Poem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Poem - Essay Example Collins â€Å"Introduction to Poetry,† consist of seven stanzas. Collins opens the first stanza with the line, â€Å"I ask them to take a poem.† This sentence contains three objects: â€Å"I† – the writer or speaker, â€Å"them† – the listeners and â€Å"poem.† The poet urges to â€Å"take† the poem as an object and not just scan or read it. By comparing â€Å"poem† as an object, Collins uses the metaphor as the figurative language. Once â€Å"poem† is considered as an object; then it can be compared to any other objects. That is why one can notice abundant use of metaphor for â€Å"poem† throughout this work. In the second line, the speaker asks, â€Å"and hold it up to the light† instead of asking to read it. However, when this line is coupled with the third line, â€Å"like a color slide† everything becomes apparent. Collins uses figurative language simile - the object â€Å"poem† is a color slide. Of course, projection of a color slide has to be done using light. The poet creates a strong imagery in the first stanza that says one can see all seven colors of the rainbow in the poem if one knows how to hold it to the light and see it. The second stanza consists of one line; Collins electrifies the reader with intrigue, â€Å"or press an ear against its hive.† He uses the metaphor and compares â€Å"poem† to a honey-drippy hive that produces a buzzing sound as well as conveys both danger and anticipation. The third stanza, â€Å"I say drop a mouse into a poem, and watch him probe his way out† compares â€Å"poem† to a â€Å"labyrinth.† The preposition â€Å"into† instead of â€Å"onto† makes the stanza rigid defining â€Å"poem† as a three-dimensional object. Through this metaphor, the poet states that one has to understand the labyrinth of the poem to get out of it. In the fourth stanza, Collins uses double metaphors; compares the â€Å"poem† to a three-dimensional room and content of

GA AEMT Drug Cards Essay Example for Free

GA AEMT Drug Cards Essay ACTION: Reverses Hypoxia, Increases arterial oxygen, Increases hemoglobin saturation, Increases tissue oxygenation Indications: Hypoxia or anticipated hypoxia, or in any medical or trauma patient to improve respiratory efficiency. Contraindications: There are no contraindications to oxygen therapy. Dose: Route: Oral DOSAGE: Adult: 1-6 LPM via NC; 10-15 LPM via NRB; 15 LPM via BVM Pediatric: 1-6 LPM via NC; 10-15 LPM via NRB; 15 LPM via BVM Common side effects: Dry or bloody nose, skin irritation from the nasal cannula or face mask Precautions/major interactions: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and very prolonged administration of high concentrations in the newborn. Drug: Oral Glucose Generic Glutose, Insta-Glucose Class of medication: Monosaccharide Carbohydrate ACTION: After absorption from GI tract, glucose is distributed in the tissues and provides a prompt increase in circulating blood sugar Onset: 10 min Indications: Patients with altered mental status and known history of diabetes mellitus Contraindications: Unconsciousness; known diabetic who has not taken insulin for days; patient who is unable to swallow Dose: Route: Oral DOSAGE/ROUTE:Adult: One tube or packet; repeat based on BGL Pediatric: One tube or packet; repeat based on BGL – minimum age 3 yrs Common side effects: Nausea, may be aspirated by the patient without a gag reflex Precautions/major interactions Assure patient has control of swallowing and airway. Drug: Glucagon Generic: GlucaGen Class of medication: Hormone, antihypoglycemic ACTION: Glucagon is a protein secreted by pancreatic cells that causes a breakdown of stored glycogen into glucose and inhibits the synthesis of glycogen from glucose. Indications: Hypoglycemia without IV access. Contraindications: Hypersensitivity to glucagon or protein compounds. Dose: Route: Intramuscular Adult:1-2mg IM, repeat in 15 minutes if BGL

Development of the Artificial Heart :: Medical Science Technology Health Essays

Development of the Artificial Heart Actual belief in the possibility of technology being used to create an artificial heart began in the 1950’s, soon after the successful implementation of a dialysis machine. With the ability to put a man on the moon, there was an general feeling that anything was possible. Thus, in 1964 the United States Government put $581,000 towards the establishment of a research program to develop a total artificial heart (TAH). (Caplan pg.30). The first viable mechanical heart was the Jarvik-7, which could keep animals alive for eight months. (Caplan pg.34). After much persuasion the FDA approved the implantation of the Jarvik-7 into human test subjects suffering from terminal heart disease. The first recipient of the Jarvik-7 was Barney Clark, on December 1, 1982. He survived on the mechanical heart for 112 days. However, during that time he suffered severe medical complications. He underwent three additional surgeries, on several occasions asked that the heart be deactivated, and went into a coma before finally dying. (Caplan pg.35). The second patient, William Schroeder, who received a Jarvik-7 on November 25, 1984, survived for 620 days before dying. He too was plagued by medical complications throughout those 620 days. On the nineteenth day he suffered a stroke and again, on the 94th day. From the 150th day onward he had subacute bacterial endocarditis. He suffered two more strokes, on day 163 and 352. A liver biopsy on the 444th day showed microabscesses. On the 590th day he was given a feeding gastrostomy, and a tracheostomy followed on day 612. Finally he died of respiratory failure, and sepsis. (Fox pg.126). After a few more trial implantations, which all followed same downhill course, the FDA withdrew the permission to implant any more TAH’s. From this point onward the research focused more on devices to assist the heart, rather than replace it. These devices were designed to take some of the stress off of the left ventricle of the heart, and were termed left ventricular assist devices or LVAD’s. The use of LVAD’s became more common throughout the 1990’s as a method of either resting the heart so that it could recuperate and continue on its own or prolonging the heart’s life until a donor heart became available.

Principles of Assessment in Lifelong Learning Essay

1.1 Analyse how types of assessment are used in lifelong learning: â€Å"Assessments should be a regular process; it might not always be formalised, but you should be observing what your students are doing, asking questions and reviewing their progress throughout their time with you†. Gravells A. Page 113. Has the outcome of my teaching been as expected; was there room for improvement? This can be measured through assessment; there are different ways to carry out this out. Initial Assessment It is my responsibility to do this before a lesson or course is delivered. This will help determine how I will plan for the session so it sets and meets expectations for me the teacher and also the students. This will identify any prior knowledge, the stages the students are at and any special or specific requirements that are needed. Types of initial assessments are: * Tutor observations * One-to-one interviews. This will help me learn if the learner is on the right course and what assignments they must do to complete the course. * Competency tests (maths, ICT and literacy). This will help me see if the students are competent in these skills. If there is any weakness I can then pinpoint those to the right people to help with them improve. * Essay writing. This will show me if the student is competent with their literacy skills. There will be a lot of written work throughout the course. Formative Assessment is an on-going process. These will take place during the lesson. This can take the form of * Quizzes and puzzles. With multiple choice answers will help me to see if the students have learned anything from their previous set of lessons. * Verbal question and answers. This will help me see if the students comprehend the topic. * Journals. Also can be used; to help the student record their feelings about the lessons, what went right and what can be improved on. This will enable me to assess whether I am teaching at the correct level or if I need to adjust my plan and methods. * Observations. I can walk around the room and observe the student’s work while taking anecdotal notes. Summative Assessments are carried out at the end of a course to measure how much has been retained and where necessary can be articulated. This is usually through: * End of year formal tests or exams. To see what they have learnt over the year. * Portfolio: This is a collect ion of the students work throughout the course. 1.2 Analyse how assessment methods are used in lifelong learning: * To identify what prior knowledge a student has, I would create a self-assessment questionnaire that requires specific answers, (tick boxes). I would then build this into my session plan. * Diaries or Learning Journals would be used to document on-going learning from each session. Progress can then be measured and any gaps in teaching or learning can be then addressed. * Simulation would be used to see if students are able to understand instructions and how well they are able to reproduce what they have seen or heard, and how they might use them in everyday life. * Assignments would evaluate how well student are able to research particular subjects then put their findings into words. * Discussions or debates are a good vehicle for assessment when other methods may be difficult to manage. * Peer feedback where fellow students give their comments and ask questions for clarity. 1.3 Evaluate strengths of assessments methods to meet individual leaner needs: * Quizzes and puzzles can be used as an informal way to assess if learning is taking place. However if the purpose is to measure individual learning the questions would need to be varied. The most effective way to do this would be to have the assessment computer generated; this is not always possible if the correct software or facility is not available. * Diaries or learning journals, aid to literacy and language skills. The student would also be able to reflect back on what they have learnt; this will also build their confidence to self-assess. In order for this to work, there needs to be clear aims and objectives so the outcome is properly measured. * A portfolio is a formal way to gather evidence that has been produced over a period of time covering all topics taught on a course. This would need to be checked for things such as plagiarism; if the information used was current and properly referenced. * Role play is another assessment method. The students will be given a scenario from their lesson; they will then have the opportunity to act out what they have understood, linking theory to practice. There needs to be clear explanations given as this can be time consuming and not all students may feel comfortable doing role plays. * Examinations can assess what students have retained. By just recalling information they have learnt or by using ‘open book’ method whereby they refer to notes or reference books. The down side of this is that students may have only been taught what is needed to pass the exam and not retain any of the other theories they may need at a later stage. 2.1 Evaluate how to involve learners in the assessment process: As a teacher I will carry out various methods of assessment. To maintain continuous improvement I will involve my students in the process. Giving my students clear guide lines I can get them to do peer to peer assessments, where they will give written or verbal feedback to each other. This will allow more focus on the subject being taught; encourage communication with each other, and where they may discover some common ground. Sometimes comments coming from a peer can be better received than from the teacher. Checking their own work and progress through self-assessment is useful as this gives an opportunity for students to take a step back and reflect on what their objectives and whether they attained them. I will also conduct one to one tutorials, where we can discuss their objectives, progress and development. This will demonstrate positive and individual inclusion. â€Å"Assessment is a term given to checking that learning has occurred. It may happen at any stage during the learner’s progress through their qualification†. Wilson L. (2009). page112. Assessments are also a tool to motivate and boost the confidence of students. 2.2 Analyse the role of peer and self –assessment in the assessment process: Peer assessments are a good means of confirming and sharing ideas. During our micro-teach sessions I was able to describe my observations and justify how I reached that conclusion. My peers would agree or get me to look at what I had expressed in a different way. We would discuss and come to a consensus. We had to think carefully how to put our thoughts down on paper, so they were constructive and encouraging. Looking at the peer assessment on my own performance for the delivery of a micro-teach session. I was pleased with the feedback. It clearly showed what I am confident in; what I need to improve on and what I should consider for future delivery. Their feedback was encouraging and it has confirmed that I have made the correct decision in what I am want to do career-wise. I found putting into practice what I already know with what I have learnt over the past few weeks very useful. There were some challenges I had when creating my own micro-teach session, this is all part of the learning process for me. As the session I delivered came to an end I had already started to do a mental self- assessment. It was useful to be able to put down my own thoughts on paper as they came to me to know what I need to include going forward. 3.1 Explain the need to keep records of assessment learning: Assessments should be documented so there is some form of evidence as to what has been taught, how the learning is evaluated and was any progress made. Records also serve for the purpose of verification, in relation to audits for quality assurance and regulatory bodies, such as Ofsted. The following are some of the following records that may be kept. * Assessment tracking, this can be used to show development and if the students requirements are being met. * Feedback and action records are used to show that a student has had feedback, what the agreed follow up is, and when it is to be carried out. * Learning styles results will aid with inclusiveness when reviewing or creating new session plans. * Appeal records are where a student has submitted in writing their reasons as to why they disagree with a formal decision that has been made. This can be used at a later date as part of that process. * Enrolment forms to confirm the student’s details are correct, point of contact in the case of an emergency; whether they are permitted to study. What the student signed up for, and are they are on correct course. 3.2 Summarise requirements for keeping records in an organisation: As part of my role I am going to make sure I follow the guide lines that are in place for me to keep records for an organisation, as these are regularly audited and reviewed. This will provide an audit trail of my students learning. Confidentiality must be maintained at all times by any organisation holding personal data to stay in line with the regulatory bodies (Data Protection Act). Records that are kept must be accurate, legible and current. There should be specific rules as to when information is considered obsolete. (This is usually about three years). Students have the right to request their records held about them. (Freedom of Information Act) if they are entering into an appeal process. A backup copy of records must be made whether electronically or paper based so if one is lost there is always a duplicate. â€Å"Consistency. You will always ensure that the methods and the timeliness of your assessments are at a level standard, making certain irrespective of how and when your learners are assessed, the outcomes are constant†. Wilson L. page 274. Bibliography Gravells A. (2012) Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector Wilson L. (2009) Practical Teaching A Guide to PTLLS & DTLLS.

Research Paper on Bullying Essay

Bullying is a problem that is evident around the world, and is occurring right now, at this very moment. The issue of bullying is complicated; some believe it should be taken seriously, yet we often disregard it. If you place yourself in the shoes of the victim, the issue is not a joke but extremely serious. Bullying is the unwarranted, aggressive behavior towards a victim that involves a bully, a victim, and those who are witnesses and occurs over a period of time. The bully is a person who uses strength and physical or verbal abuse to intimidate their victim who is usually weaker (physically or emotionally) than the bully. The bully and victim can be male or female. Research has shown that adults, parents, teachers, and school staff rarely respond or intervene when bullying occurs. These studies show that one in four teachers see nothing wrong with bullying and will only intervene four percent of the time (dosomething. org). Adults often believe that bullying is â€Å"just part of life. † They usually do not understand or see the consequences that will take place in this â€Å"part of a young person’s life† for the victim and the bully. The victim’s need for help and the bully’s cry for attention are telling us that something needs to be done. Bullying has countless, negative consequences, if nothing is done to prevent it, for both the bully and the victim. Bullying Must Be Prevented! The consequences of victimization from bullying are many and can be very serious. Some of these consequences may include poor academic performance, and physical and mental consequences. Bullying can have a negative impact on a student’s academic performance. Research has shown that bullies target victims who may have a high academic performance. The bullying begins with friendly teasing but then will increase to verbal attacks. When this occurs, it will cause the victim to lose his/her confidence. He/she will feel outcast, depressed and alone. The school does not often help or intervene. Statistics show that over two-thirds of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying, with a high percentage of students believing that adult help is infrequent and ineffective (dosomething. org). As a result, the victim may begin to pay less attention in class his/her academic performance will drop. Previous studies of bullying behavior have tended to focus on risk factors and consequences associated with the primary roles of the victim, such as mental health. The victim will feel depressed and an outcast. He/ she will have very low self esteem. â€Å"School is a place where children learn socializing and other skills that will be useful later in life. Bullied students are likely to shy away from any social situation so that they can protect themselves. This stops them from developing healthy relationships with other people† (helium. com). Bullying can be associated with the victim’s past, present and future. In childhood, victims will be faced with poor mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety. This can be brought from childhood to adulthood and may cause the adult to have poor functioning as she/he goes through daily life. Finally, research has linked bullying to suicide. â€Å"Bully victims are between 2 to 9 times more likely to consider suicide than non-victims, according to studies by Yale University†(bullyingstatistics. org). Physical ailments have also been associated with bullying. Physical ailments may be caused by hitting, pushing tripping, slapping, spitting, stealing or destroying possessions, including books, clothing, or lunch money and many others. Physical bullying can occur to and from school and is most frequently used during middle school due to this period of life when everyone is trying to fit in. A victim may come home from school with bruises, cuts, or other unexplained injuries having damaged clothing, books, or possessions, often â€Å"losing† things that they take to school. Bullying has countless negative effects that have many risk factors. If these effects are not prevented, bullying will begin to become â€Å"part of life† but with mental, physical, and academic consequences to the victim. Bullying Is Not A Problem There are many cons in bullying. Some may say that bullying is not a problem. Some say that bullies need to bully, that it is just part of growing up. Some will also say that bullying is not even a big deal. â€Å"Bullies have always been with us. Back in the day, my generation was told to either walk away or hit them back. No one really took bullies very seriously† (Pauline Wallin, Ph. D. bullying: What’s the big deal? †The Patriot-News). In this context, Pauline tells us that bullying is not taken seriously and that bullies will always be with us. If bullying was a phase of life, why are people dying from bullying? â€Å"A British study reported 44% of suicides occurring in kids 10 to 14 was caused by bullying. † Teachers are not intervening when bullying is taking place. â€Å"1 in 4 teachers see nothing wrong with bullying and will only intervene four percent of the time. Over two-thirds of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying, with a high percentage of students believing that adult help is infrequent and ineffective† (dosomething. rg). A victim will sometimes feel it is their fault for being bullied. For instance, they might think they are weak and do not have good friendships. They may think of themselves as failures and not worthy of being helped by others. Victims are not failures and are worth being helped. We need to focus more on bullying for the victim’s sake. Bullying has many negative consequences on the victim, including suicide, school shootings, and fighting back. There are many reasons why victims turn to suicide. One reason is that they feel alone and feel that they have no one to turn to for assistance. They don’t know that their parents, teachers, and other adults could be a solution to their problem. The cause for a school shooting is unknown. Most school shootings are shown to be linked with bullying. â€Å"In 12 of 15 school shooting cases in the 1990s, the shooters had a history of being bullied (stopbullying. gov). The victim is taking the situation of bullying into his own hands and is taking revenge on the bully. The victim may use physical violence to hurt the bully to fight back and protect themselves. Bullying is a problem that must be taken seriously. If bullying is not taken seriously, it may lead to consequences that are numerous and will cause multiple problems, for the bully and the victim alike. Opinion and Solutionâ€Å"There are about 160,000 children that miss school every day out of fear of being bullied† (bullying statistics). Bullying is a problem that is evident around the world, and is occurring right now at this very moment. Because many consider it to be a problem, many want to prevent bullying. Bullying is being identified on school campuses and many schools put in programs to deal with the issue. But is this enough? Do our parents and other adults even notice or care about what events take place during school? One in four teachers see nothing wrong with bullying and will only intervene four percent of the time (dosomething. org). And do we know how children really feel after school each and every day? Over two-thirds of students believe that schools respond poorly to bullying, with a high percentage of students believing that adult help is infrequent and ineffective (dosomething. org). Not enough people are taking bullying seriously. Some parents and other adults will consider bullying â€Å"a playful activity† or â€Å"just another part of life†. The issue of bullying is complicated; some say it should be taken more seriously, yet we are often prone to neglect it. Forms of bullying have evolved, but ways to deal with it have not. Theodore Roosevelt says, â€Å"Knowing what’s right doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right. † There are many solutions to bullying. Children who are being bullied or victims of bullying can talk with an adult. But our adults must recognize the problem with bullying. There will be signs if your child is being victimized during school when she comes home. â€Å"Being alert and observant is critical, since victims are often reluctant to report bullying† (greatschools. org). If you are alert and aware of this taking place, action must be taken immediately to prevent future consequences. By this you must approach the school and make it clear that you want immediate action. Teachers need to set up a non-bullying environment in their classes. This will help children understand and let them know that bullying is a problem that must be prevented.

Leadership in a Team of Millennials Essay

Leadership in a Team of Millennials Essay Principles of Leadership Sociology Essay Example Principles of Leadership Sociology Essay Example The aim of the current report is to address the question of what need to be done to become a better leader in the face of people and challenges that exist in my organization. The report begins by re-stating the leading of millennials in the contemporary organizations and the challenges that people can encounter when trying to lead in an old-fashioned style of leadership. As dynamic and outgoing are the millennials, trying to maintain the status quo will work only in extremely rare occasions. However, most of the time, millennials will resist any attempt to stop change, exclude them from where decisions are made, or inhibit their attempt to grow professionally or receive recognition and promotion. The paper uses a number of theories in leadership and change to describe different approaches that could be used by leaders leading a millennial-packed organization. SELF-REFLECTION: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEEDS TO LEAD MILLENNIALS Upon discussion of the theories and principles of leadership and change, the paper also inculcates my personal journey towards attaining the principles espoused in the theories. It highlights the personal transformation process that I have had to undergo, including overcoming my fears and doubts, and adopting an open door policy to allow smooth and constructive communication between millennials themselves, on one hand, and me as their leader on the other hand. There is an action plan in the report which encompasses the following areas: Personal transformations including self-confidence and open door policy for leadership; Having the feeling of being first among equals, and the adoption of servant leadership as my primary style of leadership; Opening up communication channels to encourage and promote learning through opinions and views; the regular briefing meetings where people say what they have learnt and how they want it applied in the organization. The conclusion offers a re-statement of my commitment to pursue humble and effective leadership for my team. Leading a team of outgoing and dynamic millennials can be both exciting and challenging at the same time (Sorensen 2007, p. 12; Northouse 2010, p. 4). As a leader, it is paramount to regularly check the level of satisfaction and contentment of the people in a team, especially one that is dominated by millennials. It is for a reason that the tastes, preferences, and desires of millennials fluctuate with what is going on in the world. Furthermore, most millennials are well educated and well informed people who have a strong sense of independence and resolve (Tyson 1998, p. 49). They want democracy and involvement in decision making and their opinions must be heard even if it contrasts with the culture or policies of the organization. For this reason, any person who leads a group of millennials must have better professional development programs that allow him or her to have capacity to guide and lead the organization in a way that is acceptable to the majority of the people in the organization. This, however, does not mean that professional development will eliminate all the challenges that an organization and its people face in the daily operations. It means that the leader must embark on a lifelong learning in terms of acquiring different leadership approaches to accommodate different preferences and desires of the people in the organization (Quinn, Spreitzer Brown 2000, p. 89). The purpose of this self-reflection paper is to expound on what I should do, as a leader of a team of millennials with a variety of needs. During my practice, I have discovered that members of my team are well acquainted with the fast-changing and challenging environment that is today’s contemporary workplace. Thus, they know what is needed to be done and can identify the goals appropriately, although they want incentives to accomplish the goals. Millennials are also fond of recognition in which form the organization chooses to, including mere mention of good work to compensation for work well done and promotion. They are ready to embrace change provided they know what they are changing, which means that they are involved in major decisions at the organization. Interesting, millennials have timelines as to which position they should be occupying in the organization. They also want to be included in the process of decision-making especially in matters that touch their work. Mor eover, millennials want a servant leadership approach without the conventional boss-servant relationship that defines traditional organizations. The process of leading has been always expressed in the context of the principles and practices of the leader. However, with changing times and needs of the work environment followers and situations are coming into play. The world today is in the need of a leader who is a servant and transformational (Quinn, Faerman, Thompson Clair 2007, p. 15). I have always tried to espouse these kinds of leadership styles with my team of millennials. Even though I am in the process of learning about change, I always encounter situations that conflict with my principles and values. Millennials want to be involved in the process of making decisions even though it may be inconsequential to them. This can be good and bad at time in relation to my style of leading. However, I have put in place action plan to help me cope with the challenges from within and outside of myself. Countering my Fears and Doubts and about my Ability to Lead One of the obstacles for good leadership is the fear of failure and the doubt about the decisions that ought to be made. Leading a team of millennials that want change instigates fear in me because I think that I may not satisfy what they want. As people who are always dynamic and acceptance of change, some of these changes may not be pleasant or welcome to the leader. Nevertheless, the challenge comes into play when the leader is under obligation to honor the call for change. As Quinn (2000, p. 6) noted, change is not something that comes easily although it may be the only constant in nature. The question that lingers in my mind as I go to my place of work is what the next change is going to be at my organization. In a way, I act as an agent of change, although with doubt and fear. This does not, however, mean that I am under pressure to facilitate the change that my team members want. Northouse (2010, p. 50) argues that leaders should allow their followers to influence them althoug h leaders ought to accept only the influence that is positive towards the common goal of the group. This is where servant and transformational leadership come into play. Servant leadership means that I want to serve the people that I lead. I do not want them to feel that I am imposing and coercing them to do things that they do not like. Transformational, in the sense that I want them to see and appreciate the common shared goal at the organization and strive to work in support of that goal. Coupled with a sense of being a leader, sometimes I am fearful that I will not achieve the two seemingly opposing view of having to embrace the characters of my team while also focusing on the goals that we must accomplish as an organization. Doubt comes in when I fail after accepting the influence of the millennials in some decisions. While my team of millennials is outgoing and want to be involved in making decisions, a good part of their contribution may not work for our organization. In some occasions, I have allowed their views to be inculcated in the decisions we make as a group. Unfortunately, a few of those occasions ended up disastrously. However, this does not mean that I should not allow their views in decision-making as that will be more disastrous towards the goals that we have as a team. The Lewin’s model calls for unfreezing of doubts when trying to accommodate the views of the followers in a team (Quinn 1996, p. 33). I know it works in very many occasions; but I can also fail much more in a very significant project that can bring the organization down. To counter this doubt, I have embraced a transformational kind of leadership where I make sure that the millennials that I lead understand the consequences of the decisions that they are suggesting (Penrose Pitelis 2009, p. 17). In many occasions, they have come to appreciate the dangers involved and changed their minds to a better approach. However, I have also changed my mind as a leader to follow their opinions where we are all convinced that it is the best direction for our organization. Feeling Lonely but Not Alone Leadership can be very lonesome especially where the followers and the leader are not concurrent with one another. Concurrence means that these two should support one another in ideas, decisions, and general management (Nohria Khurana 2010, p. 21). As a leader, I have tried to be close to the people that I lead to avoid being alone at the top of the organization. Loneliness and uncertainty come when the leader is not in tune with the needs of the people that he/she leads or does not respond to the needs of the people that form the group. My millennial team members are fond of promotions, they want transparency in the running of the organization, and they want recognition in their work. These are the things that I have put on my list to draw them closer to me as I try to satisfy their needs as members of the group. The ability to feel part of the team does not come easily. It involves a process of personal transformation, discarding one’s values and principles, and attainment of new systems of perspective to be able to identify and respond the to the needs of the people in the team (Kofman Senge 1993, p. 9). Millennials have unpredictable behavior changes. They want to respond to the changes and things that are happening thousands of miles away from them, having seen or read them through the Internet. Some of these behaviors can cause me as a leader to be indifferent or question what the millennials want. They are likely to delineate me from the people that a lead; seeing that I do not need to embrace them as they demand. The Model II of leadership developed by Argyris (1976, p. 57) explains what may happen in such a circumstance. He argues that a leader who is under pressure from the followers is likely to develop defensive mechanisms and control measures that establish a boundary between him/her and the people in the team. I have always strived to avoid reaching a level where I become differentiated and removed from the people that I lead. I strive to embrace them even as they embrace me. My role as a leader is to listen to the people, minimize anxiety, and embrace the spirit of learning and accommodation of divergent views on different matters that affect the leadership and general operations at the organization. The self-reflection journey as a leader is important as it assists to question ones weaknesses and strength (Joyner 2006, p. 19). More often than not, leaders tend to think that they are immune to discrimination or isolation by the rest of the people. Previously, I used to come at my place of work and go straight to my desk and start responding to issues and complaints. I discovered that I had no time for personal interactions with the members of my team. When I started interacting with them, I began to appreciate the roles that they play and get a glimpse of their needs and agitations, which for some reasons were not reaching me as their leader. The rest of the leaders with information were also afraid to approach and discuss it with me even after they got the information. However, after opening up to the rest of the team members, we have become equals and are free to share everything that affects any of our members including family issues. The journey of transforming the way I lead and manage the team of millennials that work under me began by personal transformation. It was evident when I started considering them as equals. I have been able to cultivate confidence, integrity, honesty, openness, creativity, and innovation both on my side and on the side of the people that I lead. This is in line with Demming’s observation that personal transformations can open doors for every possibility, especially for a leader of millennials like me (Joyce, Nohria Roberson 2003, p. 34). A Servant or a Leader Millennials are fond of both. They want a person who is a servant first then a leader second! In my time working with millennials, I have come to the conclusion that more millennials are inclined to a servant-like kind of leading. It contrasts with my previous style of leading which was more of confrontational. This is the style practiced around the world in many organizations (Freeman 1991, p. 54). Servant leadership is based on the ideas, philosophies and practices of the leader with the aim of enriching the lives of both the leader and the people being led. This is according to Robert Green leaf who first coined the term â€Å"servant leadership.† Greenleaf puts it correctly in his work when he notes about servant leadership It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. The conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servantfirst to make sure that other peoples highest priority needs are being served (Criswell Campbell 2008, p. 44). I have aspired always to become a servant le ader who is capable of addressing the needs of the people that a lead to maximum level possible. The philosophy and actual practice is presumed in the tenet of being â€Å"first among equals.† This can be a challenging fete to achieve especially in the contemporary world where everybody is looking for power and influence. However, the good thing about servant leadership is that it helps the leader to grow together with the team members. The leader sees himself/herself as a servant of the people with the intention of helping them to grow in the personal aspirations. One of the enduring qualities that I have acquired as a servant leader is the ability to listen to others (Clawson 2006, p. 67). Listening and communicating are the qualities that I work for in my action plan of conquering my sense of entitlement and desire to achieve greater things for myself and team members. I ensure that the language which I use to communicate with millennials is perfectly suited to their needs. I also give them time to air their views through forums and regular meetings at the organization. The aim is to help millennials to get what they need in honest and truthful way. This has not been easy always because of the resistance from other leaders at the organization, who may not be as progressive as I am. Some of the leaders at the organization are old folks who do not understand the dynamics of leading millennials in the 21st century (Cameron Quinn 1999, p. 23). They want to maintain the status quo by suppressing the millennials and thwarting any attempt to have change at the organization. Nevertheless, I also listen to their argument, communicate with them in a clear manner, where we want to go and marshal their support for the common good of the organization. This approach has worked in most cases and I have found that I do not even need to be present for some creative ideas to be implemented or the needs of the millennials to be addressed. An example is the organizing of training and conferences at the organization where different groups in my team are able to learn what is new in their professional areas. This is a part of the larger professional and career development which is at the heart of the millennials. Change as an Agent of Harmony and Unity The millennials are awash for change. They have glamour for change that can only be quenched by change itself. This is a fact that I have always strove to include in my leadership approaches. As people living in a world controlled by technological advancements, innovations and creativity, the millennials sometimes can be persistent in agitating for change without knowing why they want it (Bridges 2001, p. 30). Knowing why change is needed is a significant part towards the attainment of that change. According to Simon Sinek, millennials want change because they feel entitled to new things. As outgoing and dynamic people, they want to move with the rest of the world. Thus, what works for one organization well must also work for this organization (Boyer1994, p. 56). It is a part of the global movement spearheaded by millennials who view themselves as agents of change in their places of work. However, knowing why change is needed is a better point than just calling for change. This is my area of interest; how to make them see the actual reason why change is needed. Sometimes, I have come to discover that the change we agitate for could knock us off as an organization. As I leader, I always communicate with the millennials about the need to have well thought decisions about change. Sometimes, it seems like my views are contradicting what they want for themselves, but as a servant leader, I know that my desires is to develop and help them to achieve their needs (Belasen 2000, p. 70). One of the ways that I use to bring harmony and unity among my teams is meetings and conferences, where everyone has the opportunity to be heard while also listening to the other people. The act of involving everyone in the decisions about change has allowed me to have a calm and inclusive leadership void of feelings of desperations. I do not struggle when I want to pass any ideas to the people that I lead. Leadership is somehow coming to me as a natural predisposition even though deep inside myself I know that I am afraid of failure. I am also afraid that the people I lead might be more intelligent than I am. This is a good thing but is also a challenge to me to embrace learning and professional growth in my career as a leader. As much as I want the best for myself, I also want to grow in my knowledge and wisdom and I have been doing this by interacting with others in my team and learning from them as well. The focus is to become what I am not by learning and experiencing difficult and challenging circumstances and situations in my leadership (Bandura 1986, p. 32). The millennials in my team are people with high affinity for knowledge. I do not feel embarrassed to ask something that I do not know from anyone of them. In fact, many of them are excited to teach me something new and we are almost forming a habit of having a learning session every week. It allows people to say what they have learnt throughout the week, and what they would like incorporated in our daily management of the team. In true sense, I am following through the Lefton Bozzotta’s (2004, p. 17) and Bessler’s (1970, p. 80) theory of change by striving to become what I have always been rather than what I have not always been. I knew in my heart that I am a servant leader, but the conventional way of leading in many organizations forced me to start with an autocratic way of leading.

Race and Gender Discrimination essays

Race and Gender Discrimination essays __________________________________________________________________________ Analogies between racial and gender discrimination are highly problematic, both theoretically and historically. Discrimination can perhaps be better understood when analogized with cancer. Discrimination, like cancer, kills humanity. Discrimination, like cancer, comes in many specific forms. And each form of discrimination, like cancer, must be recognized treated with specific and focused efforts. The purpose of this paper is to show that when we recognize the differences between racial and gender discrimination we validate history and are more aptly able to end the current oppression of racial minorities and women. Ten years ago one of the most exclusive golf and country clubs in America, Shoal Creek, admitted its first black member after controversy surrounding the club's racial exclusionary policies nearly derailed the club's coveted plans to host the championship tournament for the Professional Golf Association. Today, the National Council for Women is waging a similar war on a different golf and country club. The National Council for Women discovered that Augusta National golf and country club, a private club, and home to a popular Professional Golf Association tournament, excludes women from the ranks of its membership. As such, the National Council for Women is using the same platform used by civil rights leaders to end racial exclusionary policies at Shoal Creek to attack Augusta National and its gender exclusionary policies. Specifically, The National Council for Women requested that corporate sponsors of the tournament including, IBM and Citibank withdraw their financial from the tournament at Augusta National. In addition, The National Organization for Women also requested that CBS refuse to televise the tournament at Augusta National. Furthermore, The National Council for Women has also requested ...

13 of the Worst Ways to Start a Job Interview Conversation

13 of the Worst Ways to Start a Job Interview Conversation Building a good rapport with your interviewer is key. And you should always find ways to break the ice and make both of you comfortable right out of the gate. But if you step a toe too far in any one direction, you can risk blowing the whole thing by making someone uncomfortable, or worse, offended. Here are 13 terrible ways to get the job interview conversation going. If you were considering any of them, get to work on Plan B! (i.e. safer, more neutral conversation starters).1. â€Å"How about Trump/Clinton’s speech yesterday?†Unless you’re interviewing for a job in politics and you can be sure this question won’t lead you astray, stay away from anything political. Especially the polarizing nature of a presidential election. You’d be much better off with the weather.2. â€Å"The craziest thing just happened to me!†No one cares. Also, they’re going to be looking for signs of what sort of coworker you’d be. If they think you†™re going to be the one running in every morning on a rant of drama about your coffee order, they’ll hesitate to hire you.3. â€Å"A priest, a rabbi, and Superman walk into a bar†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Even if your jokes are hilarious and everyone says so, don’t tell them at an interview. The chances are too good that they would go awry. Besides, it’s unprofessional.4. â€Å"Did you have a good dinner at Nobu with your pal Steve?†While an interviewer will appreciate your having done your homework, looking into them on social networking sites and such, you don’t want to sound like a stalker. Stick to professional achievements or widely documented hobbies.5. Questions with one word answersDo yourself a favor and don’t set yourself up to get a one-word answer. Give yourself some room to work and let the conversation build.6. â€Å"How do you know Bob?†If you have a mutual contact, either know before you go, or don’t bring it up.7.  "I’m hired!†You may think this is cute and confident. But it could backfire and come across as overconfident, brash, or even aggressive.8. â€Å"Friday at 4 p.m.? You must be ready to get out of here!†No matter whether your interview is the very last of the week, don’t suppose or comment on your interviewers wants or activities after the fact. Who knows, they might be working until 8 p.m. and then you’ll look like a slacker.9. â€Å"Which position is this again?†No matter how many jobs you’re applying for, never go into an interview unprepared. Always know the title, the responsibilities, the salary, and anything else you could know- including your interviewer’s name and role.10. â€Å"I’ve got another appointment after this†Even if this is true, you can’t say it. They’ll likely not hear anything you say after you make it clear they aren’t your top priority.11. â€Å"You look great in that out fit.†Just say no to comments about personal appearance. Compliments like â€Å"I like your earrings† are fine, but when you reference someone’s appearance or physique, that comes too close to sexual harassment for (not even) your first day.12. â€Å"Where do you get your hair/nails done?†See above. Also†¦ just†¦ focus on the job you’re interviewing for.13. â€Å"Here are my deal breakers.†While there is an appropriate time for you to share your salary needs and specifications- and even to inquire about certain aspects of the job that would make or break it for you, never open with this. And never be too assertive with your demands. Wait to be asked and frame it less aggressively.

Tokugawa Yoshimune and His Kyoho Reform Research Paper

Tokugawa Yoshimune and His Kyoho Reform - Research Paper Example The major characteristics of the new period were more definitely illustrated than ever before during the Kyoho era, when the general reform initiatives of Tokugawa Yoshimune, the eight shogun, and the difficulties that resulted in to them, took over the scene. The severest of these new difficulties involved the personal finances of the shogunate, which had been unsuccessful in matching national growth. The agricultural production of Japan by the 18th century was approximately 60% more than it had been a hundred years prior; though, on the contrary, the financial status of the central government was dropping annually (Hauser 2010). In a country teeming with all forms of commercial and agricultural enterprise, the central government was plainly not capable of securing enough for its own. According to Hauser (2010), beginning from 1722, having relieved from the possibility of resistance from the Senior Council and strengthened the economy, Tokugawa Yoshimune focused on financial reform. Tokugawa Yoshimune and his Kyoho Reform Tokugawa Yoshimune was born in 1684 in Wakayama, child of a daimyo of Kii. Yoshimune was assigned daimyo of Sabae han thirteen years after, but after the death of his elder brother in 1705 he was relocated to Kii (Hall 1991). In 1716, after the demise of Ietsugu, bakufu heads designated Yoshimune his heir, rewarding Edo a ruler knowledgeable in supervising a large area. The newly assigned shogun did not have any connections in the bakufu, yet he was able to slowly appoint his own people in important positions and by the 1720s was firmly in charge (Hall 1991). Particular attributes of his regime were notable. While Tsunayoshi had conformed to rules based on a powerful principle, Yoshimune moved fluidly in reaction to situations; his flexibility is indicative of the political ideology of Ogyu Sorai (Titsingh 1834). His restructuring started vigilantly, encouraged by problems left by the prior regimes of Tsunayoshi, Ienobu, and Ietsugu, respecti vely. Nevertheless, since the 1720s the array of reform increased significantly in obvious response to the joint effect of recoinage plans previously in force and a wave of social disorder and crop declines (Hall 1991). That enhanced array, which marked the 1720s the glory days of the Kyoho reform, engaged the bakufu more profoundly into public and political administration than ever before. Governing the vast, intricate, environmentally limited, and highly monetized civilization of 18th-century Japan was extremely difficult. In 1728, after attaining the zenith of progress, Yoshimune committed a number of years to combating unforgiving agricultural problems, the Kyoho food crisis, and uncontrolled fluctuations of the price of rice that seriously upset samurai way of life (Hall 1991). The difficulties pushed Yoshimune to reevaluate core strategies and in 1736 to enforce a major change in monetary policy. The change led to a 15-year phase of governmental strength that was attained in s pite of, or, more accurately, at the cost of, long-term agricultural failure. The economic troubles of the government was very severe, and a solution had to be determined at once to ease the hardship. The shogunate, in 1722, informed the daimyo about its problems and obliged them to bring in rice to its stockrooms at the pace of ‘one hundred koku for each ten thousand koku of domain assessment’ (Hall 1991, 449)—koku is a Japanese term for ‘

Is the Death Penalty Just and Applied Fairly Research Paper

Is the Death Penalty Just and Applied Fairly - Research Paper Example The issue of capital punishment, more specifically the death penalty, is a topic that can split the American public as far as their view points to two extreme sides. There are those who are against the death penalty and those who are for the death penalty. The death penalty can be such a polarizing topic that there are 16 states that have abolished the death penalty as opposed to the 34 states as well as the United States government and the military supporting it (Jones, 2002). The death penalty can be defined as the taking of a human’s life for their crimes or imposing the punishment of death for their crimes. A question arises that whether this death penalty is just and applied fairly? The death penalty is just and it is applied fairly and according to a Gallup Poll in May of 2002, 7 in 10 Americans agree. There is a vast majority of the Americans who insist on abolishing the death penalty of the mentally retarded at least. Almost 82% of the American population opposes death penalty for this particular group while the rest support the action. The case of Andrea Yates created this ratio in court. She was found guilty of murdering her five children but was mentally ill herself. Nearly 75% of the people opposed death penalty for her. History tells that America has been fairly constant in its decision for death penalty under the age of 21. This has varied over many years. They have refused to be supportive in this regard. In 1965, when 45% favored the death penalty in general, only 21% were in favor of applying the rule on juveniles. During the colonial era of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, England regarded death as a penalty for crimes such as treason, manslaughter, robbery, rape, murder, counterfeiting, arson, burglary, theft – or any capital crimes of the like. The American colonial past and the present followed the same footsteps. Over the period of time it became illogical to apprehend the same punishment for all these crimes, hence it was deduced that only the gravest of crimes will be awarded with death. However, America followed the tradition of refusing to show any understanding towards the minority which denied any such punishment. It is researched that they did not follow the tradition blindly but due to the institutional structure prevailing in the eighteenth century, the role of capital punishment was broader than it is today. As mentioned above, the notion of death penalty varied from state to state. The northern colonial penal codes were more severe than those in England because of the varying religious origins of the colonies (Banner, 2002). Coincidentally, the era of American colonization coincided with the stiffening of the criminal law prevailing in England. The crimes that seemed minor to most of them such as poaching deer, stealing minor amount of cash and the like, started to be regarded as deathly and consequential. Colonies which had a larger number of slaves tried them and punished them for every little crime they did. As long as slavery was common, the system continued to function with more terror and bitterness. Much was done out of racial differences. Blacks were accused and caught for crimes more frequently. The crimes that were committed by the whites were left unattended in most cases. What was to be done with such kind of inequality? Execultions of the criminals were conducted on the roads for better

Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Market - Essay Example The mobile phone is an advanced form of the Samsung Galaxy S3. It is also a differentiated product of the rival mobile phone company, Apple. Of late, Samsung has positioned itself to take over the market for manufacture of smart phones. The company has been innovative because they were among the first to manufacture smart phone. A smart phone is a mobile phone that is built on a mobile operating system that has more advanced capability of computing and connectivity as compared to the common feature phone (Tidd, 1997). The phone is made up of very special features that make it different from other smart phones and, thus more preferred by many people. Such features include owner recognition ability, high processing speed; a screen that is only recognizes the owner and finger prints identification ability. Industry and market structure of Samsung Galaxy S4 Samsung operates in the telecommunications sector. This is because the company manufactures gadgets used for communicating, such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets and smart TV’s. Samsung Galaxy S4 itself is used to exchange messages, telephone calls, and emails. This phone in a competitive market because there are other smart phone companies, for example, Apple, Techno, LG, Nokia and Alcatel. However, Samsung has been more innovative thus has gained a competitive advantage over these other companies because it has managed to differentiate its products from other rival products. Samsung Company has warehouses in many locations in the world. The major locations are China, Singapore, Japan and India. The most productive of all these firms is located in China. China has the largest population in the world that supplies cheap labour to the Samsung firm in China. The population is also well equipped with the latest manufacturing technology that ensures materials are not wasted. In addition, China has all the minerals that are required to manufacture the several parts of this phone. All these cheap deals put Sa msung at a competitive advantage. In addition, China enjoys cheap electrical energy from coal and nuclear power. This combination of cheap overheads makes the final product cheap compared to those of the rival companies (Urban, 1980). Samsung Galaxy S4 can also be said to be in a competitive market because it experience competition from other electronic companies that produce communication gadgets. For example, companies that manufacture laptops are in competition because they all access internet and used to achieve other communication purposes (Tidd, 1997). The phone is also in competition with iPhone, iPod and tablet companies, thus it is experiencing true competition. Elasticity of Samsung Galaxy S4 Samsung Galaxy S4 is a special product because its demand rises despite the high price. The smart phone is bought, especially, by those with high disposable incomes. However, it is also bought as a product to show off especially by people who do not have enough disposable income. The product was made with target customer being the well off in society but many have acquired it because of its versatile nature (Urban, 1980). The product, therefore, experiences complete elastic kind of demand. Elastic kind of demand has very little or no effect on, especially price of luxuries such as Samsung galaxy S4. Therefore, the price of the phone remained constant despite competition from Apple, Nokia and LG. Laws of supply and demand have affecting production and pricing of Samsung Galaxy

Trade Mark Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Trade Mark - Case Study Example Second life. This scenario discusses whether the following trademark owned by Georgio currently registered as a Class 15 trademark for the past decade can be protected from infringement and potentially "passing off" by Donald and Bernard and /or Trade Mark Infringement under section 10 of the Trade Marks Act 1994. It is stated in the question that Georgio has traded under this trademark as world renowned producer of the finest musical instruments in the world and is currently a favourite brand with the high and mighty of tinsel town and it is also stated that his trademark is used to convey luxury. Therefore the question has been divided into two scenarios: A&B. I have been asked to advise Georgio as to the likelihood of the actions of Barnard being construed under the law as trademark infringement as he has launched an advertising campaign on billboards aiming to sell expensive chocolate by depicting a 'Georgio' piano dripping with liquid chocolate and in which the logo is clearly visible.The Question would also like me to consider the legalities of such a scenario in the virtual world like second life. In this part of the question I have been ... The theoretical premise of Property rights and trademarks An understanding of the philosophical premises behind Property rights are necessary in the understanding of the tug of war between the owners and the users of intangible information.1 Legal Commentators have often expressed their doubts as to whether these rights are actually rights or privileges as Machlup and Penrose have noted:2 " ... those who started to use the word property in connection with inventions had a very definite purpose in mind they wanted to substitute a word with a respectable connotation, 'property', for a word that had an unpleasant ring, 'privilege'." Intellectual property as a "property" thus is an intangible category of property with boundaries that are not always clear cut and which must be actively defended by the holder against infringements. 3 Tangible property is however visible and documented, and the boundaries are more easily given than for intellectual property.4The law has developed to protect a person who holds certain intellectual property will be able to defend this property only if he/she is granted a particular right over this property. For example in relation to patents the rights are defined by the patent authorities based on what is defined in the patent claims.Like other property (tangible) one has to pay certain fees in order to have their "intellectual" property claim examined and determined and also of continuance fees paid.5 The concept of property rights thus stems from the ideas of John Locke.6Furthermore the notions of property rights developed in the 18th century as one of the core civil rights parallel to-and mutually reinforcing-the right to liberty.7However, most

The Powers Given to the Police Force and How They Are Applied Term Paper

The Powers Given to the Police Force and How They Are Applied - Term Paper Example Policing is a noble activity that ensures that people live in harmony with one another. They make sure that people practice their right and at the same time give don't interfere with the rights of other people. Hence police cannot be taken as perfect but rather a major player in the sector of governance. Their role is just to ensure that people live in harmony with one another. In order to carry this role effectively, police are giving some power over the people. They are given the power to arrest those who do not act according to the requirements of the law. But in doing so they are guided by some principles which ensure that they keep ethics in their work. It doesn't mean that because police are given power over a citizen, they have to arbitrarily come and arrest others. They have to be guided by some principles in their work. The code of ethics is important in the world of police as it provides a guideline within which they should carry out their duties. It acts as a regulatory mechanism and a system of accountability for the police. Like the citizens are guided by the law that police force enforce, the police force is guided in its operation by a code of ethics which ensures that there are protocols that they have to observe in their work. (Frameer 2007, p. 90) It is rather absurd if the police force has to carry out their duties without observance of any code of ethics. They would exercise the powers that they are given in the world way. It is for this reason that the code of ethics for the police force becomes an indispensable tool that guides their operation. Therefore we have said that the police are given powers over the citizens to ensure that they keep to the requirements of the law. But is this power enough Do the police use the power they are given in the right manner Should they be given more power or should there be an accountability system.  

Trade Mark Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Trade Mark - Case Study Example Second life. This scenario discusses whether the following trademark owned by Georgio currently registered as a Class 15 trademark for the past decade can be protected from infringement and potentially "passing off" by Donald and Bernard and /or Trade Mark Infringement under section 10 of the Trade Marks Act 1994. It is stated in the question that Georgio has traded under this trademark as world renowned producer of the finest musical instruments in the world and is currently a favourite brand with the high and mighty of tinsel town and it is also stated that his trademark is used to convey luxury. Therefore the question has been divided into two scenarios: A&B. I have been asked to advise Georgio as to the likelihood of the actions of Barnard being construed under the law as trademark infringement as he has launched an advertising campaign on billboards aiming to sell expensive chocolate by depicting a 'Georgio' piano dripping with liquid chocolate and in which the logo is clearly visible.The Question would also like me to consider the legalities of such a scenario in the virtual world like second life. In this part of the question I have been ... The theoretical premise of Property rights and trademarks An understanding of the philosophical premises behind Property rights are necessary in the understanding of the tug of war between the owners and the users of intangible information.1 Legal Commentators have often expressed their doubts as to whether these rights are actually rights or privileges as Machlup and Penrose have noted:2 " ... those who started to use the word property in connection with inventions had a very definite purpose in mind they wanted to substitute a word with a respectable connotation, 'property', for a word that had an unpleasant ring, 'privilege'." Intellectual property as a "property" thus is an intangible category of property with boundaries that are not always clear cut and which must be actively defended by the holder against infringements. 3 Tangible property is however visible and documented, and the boundaries are more easily given than for intellectual property.4The law has developed to protect a person who holds certain intellectual property will be able to defend this property only if he/she is granted a particular right over this property. For example in relation to patents the rights are defined by the patent authorities based on what is defined in the patent claims.Like other property (tangible) one has to pay certain fees in order to have their "intellectual" property claim examined and determined and also of continuance fees paid.5 The concept of property rights thus stems from the ideas of John Locke.6Furthermore the notions of property rights developed in the 18th century as one of the core civil rights parallel to-and mutually reinforcing-the right to liberty.7However, most

The production choosed..carread the requirement carefully Essay

The production choosed..carread the requirement carefully - Essay Example ..........................................................................................9 Objective of research......................................................................................................................9 Methodology...................................................................................................................................9 Literature review............................................................................................................................10 Strategy of the research..................................................................................................................10 The definition of e-business...........................................................................................................10 The meaning of e-business and e-commerce.................................................................................11 Interrelation of e-business and e-commerce................................ ..................................................12 Customer value and what it is........................................................................................................12 Customer value..............................................................................................................................12 E-business and costs.................................................................................................................. .........................................................................................13 Amitt and Zott Car value creation Model analysis of the car product...........................................14 Efficiency.......................................................................................................................................15 Complementarities’........................................................................................................................16 Lock in...........................................................................................................................................17 Impact of e-business on customer value........................................................................................18 Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................19 Commentary............................................................... ....................................................................19 Reference.......................................................................................................................................20 Name Unit Name Lecturer Date E - Business in the car industry Comparison of offline and online Retail Environment of Car Industry The offline environment for retails of the car industry is that of manufacturer to customer .The chain from which the product, car, moves from the manufacturer to the customer is that of via the car dealer. The intermediary dealers buy a number of types from the manufacture and sell them from the store front. This presentation and placement of the good has largely proved successful. The product which is tangible is

Competitive Strategy Essay Example for Free

Competitive Strategy Essay â€Å"Successful and unsuccessful strategies shape a company’s destiny† – R.A. Burgelman, Strategy is Destiny†¦ Competitive Strategy is the high-level strategy used by the firm to realize its business goals, and in particular, profitability, in the face of competition. We study competitive strategy within the overall context of technology firms, which operate within a so-called industry, e.g., the computer industry, the consumer electronic industry, the cellular phone industry. Each industry, ideally, serves a market, which denotes the buyers or customers of the products and services offered by the industry. The function of strategy, which has a time horizon of years, is, in general, to set the long-term direction or position of the firm, for example define the technology, product, or service that the firm intends to develop, and determine the intended market for the product or service. The function of planning, which, in general, has a time horizon of several months to years, is to translate long-term strategy into medium-term activities, e.g., the portfolio of projects that the firm should execute the time-phased planning of these projects, and resource allocation. The function of operations, which has the time-horizon of days to months, is, in general, to translate medium-term planning activities into short-term product design, development, and delivery activities such as prototyping, manufacturing, product release, and shipment. No company can follow only one strategy. For example, Johnson Johnson uses one marketing strategy for its common product such as BAND-AID Johnson’s baby products; and different marketing strategy for its High Tech healthcare products such as Vicryl Plus, antibacterial surgical sutures or NeuFlex finger joint implants. There are several different types of strategy, including competitive strategy, technology strategy, product market strategy, financial strategy, and supply-chain strategy. For a technology company to be successful all these strategies need to be aligned with each other, and with the business goals of the firm. Competitive strategy, is the highest level of strategy in the firm, and is intimately related to the mission and vision of the firm and also to setting the direction for all the other strategies in the firm. There are several schools of strategy formation: design, planning, positioning (Mintzberg, 1998). We focus on two important schools or frameworks for strategy-creation or â€Å"strategy-making† that are particularly important for high-technologycompanies. The first framework is the so-called â€Å"positioning† approach due to Porter (Porter, 1980), In this approach strategy is viewed as taking a generic position in a competitive market and which views strategy-making as an analytic process performed at the industry-market structural level (Porter, 1980) and the resulting dynamics between functional groups of players (e.g., competitors, suppliers) in the industry. The second framework analyzes strategy-making at the industry-level, company level, and intra-company level using evolutionary organization theory (Burgelman 2002). In this evolutionary organizational theory approach, each company is an organizational ecology within which strategy emerges through two basic mechanisms, external selection and internal selection. When companies start, because they are new and small ¸ the external selection mechanism dominates. As a company grows in size and becomes more established, internal selection plays an important role. Based on e volutionary organization theory, views strategy-making as an evolutionary process performed at three levels: industry-company level, company-level, and intra-company level. When these two frameworks are combined, an integrated approach to competitive strategy emerges: from industry-market level all the way to intra-company level. A unique aspect of creating competitive strategy for a company, and in particular, a high-technology company, is that the time-scales for the evolution of markets, industries, and technologies are, in general, much shorter (â€Å"faster†) compared to other industries. Therefore, the strategy frameworks of the positioning school needs to be augmented with functional maps (Clark and Wheelwright, 1993), which capture the evolution of the market, industry, and technology relevant to the company, and which can therefore be used to create strategy. The objectives of this chapter are as follows: 1. Describe the positioning framework for the creation of competitive strategy. 2. Provide an integrated competitive strategy process which is useful in developing competitive strategy in a technology company. 3. Demonstrate the application of the process of competitive strategy The objective of technology strategy (Clark and Wheelwright, 1993) is to guide the technology company in developing, acquiring, and applying technology for competitive advantage. An important part of technologystrategy is the definition of technical capabilities (e.g., advanced device design, rapid prototyping, automated assembly) that provide competitive advantage. The objective of product/market strategy is to clearly establish the following: define what differentiates the product from its competitors; identify market segments for the product, the customer needs of these segments, and the corresponding products (i.e., product lines) that will be offered to these segments; etc. An important outcome of produc t/market strategy is to define the product roadmap, including sales volume and price, necessary to realize the business goals. However, in the rapidly evolving industry and market landscape of high-technology, competitive strategy, in turn, depends on three levels of â€Å"strategy-making† as follows (Burgelman, 2002): 1. Industry-company level. At this level the firm must determine its strategic position, its core competencies, and its strategic action. 2. Company level: At this level strategy-making involves induced strategy and autonomous strategy. 3. Intra-company level: At this the internal level autonomous strategy is created. In successful companies, it is the tight coupling of strategy these three levels of strategy-making with the highest-level (i.e., industry-market level) competitive strategy that, results in successful strategic action where what the company actually does, e.g., the product lines it develops and markets, results in the realization of its business goals. It is also useful to mention two other strategies that are closely related to competitive strategy. Financial strategy in cludes issues such as capital budgeting and portfolio management, i.e., deciding on which technology and product development projects to fund in order to maximize the cumulative expected profit. Another important and related strategy is supply chain strategy (Chopra), which specifies the service, distribution, and operations functions, performed either in-house or outsourced, that the company should do well in order to successfully realize its intended competitive strategy. The â€Å"Positioning† Framework We first present a historical overview of the positioning or analytic school of strategy. Then, we develop the five forces framework (Porter, 1980) and the approach to creation of competitive strategy that is closely related to the five forces framework. We will use the personal computer industry to illustrate the approach. The positioning school of strategy which emerges from the competitive school is based on the following assumptions (Mintzberg, 1998): the marketplace is competitive strategy is a generic position in the marketplace; strategy formation is the selection of a generic position based on analysis. The underlying assumption is that industry or market structure drives position which drives the organizational structure of the firm. Matrices like the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) introduced two techniques: the growth-share matrix, and the experience curve. The growth-share matrix for a firm, developed in the early 1970s, is a 22 matrix with â€Å"growth† along one dimension, and â€Å"market share† along the other dimension. Each of these variables can take two values, â€Å"high† or â€Å"low† resulting in a 22 matrix. Therefore, the product portfolio of a firm can be decomposed into four combinations of growth and market share, each with a well defined meaning: (High growth, high market share) or â€Å"stars†, (high growth, low share) or â€Å"question marks†, (slow growth, high share) or â€Å"cash cows†, and (slow growth, low share) or â€Å"dogs†. The approach to strategy using this matrix would be to have a portfolio balanced mainly between cash cows (the stable business of the firm, e.g., â€Å"MAC† computers in the case of Apple) and stars (e.g., the iPod, in the case of Apple). The experience curve, developed in 1965-66, is based on the idea that accumulated experi ence by a firm influences costs and prices. The claim â€Å"for the experience curve was that for each cumulative doubling of experience, total costs would decline roughly 20% to 30% because of economies of scale, organizational learning, and technical innovation† (Ghemawat, 1999). In 1971, the consulting firm McKinsey came up with the GE/McKinsey nine-block matrix called the Industry Attractiveness-Business Strength matrix (Ghemawat, 1999), which plotted business strength [High, Medium, Low] along one axis, and industry attractiveness [High, Medium, Low] along the other axis. The basic idea was to divide the company into â€Å"strategic business units (SBUs)†, and then make the appropriate strategic recommendations for each SBU depending on its â€Å"location† in the matrix. The Five Forces Framework and Competitive Strategy In this framework there are two high-level stages in the creation of competitive strategy, each stage corresponding to a high-level determinant of profitability mentioned in the previous section. The first stage is the assessment of the attractiveness of the industry in which a given company is embedded based on a structural analysis of the industry. In this stage, called the five forces framework, five forces that influence industry attractiveness are identified, as well as the factors (e.g., number of competitors, size of competitors, capital requirements) that determine the intensity of each force and therefore the cumulative intensity of the five forces. The purpose of the five forces framework is to relate the degree (or intensity) of competition in a given industry, as qualitatively measured by the combined strength (or intensity) of five forces, to the attractiveness of the industry, defined as its ability to sustain profitability. Based on the structural analysis, a particula r company may be in a very attractive industry (e.g., pharmaceuticals) or in an unattractive industry (e.g., steel). However, though a firm exists in an unattractive industry, it can still be highly profitable by choosing the proper competitive position within the industry, for example, e.g., a mini-mill such as Nucor in the steel industry in the nineteen-eighties (Ghemawat). The second stage of strategy creation addresses the competitive strategy available to the firm in order to achieve a strong competitive position. Ideally, a firm would want to be in a very attractive industry (e.g., pharmaceuticals) and have a strong competitive position (e.g., large pharmaceutical firms such as Smith Klein or Glaxo) within the industry. The five forces framework for the structural analysis of an industry is as follows. First, we define the following terms used in the structural analysis of the industry: industry, market, competitors, new entrants, substitutes, buyers, and sellers. The term ind ustry denotes (1) the manufacturers (or producers) and (2) the suppliers of a primary product or service, as well as (3) the manufacturers of alternative products and services that could serve as a substitute. For example, the (conventional) personal computer (PC) industry would include PC manufacturers like Dell and Apple, suppliers of semiconductor chips like Intel and Micron, suppliers ofdisc drives like Seagate, suppliers of software such as Microsoft, etc. Substitute products could be pen-based tablet PCs or small hand-held personal digital assistants (PDAs). In the five forces framework described below, manufacturers and producers will designated as (1) competitors in the industry if they already have established products, or (2) new-entrants if they are trying to enter the industry, or (3) substitutes, if they provide alternative (substitute) products. The term market denotes the buyers (or customers) of the product or service. For example, the market for PCs would include enterprises and individual consumers. The analytical process of strategy analysis and creation can be decomposed into the following five steps. 1. Create a map of the industry in which the technology company is em bedded. There are five key sets of players that constitute the business landscape: competitors, new entrants, substitutes, suppliers, and buyers. Identify key players (companies) for each industry. 2. Perform a five forces analysis of the industry structure. The five forces that influence the intensity of competition in a particular industry, and therefore the profitability of the firms within the industry: Force 1: the degree of rivalry (or competition) between the competitors; Force 2: the threat of new entrants (or the inverse of this force, the barrier to entry); Force 3: the threat of substitutes; Force 4: Buyer Power (to demand lower prices); Force 5: Supplier Power (to increase material prices). For each force, determine the key structural determinants which affect the intensity of the force. Porter and Ghemawat provide a detailed set of the determinants for each force, some of which are given in the table below. In the last column of this table we indicate plausible values o f each force for the PC industry in the nineteen nineties. Table 1 |Force |Key Determinants |Strength of the force | |Rivalry between competitors |Concentration (number) and size of |Medium to high | | |competitors | | | |Fixed costs/value added | | | |Brand indentity | | |Barrier to entry |Economies of scale |Medium to high | | |Brand identity | | | |Capital requirements | | |Threat of substitutes |Price/Performance of substitutes |Low to medium | | |Switching costs | | |Buyer Power |Buyer concentration | | | |Buyer size (volume) |Medium to high | | |Switching costs | | |Supplier Power |Supplier concentration |Low to medium | | |Supplier size (volume) | | | |Switching costs | | In theory, one would, qualitatively determine the strength of each force, as indicated in the third column of the above table, and then determine the cumulative or combined intensity of the five forces. The collective intensity or strength of the forces will determine the structural strength of the industry, as characterized by attractiveness, or the profit potential of the industry. The profit potential is measured by the long term return on invested capital (ROIC). If the collective strength of the forces is high, as in the steel industry, then the corresponding profit potential or attractiveness is low, and vice-versa. At one extreme of this analysis is the perfectly competitive free market, where there are numerous firms alloffering very similar products that cannot be differentiated (therefore, the force of rivalry is high), entry is free (therefore, the threat of both new entrants and substitutes is high), and bargaining power of both suppliers and buyers is low. Using the PC industry of the 1990’s as an example, the qualitative values of the forces shown in the last column of the above table would lead one to conclude that the cumulative strength of the five forces was medium to high, and therefore the attractiveness of the industry, i.e., its profitability, was medium to low. The PC industry in the nineteen-nineties would therefore not be attractive to new entrants, and in fact, in the early 2000s, HP’s computer business was unprofitable, and IBM sold its computer business to Lenovo. (It is important to note that HP’s unprofitability in computer business in the early 2000s cannot be attributed solely to industry attractiveness being low, but is also due to issues associated with its acquisition of the computer company Compaq.) 3. Select a competitive positioning strategy The basic premise of Porter and Hall was that for a firm to be successful (in a market) it had to compete based on one of two sources of competitive ad vantage: cost, i.e., by providing low cost products, or differentiation, i.e., by differentiating its products from its competitors with respect to quality and performance. Porter also proposed that a firm needs to select its strategic target: either offering a product to the entire market (â€Å"market-wide†), or offering a product for a particular market segment. Using these two dimensions (source of competitive advantage, and strategic target), Porter proposed the following three generic competitive strategies: 1. Cost Leadership: offering the lowest costs products to the entire market 2. Differentiated: offering highly unique products (as perceived by the customer) to the entire market 3. Focus: offering products which serve the needs of a niche segment of the market Porter’s claim is that for a company to be successful in the industry in which it operates it must choose between one of the three generic strategies: cost leadership, differentiated, and focus. If one uses the personal computer industry in the US during the 1990’s as an example, then the competitive strategies of the major players was as follows: Dell was the low-c ost leader; HP had a differentiated strategy with high-quality products; Apple had a focus strategy, targeting a narrow marketsegment of users who whom the user-experience (look, feel, and graphical user interfaces) were extremely important; and IBM had a mixed strategy. 4. Link competitive strategy to strategic planning (Ghemawat 1999) In order for a company to derive competitive advantage (or position) within its industry, the company needs to maximize, relative to it competitors, the difference between the buyer’s willingness to pay and the costs incurred in delivering the product to the buyer. Therefore, the next step in the competitive analysis is for the company to link competitive strategy to strategic planning by analyzing all the activities involved in differentiation and cost, and, to this end, a value chain (Porter, 1985) is an extremely important tool. According to Porter, â€Å"the value chain disaggregates a firm into its strategically relevant activities in order to understand the behavior of costs and the existing and potential sources of differentiation.† A three step process for using these activities, first to analyze costs, then to analyze buyer’s willingness to pay, and finally to explore different strategic planning options to maximize the difference between willingness to pay and cost, is developed in (Ghemawat, 1999). 5. Competitive strategy needs to evolve, especially in a high-technology company where markets, industries, and technologies, are changing relatively rapidly. A good example of the evolution of competitive strategy is IBM’s strategic decisions to evolve from a product-based company in the early nineties to a services-led company at the present time. In the early nineties, when the company was in trouble, IBM closely examined its business model and strategic direction, and decided to â €Å"stay whole† by moving its focus from products and hardware to solutions. One result of this strategic shift was the creation of IBM Global Services in the mid-nineties. By the late-nineties the company moved into e-business solutions, and extended this model in the 2000’s to â€Å"business-on-demand†. One result of these shifts in strategy was IBM’s decision to exit the Personal Computer Market by selling its PC business to Lenovo. Functional Maps A functional map essentially is a time-based evolutionary map of a key metric for an important organizational function, e.g., a product performance metric map for the engineering function in a technology firm, e.g., the well-known Moore’s Law in the semiconductor industry. Since the time-scales for the evolution of markets, industries and technologies for technology companies, especially â€Å"high-tech† companies, is short compared to other industries, the creation of the appropriate functional maps is critical to strategy formation in a technology company. As an example, in the relatively short span of four decades, information technology evolved from mainframes through workstations, servers and personal computers to internet-based and mobile computing. An important feature of our approach to developing competitive strategy in a technology firm is the integrated approach to strategy for a technology company, which relates company strategy to the company’s busin ess goals, business strategy, technology strategy, and product marketing strategy. Since, markets, industries, technologies, and products for a technology company are continually evolving, an important concept that plays a vital role in the creation of strategy, and, in particular, competitive strategy, is the functional map (Clark and Wheelwright, 1993). Here are some useful â€Å"dimensions† along which to create functional maps for strategy creation: a) Evolution of the industry in which the enterprise operates (changes in technology, customer needs, competitive landscape, etc.) b) Evolution of strategy business, technology, and market of the enterprise c) Evolution of technology (including manufacturing), product platforms, and product lines of the enterprise. The processes used for technology, product, and process development within the enterprise. d) Growth (or decline) of the enterprise with respect to of market share, revenues, costs, profits, etc. e) Organizational structure of the enterprise f) Key decisions made at different stages in the life of enterprise, and the drivers for these decisions g) The interconnections and relationships between all the above dimensions A multi-dimensional functional map for Intel is given in the next section. A very simple example of how functional maps can shape strategy is in the information technology industry. A functional map of the Information Technology Industry from the 1990s to the 2000s would reveal a shift from â€Å"products† to services†. The Services business in 2007-08 is approximately $750 billion, with IBM, whose share of this market is $54 billion, being the leader. HP, whose own share in the market is $17 billion seeing this shift in the industry and the need to build competitive strength, acquired EDS, whose share of the market is $21 billion. The combined share of HP and EDS would then be $38 billion, allowing it to compete more strongly with IBM. Another simple example of the use of a functional map in creating strategy is in the software industry. In the 2000s the software market is moving from a â€Å"packaged† product to online software, where individuals can get software that is mostly free, supported by advertising. Google is using its leadership on the Web to provide online softwa re that competes with Microsoft’s packaged software. Understanding this shift from packaged to online, and the corresponding change in the revenue model from direct sales (of product) to advertising, Microsoft is aggressively entering the online advertising business. Process for developing competitive strategy in a company If we combine the positioning framework for competitive strategy due to Porter, the evolutionary organization theoretic framework due to Burgelman, and augment these with the creation of relevant functional maps, then the resulting process of developing competitive strategy in a company can be decomposed into four stages, as follows. Stage 1: Company Analysis 1. Establish the business goals and objectives (ROI, %market share, revenue, and growth aspirations). 2. Determine the technology strategy and product market strategy for the company. 3. Define the overall development goals and objectives to align business goals, technology, and market strategies. 4. Develop the functional evolutionary maps of the markets and industry in which the company is embedded. Create functional maps (time-based evolutionary maps) for technology, product market, and manufacturing strategy of the firm. These maps will be useful in the process of assessing and creating competitive strategy. Stage 2: Industry Analysis 1. Perform the structural analysis of the industry in which the company is either an active competitor, or a new entrant, or a substitute. 2. Determine the existing competitive strategy of the company within the industry. 3. Determine the relationships between the company and the other players in the industry Stage 3: Assessment and Evolution of the company’s strategy within the relevant markets and industries 1. Using the functional maps of the overall markets and industry in which the company is embedded, as well as the company specific functional maps, assess the evolution of the company’s competitive strategy. 2. Decide on what the company’s future competitive strategy should be, and the corresponding technology strategy, product market strategy, and manufacturing strategy. Glossary Autonomous Strategy (also see induced strategy). Autonomous strategy refers to actions of individuals or small groups within the company that are outside the scope of current high-level corporate strategy. While autonomous strategy is constrained by the company’s distinctive (core) competencies, it usually (1) involves new competencies that are not the focus of the firm, and (2) results in so-called â€Å"disruptive technologies† that could change the strategic direction of the firm (Burgelman, 2002). Company Structure (vertical vs. horizontal). A vertical company is one which uses only its own proprietary technologies. A horizontal company is one which (usually because of the existence of open-standards) which does not solely rely on its own proprietary technologies, but usually uses technologies and products from other suppliers. In the computer industry, traditionally, Apple is an example of a vertical company, while Dell is an example of a horizontal company. The co mputer industry, itself, moved from a vertical structure to a horizontal structure in the 1980s (Ghemawhat, 1999). Corporate Strategy (official corporate strategy). Corporate strategy is top management’s view of the basis of the company’s success. It includes distinctive (core) competencies, product-market domains, and core values (Burgelman, 2002) Industry. The term industry, e.g., the consumer electronics industry,denotes (1) the manufacturers (or producers) and (2) the suppliers of a primary product or service, as well as (3) the manufacturers of alternative products and services that could serve as a substitute (Porter, 1980). Market. The term market denotes the buyers (or customers) of the product or service. Typically markets are segmented, for example, a two-dimensional segmentation based on the types of product (product segmentation) along one axis, and the types of customers (customer segmentation) along the other axis. The market, as represented by â€Å"Buyers† is an important part of the industry analysis in Porter’s framework. Once youve established the key assets and skills necessary to succeed in this business and have defined your distinct competitive advantage, you need to communicate them in a s trategic form that will attract market share as well as defend it. Competitive strategies usually fall into these five areas: 1. Product 2. Distribution 3. Pricing 4. Promotion 5. Advertising Many of the factors leading to the formation of a strategy should already have been highlighted in previous sections, specifically in marketing strategies. Strategies primarily revolve around establishing the point of entry in the product life cycle and an endurable competitive advantage. As weve already discussed, this involves defining the elements that will set your product or service apart from your competitors or strategic groups. You need to establish this competitive advantage clearly so the reader understands not only how you will accomplish your goals, but why your strategy will work. [pic] References Burgelman, R.A., â€Å"Strategy is Destiny†, The Free Press, New York, 2002. Chopra, Sunil, and Peter Meindl, â€Å"Supply Chain Management, Strategy, Planning, and Operations†, Third Edition, Pearson Prentice-Hall, 2007. Clark, K. B., and S.C. Wheelwright, Managing New Product and Process Development, Text and Cases, The Free Press, New York, 1993. Edwards, Cliff, â€Å"Intel†, Business Week, March 8, 2004, Pages 56-64. Ghemawat, Pankaj, Strategy and the Business Landscape, Text and Cases, Addison Wesley, 1999. Mintzberg, Henry and Bruce Ahlstrand, and Joseph Lampel, Strategy Safari, The Free Press, New York, 1998 Porter, Michael, Competitive Strategy, New York, The Free Press, 1980 Porter, Michael, Competitive Advantage, The Free Press, New York, 1985 Figure 1: A strategic view of the technology firm, showing different types of strategy Revenue ($), Growth (%), Etc. Purpose of the company Financial Strategy Competitive Strategy Market Strategy Technology Strategy Business Goals †¢ Vision †¢ Mission