decision Making: The Cornerstone of School Reform. Journal of Staff Development, 15(1), 2-7. Boud, D. (2001). Using journal writing to enhance reflective practice. New directions for adult and continuing education, 2001(90), 9-18. Frederick, S. (2005). Cognitive reflection and decision making. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 19(4), 25-42. Paternoster, R., Pogarsky, G. (2009). Rational choice, agency and thoughtfully reflective decision making: The short and long-term consequences of making good choices. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 25(2), 103-127. Lipman, M. (1987). Critical thinking: What can it be?. Analytic Teaching, 8(1). Profetto-McGrath, J. (2005). Critical thinking and evidence-based practice. Journal of Professional Nursing, 21(6), 364-371. Kennison, M. M. (2006). The evaluation of students' reflective writing for evidence of critical thinking. Nursing Education Perspectives, 27(5), 269-273. Boyd, E. M., Fales, A. W. (1983). Reflective learning key to learning from experience. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 23(2), 99-117.

Pestel Analysis Russian Federation free essay sample

This part of the dissertation will analyze main political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal issues within the Russian Federation. All of the Interviewees outlined the political aspect as the most important when investing into Russia, however the Author would like to acknowledge that the economical and legal factors have a critical weight in the issues of FDI, therefore their analysis will play a comprehensive role in the thesis, assuming that the initial reader has no background knowledge of the environment. Low awareness of ecological issues (global warming, recycling) ? Nuclear waste deposits in Siberia ?History of environmental accidents – Chernobyl ?Harsh climate conditions ?Vast territory is hard to manage Coastal access is vast but strategically more costlyLegal ?The legal system is new ?Bodies of conflicting and intertwining laws ?Federal government system makes the legal co-ordination complicated ? Poor human rights (e. g. freedom of speech) ?Corruption affects law enforcement Political Through historical analysis (please refer to Appendix A), it is evident that authoritative rule has played an important part in Russian political culture, irrespective of the government type. We will write a custom essay sample on Pestel Analysis Russian Federation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The democracy is relatively young, but the system has been stable for a long period of time to ensure economic progress (i. . there have not been any radical changes in government structure since 1991. The elections were conducted according to international standards and without any major complaints from the International Supervisors. There are internal problems with terrorism in the South Caucasus region and small military conflicts in the region (Chechnya, South Ossetia) have been unpopular with the EU and USA and are still causing tension in the geopolitical arena. Internally the corporatism does not ensure a fair business environment to everyone. Structurally speaking, ‘the decisions are not made on business; they are made on other things†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢it’s more about who’s got a bigger pistol. ’ (Question no. 12, Deputy CEO, 2010). Since most academics tend to associate Russian democracy with oligarchy, such favouritism can be seen to diminish the business environment within Russia, as there is no basis for fair competition. The Deputy CEO outlined that in Russia it is extremely important to know who is ‘boss’, this can be seen as a side effect from the historically prominent forms of leadership. Comparatively, fellow members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (former Soviet Republics such as Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan) that are also command economies where the hierarchy is clear, are progressing much faster in national and international stages (Question no. 12, Deputy CEO, 2010). The relationship with Europe is unclear. Europe is the largest destination of Russian exports. Despite the mutual dependence; there is still enough a lot of diplomatic conflict between both parties, predominately due to international balance of power (European Union is a close ally of the United States). According to the Deputy CEO (Question no. 20, 2010), there international opinion of Russia is that it uses energy as a ‘political instrument’. President Medvedev is seen to be keen on a much more open environment. Russia has currently been attempting to diversify its exports to Asia and has close links with China, which is recognized internationally as a potentially leading economy in the future (Anker Aronsen, 2010). Corruption index in Russia is one of the highest in the world. According to the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (2009) Russia ranks 147th out of 179 countries. Corruption levels are comparable to Niger and the Democratic Republic of Congo, considering the economic power of the Russian Federation (7th in the world in terms of Purchasing Power Parity), the amount and size of bribes is soaring, despite government’s policies on anti-corruption (new legislation requires government officials to register their income) (Index of Economic Freedom, 2010). Risk Exposure: The political analysis leaves foreign investors subject to cultural and systematic legal risks as the corruption makes administration process longer. Economic When making a decision to make a Direct Investment into a country economic analysis is crucial as the economy of the country is a foundation for all aspects of the business environment. The analysis will focus the key areas of the Russian economy: the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Inflation, Exchange Rate and Debt. The factors will be compared internationally acceptable standards of the United States of America. Gross Domestic Product: Alan C. Shapiro (Multinational Financial Management, 2010) states that the lasting levels of FDI have a direct impact on GDP, the evaluation of the degree to which political factors (such as corruption) have had an inverse effect on the levels of FDI as clearly seen within the Russian economy. The Gross Domestic Product of the Russian Federation is split into the following sectors: Chart 2 Overall since Putin’s presidency has seen a stabilized trend in economic development through the increase in energy prices, nevertheless the dependence on energy exports is proving to have a negative impact on future economic progress. Majority of the revenues come from the export of natural resources, which according to Abelsky account for about 70% of the GDP (‘Russia Sees Oil’, Bloomberg, 2010). Table 4 GDP Growth Rate in % GDP Growth20052006200720082009 GDP growth USA3. 12. 71. 90-2. 6 GDP growth Russia6. 48. 28. 55. 6-7. 9 The issue of dependency on oil and gas exports questions the sustainability in the development of economic indicators overall (Havlik, 2010). The correlation between GDP and energy prices (Table 10) can be clearly verified through the years 2008-2009, when the global credit crisis lowered the demand for oil (and the price fell by $35. /barrel) and Russian GDP contracted by 7. 9%. Even though the government responded quite quickly to the crisis, by supporting the currency and the financial system, international ratings agencies remained sceptical and have recently down graded their outlook from ‘positive’ to ‘neutral’ (‘Russia Sees Oil’, Abe lsky, Bloomberg, 2010). Risk Exposure: The correlation between the oil price and GDP revenue gives rise to location risk as Russia is subject to spillover effects from other countries. Table 5 Inflation Rate in % Inflation Rate20052006200720082009 Inflation USA %3. 393. 242. 853. 85-0. 34 Inflation rate11. 512. 79. 8914. 1 Inflation Rate: Russia has been experiencing persistent double digit inflation. High inflation is known to decrease the Purchasing Power Parity of a country (Zhou, 1997), this is important to the Russian government as its geopolitical power is largely linked to the indicator. When investigating the source of this historically persistent problem, naturally the first aspect the Author analyzed was the increase in money supply (see Appendix E). However, despite the fact that there was relatively little (1. 7%) increase in 2007, inflation still remained close to 10%. Through further research, according to the Keynesian view (Trevithick, 1975), characteristics of the built-in inflation can be found in Russia, in which people have a consistent expectation that inflation will remain high and therefore increase the prices of their products and demand for higher wages. The problem is instigated by corruption, under which government is ineffective or reluctant to control fair estimation of prices, i. . prices continue to increase regardless of economic conditions. This can be easily illustrated by the recent financial crisis and the price of oil. According to The Russian Federal Anti-Monopoly Service, in respect to the decline in price by almost $36, the petrol prices in Russia rose by 30-60% (‘Russian Anti-Monopoly Probes’, RT, 2009). Exposure to Risk: The high inflation rate shows that the economy as a whole is slow ing down and that the investment climate might be unhealthy. This can be categorized as general economic risk. Exchange Rate: The Russian Rouble is a volatile currency (the coefficient of variation Russian Rouble standard deviation is 9. 8% compared to the standard deviation of 5. 8% for dollar as both were evaluated against the Euro); although it is termed as ‘free-floating’, in fact it is monitored and controlled by the Central Bank of Russia. In respect to the energy prices it is sometimes comically referred to by analysts as an ‘oil derivative’ (Clover, 2010). Table 6 Foreign Exchange Rates Average for Euro, Rouble and US Dollar FX Rate Mean20052006200720082009Standard Deviation RUB/EUR35. 2634. 1135. 0136. 4344. 143. 651 RUB/USD28. 327. 225. 624. 931. 75. 646 USD/EUR1. 3011. 2541. 3711. 4881. 3930. 080 Russia has the fourth highest number of Foreign Exchange reserves; this is largely needed for the currency manipulations in order to decrease the volatility of the Rouble. Given the strength of Russia’s balance of payments until the Credit Crisis (2008), taut management of the nominal exchange rate resulted in considerable interventions which were only partially sterilized (‘Towards a Flexible Exchange Rate Policy, OECD, 2009). As a result, inflation jumped from 9% to 14%. Large amounts of foreign reserves demonstrates that Russia has sufficient means of dealing with the imbalances in the economy and it can protect the Rouble against speculative attack and volatile energy prices; however it also exposes the weakness of its monetary system in the failure to sterilize the results of the interventions which intensify the incessant inflation predicament. Exposure to Risk: Internationally all investments are subject to exchange rate risk. As Rouble is considered to be a volatile currency, the exchange rate risk is also higher, however it can be managed easily through hedging. Public Debt: Since the credit crisis internationally the importance of public debt management has been acknowledged (‘Principles of Managing Public Debt’, IMF, 2010). Up to 2008, a decreasing trend could be seen in the level of Public Debt and even despite the small increase in 2009, Russia is ranked 122nd out of 126 countries in 2009 (‘Country Comparison: Public Debt’, CIA Factbook, 2009). Table 7 Total Public Debt as % of GDP Total public debt20052006200720082009 Russia16. 410. 18. 25. 69 USA37. 537. 136. 940. 854. 6 Despite these figures External Debt (total private and public debt owed to non-residents) is high due to high real exchange rate of the Rouble (Russia is ranked 20th out of 198 countries(‘Country Comparison: External Debt’, CIA Factbook, 2009). In comparison to the US, which has the highest debt levels of any country in the worlds, a relatively healthy approach to public debt can qualitatively be traced to Russian culture. The ‘credit lifestyle’ in Russia is not as popular as in Europe and the US. Debt in Russian culture is a very powerful negative connotation which is easily illustrated by a famous Russian proverb – â€Å"If you don’t have it, don’t spend it† (MacDonald Gastmann, p. 274, 2004). This is can be proven by the historical approach to the debt inherited from the U. S. S. R. , Putin’s government repaid the remainder of debt to the London Club in 2010 (‘Russia Pays off Creditor’, RIA Novosti, 2010). Summary: This kind of political restriction in uncommon, for example the US continues to increase its debts, both public and external (‘US Public Debt Hits Tipping Point’, Pozen, The Boston Globe, 2010), which through its recent ardent exposure in global media has been causing derision in the American society, manifested in the Barack Obama’s mid-term government elections in 2010 (‘Republican Tsunami’, Leonard Gardner, Daily Telegraph, 2010). Exposure to Risk: As Russia has comparatively low levels of Public Debt investors are not exposed to risk as such, however current economic regression brought on by the financial crisis may lead the public debt levels to rise. Social The society is very diverse which poses a lot of tribulations not only politically, but also economically. The society is very well educated (literacy rate is one of the highest in the world) and the size of the population is the largest in the geographic parameters of the European continent, however the conditions and the level of life is despicable if compared to countries in the European Economic Area. Around 16% of the population lives below the poverty line. The GINI index (measures the degree of inequality in the distribution of family income in a country (‘Country Comparison’, CIA Factbook, 2010). The GINI Index value of 100 expresses maximal inequality (one person has all the income) and a value of 0 (expresses that everyone has the same income) (UN Legislative Council Secretariat, 2005). In the years 2004-2009 GINI index has been around 40%, which suggests that income distribution is uneven and although the situation is better than in America (see table 8 below), compared to European ountries like Sweden (GINI average of around 24) there are development benchmarks to adhere to. Table 8 GINI Index of Income Distribution GINI Index20052006200720082009 Russia40. 54141. 342. 341. 5 USA46. 94746. 346. 746. 8 In respect to the GDP per capita (just below 6000$) it is evident that the internal market is not as attractive as other economic figures say. Per se Russia is no thing more than a ‘rich country of poor people’ (Putin, Sakwa p. 76, 2008). In the interview conducted by the Author, Deputy CEO (Question 11, 2010) outlined sharp class divisions in Russia which although were not mentioned directly signified strong culture shock. In respect to the demographics poor health support, issues with alcohol, high abortion rate, emigration and etc, all contribute to the decrease in population and low life expectancy for men (who make up a larger proportion of the economically active population)(Political Risk Services, 2009). The oligarchic environment supported by corruption and oppression of minority groups (Chechens and so on) within the Federation, uneven income distribution and average GDP per capita increase the possibility of conflict (please refer to section (2. 1. 2) Social Aspects). Unstable conditions are easily illustrated by the re-birth of National Socialism and it’s slogans of ‘Russia for Russians! ’(Von Hoffmeister, 2005). Exposure to Risk: The turbulent social factors and uneven income distribution may potentially lead to conflict within the country. Such diversity in ‘social fabric’ also produces operational risks as culture between regions differs greatly and can be classified as political risk Technological In order to maintain military supremacy, the Soviet government invested heavily into the military, science and space. Due to the fact that education in Soviet Union and subsequently in Russia is free, the importance of using technological progress as a means of development and protection was and still is of great importance. Number of scientific and technological graduates in Russia has always been high. Currently Russia is producing 200,000 science and technology graduates per year (just as much as India and it has a considerably larger population) (‘From Russia with Technology? ’, Bloomberg, 2006). Military spending increased from 19. 7 bln USD to 50 bln USD by 2009, a large proportion of which is going to the research and development of new technology (Global Securities, 2010). With the dissolution of USSR, the low wages and poor societal conditions led for the ‘best minds’ to move abroad. This, as well as declining governmental investment into sciences, contributed to a decrease in technological competency, especially in the regions outside the federal cities. Recent attempts of the Russian government to attract back scientist that have once left Russia (‘Russia wants its brains back! ’, RBTH, 2009) signify that it is pursuing policies of scientific development and wants to support technology further. According to Alexander Allakhverdyan (2009), most talented individuals prefer to graduate with economics or business degrees, because the prospects for employment are better. Based on the PwC report (2. 5), Russia needs to become a ‘technology power house’ in order to ensure economic progress. Although the government has been addressing this issue the main problem that exists is the underdeveloped communications systems outside of federal cities, investment in which is costly due to the vast geographic span of the country. Exposure to Risk: The technological capacity of the country and academic aptitude of the Russian population towards technology could potentially make it easier for foreign investors who are engaged in highly technological businesses to transfer their operations to Russia. However, the issues of knowledge transfer arise as the legal system is not developed enough to ensure full protection of intellectual property rights. Environmental (For more information on Geographic conditions please refer to Appendix C). The abundance in natural resources has been more of a curse than a blessing for Russia. It is this abundance that is largely unappreciated by the population. Compare to Europe, there are no trends towards the development of environmentally friendly fuels or alternative energy sources. In the future gaps in development between Europe and Russia can lead to legal conflicts as the approach to the environment is different (Boldyrev, 2009). The vast geographical span of the country and harsh climate conditions have always been a feature of Russian life. The territory is also hard to manage, military wise. The coastal access is not favourable and transportation is costly. Despite that, the amount of arable land is only sufficient to satisfy domestic consumption (Dyomkin, 2009). Corruption has been a danger to the environment – large numbers of animals are hunted and fished illegally disturbing the ecosystem. In the future there is a chance that with climate change and deteriorating ecological environment will cause environmental catastrophes. The current ecological debates in the Russian Duma (parliament) may lead to a conflict between Medvedev and Putin; however they also signify a growing awareness for the ecological issues. According to the Deputy CEO (Question 12, 2010) the government closely monitors environmental issues that are industry related. Previously ecological factors have been used as a tool for political manipulation. Exposure to Risk: As the environment is a sensitive issue within can potentially give grounds for conflict. If the investor is operating in different parts of the Russian Federation, the operational and logistics costs can be high due to the geographic span and poor infrastructure. Legal It is understandable that the Russian judiciary system is not as developed compared to the European or American system because the democracy is young. The Deputy CEO (Question 8, 2010) outlined that most issues within Russia are manageable, apart from the quality of the legal system, as the Russian leadership style means that nobody takes into consideration documents that were signed by predecessors. Federative form of government makes the legal communication more complicated as different regions sometimes have conflicting laws. Effectively, between 84 different administrative units, the management and cooperation of the judiciary is principal and ineffective. An inherent problem seems to have socio-cultural roots as most of the judges have been employed during the Soviet era. Low GDP per capita and uneven income distribution affects government employees (teachers, doctors, military and judiciary) (Survey of the Employment of Population, ROSSTAT, 2009) the hardest and entices corruption through bribes. Corruption ensures that the legal instruments are not functioning properly and are unjust. Furthermore, Russia has a poor record of human rights (consult Appendix D for further details) and the Press is considerably monitored, compared to the Western Countries, yet it is still an improvement from the Soviet Era. The overall legal environment is weak, corrupted and ineffective (Index of Economic Freedom, 2010). Exposure to Risk: Due to the fact that the Russian government cannot provide a strong enough grounds for enforcement of law, the legal system can be risky for foreign investors as they do not have an opportunity to defend themselves within Russia and may be forced to act through international courts.

Marketing Plan Bay Health Food Company

Marketing Plan Bay Health Food Company Introduction One of the essential elements of a business plan is a marketing plan. An effective marketing plan for a business requires an intelligently considered base, upon which a business gets to penetrate its target market with ease.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing Plan: Bay Health Food Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Through a marketing plan, a business gets to outline all its marketing strategies and efforts. Two cardinal elements that define the function and effectiveness of a business plan are strategy and procedure. A marketing plan also entails identifying and explaining the opinionated, monetary, shared, scientific, and intellectual environments that will support a business. In addition, a marketing plan also develops a SWOT analysis for a business by identifying the strengths and weaknesses presented by the internal business environment, as well as identifying opportunities and threats to a business from the external environment. Bay Health Food Company is a business operating under five different environments, which present their own unique threats towards the actualization of its corporate goals. Threats Threats in this context refer to something that has an intention or ability to inflict harm on a business. Threats to a business come from the external environment. For the case of Bay Health Food Company, there are numerous threats posed by the five environments that support its operations. The first threat is high competition from existing food markets. Many supermarkets in Canada are currently rebranding, as a response to the dynamic nature of food market in the country. This will likely pose a huge threat to the marketing strategies and efforts of the business due to high competition for market leadership and customers. Most food markets in Canada have a high matching percentage on the products sold, thus the need for Bay Health Food to identify those threat s and eliminate them. The second threat is the current economic situation in Canada. Canada’s economic performance is quite poor, and the government has been implementing numerous policies to help boost the economy. Such policies are likely to pose a huge threat to the businesses marketing plans due to limitations on the scope of operations, and high cost of operations. Lack of economic regulations on businesses can easily crumble down a country’s economy, thus the move by the government to regulate how business conduct their activities and the valuing system used on various products.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The third threat to the business is ignorance by Canada’s population about organic foods and their numerous benefits. Most of the foods sold by Bay Health Food Company are organic. The fact that most consumers in Canada prefer to co nsume natural foods despite their high costs, may pose a huge threat to the anticipated success of the company in the market. It is very hard to convince people to change their culinary culture, especially if it has a connection to their national culture. The company may also experience a hard time making any reasonable impact in Canada’s food market due to government regulations on organic foods. Government regulations often pose huge threats to marketing activities of a business, as they can change anytime and a business will be required to conform to regulation touching on their businesses. This often creates a need to reorient prior plans in order to align them with new regulations. Other possible threats include high cost of operation and the unpredictable nature of customer needs in Canada. Conclusion Because all the five environments supporting the business will keep changing, it is important to revise all marketing strategies on a quarterly basis. Although it may incr ease the cost of operating the business, it is important for a business to achieve and maintain its leadership in the highly competitive Canadian market. The purpose of the regular revisions is to identify and eliminate emerging threats that can cripple business activities.

Americans Constitutional Rights for Privacy Research Paper

Americans Constitutional Rights for Privacy - Research Paper Example American’s Constitutional Rights for Privacy The â€Å"war on terror† was introduced by George W Bush, which offered more power and authority to US intelligence agencies as the surveillance has become an acknowledged mechanism to assist in thwarting terrorist attacks in the near future. US government claimed that war on terrorism , and the enactment of Patriot Act are mainly intended to safeguard USA and its citizens from the future terrorist attack or to avert another 9/11 type attack. The main aim of the NSA (National Security Agency) of USA is to gather intelligence data and information so as to carryout national operation for foreign intelligence. SIGINT is the signal intelligence which involves collection data from foreign intelligence agencies, for helping missions carried over by the US government which includes narcotic and crime deterrence, military missions, foreign diplomacy, etc. The FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act 1978) controls the gathering of foreign intelligence data and it covers wiretapping, electronic eavesdropping, physical ingress by intelligence agents and trap/ pen orders. Before eavesdropping, intelligence agency has to obtain a warrant from the FISA court (Carmen 2012). Whistle blowing against US government is not a new phenomenon. Earlier, in 1971, Daniel Ellsberg exposed how the US public had been hoodwinked about Vietnam War. Julian Assange leaked US documents about US’s engagement of war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Leadership and communication culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Leadership and communication culture - Essay Example A dialogic communication is one whereby a two way communication path is followed and participants defend their opinion and thoughts with justified arguments and simultaneously listen to other positions as well with the intention to understand better (Habermas 1984). Isaacs (1999) has explored numerous meaning for the term ‘dialogue’. Dialogue is not merely a normal form of conversation or a talk, but, in broader sense, it is now being used as a tool for fostering organizational learning. Coordinated actions among members of the organization could be produced through dialogue. A dialogic communication culture can be highly effective for a firm, in incorporating and facilitating continuous and sustainable change within a firm. Dialogue can open up the limited or narrow approach to work practices that most of the organizational members uphold. Dialogues can bring improvement in existing ideas and help in developing creative futuristic approach as well. With the development of the dialogic communication, organization can completely transform its culture by imbibing spirit of commitment and inculcating onus of responsibility and accountability among the members of the organization. Leaders play a vital role by dealing with unavoidable and anticipated conflicts skillfully. Thereby, existing challenges and problems can be resolved through innovative breakthroughs and cooperation of the entire team force which can be acquired through influential dialogic culture (Novak & Sellnow 2009). Sellnow 2009). DIALOGIC COMMUNICATION PROMOTES BETTER UNDERSTANDING THROUGH CONSTRUCTIVE LEADERSHIP Sustainable change can be attained only when understanding among members can be enhanced. By supporting the statement that ‘dialogues can rejuvenate organizational culture and leader’s foster development of such culture’, a study performed by Innes (2007) can be analyzed whereby the significance of dialogic communication is revealed clearly. In this study, the essence of solving group problems is highlighted. Two groups of students were allotted case studies and specific problems. The solutions to the problem allotted were analyzed later. It was found that group that had better understanding amongst them focused on the specific issue assigned whereas group

Kentucky fried chicken

Kentucky fried chicken Entrepreneurship: Colonel Sanders started the Kentucky Fried Chicken at the age of 65. Presently KFC is one of the leading firms in food industry around the world. Over a billion KFC chicken dinners are served featuring the Colonels â€Å"finger likin good† recipe, each year. At the age of 40 Sanders first started cooking in a service station in Corbin, KY. But soon hundreds of people started coming to the service station for food instead for car service. Soon he shifted to a hotel and restaurant that had a capacity of holding 142 people at a time. With his special cooking techniques, Sanders station became well-known and he was acknowledged for his incredible cuisine by the Governor at the time, RubyLaffoonin 1935 when he was made a Kentucky Colonel.In 1939, Colonel Sanders restaurant won the top spot on Duncan Hines â€Å"Adventures in Good Eating.† In 1952 colonel sanders got good start for his company and devoted the rest of his life in franchising business. By 1964, over six hundred franchised outlets were opened in theUnited StatesandCanadafor his chicken. The company got listed on the New York Stock Exchange on January 16, 1969, only 3 years after it had gone public on March 17, 1966.Then on July 8, 1971 the company was taken over by Heublin Inc, for $285 million dollars. Soon the company grew to an enormous three thousand and five hundred franchised and company-owned restaurants world-wide.But after being regularly travelling around the globe, Colonel Sanders died of leukemia at the age of 90 in 1980. Nowadays its part of a bigger company known as Yum Brands. Advantages To Parent Business 1. Financial:It is another source of income through franchise fee and royalty. Also there is increase in Cash flow, return on investment and profits. 2. Operational:There is smaller centralized control as compared to developing and having locations by company itself. It also ensures consistency, enhanced productivity and better quality. Self-motivation as franchisees invests their own money. 3. Strategic:It helps in dividing risk by having multiple locations through peoples investment. That ensures faster network expansion and a better opportunity to focus on changing market needs. 4. Administrative:With a smaller central organization, the business maintains a more cost effective labor force, no change in important staff members and better recruitment. Disadvantages To Parent Business 1. Franchisor is required to have enough resources to recruit, train and support the new franchisees. 2. Franchisee may spoil the image of the company if he is not capable of running the franchise perfectly. 3. Also franchisor has to tell all the internal information of the company to the franchisee. So, privacy of company is also at risk.† Marketing/ Advertising â€Å"The KFC Marketing team focuses fervently on delivering an unvarying pipeline of mouth-watering meals. They try to search the wants of the customers and bring new innovative products to meet the customers standards. Target market is divided on the basis of demographic, geographic and psychographic segments. The pricing strategy that they follow while entering new market is price skimming. In starting they try to price their product a bit high and target the middle and upper class people. Than after some time they start lowering their prices to focus on middle to lower class people. They do this to get to larger part of the market. The Marketing team gives more importance to Operations and Product Excellence. They try to find new ways to develop and execute new ideas, as well as assessing the input of the finance in the business. The Marketing team is the primary medium of communication between the company and the customers. The budget of marketing is divided in accordance to the media buying and advertising production to guarantee a year round calendar of innovative news to drive consumers back to our restaurants every time. Advertising strategies are the same as any other firm but they have their distinctive slogan â€Å"finger likin good† which relates to quality of food they provide. KFC usually charges advertisement fee of 5% of the gross revenue to the individual stores. KFC charges a Local advertising fee of 3% and fee equal to 2% of the gross revenue for national advertising fee. Operations Management KFC primary raw material is chicken. They are not breed in a normal way. These chickens are kept alive by tubes inserted into their bodies to force blood and nutrients right through their body. They do not have any beaks, feathers as well as feet. Their bone structure is considerably shrunk to get more meat out of them. This is beneficial for KFC because they do not have to pay a huge quantity for their production costs. There is rarely any plucking of feathers or the removal of the beaks and feet. However this method has been disapproved of by many animal rights organizations and has been upsetting the image of the company. There have been many cases against KFC regarding the treatment of chickens in their farms. Cost Initial Investnment: â€Å" Expenditure Low High Initial Franchise Fee $25,000 $45,000 Development Services Fee Varies Varies Real Property $400,000 $1,000,000 Construction and Leasehold Improvements $575,000 $915,000 Equipment/Signage $216,000 $366,000 Opening Advertising $5,000 $5,000 Opening Inventory $10,000 $10,000 Utility Deposits and Business Licenses $7,000 $7,000 Initial Training $3,900 $10,000 Miscellaneous Opening Costs $5,000 $15,000 Additional Funds (3 months) $13,000 $18,000 Total $1,379,900 $2,391,000† The figures are taken from the KFC website. Please refer to the URL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: The franchisor does not provide any indirect or direct financing. They do guarantee any lease or obligation. KFC is one of the parts of organization named YUM brands. YUM Capital is a special purpose limited liability company structured under Delaware law, the sole member of which is YUM Capital Funding Corp a non-stock corporation in Delaware. YUM Capital issues commercial paper secured by loans purchased from YUM Capital Funding Corp and made by YUM Capital Funding Corp to franchisees in YUM restaurant brands. ROYALTY: KFC franchisees have to pay royalty fee equal to 4% of gross revenues or else minimum of $600 per month. BREAK-EVEN POINT: It is the condition of a company when they are having no profits. In other words when company is just paying all its expenses. If it has to be calculated from sales than a certain number has to be found out at which company is having no profit. An estimated amount of sales revenue for 2010 is 21926 million dollars and the estimated revenue is 1452 million dollars. So break-even point should be the difference of sales and revenue i.e. 20474 (21926-1452) million dollars. This means company has to earn At least 20474 million dollars to cover up all its expenses. Human Resource Management KFC stresses upon the fact that either franchisees or at least one of the managers should complete the training program set-up by the company. But KFC is very strict about asking for employees to complete the training process as per the companys discretion. Besides basic training if company has certain additional course work or programs they can ask the franchisee, managers and employees to do those too. The training program is generally of 4 days, each having a session of 8-10 hours each day. This kind of training technique helps in growing the efficiency of workers and managers and makes them accustomed with their work hence reducing the likelihood of errors and mistakes. But on the other hand this procedure can be time consuming and can possibly become more costly due to the excessive training that the possible employees have to go through before entering the organization. References: http://www.kfc.com www.yumfranchise.com www.ehow.com www.yum.com KFC Annual report. www.answers.com Key Takeaway This assignment helped in understanding different ways of managing a new business. It made me familiar with the concept of having a franchise business, what are the benefits of having franchise and what are the additional expenses of having a franchise business. Besides that it gave me an opportunity to review franchisees of KFC all over the world and helped me significantly in analyzing all the dynamics involved for having KFC franchise. In future if I want to start my own business I might give a preference to franchise form depending upon the kind of business I want to have.

Home Schooling is Not the Best Option Essay example -- Argumentative P

Home Schooling is Not the Best Option For those of us who have never been exposed into the world of home schooling, it carries a certain mystique. We might envision a family alternating between algebra and Bible study, keeping a safe distance from the rampant worldliness in schools. Or perhaps we see children sitting around the kitchen table practicing spelling while mother supervises. Despite these traditional images, home schooling is growing and gaining respect. This is due in part to high profile success stories like home schoolers finishing first, second and third in the 2000 Scripps - Howard National Spelling Bee or the Colfax family in California who sent three sons to Harvard. However, home schooling raises many questions including issues of academics, socialization, and religion. Thus, despite the significant growth and special cases where home schooling is deemed necessary, I propose that it is not the strongest alternative for a child's education. The idea and practice of home schooling are not new. For centuries children have learned outside of formals school settings, even when schools were readily available. It was not until the 1950s that the contemporary home schooling movement began as a liberal, not conservative, alternative to public school (Lines 1/8). According to Patricia Lines, a senior research analyst for the U.S. Department of Education, schools were too rigidly conservative for a handful of families in the fifties and sixties who instead pursued the liberal philosophy that the best learning takes place without an established curriculum, and that the child should pursue his or her own interests with the support and encouragement of parents and other adults (2/8). Then, in the 1980s many conse... ...ek 5 Oct. 1998: 64-71. Kleiner, Carolyn, and Mary Lord. "Home School Comes of Age." U.S. News and World Report 16 Oct. 2000: 52-55. Paulson, Amanda. "Where the School Is." Christian Science Monitor 10 Oct. 2000: 18-22. Rakestraw, Jennie, and Donald Rakestraw. "Home Schooling: A Question of Quality, an Issue of Rights." Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Childhood and Society. Eds. Robert and Diana DelCampo. Guilford, CN: Dushkin Publishing Group, 1995. 274-281. Rudner, Lawerence M. Abstract. "The Scholastic Acievement of Home School Students in 1998." Education Policy Analysis Archives. 7.8 (1999). Date Accessed 22 Nov 2000. http://olam.ed.asu.edu/epaa/abs7.html. "Frequently Asked Questions About Homeschooling." Home School Legal Defense Association. www.hslda.org 16 Nov 2000. http://www.hslda.org/media/faqs/index.stm.

How did world war one change the role and status of women in England and Wales?

During the nineteenth century, before war broke out new job opportunities began to emerge for women as teachers, shop workers, clerks and secretaries in offices. Even girls from working class backgrounds were able to achieve higher status than that of their parents and began to receive better pay packets. Women from middleclass backgrounds were gaining better education opportunities and a few won the chance to go into higher education eventually becoming doctors to name but one thing. However education wasn't improving for the majority of women in lower classes often receiving no education. This left them no options but to go into domestic service or the â€Å"sweated industries† such as cotton factories or home dress making. Also between 1839 and 1886 there were a series of laws passed giving married women greater legal rights, however they couldn't yet vote in general elections. Some people thought that all women should be allowed to vote too as the number of men who could vote was gradually increasing. Others disagreed, yet the debate was not as simple as a case of men versus women. Early campaigners for the vote were known as suffragists. These were mainly middle class women. Their leader was Mrs Millicent Fawcett. By handing out leaflets they began achieving some success with Liberal Mps and leading Conservative Mps. However this still got them know where. Then by 1903 Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst started the Women's Social and Political Union. The â€Å"Daily Mail† named this group the â€Å"Suffragettes† this got them into the headlines. The â€Å"suffragettes† caused chaos disrupting political meetings and harassed ministers. Often ending up in prison, eventually going on hunger strike. The above source shows that when many of the men signed up to be part of the Great War, there was no longer sufficient numbers left to continue making munitions and other industrial instruments. It was the women in the munitions factories that came out the worst in the end, after dealing with the harmful TNT their skin began to turn yellow and their hair became ginger. With this they became easily recognised and were given the nickname of â€Å"Canaries†. The long-term effects however were much worse than they initially thought; many women were unable to become pregnant. However this job was highly paid and they women didn't have much other choice, it was also considered an important job and a valid contribution to the war effort. The source published during the war showed the positive aspects of working women, however it portrayed the women as strong, healthy and capable of doing men's jobs while they were at war. Overall a positive image; hoping to encourage more women to join the war effort. Then on the other hand it does not show the illnesses that the women suffered and the dangers of working in the factory. As the image shows they were constantly surrounded by the shells of the bombs, which in this image were all, filled with TNT, you can tell this by the fact that the tops are on. They also had to be very careful when moving them as if they dropped one it cause the whole factory and its workers to go up with it. While the majority of men were leaving home for the war many young women also found themselves leaving home for the first time. These women left to join the land army. As the above source shows women were beginning to take over the men's jobs that many of the farmers who gave the women board and lodge thought not very lady like. However without the women's help potatoes would not have been picked, sheep would not have been tended to. Women left for the land army as I thought it was a chance to gain freedom and new experiences. However it was not all that it seemed they were under strict discipline and once they were there they could not get out of it as they signed contracts for either six months or a year. Overall this source is accurate, as the historian G. Thomas has gathered factual information from the time. Even though the source was recorded many years after the First World War the entire source is based on information of the time. My daughter went out at 7am to the Maypole Diary Co. shop and after waiting till 10.30am was turned away without any margarine, came home chilled to the bone besides losing education. If we could have a system of rationing, I believe these hardships would be overcome. â€Å"Workers† Dreadnought† (A weekly newspaper of the East London Federation of Suffragettes, and edited by Sylvia Pankhurst) 19 January 1918 Not all women had the chance to get good jobs in munitions factories or join the land army. Many had to deal with food shortages, and often as the source tells us queue for hours on end without any food by the end of it. The source gives us a realistic view of how working class women had to deal with life while husbands, sometimes sons were away fighting for the country. The â€Å"Workers Dreadnought† was aimed at the working class audience, bringing their suffrage to light. The source gives us just one example of how a young child had to find food as her mother had to work to raise some money that would supply a small amount of food. The source also informs us that many had already thought of rationing yet it was used until a month later, which was February 1918. Nevertheless, many wealthy upper class people survived on their wealth. They were able to send out their servants to queue for them. Or they could barter on the black market. Through their wealth they were able to obtain any food they wanted. Many women offered their services to help with the war effort, however both employers and trade unionists were reluctant to see women working in men's jobs, particularly in munitions factories. However women didn't take this lying down. As the above source shows they held a huge procession on the 17th of July letting the employers and trade unionists know that they were prepared to work. Within the procession there was a large banner reading â€Å"Men of the Empire are Fighting – The Women of the Empire are Working†. This source proves that women are not just good at cooking and cleaning, but determined to contribute. Nevertheless without the women's contribution to the war effort, especially in munitions factories Britain would not have won the war. The above sources tell us of women's working lives during the war. These posters show an idealistic view of mothers preparing packages for their beloved. These posters were far from the reality; there wasn't enough food to go around without sending packages to the battles. Even joining food queues did not determine even a small amount of food. This must have been so disheartening. â€Å"Pears' Soap† was advertised in â€Å"The Illustrated London news†. An upper class newspaper that could not have been supportive of the ways in which everyone had begun cutting back. â€Å"Only the Best is good enough† due to the war any soap would have done, the company could not have understood the ways that all classes were suffering. This included the upper class. The Bishop of Liverpool said the other day that drink was now most deadly amongst women. He could speak of a street in which almost every woman was drinking and demoralised. The Bishop of London†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦also said quite recently that the East End clergy told him that they had never known such an orgy of drinking among women as during the last 12 months. ‘White Ribbon' [the monthly newspaper of the British Women's Temperance Association]. December 1915 Women had little free time for any leisure activities as they were either working or if food was short queuing for what they could get. The above source is unreliable about what women were getting up to in the December 1915; this is as ‘ White Ribbon' concentrates on the big cities like Liverpool and London. It is also written by an anti alcohol association which could be making the circumstances under which they saw these women's drinking habits worse than they actually were. This source does not cover the country or smaller towns. Therefore people who read this article would have been reading inaccurate information on women's leisure time. With as the source says more than six million men going away to war, women were left with only their salaries to pay for the rent on their homes. Landlords felt that with constant increases in numbers to the cities as this is where the jobs were would cause people to take in lodgers which would help with the rent. However it didn't work out like this, once the landlords put up the rent women found that they couldn't make the payments and decided to go on strike. This left the landlords in a worse position than they had been, as they were now receiving no money. This source shows a realistic view of what women had to deal with while their male relatives fought in the war. It is likely to be an accurate source as G. Thomas is a historian who would have used articles of the time to write this article. Previous sources tell us about women's attitudes and domestic lives. These statistics from a report written after the war show a positive change for women. There is an obvious increase of women in employment in every job except domestic service where there is a decline. However this decline cannot be taken in a negative way, this shows that during the war women found that they were better used in other jobs. These would have also been better paid. This source must have been very positive to the women who had worked to change men's attitudes to women and their working roles. Even though this was published twelve years after the war it is still useful. Overall the source is biased as it is from the obituary of Millicent Fawcett. Yet it tells us of how the war acted as a catalyst to women getting the vote. The vote would have eventually arrived in Britain, but not as soon. Through the war politicians realised that women's voices now had the write to be heard, they then gained the vote for women over eighteen in 1918. However there were probably other factors apart from the war that would have lead to women gaining the vote. This shows that women involved in air factories that probably feared losing their jobs as they thought they would no longer be needed, now had a chance to remain in employment. However this time the work was more enjoyable as they did not have the worry of war over their heads. This source proves that even though many women were at first reluctant to join the war effort. By the time it was over many didn't want to return to their lives of cooking and cleaning so jobs such as toy making which they not only enjoyed but they were good at proved a positive way to go. Evaluation World War One brought about the change in the role and status of women, as before the war as I stated in my introduction women remained in the home while the men went out to work and paid for food and anything that might have been needed in the home. With the outbreak of war all this began to change, first slowly then as more and more men signed up the role of women quickly changed. For the employers and trade unionists this was hard to take in, they believed that many jobs women were now completing were not suitable. However they had no other option but to employ them. With the men at war women became the sole earners, just as their husbands had done. Except women also had to continue cooking once they had finished working as many had to provide for young families. Young women also found new freedom in the land army giving them experience that they would not necessarily achieved without the war. Many travelled more than they would have done and began to enjoy jobs that before would have been considered ‘men's ‘ jobs. Employers soon began to realise that assembly jobs for things such as gramophones were much better suited to women they had more nimble hands and enjoyed the work a lot more than men would have. The most dramatic change however was women's political status. Mps soon realised that giving women the vote would say thank you for their contribution to the war. The war speeded up women gaining the vote as pre war there were two main groups who spent time handing out leaflets and making stands in political meetings, trying to persuade the government to give women the vote. Finally the government gave in giving all women the right to vote in 1918. As far as women's role and status changed the war could not have helped more. The war allowed women to show their potential in a working environment, at the beginning it could have gone either way but employers gave them a chance and it all worked out for the best as when the men returned they went back to their jobs but women had realised what they were good at and new jobs were now available to them. Overall The Great War brought about the most substantial change in women's roles.

Definition and Discussions of Writer-Based Prose

Writer-based prose is a kind of private or personal writing: a text that is composed for oneself. Contrast with reader-based prose. The concept of writer-based prose is part of a controversial social-cognitive theory of writing that was introduced by professor of rhetoric Linda Flower in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In Writer-Based Prose: A Cognitive Basis for Problems in Writing (1979), Flower defined the concept as verbal expression written by a writer to himself and for himself. It is the working of his own verbal thought. In its structure, writer-based prose reflects the associative, narrative path of the writers own confrontation with her subject. See the observations below. Also see: Expressive DiscourseBasic WritingComposition StudiesDiaryJournalTwelve Reasons to Keep a Writers DiaryYour Writing: Private and Public Observations Beginning writers often find it difficult to distinguish between public and private writing, or what Linda Flower calls writer based and reader based prose. That is, writer-based prose is a verbal expression. written by, to, and for the writer, that reflects the associative action of the mind when verbally relating a topic. Such prose is typified by many references to the self, is loaded with code words (those known only to the writer), and is usually in a linear format. Reader-based prose, on the other hand, deliberately attempts to address an audience other than the self. It defines coded terms, refers less to the writer, and is structured around the topic. In its language and structure, reader-based prose reflects the purpose of the writers thought, rather than its process as in writer-based prose.(Virginia Skinner-Linnenberg, Dramatizing Writing: Reincorporating Delivery in the Classroom. Lawrence Erlbaum, 1997)Writer-based prose (as it is usually defined) appears in all skilled writers journal entries, in the notes good writers make prior to composing an essay, and in early drafts of writing that in final form will be reader based. Everyone uses the strategies of writer-based prose, says Flower, and good writers go step further to transform the writing these strategies produce.(Cherryl Armstrong, Reader-Based and Writer-Based Perspectives in Composition Instruction. Rhetoric Review, Fall 1986)Knowledge-driven planning . . . accounts for writer-based prose with its narrative or descriptive structure and focus on the writer thinking out loud to herself. For difficult tasks, knowledge-driven planning and a writer-based first draft may be a first step toward a reader-based text revised in the afterlight of a more rhetorical plan.(Linda Flower, The Construction of Negotiated Meaning: A Social Cognitive Theory of Writing. Southern Illinois University Press, 1994)To celebrate writer-based prose is to risk the charge of romanticism: just warbling ones woodnotes wi ld. But my position also contains the austere classic view that we must nevertheless revise with conscious awareness of audience in order to figure out which pieces of writer-based prose are good as they are--and how to discard or revise the rest.To point out that writer-based prose can be better for readers than reader-based prose is to reveal problems in these two terms. Does writer-based mean:That the text doesnt work for readers because it is too much oriented to the writers point of view?Or that the writer was not thinking about readers as she wrote--although the text may work for readers?(Peter Elbow, Everyone Can Write: Essays Toward a Hopeful Theory of Writing and Teaching. Oxford University Press, 2000)