Hide and Seek

Ion the poem Hide and Seek, Vernon Scannell makes excellent use of all the sense to bring out the great excitement children usually experience whenever they play this ever- green game. The fact that short sentences are used in rapid succession and that the poem seems to have been written in one short stanza also contribute to this feeling. The persona is the one being sought, so he hides himself in the toolshed at the bottom of the garden making sure that his feet â€Å"aren’t sticking out†.The place smells salty because of the sacks of sand and both the floor and air feel damp and cold. As the seekers draw stealthily close, the poet is almost afraid to breathe and automatically closes his eyes as if by doing so, it would be difficult for his friends to find him. Time passes, the poet feels stiff, cold and uncomfortable so he decides to come out of his hiding place only to find that the other children have long abandoned the search and left him alone in the dark shed. à ¢â‚¬Å"The bushes hold their breath: the sun is gone. Yes here you are. But where are they who sought you?†?Although this poem is basically a poem about childhood recollections, a moral can still be learnt form it: namely that in life, when success seems to be within easy reach, we should not allow ourselves to feel too over-confident as we might end up losing all and feeling bitterly disappointed. Diction (The writer’s choice of words) The poem starts with the imperative verb ‘call’. Examples of words in the imperative are ‘ call out’ ‘call loud’ ‘be careful’, ‘don’t breathe’, ‘don’t move’, ‘stay dumb’, ‘hide’, ‘push pff’, ‘uncurl’, ‘stretch’, ‘come and own up’.In the poem, these words/verbs in the imperative form are very important because they are showing the expertise of this boy at play in this well -loved game. It is almost as if the boy is instructing the reader as to how we should play the game as well as we possible can, in order not to be caught. In â€Å"be careful that your feet aren’t sticking out† the young persona/the young child is giving us readers a good piece of advice – he wants to make sure that he makes the search for him a very difficult one. This shows that he wanted to be the winner at all costs. This shows that he wants to be the winner at all costs.In fact, in the next line, â€Å"Wiser not to risk another shout. † The boy is again giving advice, showing that the risk of being caught is very much possible since his friends might be close by. The adjective ‘cold’ is repeated twice in the poem, whilst we also have the word ‘damp’ to show the discomfort that the boy was feeling. In this poem we also have words like, ‘musn’t sneeze’, ‘whispering’, ‘hushed’, â₠¬Ëœdumb’, ‘mutters’ and all the words show the excitement felt by the boy, when he was being sought by his friends, he tries to avoid any sort of noise, even going as far to say, ‘don’t breathe’.There is only one stanza in this poem and there are four instances of rhyming couplets, ‘out’ and ‘shout’, ‘door’ and ‘before’, ‘land’ and again’ and ‘coat’ and ‘throat’. The fact that there is little rhyme in thus poem is indicative of the excitement being felt by the boy as he lies in hiding. The poem is very rich in figures of speech. From the very first line we find alliteration of the letter/consonant ’c’. This alliteration almost makes the call of the boy even more audible in our minds and it also gives the poem a certain vibrant feeling from the very start.We also have alliteration in the second line, ‘sacks in the toolshed smell like the seaside’’ with the letter/consonant ‘s’ and the effect that this creates is very much like the sound of the sea upon the shore, bringing about the olfactory image of the sea to mind. The soothing sound effect created by the alliteration of the letter ‘s ‘ brings to mind a feeling of calmness and serenity; a feeling that is extended in the following line when the persona says, ‘they’ll never find you in this salty dark’ meaning that he is calm because he knows that he is safe.The alliteration of the letter/consonants in ‘sound so’ almost enables us readers to hear the low voices and the increasing silence as the tension mounts. The alliteration of the consonant ‘d’ in ‘don’t breathe’ and ‘don’t move’ brings out the sense of urgency and heightened excitement felt/experienced by the boy. We also have alliteration in ‘dark damp’, ‘smel l of sand’ and in both these instances it is the alliteration of the letter ‘s’ which makes us almost feel the coarseness of the sand in the young child’s throat.The poem is also rich in personification where inanimate objects are being human qualities. For example: ‘cold bites’ this figure of speech makes us realize just how cold and uncomfortable this boy was feeling as he lay on the cold floor. The personification ‘darkening garden watches’ shows that the only thing greeting our winner in a dark garden, whilst in the next line, ‘the bushes hold their breath’ this personification not only reminds us of the effort done by the boy in order to avoid those who sought him, but also portrays the silence that surrounds the boy once he emerged from his hiding place.The very last in the poem sums up the disappoint felt by the persons, as soon as he realizes that all his friends had abandoned the search long before. Indeed th e feeling is one of bitter disappointment and although this is basically a poem about childhood recollections, a moral can still be learnt from it, namely that in life, when success seems to be within easy reach, we should not allow ourselves to feel over- confident as we might end up be losing everything and feeling completely empty, and disillusioned losers. Theme of childhood ï » ¿Hide and Seek Ion the poem Hide and Seek, Vernon Scannell makes excellent use of all the sense to bring out the great excitement children usually experience whenever they play this ever- green game. The fact that short sentences are used in rapid succession and that the poem seems to have been written in one short stanza also contribute to this feeling. The persona is the one being sought, so he hides himself in the toolshed at the bottom of the garden making sure that his feet â€Å"aren’t sticking out†.The place smells salty because of the sacks of sand and both the floor and air feel damp and cold. As the seekers draw stealthily close, the poet is almost afraid to breathe and automatically closes his eyes as if by doing so, it would be difficult for his friends to find him. Time passes, the poet feels stiff, cold and uncomfortable so he decides to come out of his hiding place only to find that the other children have long abandoned the search and left him alone in the dark shed. à ¢â‚¬Å"The bushes hold their breath: the sun is gone. Yes here you are. But where are they who sought you?†Although this poem is basically a poem about childhood recollections, a moral can still be learnt form it: namely that in life, when success seems to be within easy reach, we should not allow ourselves to feel too over-confident as we might end up losing all and feeling bitterly disappointed. Diction (The writer’s choice of words) The poem starts with the imperative verb ‘call’. Examples of words in the imperative are ‘ call out’ ‘call loud’ ‘be careful’, ‘don’t breathe’, ‘don’t move’, ‘stay dumb’, ‘hide’, ‘push pff’, ‘uncurl’, ‘stretch’, ‘come and own up’.In the poem, these words/verbs in the imperative form are very important because they are showing the expertise of this boy at play in this well- loved game. It is almost as if the boy is instructing the reader as to how we should play the game as well as we possible can, in order not to be caught. In â€Å"be careful that your feet aren’t sticking out† the young persona/the young child is giving us readers a good piece of advice – he wants to make sure that he makes the search for him a very difficult one. This shows that he wanted to be the winner at all costs. This shows that he wants to be the winner at all costs.In fact, in the next line, â€Å"Wiser not to risk another shout. † The boy is again giving advice, showing that the risk of being caught is very much possible since his friends might be close by. The adjective ‘cold’ is repeated twice in the poem, whilst we also have the word ‘damp’ to show the discomfort that the boy was feeling. In this poem we also have words like, ‘musn’t sneeze’, ‘whispering’, ‘hushed’, †˜dumb’, ‘mutters’ and all the words show the excitement felt by the boy, when he was being sought by his friends, he tries to avoid any sort of noise, even going as far to say, ‘don’t breathe’.There is only one stanza in this poem and there are four instances of rhyming couplets, ‘out’ and ‘shout’, ‘door’ and ‘before’, ‘land’ and again’ and ‘coat’ and ‘throat’. The fact that there is little rhyme in thus poem is indicative of the excitement being felt by the boy as he lies in hiding. The poem is very rich in figures of speech. From the very first line we find alliteration of the letter/consonant ’c’. This alliteration almost makes the call of the boy even more audible in our minds and it also gives the poem a certain vibrant feeling from the very start.We also have alliteration in the second line, ‘sacks in the toolshed smell like the seaside’’ with the letter/consonant ‘s’ and the effect that this creates is very much like the sound of the sea upon the shore, bringing about the olfactory image of the sea to mind. The soothing sound effect created by the alliteration of the letter ‘s ‘ brings to mind a feeling of calmness and serenity; a feeling that is extended in the following line when the persona says, ‘they’ll never find you in this salty dark’ meaning that he is calm because he knows that he is safe.The alliteration of the letter/consonants in ‘sound so’ almost enables us readers to hear the low voices and the increasing silence as the tension mounts. The alliteration of the consonant ‘d’ in ‘don’t breathe’ and ‘don’t move’ brings out the sense of urgency and heightened excitement felt/experienced by the boy. We also have alliteration in ‘dark damp’, ‘smell of sand’ and in both these instances it is the alliteration of the letter ‘s’ which makes us almost feel the coarseness of the sand in the young child’s throat.The poem is also rich in personification where inanimate objects are being human qualities. For example: ‘cold bites’ this figure of speech makes us realize just how cold and uncomfortable this boy was feeling as he lay on the cold floor. The personification ‘darkening garden watches’ shows that the only thing greeting our winner in a dark garden, whilst in the next line, ‘the bushes hold their breath’ this personification not only reminds us of the effort done by the boy in order to avoid those who sought him, but also portrays the silence that surrounds the boy once he emerged from his hiding place.The very last in the poem sums up the disappoint felt by the persons, as soon as he realizes that all his friends had abandoned the search long before. Indeed the feeling is one of bitter disappointment and although this is basically a poem about childhood recollections, a moral can still be learnt from it, namely that in life, when success seems to be within easy reach, we should not allow ourselves to feel over- confident as we might end up be losing everything and feeling completely empty, and disillusioned losers. Theme of childhood

Albert Einstein- the 20th Century Science Hero Essay

Albert Einstein is considered the most influential physicist of the 20th century. He is known for developing the theories of relativity. He is also noted for his mathematical formula of E = mc? (David Bodanis). Although he was not directly involved in the Manhattan Project, which was responsible for creating the atomic bomb, but he is still considered the mastermind because of his breakthrough formula. In 1921, he won the Nobel Prize for physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect (A.  Calaprice & T. Lipscombe). The Einstein’s were a secular, middle class Jewish family. Albert’s father Hermann Einstein was a salesman and an engineer who owned a company that manufactured electrical equipment and his mother Pauline Koch was a house wife. They were living in Ulm, in Wurttemberg, Germany, when Albert was born on March 14, 1879 (Whittaker). In 1894, Hermann Einstein’s company failed to get an important contract to electrify the city of Munich and he was forced to move his family to Milan, Italy. Albert was left at a boarding house in Munich to finish his education (A. Calaprice & T. Lipscombe). It was at this location, that Albert began elementary school at the Luitpold Gymnasium, where he excelled in his studies. He enjoyed classical music and played the violin. However, he was not fond of formal education and made it his business to teach himself math and science (Whittaker). One of the books Albert was intrigued with was a children’s science book in which the author imagined riding alongside electricity that was traveling inside a telegraph wire. Einstein began to wonder what a light beam would look like if you could run alongside it at the same speed. If light were a wave, then the light beam should appear stationary, like a frozen wave. Yet, in reality, the light beam is moving. This paradox led him to write his first â€Å"scientific paper† at age 16, (Whittaker). â€Å"The Investigation of the State of Aether in Magnetic Fields. † This question of the relative speed to the stationary observer and the observer moving with the light was a question that would dominate his thinking for the next 10 years (A.  Calaprice & T. Lipscombe). While his parent remained in Italy, Albert continued his education at Aarau, Switzerland. In 1896 Einstein attended the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School in Zurich to be trained as a teacher in physics and mathematics (Whittaker). Five years later, he earned his diploma, and acquired Swiss citizenship. Also at this time he was unable to find a teaching post, so he accepted a technical assistant position in the Swiss Patent Office. In 1905 he obtained his doctor’s degree (A. Calaprice & T. Lipscombe). During his stay at the Patent Office, Einstein had a lot of down time. This is noteworthy because it was in this spare time, that he produced much of his remarkable work. Some of these great accomplishments included being appointed Privatdozent in Berne, becoming Professor Extraordinaire at Zurich, also Professor of Theoretical Physics in Prague, and returning to Zurich in the following year to fill a similar post (Whittaker). In 1914 he was appointed Director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Physical Institute and Professor in the University of Berlin. Einstein’s accomplishments were on the rise and became very important works which include the Special Theory of Relativity (1905), Relativity (English translations, 1920 and 1950), General Theory of Relativity (1916), Investigations on Theory of Brownian Movement (1926), and The Evolution of Physics (1938). Among his non-scientific works, About Zionism (1930), Why War? (1933), My Philosophy (1934), and Out of My Later Years (1950) are perhaps the most important (A. Calaprice & T. Lipscombe). Albert Einstein received honorary doctorate degrees in science, medicine and philosophy from many European and American universities. During the 1920’s he lectured in Europe, America and the Far East and he was awarded Fellowships or Memberships of all the leading scientific academies throughout the world. He gained numerous awards in recognition of his work, including the Copley Medal of the Royal Society of London in 1925, and the Franklin Medal of the Franklin Institute in 1935 (Whittaker). He became a German citizen in 1914 and remained in Berlin until 1933 when he renounced his citizenship for political reasons and emigrated to America to take the position of Professor of Theoretical Physics at Princeton. He became a United States citizen in 1940 and retired from his post in 1945 (Whittaker). While Einstein was touring much of the world speaking on his theories in the 1920s, the Nazis were rising to power under the leadership of Adolph Hitler. Einstein’s theories on relativity became a convenient target for Nazi propaganda. In 1931, the Nazi’s enlisted other physicists to denounce Einstein and his theories as â€Å"Jewish physics (A. Calaprice & T. Lipscombe) . † At this time, Einstein learned that the new German government, now in full control by the Nazi party, had passed a law barring Jews from holding any official position, including teaching at universities. Einstein also learned that his name was on a list of assassination targets, and a Nazi organization published a magazine with Einstein’s picture and the caption â€Å"Not Yet Hanged† on the cover (A.  Calaprice & T. Lipscombe). In December, 1932, Einstein decided to leave Germany forever. He took a position a the newly formed Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, New Jersey, which soon became a Mecca for physicists from around the world. It was here that he would spend the rest of his career trying to develop a unified field theory—an all-embracing theory that would unify the forces of the universe, and thereby the laws of physics, into one framework—and refute the accepted interpretation of quantum physics. Other European scientists also fled various countries threatened by Nazi takeover and came to the United States. Some of these scientists knew of Nazi plans to develop an atomic weapon. For a time, their warnings to Washington, D. C. went unheeded (David Bodanis). In the summer of 1939, Einstein, along with another scientist, Leo Szilard, was persuaded to write a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt to alert him of the possibility of a Nazi bomb. President Roosevelt could not risk the possibility that Germany might develop an atomic bomb first. The letter is believed to be the key factor that motivated the United States to investigate the development of nuclear weapons. Roosevelt invited Einstein to meet with him and soon after the United States initiated the Manhattan Project (M. Talmey). Not long after he began his career at the Institute in New Jersey, Albert Einstein expressed an appreciation for the â€Å"meritocracy† of the United States and the right people had to think what they pleased—something he didn’t enjoy as a young man in Europe (David Bodanis). In 1935, Albert Einstein was granted permanent residency in the United States and became an American citizen in 1940. As the Manhattan Project moved from drawing board to testing and development at Los Alamos, New Mexico, many of his colleagues were asked to develop the first atomic bomb, but Eisenstein was not one of them. According to several researchers who examined FBI files over the years, the reason was the U. S. government didn’t trust Einstein’s lifelong association with peace and socialist organizations. FBI director J.  Edgar Hoover went so far as to recommend that Einstein be kept out of America by the Alien Exclusion Act, but he was overruled by the U. S. State Department. Instead, during the war, Einstein helped the U. S. Navy evaluate designs for future weapons systems and contributed to the war effort by auctioning off priceless personal manuscripts (David Bodanis). One example was a handwritten copy of his 1905 paper on special relativity which sold fo r $6. 5 million, and is now located in the Library of Congress (M. Talmey). On August 6, 1945, while on vacation, Einstein heard the news that an atomic bomb had been dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. He soon became involved in an international effort to try to bring the atomic bomb under control, and in 1946, he formed the Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists with physicist Leo Szilard. In 1947, in an article that he wrote for The Atlantic Monthly, Einstein argued that the United States should not try to monopolize the atomic bomb, but instead should supply the United Nations with nuclear weapons for the sole purpose of maintaining a deterrent. At this time, Einstein also became a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He corresponded with civil rights activist W. E. B. Du Bois and actively campaigned for the rights of African Americans (Whittaker). After the war, Einstein continued to work on many key aspects of the theory of general relativity, such as wormholes, the possibility of time travel, the existence of black holes, and the creation of the universe. However, he became increasingly isolated from the rest of the physics community. With the huge developments in unraveling the secrets of atoms and molecules, spurred on by the development to the atomic bomb, the majority of scientists were working on the quantum theory, not relativity. Another reason for Einstein’s detachment from his colleagues was his obsession with discovering his unified field theory. In the 1930s, Einstein engaged in a series of historic private debates with Niels Bohr, the originator of the Bohr atomic model. In a series of â€Å"thought experiments,† Einstein tried to find logical inconsistencies in the quantum theory, but was unsuccessful. However, in his later years, he stopped opposing quantum theory and tried to incorporate it, along with light and gravity, into the larger unified field theory he was developing (Whittaker). In the last decade of his life, Einstein withdrew from public life, rarely traveling far and confining himself to long walks around Princeton with close associates, whom he engaged in deep conversations about politics, religion, physics and his unified field theory.

High Classical and Hellenistic Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

High Classical and Hellenistic Art - Essay Example This was the era of the Peloponnesian war, Athenian democracy, and the Persian threat. But regardless of these factors, or perhaps because of them, Greek Culture experienced an artistic revolution. Statues, for instance, became much more utilized in temples and decoration and to make public statements. These statues came in a variety of forms, from funeral statuary in graveyards to the Parthenon and the Statue of Zeus. This funeral statuary often depicted actual deceased people, thus making the graveyards a much more emotionally charged place. For example, Fragment of a Marble Grave Stele of a Woman, shows that these funeral statues were not works made to tell stories or inspire, but to elicit reverence through simplicity (MetMuseum.org) Thousands of other statues dotted the landscape, filling the homes of the wealthy or adorning the streets, depicting revered figures of Greek mythology. The artistic tradition, still developing, also came to accept nude statues of women in the High C lassical era (Stokstad). Friezes also became much more used, to decorate temples for instance. They required precision and planning to maintain structural soundness while chipping away the marble perfectly, and thus fostered the development of expert artisans. In all, the Classical period was one where Greek culture was still developing and defining itself at home, and the art of the time followed that. It was a time of new artistic advancements, and an increase in the dedication of Greek society to art. The Hellenistic period was ushered in by Greece’s new place in the world. Alexander the Great had increased the Greek Empire all the way to the fringes of India. But this did not only spread Greek Culture, it also spurred the often forgotten effect of war- the conquered had serious influences on the culture of the conqueror. Now that the Greeks had contacted and governed from people all around their world, there was a dialogue opened up, and artistic influences came along wit h those interactions. Greek art was changed greatly by all these new sways, with each culture, be it the Egyptian or Indian or Persian, inputting their own flavor into Greek art. But, again, this movement was not distinct from the High Classical period. It was merely the natural progression of artistic order, brought upon by new influences in society. Greek art still was obsessed with statuary. But the subjects of the statuary developed. No longer was it only acceptable to depict mythical models of perfection, now it was artistically acceptable to make a statue of a normal person, imperfect. With this, the wealthy Greeks did not have to decorate their homes with statues of only Greek gods and goddesses and mythical figures, but could now include statues of themselves and their family and friends in the mix. But this is not to say that the mythical statuary ceased to exist- for this is most definitely not the case. In fact, much more attention began being paid to the mythological sta tuary, and some of the most well known works, like Venus de Milo, Winged Victory of Samothrace, and Laocoon and His Sons, were from the Hellenistic period. These statues depicted mythical figures in emotionally charged situations. Their countenance had advanced from the austerity in the High Classical Era to highly realistic and expressioned. In general, these statues

Review of Pollock (2000) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Review of Pollock (2000) - Essay Example While Ed Harris has explored the personal life of Pollock, he has also satisfied the visual appetite of the viewer by choreographing scenes where Pollock stands in the midst of paints as colors drip down from paintings. These scenes often work as a contrast to the rest of the film since it is here that the movie picks up the pace and often gives the feel of an action film. In this way, the movie satisfies that viewers' preconceived notions of artists and their dedication towards art. Even though most of the movie is quite tragic but it does not damper the spirit of the viewers towards art. Rather the movie shows art as something that is able to break boundaries despite obvious shortcomings. As a biography, the film has perhaps not been able to fully cover the major events of Pollock's life. Even though the movie introduces characters like Clement Greenberg, it is often not accurate. For instance, the movie makes a reference to Pollock's drip painting technique. The movie shows that the technique of drip painting was accidentally discovered by Pollock when he dripped paint on the floor. However, none of the biographies written on Pollock give reference to just an incident. Overall the movie is a good watch. For viewers who want to gain insight on the life of an artist like Pollock, the movie is greatly recommended. The movie is also recommended for those who wish to understand life from the perspective of an artist. It is not an authentic source of information but offers a visual treat to the viewers.

Importance of quality of services and customer satisfaction in the Dissertation

Importance of quality of services and customer satisfaction in the telecommunication sector in developed and emerging economies - Dissertation Example The data so collected are complied and put to statistical analysis and presented in the form of graphs and charts. This is in the form of both qualitative and quantitative findings. Based on the findings, suitable recommendations are developed for businesses. Finally a brief summary of the project is provided in the form of conclusion which highlights the crucial and critical factors analysed in the study. Introduction Quality is regarded as one of the key factors in creating worth and also in influencing the satisfaction of customers. This is particularly true for the telecommunications sector. Faced with cut throat competition, the telecommunications industry has been regarding customer satisfaction as a necessity for surviving in the market. With the dramatic entry of a large number of new service providers in this sector offering a wide variety of product and services the need to compete with each other have caused them to ensure optimal satisfaction of customers in terms of thei r products and services. It is also seen that at the same time consumers have also become well equipped with the necessary knowledge regarding quality of services provided by service providers. Awareness among customers, coupled with stiff competition in the telecom industry has emerged as the most crucial factors for the provision of superior quality of services towards customers. According to the words of Philip Kotler, the level of satisfaction bears a direct relation between the perceived and expected performance of the product. If the performance of the product matches with the expectation of customers, customers are said to remain satisfied. When the product’s performance exceeds the... This research will begin with the statement that quality is regarded as one of the key factors in creating worth and also in influencing the satisfaction of customers. This is particularly true for the telecommunications sector. Faced with cut throat competition, the telecommunications industry has been regarding customer satisfaction as a necessity for surviving in the market. With the dramatic entry of a large number of new service providers in this sector offering a wide variety of product and services the need to compete with each other have caused them to ensure optimal satisfaction of customers in terms of their products and services. It is also seen that at the same time consumers have also become well equipped with the necessary knowledge regarding quality of services provided by service providers. Awareness among customers, coupled with stiff competition in the telecom industry has emerged as the most crucial factors for the provision of superior quality of services towards customers. According to the words of Philip Kotler, the level of satisfaction bears a direct relation between the perceived and expected performance of the product. If the performance of the product matches with the expectation of customers, customers are said to remain satisfied. When the product’s performance exceeds the expectation of customers, they remain highly delighted or satisfied; while, on the other hand a products’ performance falling short of customer’s expectations creates a highly dissatisfied customer.

Impact of the Economic Environment on a Success of New Enterprise in a Essay

Impact of the Economic Environment on a Success of New Enterprise in a Country - Essay Example This essay outlines the significance of correct appraisal of the international marketing environment for the successful conduct of a business in different countries in the age of globalization. Importance of healthy economic environment is considered in the essay. International marketing is faced with a variety of challenges as it is requires great strategies to achieve compatibility between different countries. This is in terms of the different needs of people in the different countries, as well as their regional differences. Different studies have shown that most international companies do not put into consideration this aspect of a country’s economy when coming up with their strategies. Such international companies still register success in their international markets, having disregarded the aspect of economic environment. This is a proof that economic environment is not the most important consideration in international marketing, as there are more important aspects. Of all the factors to be considered in appraising for international marketing, culture stands out as the most important factor. International marketing is a way of bridging between various countries and a way of profit creation. Culture is important in bridging between countries. However, economic factors also play an important role in determining the purchasing power and decisions of consumers in a country. This way, wealthy countries are the best platforms for international marketing as the purchasing power of their consumers is high. ... effective marketing strategies to counter this socio-cultural influence among countries, which believe that fitness is only important for the rich professionals and not the common man. By identifying themselves as alternatives to health, the fitness companies have managed to get an entrance into some of the countries that have this psychological attitude towards fitness. In addition, the McDonald’s Company has registered great success in different countries because of its cultural awareness in host countries. Mainly, this company adjusts its menus and diets to suit the dietary need and cultures of the people in the host countries (Francis, 2010). Apart from culture, the economic environment of countries is an important aspect for effective international marketing. This comprises a country’s GNP. GDP, as well as per capita income. These are essential in determining the power of consumer buying in a country. If these are high, it means the consumer buying power is also hi gh. Business executives interested in international marketing can therefore, use these to determine the level of a country’s economic environment, as well as its market profitability (Kaynak, 1991). The economy of a country is a great influence in international marketing, as this comprises elements that are indicators of the height of market profitability in countries. It is therefore certain that the economic environment of a country is paramount in international marketing, given the important information it provides on wealth, consumer buying power, and income level, which are important market indicators (Muhlbacher, Leihs, & Dahringer, 2006). However, different studies have shown that most international companies do not put into consideration this aspect of a country’s economy when coming up

Health and safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Health and safety - Essay Example In this situation, the building is an educational institution with students, teachers and administrative staff. While constructing the new building, the aspect of health and safety of the people present in the old building and future health and safety concerns for the new building and its users should not be neglected. There are many chances of accidents and hazardous situations for which, there should be preventive measures and safety precautions that can be adopted by the people. There should be safe escape passages for the people, suitable equipment to control the situation and a professional security force to handle any hazardous situation (Managing health and safety in construction 2007). The major concern in constructing a new eight-storey is the closing of escape route that is opposite to the Leighton building. During construction, there can be a fire outbreak that cannot be handled if the fire escape route is closed. This report contains a detailed overview of the risks and hazards involved in constructing the new building, statutory requirements, safe systems of work for daily operations, control measures that should be adopted to reduce the risks and hazards involved. In case of a good structure, the building will offer lesser chances of damage to people present in it while in the opposite case, people’s lives will be endangered because of their presence in that building (Derek 1986). In this situation, the old building that is already there contains an escape route that is closed for the construction of new building. Huge machinery that is luffing tower crane will be operative outside an educational institution and the escape passage in case of any hazardous situation will be closed. This can create a problem and it should be considered in legal terms. Building regulations demand the inclusion of a safe passage in case of some disastrous situation (HSE 2006). The administration of School of Forensic and

General Prologue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

General Prologue - Essay Example Thus Chaucer gets acquainted with different representatives of middle-class social layer. All of them are on their way to Canterbury to pray at a shrine of Saint Thomas Becket (Schwartz). Step by step Chaucer depicts main characters of his Tales. We can see a merchant, a clerk, a knight, a monk, a wife of Bath and other heroes. Chaucer tells about every character in the order, which is appropriate to the social status of heroes. I’d like to pay attention to the Wife of Bath, Alyson. She is an embodiment of an authoritative spouse. This woman has been married five times and tells pilgrims about her tumultuous marriages. She provides bright descriptions of herself comparing herself with a ‘humble loaf of bread’ (Schwartz). In order to justify her numerous marriages Alyson refers to Solomon’s and Abraham’s wives. Five husbands of Alison were different kinds of men, but the most lovable for her was her fifth husband, Jankyn. Their relationships were complicated though they lived together till Jankyn’s death. The Wife of Bath’ tale is a long part of general prologue. In such a way Chaucer makes fun of selfish and egoistical traits of human character. We can see that the author underlines this negative trait as a core of human troubles and turmoil. The authors finishes the general prologue stating that he has â€Å"tyme and space† to narrate his tales. His no tes explain to us that the tales were written some time after the events happened the author is just sharing with us what he remembers about these events and at the same time he shares his personal opinion and attitude towards what he is narrating. Canterbury Tales mean much for the reader. Unlike many other famous literary masterpieces, these Tales disclose the reality of human’s life and can be considered useful for young readers who want to know more about the world around. Canterbury Tales also give very interesting information about the epoch

1.how has unemployment affected the economy over the last four yeasr Research Paper

1.how has unemployment affected the economy over the last four yeasr. 2.Have unemployment rate increased or decreased over the last four years - Research Paper Example It has had negative effects on the economy because the government financial budget has had strains in trying to meet the needs of all citizens to their satisfactory but still can not because a high population is unable to cater for its daily needs. The problem still stands to be the issue of unemployment. The economy is unstable because people are over dependent in government expenditure rather than generating income for the economy (Markus 206). The rate of unemployment has increased from around 5% in the year 2007 to around 10% in the year 2011. This shows that the economy is rising with time and the government has failed in its efforts to draft measures that can counter these changes thus making the citizens to be on the receiving end to the harsh economic changes. Apparently, unemployment still remains to be a matter to be looked into as people are suffering without knowing the way forward to a solution. The government should increase the number industries so create job opportunities and control the rate of

Capital Structure Essay Example for Free

Capital Structure Essay Capital structure is how a company finances its overall operations and growth by using funds from equity or debt (Investopedia, 2012). Of course, every company must determine its preference on its debt-to-equity ratio and determine which capital structure works best for them. Some approaches to analyzing capital structure are: 1.EBIT – EPS: This analyzes the impact of debt on earnings per share (EPS). Optimizing shareholder’s wealth is the optimum goal and therefore, this approach analyzes the high EPS based on an expected range of earnings before income taxes (EBIT). 2.Valuation: Determines impact of debt use on shareholder’s value by determining the level of debt at which the benefits of increased debt no longer outweigh the increased risks and expenses associated with financing (Wenk, 2012) 3.Cash Flow: Analyzes a firm’s debt capacity by using the weighted average of cost of capital (WACC). The WACC is a calculation of a firm’s cost of capital in which each capital source (bonds, stock and other long-term debt) are proportionally weighted to determine how much interest the company has to pay for every dollar it finances (Investopedia, 2012). Look more:  capital budgeting examples essay Part of Competition Bikes’ (CB) main consideration in the decision to merge or acquire Canadian Biking is working capital. Lets use the EBIT – EPS approach to determine how to maximize shareholder return while minimizing the cost of capital. We currently know Canadian Biking’s moderate sales forecast of EBIT figures for the next 5 years (Year 9 – 13), therefore we can apply the EBIT – EPS approach to choose an optimal capital structure. The total of capital sources in each of the 5 years is $600,000. We will use EBIT – EPS to determine which assortment of bonds*, preferred stock, and common stock is the best option to increase Canadian Biking’s EPS. The five alternative capital structures include: Option 1: 100% Bonds (fully financed) Option 2: 50% Preferred Stock 50% Common Stock (no bonds) Option 3: 20% Bonds 80% Common Stock Option 4: 40% Bonds 60% Common Stock Option 5: 60% Bonds 40% Common Stock *Annual bond interest rate is 9% After using the EBIT – EPS approach using the forecasted EBIT amounts for Years 9 through 13, we can average the EPS for each of the 5 years to determine which capital structure produced the highest EPS. The EPS averages computed for the capital structure options are: Option 1: Average EPS = .0452 Option 2: Average EPS = .0542 Option 3: Average EPS = .0526 Option 4: Average EPS = .051 Option 5: Average EPS = .0494 Based on the EBIT – EPS approach, the recommended capital structure is option 2, â€Å"50% preferred stock 50% common stock†. This is the best capital structure mainly because there are two things to consider: 1) long-term debt and associated interest expense and, 2) equity and # of common shares. Option 2 is the best capital structure because there are no bonds and therefore, no interest expense. For example, if we look at option 1 in Year 9, and the bond interest is 9%, then the bond interest expense is $54,000 (.09*600,00). This lowers the income before taxes by $54,000. Although companies can finance debt and use the interest expense deduction to lower their taxable income, it doesn’t make sense for Canadian Bikes to fully finance their capital, because the interest expense costs outweigh the benefit of the tax deduction, resulting in a significant decrease in total income available for common stock. Additionally, because the capital structure consists of 300,000 shares of preferred stock, the company must pay dividends of 5%, reducing the company’s total income available for common stock by $15,000 (.05 * 300,000). Although this reduces the total income available for common stock, the company will maximize its EPS by only having 50% capital in common stock. This reduces the total number of common shares outstanding, which means less shares to divide the total income among. Therefore, Option 2 is the most optimal capital structure that considers minimizing long-term  debt expenses and the optimal number of common shares in order to maximize shareholder return. CAPITAL BUDGETING: Competition Bikes’ is considering building a manufacturing facility in a new Canadian location. The total investment for this project would be $600,000 USD. This consists of $400,000 to build the facility and an additional $200,000 in working capital to support operational costs. The company has projected cash flows over the next five years; therefore we can use cash flow budgeting methods such as net present value (NPV) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) that consider time value of money for long-term investments (Pearson Education, Inc., 2008). Net present value analyzes the profitability of a project by determining the difference between the present value of the project’s cash inflows and outflows followed by subtracting the initial investment. (Investopedia, 2012). The decision rule applied to NPV is fairly simple, if the NPV is positive, invest; if the difference is negative, do not invest. Competition Bikes applies NPV to forecasted low and moderate sales for the next 5 years. After using the forecasted sales for low demand, the total present value (after subtracting cash outflows from inflows) is $560,719. If we subtract the initial investment of $600,000 from this amount, the NPV is -$39,281. This is a significant warning that the company should not proceed in building a manufacturing facility. On the other hand, if we use the forecasted sales for moderate demand, the total present value is $608,447. If we subtract the initial investment of $600,000, the NPV is $8,447. Therefore a positive NPV indicates the company should proceed with building the manufacturing facility. The biggest concern is determining which NPV to lean towards based on low or moderate sales. Unfortunately, the risk of having low sales outweighs the profitability benefit of having moderate sales. It is too risky for CB to move forward with the investment based on the NPV of low sales (-$39,281). In order for the company to profit from this investment, CB would need to have a moderate sales demand at minimum! The present value in NPV is calculated using an interest rate, also known as the required rate of return. CB’s required rate of return is 10%. When this interest rate is altered or calculated to make the total present value equal to the initial investment, the NPV becomes equal to zero; this is called the internal rate of return (IRR) (Pearson Education, Inc., 2008). The IRR is what a company can expect to earn from investing in the project and the higher the IRR, the more desirable the investment. The calculated IRR for low demand cash flows is 8.2% and the IRR for moderate demand cash flows is 10.4%. Based on these IRR figures, the company should not pursue the capital investment because the average IRR between both low and moderate sales is 9.3%. This is below the company’s required return on capital (hurdle rate) of 10% to pursue a capital investment. Again, the company would need to have a moderate sales demand, at minimum for this capital investment to be profitable and should therefore not pursue building a new manufacturing facility. WORKING CAPITAL: CB must effectively obtain and manage working capital for the expansion of the operation. CB must first look at their operating cycle, cash conversion cycle and free cash flow factors in order to improve production and management of working capital. Let’s discuss the company’s current status of each of the working capital and cash flow factors and determine how the company can improve in these areas. First, the operating cycle involves CB sending the distributor a monthly invoice for all raw materials ordered with terms of net/30 days. This can be improved by renegotiating the payment terms will distributors to net/15 days. This would increase cash flows by improving payment turn around time and accounts receivable collections. Additionally, the company can improve its relations with its distributers to increase effectiveness of its collection process. Another operating cycle factor is ordering and paying for inventory. Currently, the company pays for inventory in the month following production and all inventory ordered for the month is used leaving inventory levels (at the end of each month) at consistent levels. In order  to improve working capital the company should utilize and lower its year ending inventory balance. For example, at the end of Year 8, the company had $91,573 worth of inventory left over. The company should utilize the current inventory on hand before ordering similar raw material items. This will decease cash flows and leave fewer inventories on hand at the end of the year. Currently the average time in inventory is 25 days. This is a substantial turnaround time currently, however in the future, the company can consider replacing labor workers with fixed asset items to improve production time. This will satisfy customer demand by decreasing delivery time and improve cash flows by invoicing customers more frequently than 25 days after production. CB’s cash conversion cycle factors also impact working capital. Currently, the CB’s suppliers invoice at the end of the month for orders that month with terms of net/15. CB does an excellent job of preserving its cash flows by paying the invoices on the 15th of the month following the order.. CB can improve its working capital by negotiating for longer payment terms, i.e. net/30 days, allowing for more time for the company to earn money to pay their invoices. If this is not possible, the company can improve its forecasting measurements for ordering supplies and order the majority of the supplies needed for the month at the beginning of the month. This would increase the amount of time the company has sufficient supplies on hand without having to pay more money, (because the suppliers will still invoice for the orders at the end of the month, regardless of how early in the month the supplies were ordered). This can increase working capital because it acts as a contingency plan, to reduce the likelihood of running out of supplies, avoiding delays, or ordering supplies in excess. Free cash flow factors also affect CB’s working capital. Currently, the company recognizes depreciation in both manufacturing overhead and as depreciation expenses depending on the fixed asset. The company can use their depreciation data to increase management of cash flows by predicting when the company will have to spend a significant amount of money to replace an asset when its useful life expires. This will prepare CB for those unwanted although necessary – fixed asset costs. Currently the  corporation’s marginal tax rate is 25%. The company can consider obtaining working capital by financing debt. This will leave the company with an interest expense at the end of the year, which is deductible from gross earnings and results in paying lower taxes. After CB improves its working capital, let’s discuss how CB can use its working capital for the lease vs. buy option for a factory building in Canada. CB can use its working capital to cover the $50,000 down payment (or buy out option if they decide to lease) and $200,000 for operational costs of the new factory. According to the data provided for the lease vs. buy option, the lease option will preserve cash outflows of $12,339, (purchase cash outflows are $333,999 and lease cash outflows are $321,660). Therefore, the company should lease the manufacturing facility to preserve cash outflows. Leasing the facility will also allow CB to deduct annual interest payments (6% interest) from the gross earnings to lower their tax payments. This will increase the company’s net earnings at the end of the year, also resulting in higher retained earnings and increased shareholder value. MERGER OR ACQUISITION: CB should consider many factors when deciding to merge or acquire Canadian Biking. Let’s analyze the pros and cons between a merge vs. acquisition and determine what the best move would be for CB. First off, if the company were to merge with Canadian Biking, the potential EPS would increase by approximately .021. This shows potential for increased ownership earnings, but is it significant enough? At the same token, the price/earnings ratio for Canadian Bikes at the end of Year 8 was 9 and CB’s was 70. This shows that CB’s current investors are expecting greater earnings in Year 9 and are willing to pay $70 for $1 of current earnings. This is not the case with Canadian Biking’s investors. Unfortunately a low P/E ratio of 9 indicates that investors are not expecting a significant growth in company earnings. This raises a concern if the merge will result in a potential increase of .021 in EPS. On the other hand, a merge would result in lower costs because CB would not be purchasing Canadian Biking outright. Canadian Biking also has a lower cost competition bike that can decrease production costs and complement CB’s current bike model being offered. This will result in  greater net earnings and cash flows. If the company were to acquire Canadian Bikes, CB can expect a gradual increase in cash inflows over the next 5 years. However, the current offered sales price for Canadian Biking is $286,000; this is 30% more than what the company was valued at, at the end of Year 8. Although CB has enough working capital to make the purchase, it would take 5 years of gradually increasing cash inflows to recoup the price tag of $286,000. This means it could take approximately 5 years, before shareholders saw a significant increase in earnings per share. Based on the pro and cons, CB should merge with Canadian Bikes to lower their production and delivery costs, increase net income, EPS and cash flows, and preserve working capital. The price to acquire Canadian Biking is simply unreasonable based on predicted cash inflows over the next 5 years. The merger will enhance CB’s market position in Canada by having a local distributer to handle all customer orders and provide cost effective and great customer service to the growing Canadian market. References Investopedia. (2012). Capital Structure. Retrieved from http://www.kotzinvaluation.com/articles/capital-structure.htm Investopedia. (2012). Weighted Average Cost of Capital. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/w/wacc.asp#axzz2Azkq4E2V Investopedia. (2012). Net Present Value. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/n/npv.asp#axzz2Azkq4E2 Pearson Education, Inc.. (2008). Horngren Accounting. Retrieved from http://wpscms.pearsoncmg.com/wps/media/objects/6716/6877765/hha08_flash_main.html?chapter=nullpage=1042anchory=nullpstart=nullpend=null Wenk, D. (2012). Using an optimal capital structure in business valuation. Retrieved from http://www.kotzinvaluation.com/articles/capital-structure.htm

Path Goal Theories Situational Factors And Leader Style Management Essay

Path Goal Theories Situational Factors And Leader Style Management Essay The national trust is the biggest charity in the UK and it is completely independent of Government. They rely for income on membership fees, donations revenues and legacies. They have 3.6 millions members and over 55,100 volunteers, more than 14 million people pay entry for the property and over 50 millions visit their open air properties. National trust has too many historic houses, gardens and they look after forest, fens, farmland, downs and nature reserves. Task 1 .P1: Analyze any two leadership theories or modules that reflect current thinking. PATH- GOELS LEADERSHIP THEORY The path-goal leadership theory states that by rectifying the path to attain high level performance and removing downfalls and increasing own satisfaction for the work, and he/se should be able to motivate and maintain performances to his subordinate in work Path-goal theories Situational Factors and leader style Directive Supportive Participative Achievement oriented 1: Directive Leader- instructs the all subordinates and provides the proper and clear instructions and ideas to make their work perfect and perform well and finish their work within the given timeline and the job measured standard 2: Supportive Leader- works more with the well being and human need of his subordinates. And all subordinates are treated equally by the supportive leader 3: Participative Leader- the word participative defines itself that the participative leader participates and involves in ideas, opinions, suggestions and offers with the all subordinates about their job. 4: Achievement-Oriented Leader- the leader who motivates, encourages, and does everything for continuous performance and improvement. The leader motivates for the goals and gives the confidence to his subordinates to get their challenging goals. Ups and Down of this theory UP Side CHOOSING AN APPROPRIATE LEADERSHIP MOTIVATIONAL FACTORES PRACTICAL The theory tells leaders about which style should be used and how to choose a perfect leadership. The theory considerate motivational factors and it helps to define about leadership style for using in different situation. Down Side Broad Scope Worker Motivation Dependency This theory has a broad scope. Trying to implement too many variables in the selected style to a specific task is really difficult to do That theory does not explain how a leader can maintain standard, encourage employees to feel competent, it just tells the qualities about the leader And also it places more responsibilities on leader then subordinates and which make them dependent of the leader and discourage them too. (http://www.bealeader.net/107/the-path-goal-theory/) CONTINGENCY APPROACHES Contingency Approaches based on the concept that there is no single way of managing that works perfect in every situation. It attempt to isolate the key factors that should be considered and show how to cope with the situation when all key factors are present. Some factors of the theory Forces in the manager This theory helps the managers confidence amongst his subordinates, his value system, leadership inclination and awareness of the security in bad situation. Forces in the subordinates It also helps subordinates for their expectation, also gives them independency, decision making tasks and gives them proper approach to solve the problems and get involve in every matter and maintain the standard of their company by helping the leader, and also their interest in every matter. Forces in the situation Types of the organizations, groups and their effectiveness, the tasks and time limit In this theory manager make some decisions and before implementing them he/she refers them to the subordinates to get their suggestions and then implement the decisions which are the best approach to boost the organization and complete all goals. (http://www.stewart-associates.co.uk/leadership-models.aspx) Task.1 P1.2: Explain the expected impact of those theories on the organization that you have selected. Expected impact of path-goal theory on The National Trust UK Below we can find the expected impact of path-goal theory on the national trust In some cases it can be very much appropriate for the national trust to work under the directive system and they can expand their business more under the well established management. As I have worked within the organizations they already follow this theory. As this theory tells us where there leader take the more responsibility to boost the business and encourage all employees or subordinates and tells them to work properly. And not only work properly but also complete them within the time limit by this theory leader focus on the organization can be really good. He/she can assist all the team performance and can realize the performance of his/her employees and help them if they are having any kind of problem. And then by this theory leaders support can be really helpful for the organization, where there leader does not differentiate employees and employees are equal to him and he/she treats them equally which can give a positive impact on subordinates and the organizations and employ ees can work by their hearts as they are being treated equally. As we know this theory encourages leader to participate with his/her team or subordinates and then leader can involve all employees in ideas and he/she can take opinion about the work and can suggest them to work in right way, which can be really affective for the national trust. And then this theory also boost leader to get continuously performance and motivation for the goals can be helpful for the organization to expand their donations and business. The only negative impact of this theory on the organization is that this increase dependency for employees and they remain bound to get orders and instructions from up side which may be a drawback for the organization because it discourages employees but apart from this it goes fine for the organization. Impact of Contingency approaches theory on The National Trust UK The impact of this theory on the national trust can be more reliable then path-goal theory the reason is why because the big part of the national trust is running by the volunteers, and this theory increase independency for the subordinates and then they can show their performances. The impact of this theory on the organization is good because it gives the security for the employees and volunteers in bad circumstances and they own take all responsibilities to complete all tasks and can work together with the managers. This theory involves all small employees to show their mutual performances and gives them full confidence which can take this type of organization too forward, and positive thing about this theory is that this allow leaders to get involve all employees in any decision before its implementation, so by this kind of act volunteers interest may become more about their jobs and this can give them surety that they are really getting good experience from the organizations and then by the volunteers support national trust expand their donations. Task 2, P2.1:- Assess current requirement of leadership within the organization. The leadership requirements of the national trust are nearly based on contingency approaches. Competency:- The most essential requirement of leadership is competency. The leaders must know each and every work. They cant assess the employees if they dont know about the job their employees are doing, if you know everything then you can suggest or help others. Without knowing their work they cant expect their employees to do the job that they dont do. So leaders should be an example Loyalty:- The leader should also take care of his subordinates. He should loyal to his employees as well as organization. He has to find out where the problem is, if the company is not doing what the best for the people with him. Leader should be cooperative and should ask their needs about their job and help them in every matter. Respect:- Working as a leader in the national trust will force you to respect people and employees as the national trust relies on volunteers so it essential for the leader to respect. Respect is really important in every nature of the job. And this is one of the main requirements of the leadership in any organization. Leader should respect his subordinates and should know the status of their subordinates; it is obvious that if you respect people you get respect back. Mostly in some organizations employees leave their job because of their self respect amongst managers. Honest Honesty is the best policy. Leader must be honest. They dont string their subordinates along by promising rewards the never come through. And lie is the fastest way to lose respect amongst people who work for you. Integrity A leader who has the integrity will not join the office joking and will pull the rug out. He will never shit blame to others when he will be responsible. He will always accept responsibility for his own action. Learning, Listening and understanding others No one is perfect. It doesnt mean if you are leader and you know everything. Leader should listen and understand others and get the ideas from their subordinates. Leaders should welcome the ideas from down side. Goods leaders dont discourage subordinates for their ideas. They listen to them and give them feedback. In simple words I would say leader should be customer focused person who knows the value of the customers and deals with them properly and treats his employees as customers These requirements are the current basic for the leaders in the organization and they have to follow them for better performance. P2.2:- Develop an internally consistent ant plausible scenario of likely future requirement of leadership for the selected organization. Type of staff One of the future requirements of leadership is to hire the right and competent staff who may take the company too forward. National trust hires seasonal staff every year from February to October, so it is a big duty to judge staff and their mentality level, because most of the seasonal staff run away during the season to find out another job. So this is the main requirement for leadership to select right staff. History of the business National trust gets donations and money from historical houses, so it will be strong requirement for the managers to remember the history and maintain it for future because their business relies on their history houses and old places and its own history Culture of the business Same as its history culture is also more important. This might be a big challenge for them but leaders have to maintain the culture of the business for the new comers. If they come and they would be able to maintain as it was before. Quality of the relationship Members of this organization are the assets. National trust gets donations from its members. Members pay annual membership charges which makes a good relationship between national trust and them. So it is important for the leadership to maintain the quality of relationship in future for their future. Nature of changes needed Change is a part of every business. For attaining the goals and achievement some businesses try to change methods and rules which some time help them to go forward for their goals but some time not, and if they change circumstances at the right time and proper they get reward. So this is also a future requirement for the leadership to apply changes at the right time, for right thing and for right purpose. Accepted norms within the organization It might be required for the leadership to accept the standard within the organization. It can be a difficult task for the new leadership to follow the standard or pattern. Everyone tries to give their own suggestions. But the environment and modal of the company should be same which is running from companys birth.

Michael Porter’s Five Forces Essay -- Business Strategy Analysis

Porter’s 5-Force Analysis Michael Porter’s 5-forces can be used to analyze an industry and help shape and create a â€Å"competitive strategy† (Porter, 6). Understanding each of the five forces and how they interact with one another provides a clear picture of the degree of competition being faced within an industry, and therefore its relative attractiveness. The understanding cannot provide an advantage; it is what you do with the understanding. Without the understanding, a strategy can be at risk of being unrealistic. Michael Porter’s 5-force Analysis is a tool for the structural analysis of industries. There are 5 forces that always shape the competitive structure of an industry: Supplier Power, Barriers to Entry, The Threat of Substitutes, Buyer Power, and Industry Rivalry. I. SUPPLIER POWER Supplier power is the ability of a supplier to control the cost and supply of the inputs in the market. The supplier power of an industry can be altered in many ways: 1) Differentiation of Inputs – If a company needs various inputs from different suppliers, then those suppliers have a high power. 2) Switching Costs for Transferring to Other Suppliers - Supplier power is high if the cost to switch over to a new system is high. 3) Availability of Substitutes – If the raw material that’s needed for manufacturing can be replaced with alternatives, the supplier power is low. 4) Supplier Concentration – The fewer suppliers there are, the higher the supplier power. 5) Suppliers’ Dependence on Volume – If suppliers are dependent on supply volume, then the supplier power is low. 6) Cost Relative to Total Purchases in the Industry – If a company thinks that they are being overcharged, they may switch to another supplier. 7) Impac... ...dia.net (30 January 2003) Legamedia.net is mainly a foreign website written in Dutch about Porter’s Analysis. 6. http://panko.com (30 January 2003) This website is a Ray R. Panko’s personal business website. Ray Panko is a Professor at the University of Hawaii and has written a number useful sources about information systems and communications. 7. http://www.quickmba.com (29 January 2003) This website includes a detailed summary of Porter’s Analysis. Information used from this site includes a diagram of Porter’s Five Forces. 8. http://www.themanager.org (31 January 2003) This website offers a description of various management tools including Porter’s Five Force Analysis. 9. Porter, Michael E. Competitive Strategy. New York, New York: The Free Press, 1980. This book written by Michael Porter is unaltered information about his theory.

Google Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools :: Essays Papers

Google Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools In April of 2002, the Google Engineering Team released an API (application programming interface) to their search engine technology. Initially aimed at software developers, the Google Web API program offers three services that developers can integrate into their own applications: access to the company's search engine; access to cached Web pages; and a spelling correction API that points users to alternate spellings of misspelled words typed into the search engine. The authors state in the preface that "the idea of Google Hacks is not to give some exhaustive manual of how every command in the Google syntax works, but rather to show you some tricks for making the best use of a search and show applications of the Google API that perform searches that you can't perform using the regular Google interface". (p. xviii) Learn to save time and get more precise results from your Google searches by getting the most out of Advanced Search or building/modifying code using the API. Sections devoted to search syntax are particularly helpful. Mari Stoddard, Head of Educational Services at Arizona Health Sciences Library, is a fan of Hack #11, date-range searching. The syntax allows you to narrow your search results to fresher content and to compare results over time. Although Google doesn't support "stemming", Hack #13 explains the full- word wildcard. (Google's wildcard character is *). Combine a special syntax with Google News (#32) and take advantage of its clustering capabilities. Try out examples of other hacks online at hacks.oreilly.com/pub/ht/2. In Chapter 8, The Webmaster Side of Google, topics range from the PageRank Algorithm and Google's AdWords program to how to remove your content from Google. You don't have to be the webmaster of a commercial site to find this information useful. Mari Stoddard thought this book was helpful "for people who don't spend their lives researching search engines" like she does because it organizes the hacks in one reference tool.

The Problems With Affirmative Action Essay -- affirmative action argum

The Problems With Affirmative Action Tim was working as a college professor for many years at an ivy-league school. Tim was a very well liked by the students and by the administration. Tim's qualifications were hard to beat, with a book and many other writings to his credit. One day he went to work and found out that he had been replaced by a woman that had less experience and fewer credentials (McElroy). The definition of affirmative action is as follows: Affirmative action means taking positive steps to recruit, hire, train, and promote individuals from groups that have traditionally been discriminated against on the basis of race, sex, disability, or other characteristics. In this sense, affirmative action goes beyond equal employment opportunity, which requires employers to eliminate discriminatory conditions, whether inadvertent or intentional, and to treat all employees equally in the workplace ( What ... action? ). Tim lost his job to a procedure that had the main purpose to make the process of hiring workers and accepting people to colleges equal for the minorities and women. However, the process, affirmative action, does not make it equal and it gives minorities and women extra rights. Affirmative action is a procedure that is unfair and unjust to the majority of the people. It is not ethical to cure discrimination of minority's and women with another form of discrimination when the majority is discriminated against. Discrimination is hard to correct, but if laws are for discrimination of any kind, it will never be corrected. Plous argued against this and said, "the most effective way to cure society of exclusionary practices is to make special efforts at inclusion." In the statement, the word "special"... ...ww.now.org/press/04-03/04-01.html>. Jorgensen, Eric T. "Affirmative Action is Not So Bad." The Back Page. 4 Sept. 1998. 21 Oct. 2003 <http://www.sff.net/people/ericj/backpage/1998/affirmac.htp>. McElroy, Wendy. "What does Affirmative Action Affirm." wendymcelroy.com. 24 Oct. 2003 <http://www.zetetics.com/mac/affirm.htm>. Plous, S. "Ten myths about affirmative action." Understanding Prejudice and Discrimination. 2003. 21 Oct. 2003 <http://www.UnderstandingPrejudice.org/readroom/articles/affirm.htm>. Smith, Peter J. "Affirmative action can hurt qualifited whites." The State News: Michigan State University's Independent Voice. 15 Sept. 1998. 21 Oct. 2003 <http://www.statenews.com/editionsfall98/091598/op_ltr3.html>. "What is affirmative action?" Hrnext.com. 2003. 21 Oct. 2003 <http://www2.hrnext.com/Article.cfm/Nav/1.41.105.0.6829.6829>.

Elderly Client Project

Elderly Client Project Winston Salem State University Nursing 3303 October 17, 2012 Elderly Client Project Mrs. F. Nowell is a ninety-four year old mother, grandmother and great grandmother living in a skilled nursing facility. She has several co-morbidities which are managed medically and chemically within a detailed nursing care plan. She is diagnosed with type II diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, pedal neuropathy, and arthritis.Within this paper we will explore her age related changes, concept of health and wellness, one chronic disease, diabetes, along with the care and health maintenance associated with this chronic illness, compare and contrast medical/nursing care with current research, health promotion, safety and any special concerns, current resources used and community resources not used, and the clients perspective of her own quality of life. Age Related ChangesWe begin with age related changes which everyone can see externally, however it’s in part, the individual’s concept of these changes that occur over the life span that help define the person’s health. American’s are living longer and Mrs. Nowell is a prime example of this fact at age ninety-four along with her sister-in-law in the same nursing facility at age one hundred and four. Americans over the age of 65 now comprise almost 13 percent of the United States’ population. Mrs. Nowell notes a definite change in her physical body and abilities.However, though now faced with physical mobility limitations, she admits a life satisfaction and is living a happy and productive life. Common age-related changes she’s experiencing are visual acuity or presbyopia for which she wears glasses to assist in ready, very slight hearing impairment or presbycusis, along with hypertension, coronary artery disease and arthritis. Though Mrs. Nowell does have diabetes, she doesn’t associate this chronic disease with normal aging. She stated â€Å"Iâ⠂¬â„¢ve been a diabetic as long as I can remember. Obvious integumentary changes are seen, yet no deep, well defined wrinkles, having not been a smoker, and wore hats to protect her face from sun exposure. Mrs. Nowell does appear to have a slight bit of memory loss because when asked how old her husband was when he died she was unable to recall. However, when asked about her childhood and where she grew up, she recounted very vivid memories. This is typical of the aging adult. The speed with which information is processed, stored, and received is decreased; older memories tend to be intact with new memories being recalled less frequently.What is important to remember about the aging population is while they are experiencing moderate physical limitations, they learn to live with them and lead happy and productive lives, as is Mrs. Nowell. Concept of Health and Wellness Mrs. Nowell’s concept of health and wellness is definitely one of her own perspective. She equates herself to being healthy for a ninety-four year old lady. At ninety-four Mrs. Nowell is mentally healthy with little to no signs of dementia. And because she â€Å"has her mind,† she does not see her physical limitations as making her unhealthy.She envisions wellness and her state of well-being as optimal because with the use of her motorized wheelchair she can come and go as she pleases within the confines of the skilled nursing facility in which she lives, as well as, out in the community. She feels she’s definitely one of the healthiest ninety-four year olds she knows because each day she dresses well, though with assistance, puts on her lipstick and matching jewelry. She states when she looks good, she feels good. Chronic Disease and Care to Improve/Maintain Health Though Mrs. Nowell has several co-morbidities, this paper will focus on her type II diabetes.Diabetes Mellitus is associated with many related health factors of which Mrs. Nowell currently precipitates. She does h ave some visual impairment which is linked with aging, as well as diabetes. She also manifests pedal neuropathy of which she admits to taking Neurontin to alleviate the nerve discomfort and tingling. She lives in a skilled nursing facility where her blood sugar is checked before meals and at bedtime. She is treated with Novalog Insulin in the morning and evening which keeps her blood sugars at a normal range between 80 and 100, and below 150. They ncourage healthy meals and eating, though Mrs. Nowell admits to having family bring in snacks to her liking which are not always on the American Diabetic Association (ADA) food options. The nursing facility also goes to great lengths to ensure meticulous foot care is provided to all diabetics. They inspect their feet when assisting in dressing and showering, as well as, have podiatry perform toenail clipping. Mrs. Nowell does not see her diabetes as a disease, but rather a lifestyle and way of living. Compare and Contrast Medical/Nursing C are and Current Research As previously mentioned Mrs.Nowell’s diabetes is treated with insulin and given a diet per recommendations of the ADA. The nurses perform regular blood sugar checks before each meal and at bedtime, following a regimented nursing care plan to keep her blood sugar below 150. However recent guideline updates recommend that primary care physicians do not push the patients to obtain a standard targeted blood sugar level. The facility nurses also provide education on healthy snacks and exercise programs available to their residents. Because obesity is a major concern and noted problem among the diabetic community daily exercise is recommended for the diabetic patient.However given Mrs. Nowell’s physical limitations daily exercise is minimal at best. Researchers are now giving acceptance to bariatric surgery among diabetics faced with morbid obesity, which has shown rapid blood sugar levels and decreased pharmacological intervention needs. However giv en Mrs. Nowell’s advanced age, she is not a bariatric candidate. Current medical care of Mrs. Nowell includes keeping her hemoglobin A1c below 7% per her primary care doctor and nursing supervision. Yet it is evidenced that the aging adult is more vulnerable to hypoglycemia, and combined with Mrs.Nowell’s cardiovascular disease, recommendations are pointing to an A1c below 8%. The Mayo Clinic also has an online tool developed for diabetics which includes low blood-sugar risks, weight changes, blood sugar testing requirements and costs which help the physician and patient weigh the risks and benefits of diabetic medication therapies. Health Promotion, Safety and Special Concerns Mrs. Nowell’s promotional health needs are met through nursing care provided and maintaining an optimal sense of wellness. Mrs. Nowell’s immunizations are up to date including her flu and pneumonia vaccinations.She receives assistance with activities of daily living (ADL’s) to maintain meticulous skin care and foot inspection to reduce risks of diabetic ulcers. Her diet remains well balanced per the ADA guidelines for optimal nutrition, to further reduce risks of pressure ulcers, which would be of concern with her mobility limitations. She also suffers from incontinence, yet admits to receiving quick response to toileting needs and perineal care. The floors are kept clutter free with no rugs or sliding floormats. The bathrooms are equipped with handrails and emergency call bell pull cords.Showers are large and can be accessed with a wheelchair and have showering chairs for those with mobility limitations such as Mrs. Nowell. Daily use items such as her toothbrush, hairbrush and makeup are kept within easy reach to decrease risk for falls. Mrs. Nowell voiced no special concerns or needs that weren’t being met to her expectations. Current Resources Used and Community Resources Not Used Mrs. Nowells uses the assistance of the occupational therapist that works with the clients of her nursing facility to maintain optimal health and wellness.She has been trained to use a reaching device or â€Å"reacher† which clasps items out of safe reaching range or items she may have dropped and desires to retrieve reducing her risk of falls. Mrs. Nowell takes great pleasure in participating in the community offerings that come to the nursing facility for senior involvement opportunities, such as church groups, entertainment companies, and many local businesses, including restaurants that offer samplings of new menu items. She has participated in numerous provided educational classes and socialization activities for the residents.She also uses the facilities transportation system for group outings and community access. Mrs. Nowell stated they do have a hair dresser that provides services twice a week, however she prefers her daughter, who visits daily, to assist her with her hair care needs. She further does not use their common dinin g area choosing to have her meals in her room or with family when they visit. Yet does frequent the common area for bingo and karaoke for socialization and enjoyed participation. Quality of Life, the Client Perspective Mrs. Nowell considers her quality of life optimal. She finds herself healthy.As with Maslow’s Hierarchy, having her basic needs met, Mrs. Nowell presents with a high self-esteem and self-actualization. She is living a healthy and productive life, exhibiting an exuberant personality. She is still a good mother, grandmother and great grandmother able to enjoy family and friends, while appreciating her life and memories. Conclusion In summary Mrs. Nowell is a wonderful example of an aging population that is well adjusted and reached the highest plateau of hierarchy. As a nurse caring for the elderly, we must be better prepared to assist the aging population to this optimal level of health and wellness.We can achieve this through continued research and provision of age appropriate care. Living happy and productive lives within the elderly population, and given their limitations, be it physical or mental, should be the goal of all nursing. References Anderson, B. , de Chesnay, M. (2012). Caring for the vulnerable: perspectives in nursing theory, practice, and research. (3rd ed. ). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Jett, K. , Touhy, T. (2010). Gerontological nursing & healthy aging. (3rd ed. ). Saint Louis, MS: Mosby Elsevier. Khardori, R. (2012, October 8). Medscape references.Retrieved October 14, 2012, from Type 2 diabetes mellitus treatment & management: http://emedicine. medscape. com/article/117853-treatment Resources For Seniors, Incorporated, (n. d. ), Retrieved October 6, 2012, from: http://www. resourcesforseniors. com Seniors Health, (n. d. ), Retrieved October 14, 2012, from: http://medical-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com/Seniors’+Health Winslow, R. (2012, July 9). The wall street journal. Retrieved October 14, 20 12, from New strategies for treating diabetes: http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10001424052702303292204577517041076204350. html

Economic Factors Affecting Automobile Sector Essay

1. Excess Capacity. According to CSM Worldwide, an automotive research firm, in 2004 the estimated automotive industry global production capacity for light vehicles (about 74 million units) significantly exceeded global production of cars and trucks (about 60 million units). In North America and Europe, the two regions where the majority of revenue and profits are earned in the industry, excess capacity was an estimated 17% and 13%, respectively. CSM Worldwide projects that excess capacity conditions could continue for several more years. 2. Pricing Pressure. Excess capacity, coupled with a proliferation of new products being introduced in key segments by the industry, will keep pressure on manufacturers’ ability to increase prices on their products. In addition, the incremental new capacity in the United States by foreign manufacturers (so-called â€Å"transplants†) in recent years has contributed, and is likely to continue to contribute, to the severe pricing pressure in that market. In the United States, the reduction of real 3. Financing Options Auto industry observers cite car loans as the biggest driving factor for the expansion of the Compact Car segment. At present, almost 85 per cent of all new car sales are backed by auto finance, compared to 65 per cent five years ago. Interest rates on car loans have come down drastically in the past four or five years, which helps prospective buyers take the plunge. The growth of the CC-segment in the past few years can be mainly credited to factors such as rise in income levels leading to increased affordability and simultaneous reduction in interest rates leading to lower EMIs. The drop in interest rates usually helps very few people to probably shift from the base model to a deluxe model. A larger shift happens if people are willing to take long-term loans, like five years instead of the earlier three-year loans.2. 4. Advertising and Marketing Due to the advertising techniques adopted by all the manufacturers in the CC-Segment the sales have risen drastically. It is all due to because the companies now a day are using even aggressive selling techniques for which they are even coping with the Film celebrities and Cricket stars, like Maruti has contracted Irfan Pathan as the brand ambassador of Zen and for Santro Hyundai has contracted for Shah Rukh Khan. And the companies are even trying to approach to the customer as to there demand for a vehicle at special interest loans, etc. They are using data according to the customersreturn and earning capacity for attracting the customers for there vehicles. 5. Income of Consumer / Buyer The income of the consumer or buyer of the car is a very important factor of demand. In recent time we have seen that due to increase in the Income of the general public, there has been a shift from the Lower CC-segment cars to the Upper CC-segmentcars.2Due to the recent increase in the number of multinationals in India, the income level of the employees have risen drastically and has made CC-segment cars an entry level car for a lot of people. The average age of a CC-segment car owner has also dropped from 35 years to 31 years in India. 6. Increase In Affordability The demand for passenger cars is driven mainly by greater affordability, which in turn increases the aspiration level of the customers. Today with high amount of disposable income in the hand of Indian youth, who forms major portion of the population, PV market has larger addressable market. 7. Demographic Drivers Cars being inspirational products, purchase decisions are influenced by the overall economic environment. Increase in per capita income increases the consumption tendency of the customer. Growth in per capita income and rising aspirations and changing lifestyle is leading to increased preference for cars over two-wheelers, which is also having a positive rub off on car demand. 8. Exports The share of exports from domestic production is currently at 12-13%, which is much lower than current export hubs. Currently, India’s share of global passenger cars export volume stands at less than 1%. But India is fast emerging as a manufacturing hub for leading global car makers, and several manufacturers have already firmed up plans for setting up manufacturing bases in India, which will also be used for exports. 9. Presence Across Segments Manufacturers with presence across various product segments can ensure higher volume and better capacity utilization by using the common manufacturing capacity.Typically a customer upgrades from one segment to higher segment and the presenceacross various segments ensures that the company retains its existing customers. 10. Efficient Operations Competition in PV segment is very intense and this requires the existing player’s to initiate steps to reduce their cost of production. Effective and successful operation methods like platform commonality, reduction in vendor base and work force rationalization can help a company immensely. 11. Wide Dealer Network and Availability of Finance A wide dealer network helps the company serve customers over wide geographical area. For e.g. Maruti has used its available wide service  network as point of difference over competitors. The companies are tying up with the financial institutions having rural presence to provide additional financing options to customers in such areas. 12. Access to Latest Technologies Indian PV segment is highly competitive with as many as 14 players operating in it and more than 80 models on the offering. But still any new model launch meets with increase in sales volume for the company. Moreover in a time when a substantial portion of Indian customer is looking to upgrade in higher segment, companies with latest technologies and latest models will catch more attentions. 13. Factors of Production There are some factors of production which influence the supply of a car like Cost of Raw Material Labour Cost Machinery Input Cost These factors influence the supply of a car largely. If the cost of the raw material (Steel, Spare Parts, Rubber) increases there will be an increase in the cost of production leading to decrease in profit margins. Costs like labour costs, machinery and input costs also influence the supply with the increase or decrease in these costs.7. 14. Government Policies and Taxes If there is a change in the government policies regarding the increase in the road tax charged or the tax which is to be paid per unit sold, the supply of a car will fluctuate with the nature of the change. Recently the government has reduced the custom duty on inputs and raw material from 20% to 15% which has increased the supply Factors affecting capital market in India:- The capital market is affected by a range of factors. Some of the factors which influence capital market are as follows:- A) Performance of domestic companies:- The performance of the companies’ or rather corporate earnings is one of the factors which has direct impact or effect on capital market in a country. Weak corporate earnings indicate that the demand for goods and services in the economy is less due to slow growth in per capita income of people. Because of slow growth in demand there is slow growth in employment which means slow growth in demand in the near future. Thus weak corporate earnings indicate average or not so good prospects for the economy as a whole in the near term. In such a scenario the investors (both domestic as well as foreign ) would be wary to invest in the capital market and thus there is bear market like situation. The opposite case of it would be robust corporate earnings and its positive impact on the capital market. B) Environmental Factors:- Environmental Factor in India’s context primarily means- Monsoon . In India around 60 % of agricultural production is dependent on monsoon. Thus there is heavy dependence on monsoon. The major chunk of agricultural production comes from the states of Punjab , Haryana & Uttar Pradesh. Thus deficient or delayed monsoon in this part of the country would directly affect the agricultural output in the country. Apart from monsoon other natural calamities like Floods, tsunami, drought, earthquake, etc. also have an impact on the capital market of a country. The Indian Met Department (IMD) on 24th June stated that India would receive only 93 % rainfall of Long Period average (LPA). This piece of news directly had an impact on Indian capital market with BSE Sensex falling by 0.5 % on the 25th June. The major losers were automakers and consumer goods firms since the below normal monsoon forecast triggered concerns that demand in the crucial rural heartland would take a hit. This is because a deficient monsoon could seriously squeeze rural incomes, reduce the demand for everything from motorbikes to soaps and worsen a slowing economy. C) Macro Economic Numbers:- The macroeconomic numbers also influence the capital market. It includes Index of Industrial Production (IIP) which is released every month, annual Inflation number indicated by Wholesale Price Index (WPI) which is released every week, Export – Import numbers which are declared every month, Core Industries growth rate. This macro –economic indicators indicate the state of the economy and the direction in which the economy is headed and therefore impacts the capital market in India. D) Global Cues:- In this world of globalization various economies are interdependent and interconnected. An event in one part of the world is bound to affect other parts of the world, however the magnitude and intensity of impact would vary. Thus capital market in India is also affected by developments in other parts of the world i.e. U.S. , Europe, Japan , etc. Global cues includes corporate earnings of MNC’s, consumer confidence index in developed countries, jobless claims in developed countries, global growth outlook given by various agencies like IMF, economic growth of major economies, price of crude –oil, credit rating of various economies given by Moody’s, S & P, etc. An obvious example at this point in time would be that of subprime crisis & recession. Recession started in U.S. and some parts of the Europe in early 2008 .Since then it has impacted all the countries of the world- developed, developing, less- developed and even emerging economies. E) Political stability and government policies:- For any economy to achieve and sustain growth it has to have political stability and pro- growth government policies. This is because when there is political stability there is stability and consistency in government’s attitude which is communicated through various government policies. The vice- versa is the case when there is no political stability .So capital market also reacts to the nature of government, attitude of government, and various policies of the government. F) Growth prospectus of an economy:- When the national income of the country increases and per capita income of people increases it is said that the economy is growing. Higher income also means higher expenditure and higher savings. This augurs well for the economy as higher expenditure means higher demand and higher savings means higher investment. Thus when an economy is growing at a good pace capital market of the country attracts more money from investors, both from within and outside the country and vice -versa. So we can say that growth prospects of an economy do have an impact on capital markets. G) Investor Sentiment and risk appetite:- Another factor which influences capital market is investor sentiment and their risk appetite. Even if the investors have the money to invest but if they are not confident about the returns from their investment , they may stay away from investment for some time. At the same time if the investors have low risk appetite , which they were having in global and Indian capital market some four to five months back due to global financial meltdown and recessionary situation in U.S. & some parts of Europe , they may stay away from investment and wait for the right time to come. Risk involved in this sector. †¢ Labour unrest and industrial action. †¢ Unexpected delays and cost overrun due to. †¢ Overlapping government jurisdiction. †¢ Corruptions and bureaucratic inefficiency. †¢ Slow down in government decision due to political instability. †¢ Raw material price. †¢ Restructuring of Automobile company †¢ Financial – Allocation and cash flow †¢ Supply Chain †¢ Operational Efficiency †¢ Raw Material prices †¢ Fuel Efficien †¢ segment Competitiveness †¢ Fuel Prices †¢ Demands †¢ Emerging markets

Remeber the Titans Application Paper

Remember the Titans is a movie that reflects several areas of organizational behavior. Communication, organizational culture, teamwork, diversity, motivation and ethics all play a key role in leadership how an organization functions. Communication The first obstacle that the new head coach faces is taking over an organization where he is the replacement for a very well respected coach with a reputation for winning. In one of scenes, Coach Boone sits down with his new assistant coach, Yost, to talk about the current situation. Boone acknowledges the problems and the challenges that lay ahead but assures Coach Yost that he is committed to producing a winning team and that all decisions will reflect performance rather than race. Coach Boone shows respect to Coach Yost and displays the openness to deal with the issues. Leaders may have a tendency to avoid this confrontation only making matters worse for the long term. It is a great lesson in dealing with problems upfront and resolving the issues to minimize more potential conflicts in the future. Communication is one of the basic functions of management in any organization and its importance can hardly be overemphasized. It is a process of transmitting information, ideas, thoughts, opinions, and plans between various parts of an organization. It is not possible to have human relations without communication. However, good and effective communication is required not only for good human relations but also for good and successful business (Thomson, 2007). Organizational Culture From an organizational structure standpoint, Coach Boone realizes he cannot do everything by himself. On a football team, several coaches are required to work with each specialized part of the team just like in any business. Throughout the movie the offense, defense, and special teams must work together to achieve victory on the field. However, each sub group on the team must trust and rely on the others to perform to execute the game plan well. In one of the final scenes, Coach Boone gets input from Coach Yost to come up with a new offensive play to win the game. Sometimes in larger organizations, silos exist among the departments and there is a resistance to cooperating. It is important in any business that all departments listen to their people for new ideas to improve process that can turn into profitable results. Organizational structure is the hierarchical levels of a company; this structure provides guidelines on subordination and employee responsibilities, and affects the workplace culture. An organization's culture is an informal, collectively held grouping of ideas and values, as well as the types of workplace relationships and ways of doing things within the organization. It affects workplace culture through controlling, coordinating and motivating employees to work together to accomplish company goals and objectives. Both organizational structure and culture affect employee behavior, motivation, performance, dedication, satisfaction, cooperation, and relationships (Thornton, 2011) Teamwork and Diversity Working together as a team is crucial to any organization’s success. Two players in particular believe that at the beginning of merging the two schools, their perceptions of each other’s values make it appear almost impossible to work to together as a team. They both come to realize that they want to win as much as the other person does and eventually become the best of friends. In fact, later in the movie Gary, the white player recommends to Coach Boone that one of his white friends leave the team because of a missed blocking assignment. This is the true transformation of Gary putting the team’s goals before his personal feelings. It is one of the cornerstones of any teamwork’s success. People in any organization bring their own set of values and beliefs to the table when they accept a position in the company. It is up the company’s leadership to instill the vision and culture from the top down. The summer practice camp that they attend is similar to the socialization process that any organization has into bringing new people in. Similar to the Marine’s boot camp, the football players eat, sleep, and practice together to bond and foster a sense of teamwork for Coach Boone. Most companies achieve this socialization process through employee orientation and continuous training. By the end of the camp the players have put aside their difference and are committed to carrying out the team’s goal of winning. The biggest issue that faces the team is the racial tension between the blacks and whites. The movie is set in the early seventies when integration of school began. The socialization process of the summer practice camp helped resolved many of these issues while the players where in seclusion at camp. Upon coming back from camp and attending school, they face the true reality of the racial issues. Still to this day, diversity is a hot topic in corporations across the country. Any company has to battle the preconceived ideas about other races, religions, genders, and sexual orientation to focus on the company’s vision. The movie shows how when people put aside their differences and focus on the organization’s mission that anything is achievable. This is a timeless lesson for any organization in today’s environment. According to the textbook, one of the pervasive challenges with teams is that while diversity may have real potential benefits, a team deeply focuses on commonly held information. To realize their creative potential, diverse teams need to focus not on their similarities but on their differences. The key is for members of diverse teams to communicate what they uniquely know in addition to what they do not know (Judge, Robbins, 2011). Whether in the workplace or on the football field, or even amongst members of a community, effective teamwork can produce incredible results. However, working successfully as a team is not as easy as it may seem. Effective teamwork does not happen automatically; it takes a great deal of hard work and compromise (Woloch, 2008). There are a number of factors that must be in place to cohere together as a team: * Good leadership: Effective leadership is one of the most important components of good teamwork. The team’s leader should possess the skills to create and maintain a positive working environment, motivate, and inspire the team members to take a positive approach to work and be highly committed. An effective team leader will promote a high level of morale and make them feel supported and valued. * Clear communication: Communication is a vital factor of all interpersonal interaction and especially that of a team. Team members must be able to articulate their feelings, express plans and goals, share ideas, and see each other’s viewpoints. Establishing roles: It is necessary for team members to understand their role and responsibilities. The team leader can enable this by defining the purpose in a clear-cut manner in the beginning of the formation of the team. * Conflict Resolution: Conflicts will arise no matter how well a team functions together. The best way to counter conflict is to have structured methods of conflict resolution. Team members should be able to voice their concerns without fear of offending others. Instead of avoiding conflict issues, a hands-on approach that resolves them quickly is much better. Set a good example: The team leader must set a good example for good teamwork to come about. In order to keep team members positive, committed and motivated, the team leader must exhibit these qualities. The team looks to the leader for support and guidance therefore any negativity on the leader’s part can be disastrous (Woloch, 2008). Motivation Coach Boone does a good job of demonstrating motivation throughout the movie. In several scenes, Coach Boone tells his organization that he demands perfection from them and nothing less is acceptable. He communicates clearly with the staff and the players what the team’s goal is from the beginning. Everyone knows their role on their respective teams and expectations. We can see that successful companies have similar success when everyone in the organization knows how their role affects the company’s ability to serve the customer. Coach Boone uses the Equity theory of motivation in that he treats everyone on the team fairly and shows no favoritism. He asks the players to work very hard in practice, but see the results in their victories on the football field. Coach Boone also displays the Hawthorne effect in the movie. He makes an effort to know all of his players and his coaching staff. The Hawthorne effect is a motivation theory that people perform better, when they feel their leader pay attention to them. In today’s work environment, this is more of challenge because it is becoming more popular to have employees work from remote locations or home with the increased technological advances we have seen over the last twenty years in the work place (Ghillyer, 2009). Ethics. Ethical behavior is the last characteristic that can either tear apart any team or propel it to a higher level of success. Coach Yost is under the impression by several influential school board members that the championship game is going to be in favor of the all white school they are playing. They will use this as an excuse to fire Coach Boone and reinstate Coach Yost as the head coach the next school year. During the championship game, Coach Yost faces this internal struggle and dilemma as he sees many unfavorable calls by the referees. He eventually makes the right decision for the player’s chance to win the game. The important lesson is that when temptation is great to make the wrong decision, the long-term benefits of being ethical outweigh the benefits. Managers and their organizations are responding to the problem of unethical behavior in a number of ways. They are writing and distributing codes of ethics to guide employees through ethical dilemmas. They are offering seminars, workshops, and other training programs to try to improve ethical behaviors. They are providing in house advisors and creating protection mechanisms for employees who revel internal unethical practices. Today’s manager must create an ethically healthy climate for his or her employees, where they can do their work productivity with little ambiguity about what right and wrong behaviors are (Judge, Robbins, 2011). In conclusion, the movie demonstrates that leadership must be able to face multiple challenges at the same time. It is hard enough to manage a football team with structure that is in place of three different sub groups performing to win games. When combined with the challenges of diversity and ethics, it remarkable the results the team achieved. These are some valuable lessons that any organization in today’s business world could use. Â