The Nursing Shortage and the Quality of Patient Care Annotated Bibliography

The Nursing Shortage and the Quality of Patient Care - Annotated Bibliography Example stantial environment, information and communication systems, cooperation and support services are also factors that affect the amount of time used by nurses thus affecting the value of the care of patients. This research project was carried out to clarify the factors that influence the current nursing shortage together with possible solutions to curb the shortage. It tries to reveal the influence of social factors and the government policy to the problem of nurse shortages in hospitals and other health centers. The effects of arguments both in agreement and in disagreement with policy intervention on the overall provision of nursing services were scrutinized. It was found out that increase in the number of nurses available would not solve the problem if there is no policy intervention to put the financial value on the quality of care provided by nurses. The strength of this study is that it explored and revealed that nursing care requires the government’s supervision since it is in conjunction with the aim of saving life. The project further examined factors that influence nursing supply and demand which include legislation passage, educational assistance and the setting up of minimum staffing needs and quality standards for repayment. The major weakness of this project is that it does not point out educational factors that influence the shortage of nurses since researchers have found out that not many people want to be in the nursing profession and would rather study other carriers. Nurses have been observed to be overworked thus pushing young people away from the dreams of being future nurses. This project is highly applicable to nursing practice as it is seen that weighty considerations that should be factored out in policy creation include compensation for quality care, the employment efforts of other nurses and the multifaceted nature of the nursing profession. This project reviews the shortage of nurses and implies strategies that have to be

Examine the Characteristics of Mystical and Conversion Experiences Essay Example for Free

Examine the Characteristics of Mystical and Conversion Experiences Essay wo well-known categories of religious experience are Conversion and Mystical experiences. Throughout history there have been many reports of people having these religious experiences, and not all of the recipients are necessarily Christian in belief. Famous examples of conversion experiences include St Paul on the road to Damascus, and an example of a mystical experience could be the story of Theresa of Avila. Firstly I am going to look at the characteristics of mystical experiences, followed by an example of a mystical experience that I shall analyse before moving on to doing the same for conversion experiences. A philosopher called William James has designed a series of tests to see if a mystical experience conforms to a pattern that has arisen through the history of these experiences. William James said that the receiver of the religious experience should be passive, i.e. does not go out of his or her way to trigger the experience, it happens to them without their provoking it. The experience should be ineffable in that in the aftermath the receiver finds it very difficult to describe what had happened and how they had felt in normal communication, thirdly that there is a noetic quality to these experiences, meaning that some truth or great fact is revealed to the recipient of the experience. Finally the experience should be transient, this means that the actual experience should not take very long at all, perhaps a few hours, but afterwards it has a very long, if not lifelong impact on the person who had the experience. Mystical experiences often have an example of the defying of the laws of nature and physics, for example the hearing of voices or seeing of visions, or receiving of the wounds of Christ, the Stigmata, that came from nowhere and have no rational explanation. An example of a mystical experience, as I mentioned earlier, is the story of Theresa of Avila. Theresa was a Carmelite nun who had been raised as being deeply religious; when her mother died she turned to the Virgin Mary and became a nun. Throughout her life she was often seriously ill and during these bouts of illness she claimed to have experienced religious ecstasy, in which she saw a cherub repeatedly stabbing her in the stomach with a fiery spear, and where he stabbed her she felt bliss and pain equally. In one bout of sickness she lost the use of her legs for three years, and during this time she stopped praying until she was convinced by a priest to start again. Not long after she began praying again she experienced holy delights from God, which were moments when her senses were overwhelmed by the presence of God. Alongside this she experienced the levitation, meaning that she claimed to have had her body raised off of the ground by the Holy Spirit. The levitation is the main mystical experience of Theresa’s life; this is a very clear example of how the laws of nature are defied by the power of God. The experience is passive as she was ill in bed at the time, it wasn’t ineffable however as she could clearly explain what had happened, however the experiences of having her senses overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit that accompany the levitation certainly were ineffable. There was no great truth revealed directly but there is a lesson in her story. And that is that the Lord will watch over and take care of us when we are sick. It is hard to tell whether or not the experience was transient, as while the levitation took place over just a few minutes, we cannot know how deep an impact it had on Theresa, as she was already deeply religious, we cannot easily see how she changed as a person. Now we move onto conversion experiences, the most key characteristic of a conversion experience is that the recipient of the experience has a complete switch around of their religious beliefs, they are converted. This conversion stays in place for the rest of the experiencer’s life, the religious experience is transient. Conversion experiences can be either gradual or sudden, meaning that a person’s beliefs can change over time due to different stimuli or events, or they can change swiftly as a result of an undeniably holy action. An important fact to remember when discussing conversion experiences is that they can occur not just in regards to an individual’s religious beliefs, they can also impact on political and social ideals as well, and these kinds of conversions follow the same pattern as that of religious experiences. The example of a conversion experience I am going to talk about is the conversion of St Paul on the road to Damascus. Before his conversion Paul, or Saul as he was known, was a Pharisee who harshly persecuted the early Christians and was not in any way inclined to believe in the teachings of Jesus. One day Paul was riding down the road to Damascus, as he drew near to the city a light shone down from heaven and Paul was cast down to the ground, then he heard a voice saying â€Å"Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me†? The voice identified itself as Jesus and instructed Paul to go to the city where he will be instructed further. The men accompanying Paul were amazed, as they had heard the voice, but had seen no man or any vision as Paul had. Paul opened his eyes, but found that he had been blinded, perhaps by the brilliant light, his men led him to the city and there he stayed, blind, not eating or drinking for three days. After the three days his sight returned, and he was convinced that he had seen the resurrected Christ. After the experience Paul could be found in the company of the disciples that were in Damascus, which shows a very large turn around in his ideals, because before the experience he would have arrested and persecuted those men. This story is a good example of a conversion experience as it shows a very big contrast in the subject before and after the experience, which is as I said previously, the main characteristic of a religious experience. To conclude the essay I would just like to summarise the characteristics of both mystical and conversion experiences, mystical experiences are most easily identified when evidence of supernatural even ts take place, such as the levitation, while conversion experiences are clearly shown in the change of the recipients religious or political ideals.

Mission and vision of Dell

Mission and vision of Dell Firstly what a company need to do is to check for few things that is for example competitor analysis, self-evaluation and situation analysis. There should be a proper evaluation and ones the evaluation is done the objectives should be set. The objectives should be such that the work in line with the time-line. Both the short-term and long-term objectives need to be set. The after setting an objective a mission statement must be set, corporate objectives as a whole, Strategic business unit objectives which will involve both strategic and finance, and tactical objectives. One the objectives are formed on the basis of the objectives be analysed situational and upon that a strategy plan can be suggested. Plan will provide details of what are the objectives and can they be achieved. Strategy Evaluation: It is very important to have a SWOT analysis to know the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats both internal and external This will help us to make few changes in the strategy and even help to change the strategy. In corporate strategy, Johnson, Scholes and Whittington present a model in which strategic options are evaluated against three key success criteria: [3] Suitability Feasibility Acceptability STRATEGIC POSITION OF THE COMPANY We are going to talk about the company DELL Computers which is one of the leading companies which is dealing with the production and distribution of pcs and laptops to the for private,corporate and in the government sectors.It has acquired a large amount of the U.S market and it has now penetrated into the Asian markets leaving a competitive edge. Dell is ranking 12th in the global fortune 500 list of companies.so it is a successful global company and a pioneer of its field.It is the first of its kind to manufacture computers with an intel Pentium core 2 duo, dual core and now the latest quad core processor computers.Also it is worth noting that the company mekes huge profits with less amount of inventories with the help of the latest technology.When compared this aspect with its competitors then it can be noticed that many companies are still struggling to widen their processor ranges.So this company strategically builds around a strong intra and inter networking which helps the company to achieve a competitive edge.Also the laptops of Dell can be personalized and used for professional and private purposes.The customer can select a design that is unique to his or her laptop using the personalisation settings either online or in person at the shop.This is the unique feature provided by the sole company.Also the keys of the lap top can be designed in the way they are used to allow for more ease during the usage. This build-to-order approach allows the company to maintain low inventory levels and integrate emerging technologies into systems. MISSION AND VISION FOR DELL-CODE OF ETHICS The mission of dell is to make the optimum use of all the resources and other the macro ,micro and the internal environment in providing the best quality products and services and the best customer experience of the best value.It is considered to be a practical and a feasible mission as it talks about today and not the future.What is included in the mission is the customers and the services which means it is talking about the present . The vision of DELL is to provide structurally and functionally efficient computers to visually impaired individuals globally.It is the vision of the company and thinks about the future. The code of ethics for dell is to incorporate and inculcate social,economic environmental and corporate responsibility in all the activities of the company so as to deliver high values to the society from the company as a whole. STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATIONhttp://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQeSnn1MFmVrwWcHAqM0No11QLK3Xfifw3S5_N_X9G4ZUpLAdUt=1usg=__53BnH-BdW91zrDsaImwcxPGSp9c= Dell has targeted corporate relationship customers that had predictable, budgeted needs and that wanted a predetermined set of product models. The company also selected individual customers who were high-end, repeat purchasers with a preference for early technology adoption. Effective operations require powerful technical capabilities, customer knowledge, and the ability to fit into the customers organization and work processes their unique customer knowledge and customer relationships created a set of barriers to entry that others could not overcome.. Dell differentiated itself in the corporate market by developing a set of extremely effective customer-specific intranet Web sites. Each Web site was highly tailored to the customers individual situation. Dell worked with each customer to specify a particular set of product configurations that would work best in the customers network. Tailored offerings were specified and developed for each customer. At the same time, Dell used its dir ect links with both corporate and individual customers to get immediate review of the customer needs and to identify new generations of products and services. http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQXaU1GtjJ3TC0MMFIBLyfFn9yW-Vh_AvivuAKfhKLvRytykG4t=1usg=__Y_XDtLm7ogV4p8tc7qh06Y_MYPM= STRATEGIC IMPLEMENTATION WAYS Dell had to find a way of operating with no inventories in order to raise desperately needed cash. The basis of this model is to match the supply and chain demand in which all the managers from the sales, marketing,purchases,production collectively decide the companys activities.This gives Dell liquidity and responsiveness to match the supply and chain demand instantly to emerging customer needs and market trends. Supply chain managers employ a powerful set of strategy creation and change-management skills to successfully lead their companies. The key to successful implementation of the new business model is to utilize a team approach . These managers should be given detailed information that enables them to identify the causes of poor or good performance in their respective subunits. In this organizational structure, they will have the coordination and flexibility to make the many adjustments that come with the complex task of implementing the new business model. Dell has used the t eam approach very effectively not only in creating its masterful strategy but also in ensuring business model alignment on an ongoing basis. Dell makes computers in three hours but has a 60-day lead time for components. OUTLINE OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN Strategic Planning Framework: Scan the environment; Determine the criticla implications; Develop the desired future state; Assess the current state; Do a gap analysis; Develop the strategies to move forward; Outline implementation In order to balance the system, Dells top manufacturing and marketing executives meet weekly as a team to determine which products are makable that week. Dell manages demand by using day-to-day price changes and sales rep incentives to steer customer orders to the makable product Dell maximizes its capabilities by outsourcing component-part manufacturing. Dell invests heavily in the information technology infrastructure that could bridge the gap between them and the customers. Dell streamlines its operations and relies on its computer monitor suppliers to ship directly to the customer. As long as a supplier retains its strategic position, Dell will collaborate with it to achieve mutual success, but if a particular supplier loses its edge, Dell has the flexibility to respond quickly and customer focused to ensure Dell continued competitiveness. In addition, customers are important assets to Dell as the company as a whole. STRATEGIC PROCESS DELLs strategy is collapsing profit margins throughout the PC market, a dire development for rivals who cant keep up. DELL is pricing its machines not so much such as high-tech products but more like airline tickets and low margin commodities. DELL has tight competency with other big computer sellers like Compaq and HP. Social factors also affect the business environment of DELL. Computer companies have to acknowledge that in the Chinese culture, people are still unsure about credit card sales because of the huge expense of computers in China. Companies, then have to invest in door-to-door or face-to-face operations to gain consumers faith and consumers trust in the company and its product. DELL also has achieved the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS). DELL aims at product design, transportation and so on. As a part of DELLs ISO 14001 EMS, the organization implemented goals where by the goal is to improve internal business environment performance in a continuous improvem ent processes which are used to share successes throughout the company. DELL has positioned to extend its brand name beyond mainstream computer products by leveraging its reputation as an e-commerce leader. In the year 2000, Dell began to redefine itself as the company that knows how e-business works. It has shared its online sales expertise with a few large customers as they developed their own e-commerce capabilities. DELL faces some forces from its competitors in terms of Information Technology as the EDI tool gives very effective opportunities in reducing costs and it can establish the tight linkage between DELL with its suppliers and DELL with its customer. DELL started selling its own brand of handheld computers, called the Axim, at low price which can be considered as high potential and CEO, Mr. Michael Dell stressed how DELLs success lay in making it as easy as possible for someone to buy a computer. There are some applications that are currently being used by DELL and they are critical to the core operations of DELL business and the DELL direct which are its operational factors for success. Some applications that are currently being used by DELL that are valuable but are not considered for certain critical success. It is not surprising for Dell to determine where it wants to go in the future, it must assess where it is now as a part of the strategic planning process managers can call on the SWOT team for assessing Dell strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, a critical phase in the general planning process as it helps determine exactly where the organization is and what resources it may or may not have. Strength assessment identifies what the department tends to do well and can include a skilled, professional staff and a modern, well-equipped facility. Weaknesses denote what the company may not do so well or what diminishes its effectiveness. Inadequate financial resources may fit into this category. Opportunities reflect what the organization might seize upon to do better. This area could include increasing community interactions and taking advantage of particular grants. Finally, threats are environmental factors that may hinder performance as it could include a rising demand for se rvice or increased legislative mandates that can impact resources. Managers should consider SWOT analysis for issues both external to the organization, such as population growth and increased industrialization and internal to it, such as an aging workforce that might result in competing priorities for resources. SWOT analysis constitutes one of the most important aspects in the strategic management process THREATS DELLs threats are technological changes that are expected since technology can only get better. Global economy and increased competition in which DELLs financial ratios identifies that they are no match for their competitors. OPPORTUNITY DELL has many opportunities such as potential growth in overseas markets, the industry is still in a growth phase and the entering   to the new product markets. WEAKNESS DELLs weaknesses are single sourcing, new product market and reliance on corporate clients. STRENGTHS Strengths are internal resources and capabilities that have the potential to be core competencies. DELLs core competencies are their cost strategy. In consistent to being an integrated cost leader, DELL also produce high quality PCs by using their Direct Business Model approach and sells them directly to the customers. With this innovative process, DELL cuts out the intermediary, excluding the associated cost as the company can understand the customers needs better and can provide the most effective computing solutions to meet those needs. Just as in legal disputes, there is often a high risk-adjusted cost in waging price or market-share battles, the same as in litigation. Competition, a combination of the words cooperation and competition, has become quite popular in recent years. Many companies understand the vicious cycle of trading customers at lower and lower margins in order to gain market share or win on price. In terms of designing a competitive intelligence system, it doesnt have to be overly complex. You first need to define the competitive areas that are important at an offering, market and company level. Second, make someone accountable for monitoring each area. Third, determine the best sources to collect info competitor Web sites, trade journals, press releases, financial reports, etc. Finally, create a few pro forma competitive intelligence reports that you can use to evaluate and track trends and material changes. Dells ability to change prices and delivery times on the fly has been leveraged effectivel y to manage demand based on component availability over the common components. CONTROL AND MONITORING MEASURES To build customer intimacy and loyalty, Dell leverages its customers knowledge of their own unmet needs. Dells brand image was and is shaped by customer feedback. Identifying the linked set of assets enables Dell to select strategy-focused, asset-based balanced scorecard measures that support the customer intimacy value proposition include: Æ’ËÅ"  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Training dollars spent per full-time equivalent by customer segment to ensure that well-educated business segment managers provide state-of-the art advice to customers Æ’ËÅ"  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Number of collaborative customer-solution teams that motivate Dell to collaborate with its customers and jointly create technology solutions that fulfill any unmet customer needs Æ’ËÅ"  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Number of emerging technologies evaluated inspires Dells leaders to stay abreast of technology threats and opportunities that may alter the competitive landscape in the future. Word count:2169

Asian Financial Crisis Essay -- business economics

In the summer of 1997, an economic and currency crisis rocked the Asian markets. One by one, Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Korea and Japan saw their economies crash in the wake of heavy foreign investment. An economic boom had made the region an attractive investment opportunity for much of the 1990s. By 1997, however, domestic production and development had stalled, and foreign investors grew nervous. A divestment run on the Thai baht triggered the crash. Large corporations, extremely dependent upon the confidence of foreign investors failed to meet debt obligations and began to fail throughout Southeast Asia. Currencies throughout the region faltered and nosedived from their mid-1990s positions of stability. The causes of the Asian economic crisis are varied. Lax oversight of corporations had ramifications in economic downturns that were not a concern in the mid-90s boom. Macroeconomic policies of the southeast Asian countries made their economies vulnerab le to the uncertain confidence of their foreign investors. Despite this, Corsetti, Pesenti and Roubini (1998) make the point that, ?market overreaction and herding caused the plunge of exchange rates, asset prices and economic activity to be more severe than warranted by the initial weak economic conditions.? Much of the crisis that began in 1997 has roots that go back further to the area?s economic growth that started in the early 1990s.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although many economists consider the Asian economic collapse to have begun in Thailand, conditions throughout the region meant that other countries? economies were destabilized to the extent that they quickly followed Thailand.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the early 1990s, growth in Southeast Asia attracted much foreign capital. However, by 1995 and 1996, Thailand?s current account deficit had grown (from 5.7% in ?93 to 8.5% in ?96 [Pesenti et al., 1998]). When domestic production slowed, this account imbalance represented an even greater percentage, when compared to GDP. Much of the instability in Thailand?s economy was brought about by heavy short-term borrowing that required stringent debt maintenance. A boom in real estate and the Thai stock market attracted foreign speculation that could not be sustained in the face of investor doubts. The Thai government attempted to shore up shaky investor confidence by officially backing the financial in... ...r 1997 are from the Economist Intelligence Unit Country Report, 2nd quarter 1998. Table 2. Non-Performing Loans (as proportion of total lending in 1996) Korea   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  8% Thailand   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13% Indonesia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13% Hong Kong   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3% Malaysia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  10% China   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  14% Philippines   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  14% Taiwan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4% Singapore   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4% Source: 1997 BIS Annual Report; Jardine Fleming. Table 3. Debt Service plus Short-Term Debt, World Bank Data (% of foreign reserves ). 1990   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1991  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1992  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1993   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1994   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1995   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1996 Korea   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  127.4   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  125.9   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  110.4   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  105.7   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  84.9   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  204.9   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  243.3 Indonesia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  282.9   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  278.8   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  292.0   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  284.8   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  278.0   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  309.2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  294.2 Malaysia   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  64.0  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  45.9   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  45.6   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  42.4   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  48.7   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  55.9   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  69.3 Philippines   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  867.6   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  257.0   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  217.1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  212.6   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  172.0   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  166.6   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  137.1 Thailand   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  102.4   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  99.3   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  101.3   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  120.3   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  126.6   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  138.1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  122.6 Hong Kong   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  30.5   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  26.9   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  22.8   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  20.6   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  22.0   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  16.8 China   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  55.3   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  43.7   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  108.6   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  113.7   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  54.1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  49.6   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  38.5 Taiwan   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  23.9   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  22.3   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  23.1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  25.2   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  23.7   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  24.2

International Business Study Guide

IBM 414 Study Guide Ch:12 Global Marketing Management: Planning and Organization Global Marketing – †¢The trend back toward localization –Caused by the new efficiencies of customization –Made possible by the Internet –Increasingly flexible manufacturing processes From the marketing perspective customization is always best †¢Global markets continue to homogenize and diversify simultaneously –Best companies will avoid trap of focusing on country as the primary segmentation variable International Marketing- is the performance of business activities designed to plan, price, promote, and direct the flow of a company's goods and services to consumers or users in more than one nation for a profit. †¢An entry strategy into international market should reflect on analysis –Market characteristics †¢Potential sales †¢Strategic importance Strengths of local resources †¢Cultural differences †¢Country restrictions – Company capabilities and characteristics †¢Degree of near-market knowledge †¢Marketing involvement †¢Management commitment Exporting Indirect Exporting-requires no equity investment and thus has a low risk, low rate of return, and little control. Licensing –A means of establishing a foothold in foreign markets without large capital outlays –A favorite strategy for small and medium-sized companies –Legitimate means of capitalizing on intellectual property in a foreign marketJoint Venures-When two or more participating companies join forces to create a separate legal entity to facilitate doing business in the international arena Direct Investment †¢Factors that influence the structure and performance of direct investments –Timing –The growing complexity and contingencies of contracts –Transaction cost structures –Technology transfer –Degree of product differentiation –The previous experiences and cultur al diversity of acquired firms –Advertising and reputation barriers Example:When a company sells to a customer in another country, the company is into Direct exporting.Strategic International Allicance Consortia –Similar to joint ventures and could be classified as such except for two unique characteristics †¢Typically involve a large number of participants †¢Frequently operate in a country or market in which none of the participants is currently active –Consortia are developed to pool financial and managerial resources and to lessen risks Joint Ventures –JVs are established, separate, legal entities –The acknowledged intent by the partners to share in the management of the JV There are partnerships between legally incorporated entities such as companies, chartered organizations, or governments, and not between individuals –Equity positions are held by each of the partners Franchise –Franchiser provides a standard package of products, systems, and management services –Franchise provides market knowledge, capital, and personal involvement in management –Expected to be the fastest-growing market-entry strategy †¢Two types of franchise agreements –Master franchise †¢Gives the franchisee the rights to a specific area with the authority to sell or establish subfranchises –LicensingContract Manufacturing-is a manufacturer that contracts with a firm for components or products. It is a form of outsourcing. Contracting Management- is the management of contracts made with customers, vendors, partners, or employees. Contract management includes negotiating the terms and conditions in contracts and ensuring compliance with the terms and conditions, as well as documenting and agreeing on any changes or amendments that may arise during its implementation or execution. CH:8 Developing a global vision though marketing research Challeneges and problems The major difficulty is conve rting a series of often ambiguous business problems into tightly drawn and achievable research objectives †¢The first, most crucial step in research is more critical in foreign markets because an unfamiliar environment tends to could problems definition †¢Other difficulties in foreign research stem from failures to establish problem limits broad enough to include all relevant variables Environmental Scanning- Careful monitoring of an organization's internal and external environments for detecting early signs of opportunities and threats that may influence its current and future plans.Marketing Screening- The process of discovering relevant information about a tradable asset in order to determine a fair price for the asset. Primarily used to avoid creating an adverse transaction. Steps to marketing Screening- Market- A regular gathering of people for the purchase and sale of provisions, livestock, and other commodities. Requirements of effective Market Segmentation Describe the psychographic segments profiled in the Worldwide Global Scan study How can international market demand be estimated? page 236When desired stats aren't available a close approximation can be made using local production figures plus imports, with adjustments for exports and current inventory levels CH:13 Products and services for consumers Why are product strategy decisions the most crucial ones in the marketing mix? What two errors do multinational product managers tend to commit? Define and explain: Product, Quality Features and benefits Reliability, Durability Product Homologation. What are the standardization/adaptation strategies that a marketer can implement and when would you recommend them? What is meant by the â€Å"diffusion of motivations†?What are the degrees of newness that a product can exhibit and what are the (perceived) product characteristics of an innovation that affect its rate of acceptance? What is product counterfeiting and how can it be fought? CH:1 4 Products and Services for Businesses ISO 9000 †¢Positively affects the performance and stock prices of firms †¢Certification of the existence of a quality control system a company has in place to ensure it can meet published quality standards –Describes three quality system models –Defines quality concepts –Gives guidelines for using international standards in quality systems Generally voluntary †¢EU Product Liability Directive †¢Now a competitive marketing tool in Europe and around the world †¢The ACSI approach Trade Shows †¢Secondary methods for marketing: –Advertising in print media –Catalogs –Web sites –Direct mail †¢Trade shows have become the primary and most important vehicle for doing business in many foreign countries †¢Total annual media budget spent on trade events: –Europeans – 22 percent –Americans – 5 percent †¢Benefits –Provide the facilit ies for a manufacturer to exhibit and demonstrate products to potential users –Allow manufacturers to view competitors products Are an opportunity to create sales and establish relationships with agents, distributors, franchisees, and suppliers †¢Online trade shows –Become useful in difficult economic and/or political circumstances –Are obviously a less than adequate substitute for live trade shows CH:18 Pricing for International Markets Price Escalation- A disparity in pricing where goods have higher costs in a foreign market than in the domestic market due to transportation and exporting costs. Price escalation can also refer to the sum of cost factors in the distribution channels which add up to a higher final cost for a product in a foreign market.The difference between the domestic price and the target price in foreign markets due to the application of duties, dealer margins and/or other transaction costs. How can the effect of price escalation be less ened? †¢Lowering cost of goods –Manufacturing in a third country –Eliminating costly functional features –Lowering overall product quality †¢Lowering tariffs –Reclassifying products into a different, and lower customs classification –Modify product to qualify for a lower tariff rate within classification –Requiring assembly or further processing –Repackaging †¢Lowering distribution costs Shorter channels –Reducing or eliminating middlemen †¢Using foreign trade zones to lessen price escalation –Establish free trade zones (FTZs) or free ports †¢Tax-free enclave not considered part of country †¢Postpones payment of duties and tariffs †¢Dumping – To place (goods or stock, for example) on the market in large quantities and at a low price. –Use of marginal (variable) cost pricing –Selling goods in foreign country below the price of the same goods in the home market Gray M arket- A market where a product is bought and sold outside of the manufacturer's authorized trading channels.The unofficial trading of a company's shares , usually before they are issued in an initial public offering (IPO). †¢Occur whenever price differences are greater than cost of transportation between two markets †¢Major problem for pharmaceutical companies †¢Exclusive distribution Transfer Pricing †¢Prices of goods transferred from a company’s operations or sales units in one country to its units elsewhere –May be adjusted to enhance the ultimate profit of company †¢Benefits –Lowering duty costs –Reducing income taxes in high-tax countries –Facilitating dividend repatriation when dividend repatriation is curtailed by government policy †¢Objectives Maximizing profits for corporation –Facilitating parent-company control –Providing all levels of management control over profitability †¢Arrangements for pricing goods for intracompany transfer –Sales at the local manufacturing cost plus a standard markup –Sales at the cost of the most efficient producer in the company plus a standard markup –Sales at negotiated prices –Arm’s-length sales using the same prices as quoted to independent customers Countertrade †¢Types of countertrade –Barter –Compensation deals –Counterpurchase or offset trade –Product buyback agreement †¢Problems of countertrading Determining the value of and potential demand for the goods offered –Barter houses – †¢The Internet and countertrading –Electronic trade dollars –Universal Currency/IRTA †¢Proactive countertrade strategy –Included as part of an overall market strategy –Effective for exchange-poor countries Administered Pricing- The price of a good or service as dictated by a governmental or other governing agency. Administered price s are not determined by regular market forces of supply and demand. Ch:16 Intergrated Marketing Communications and International Advertising 6) What are the four methods of promotion and how can they be used in nternational marketing? Integrated marketing communications (IMC) are composed of advertising, sales promotions, trade shows, personal selling, direct selling, and public relations Sales promotions-marketing activities that stimulate consumer purchases and improve retailer or middlemen effectiveness and cooperation Public relations (PR)-creating good relationships with the popular press and other media to help companies communicate messages to their publics-customers, the general public, and governmental regulators.Public relations firms’ billings in the international arena have been growing at double digit rates for some years. Handling such international PR problems as global workplace standards and product safety recalls has become big business for companies serving large companies. International advertising-global mass media advertising is a powerful tool for cultural change, and as such, it receives continuing scrutiny by a wide variety of institutions. What are the pros and cons of standardization, adaptation and â€Å"glocalization† in international advertising?Standardization Pros Standardized marketing for global companies typically offers significant cost benefits. If the same message works universally, you don't have to spend money to develop customized marketing messages. While you would have to adapt the language to the local markets, the conceptual premise of your messages can remain constant. Also, if your brand theme is powerful and has global appeal, a standardized approach helps people around the world share in the value proposition you offer Cons Global marketing standardization is not sensible in all cases.If people use your products differently or if your brand message doesn't work everywhere, you need to be flexible. McDonald's, for instance, has been successful selling its western and American cultural appeal in some countries such as Russia, Japan and France. However, the fast food chain has emphasized its relationship with local suppliers and management in some countries in the Middle East and elsewhere, where attitudes toward western and American culture are less welcoming. Globalization Pros The main benefit of globalization is that it lets you reach a lot more customers.As long as there is demand in an overseas market for a product or service your business offers, there is a customer base. A product that sells successfully at home will often do well in international markets, says Wesley Johnston, a marketing professor at Georgia State University. Electronics and other tech products are examples of consumer goods that sell well on the global market. Cons Before taking your business worldwide, make sure there is a market for it. Consumers in other countries often have different preferences a nd needs and might not have much interest in buying your product.For example, if you sell Canadian flags, you might not find much demand in countries outside Canada. Another risk of going global is that it can be costly. This is especially true if you decide to set up operations in other countries. Finally, different countries have different regulatory standards. Products that can be made and sold freely in some markets might run up against stiff regulatory hurdles in other countries. Adaptation Explain the statement, â€Å"The search for a global advertising campaign can be the spearhead of the search for a coherent global marketing strategy. What types of errors are committed when advertisers attempt to go global? †¢Consumer criticism †¢Deceptive advertising †¢Decency and blatant use of sex †¢Self-regulation †¢Government regulations What challenges confront international advertisers when they attempt to develop creative and media strategies? †¢Langua ge is one of the major barriers to effective communication through advertising †¢Translation challenges †¢Low literacy in many countries †¢Multiple languages within a country †¢In-country testing with the target consumer group avoids problems caused by linguistic differences ) Can personal selling and sales promotion be standardized in international markets? What role do publicity and public relations play in international marketing? what are the three sources of personnel for international assignments and how can U. S. personnel be trained for such assignments? Expatriates- –Numbers are declining –Important for highly technical or involved products –High cost –Cultural and legal barriers –Limited number of high-caliber personnel willing to live abroad Virtual Expatriates- –Manage operations in other countries but don’t live there Local Nationals Transcend both cultural and legal barriers –Familiar with dist ribution systems and referral networks –Headquarters personnel may ignore their advice –Lack of availability –Sales positions viewed negatively What are the differences in cultural values that can affect management practices in foreign cultures? How has the profile of global managers changed in recent years? †¢Objectivity –â€Å"Separating people from the problem† †¢Competitiveness and equality –Japanese appear to be the best negotiators with the highest profits –Japanese appear to be more equitable with buyers Time –The passage of time is viewed differently across cultures Describe the negotiation process. Stages 1. Non Task Sounding – Report 2. Task related exchange of info – Sales Pitch †¢Let the foreign counterparts bring up business †¢Expect a large number of questions but little feedback †¢Allow periods of silence †¢Use multiple communication channels †¢Understand the lack of, or the bluntness of negative feedback †¢Meet aggressive first offers with questions, not anger 3. Persuasion – Handling of objectives Task-related information exchange versus persuasion †¢Avoid threats, warnings, and other aggressive negotiation tactics †¢Avoid emotional outbursts †¢Ask more questions †¢Use third parties and information channels of communication 4. Consensus & agreement – The close †¢Write down concession-making strategies †¢Understand differences in decision-making styles †¢In many cultures, no concessions are made until the end of the negotiations CH 15 International Marketing Channels #8 Describe the difference between traditional, import-oriented distribution systems and modern ones.Page 421 In an imported-oriented or traditional distributution an importer controls a fixed supply of goods, and the marketing system develops around the philosophy of selling a limited supply of goods at high prices to a smal l number of affluent customers. Describe the current Japanese System; how can an international marketer secure a foothold in the Japanese System? Small retailers are considered to be the foundation of the Japanese distribution system. Distribution in Japan has long been considered the most effective nontariff barrier to the Japanese market.What are the pros and cons of using foreign vs. home country middlemen? Foreign Middlemen-Pros-shorter channels and deal with middlemen in constant contact with the market (page 434) Home Country Middlemen-(domestic middlemen) companies relegate foreign market distribution to others. Offer many advantages for companies with small international sales volume, those inexperienced with foreign markets, those not wanting to become immediately involved with the complexities of international marketing, and those wanting to sell abroad with minimal financial and management commitment.Con- limited control over the entire process. Page 431 What are the stra tegic goal–the 6C’s of channel strategy? page 436 COST CAPITAL REQUIREMENTS CONTROL COVERAGE CHARACTER CONTINUITY How should you go about locating, selecting and motivating middlemen? page 438 Locating-productivity or volume, financial strength, managerial stability, and capability, and the nature and reputation of the business. Selecting-low volume or low potential volume hampers most prospects, many are underfinanced and some simply cannot be trusted.Motivating- motivational techniques that can be employed to maintain middlemen interest and support for the product may be grouped into five categories: financial rewards, psychological rewards, communications, company support, and corporate rapport. What is the significance of the internet for international distribution and what issues must a prospective e-vendor consider? page 441 Internet is an important distribution method for multinational companies and a source of products for businesses and consumers. Put the cons umer in control of marketing and distribution globally #9What is the purpose of export restrictions? are limitations on the quantity of goods exported to a specific country or countries by a government. Describe the process necessary to determine whether or not an export license is required? An export license is not required Define and explain the following: boycott, free-trade zone (FTZ), maquiladoras, bill of lading, and foreign-freight forwarder. Boycott-is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for social or political reasons.Sometimes, it can be a form of consumer activism. Free-trade zone-customs privileged (In a FTZ, payment of import duties is postponed until the product leaves the FTZ area and enters the country. Page 536 Maquiladora-is the Mexican name for manufacturing operations in a free trade zone (FTZ), where factories import material and equipment on a duty-free and tariff-free basis for assembly, processing, or manufacturing and then export the assembled, processed and/or manufactured products, sometimes back to the raw materials' country of origin.Example given in class (Tijuana) Bill of lading-is a document used in the transport of goods by sea. It serves several purposes in international trade. Foreign-freight forwarder-is a person or company that organizes shipments for individuals or corporations to get goods from the manufacturer or producer to a market, customer or final point of distribution. Forwarders contract with a carrier to move the goods. A forwarder does not move the goods but acts as an expert in supply chain management What is physical distribution (logistics)?Involves more than the physical movement of goods. It includes the location of plants and warehousing, transportation mode, inventory qualities and packing. What is the physical distribution concept? Takes into account the interdependence of the costs of each activity; a decision involving one activity affects the cost and efficiency of one or all others. Page 449 What are the pros and cons of the different modes of transport available to international marketers?

My Family History Essay

â€Å"In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage – to know who we are and where we came from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness. † –Alex Haley This quote explained to me the importance of my grandparent’s legacy and their history. A long twisting family tree inspires one who does not know where their roots originated. My grandfather Frank Douglas and my grandmother Delores Jones gave me a reason to find out where our legacy started. My grandfather Frank Kelow was adopted into a four person white family, which gave him the last name of Douglas. My grandfather was born on February 12, 1902. Frank was raised in Greenville, Mississippi with dozens of cousins, which gave him comfort. Frank’s biological parents did not attend college; in fact, they didn’t even graduate from high school. In Mississippi, â€Å"I was surrounded by racism, slavery, and poverty, which gave me the inspiration to give my father a better life† (Douglas). As a young kid Frank often hung out in the streets with his friends and partied a lot. He was a heavy smoker with a tiny taste for alcohol. â€Å"Growing up in a poor neighborhood I was introduced to a lot of bad things such as drugs, gambling, and fighting† (Douglas). Around the house, Frank was responsible for mowing the lawn, taking out the trash, and cleaning the pool. At the age of 21 my grandfather entered the army and decided to fight in World War II. After the war concluded, my grandfather married and moved to Queens, New York. Frank and his wife made history that day because they were the first black couple to move into the neighborhood, which they lived. This was the birthplace of my father Lance Douglas Sr. My grandmother Delores Jones was born on December 14, 1906, into a family of four. She was also raised through poverty, but with the help of her brother and cousins she found a way to stick it out. She was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana where her parents worked several jobs to maintain the tiny shack she was raised in. â€Å"Back in my day society consisted of smoking cigarettes, drinking beer, and partying heavily† (Jones). At the age of 13, she was required to work to earn extra money around the house. Some chores my grandmother had around the house was to clean the house, wash the dishes, wash clothes, and pull weeds from the lawn. The relationship between my grandmother and her parents was quite the opposite of mine with my parents. â€Å"After completing my chores, I was allowed to do basically whatever, as long as I was in the house at a reasonable hour† (Jones). Delores was a very social person. â€Å"I rarely spent time with my grandparents† (Jones). During her high school years she was often looked at as beautiful, ambitious, and persistent. At the age of 18 she was elected as prom queen for her senior dance. Although she was often free to do what she wanted, she was also held responsible. Delores was sometimes whooped and grounded for disobeying curfew rules and not completing her chores. This gave her everlasting the mentality of you must work for everything you want in life. I was born in Mississauga, Canada on the date of February 23, 1993. The name Kobie was given to me by my mother, it means warrior. Raised in a family with both parents, one-brother, and one sister, I was surrounded by people who loved me. My brother, Lance Douglas, was born four years earlier than me. Likewise, my sister was born two years prior of my birth. At the age of two, my parents decided to move to Plano, Texas, a beautiful city with the population of about 700,0000 people. As usual, around five I attended Kindergarten at the local school where my brother and sister attended elementary school. Being the youngest in the family provided both advantages and disadvantages. My brother and sister inherited my father’s gene of aggravating me to the point of physical confrontation, which later led to me getting beat up. Although women are usually on the feminine side, my sister was completely different. When my teenage years came around that’s when my siblings began to lighten up on the bullying. During my high school years I was considered the man on campus. I was an all-star at basketball, football, and baseball. During my senior year I only participated in football and was offered a scholarship to play for the Louisiana Lafayette, Ragin Cajuns. Now, as a freshman at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette I am living the life I once dreamed about; experiencing things I never thought I would. For example, going to the club on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. A student athlete who is enrolled in 17 hours and is also committed to football. Waking up at five a. m to workout on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Most of all, living the dream people told me wasn’t meant. All across the world there are families who have their own original legacies. In all of us there is a hunger, marrow deep, to know our heritage – to know who we are and where we came from. Without this enriching knowledge, there is a hollow yearning. No matter what our attainments in life, there is still a vacuum, emptiness, and the most disquieting loneliness (Haley page 1). Its up to one to figure out how and where their family started. My grandfather Frank Douglas and my grandmother Delores Jones gave me a reason to find out where our legacy started. My grandparents have told me many things I never thought I would know about which has expanded my knowledge for the better.

Managing and Leading Strategic Change

Managing and Leading Strategic Change Introduction According to Weick and Quinn (1999), organizational change is a fundamental practice. Organizational change involves numerous practices that aim at introducing new approaches. Enhancement of organizational functions leads to the improvement of performance in organizations. It includes the restructuring of organizational functions so as to pave the way for the introduction of the desired changes in the organization.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Managing and Leading Strategic Change specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In most cases, the change affects the culture of an organization as it may call for an overhaul of organizational norms and routines. In this paper, it is argued that organizations have varying practices. The introduction of these practices impede to the management of change. According to Cameron Green (2004), the success and sustainability of organizational performance can be achieved throu gh the strategic management of change in organizations. When managing change in companies, managers need to be aware of the potential impacts of introducing change programs in the organization (Burnes, 2004). The most critical factor that needs to be given attention in the management of organizational change is the culture of an organization. Strategic change often affects the culture of a company and should thus be planned and implemented by factoring in all the operational features of organization (Stace and Dunphy, 1991). This paper discusses the management of strategic change in business ventures. The study looks into organizational culture and how it is affected by strategic change. The paper discusses how the culture of an organization affects the introduction and implementation of change programs. In the paper, it is argued that organizational culture can affect organizational change in either a positive or negative way. Organizational Culture Theory and strategic change Orga nizational culture entails the values, beliefs and attitudes that are held by a firm. These elements define the practices implemented in an organization. Organizational members often consider organizational realities based on their practices. Patterns of behaviour in organizations are best explained through observing the culture of organizations. Culture is critical to the routine operation of a firm. Management of the organization is faceted by the culture of the particular company (Daft, Murphy Willmott, 2010). Therefore, any force that is likely to induce changes in the culture of an organization brings about disturbances to its management. However, modern organizations operate in an environment that is dynamic and continues changing all the time.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This means that they have to keep adjusting their managerial styles. This has a dir ect impact on culture. In most cases, organizational change programs are seen as sources of conflict in the managerial practices of organizations. Change brings about new practices. Organizational members often get it hard to adapt to the new practices because of the habit to use long-held approaches (Amagoh, 2008). According to Stace and Dunphy (1991), organizational culture shapes the internal environment of a company. Culture in the context of an organization is composed of many practices, which define the operational environment of an organization. It includes the long-held assumptions, practices and norms. It also includes the rules and modes of organizational operations developed over a long span of time. The long-held practices of an organization are often normalized and form part of the code of conduct for the organizational employees. Culture includes written and unwritten codes to which organizational employees are to be adhered. They are considered to be valid by organiza tional members and thus commonly accepted and widely practiced. The valid practices and long-held patterns of conducting organizational practices are combined to form the corporate culture. The corporate culture presents itself in a number of ways. The main way through which the corporate culture is manifested in the organization is the mode of business activities. The flow of business transactions differs from one organization to another. The nature in which firms are organized is part of the culture of the company. The other salient feature which depicts the culture of a certain business venture is the manner in which power is distributed in the entity (Fineman, 2008). Power structure which defines the distribution of power and authority in organization varies from one company to the other. This separates one firm from another, hence it is a component of organizational culture. The treatment of organizational workers, customers and the other publics is also a component of organiza tional culture. Therefore, it is worthwhile to deduce that organizational culture is derived from a wide range of organizational functions. The manner in which these functions are performed by companies is what is referred to as corporate culture. Corporate culture defines the characteristics of organizations and how they play out in the interaction between the organization and the environment in which the business operates (Fineman, 2008).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Managing and Leading Strategic Change specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The relationship between organizational culture and strategic change management Organizational culture is the strongest force in organizations. Therefore, it is quite hard to eliminate the long-held practices in a company. However, organizational change has forces which demand a restructuring of organizational operations. With organizational change, the interruption of the cultu re of an organization is an unavoidable activity. Strategic change management is a desired activity in organizations given to the fact that organizations operate in an environment that keeps changing. Change, which occurs in the external environment, necessitates strategic change in organizations as well. The goals and objectives set by the firm are patterned by strategies. Strategies help in the organization to discharge of duties among its workers and managers. They propel organizations towards meeting the laid-down goals. The need for organizational change emanates from forces in the larger environment in which firms carry out their activities. In order to adjust to the forces and maintain their performance records, organizations are often forced to make adjustments to their activities. This helps them in absorbing the stocks from these forces and forging ahead with their operations without impediments. In some cases, change is not only necessitated by the forces of the external environment (Clegg, Kornberger and Pitsis, 2005). The need for improvement of internal efficiency also necessitates organizational change. Strategic change management is a process that entails a deep look into the operations of the environment and the need to improve the operations through the introduction of new ways of handling organizational tasks. Strategic change can take place in two ways. One of the models of strategic change in companies is the introduction of new programs to replace the prevailing programs. Such cases occur when there is a need for an overhaul of organizational functions so as to meet the demands of the external environment of a firm (Fineman, 2008). For a business company, this is a common practice due to the existence of competition from the external environment. Business firms face a lot of competition in the market, therefore, they keep monitoring trends in the industry and adjust to those trends accordingly. They also keep monitoring other business fir ms which are considered to be their rivals.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Therefore, change in strategy by their competitors forces them to make changes to an equal degree in order not to be competitively disadvantaged in the market. As they keep working, organizational managers seek to identify areas of weakness in organizations. Organizational weakness resonates from a number of features. These include policies, structure, operational environment and strategies (Bamford and Forrester, 2003). The identification of the areas of weakness is a crucial step for organizational managers as these areas are the sources of inefficiency in the operation of the companies. Therefore, change is needed in streamlining areas which have weaknesses. This means that the routine operations will be interfered with so that the operations can be streamlined. Organizational change is a continuous process. Change occurs in cycles. This means that change cannot be avoided. Change prevails at all times. Strategic change has an enormous impact on the organizational culture. With o rganizational change, the culture of an organization is often subjected to adjustments (Bamford and Forrester, 2003). According to Teece, Pisano and Shuen (1997), organizations keep seeking for better means of improving efficiency and effectiveness in performance. Unlike in the ancient times when organizations stuck to certain modes of operation, modern organization are dynamic. The ancient environment favoured the maintenance of organizational culture because the ancient operating market was less competitive as compared to the current one which is distinguished for high competition. Modern organizations highly embrace dynamism. This is caused by the fact that there is high competition and the need to attain a competitive position in order to benefit from the operational environment. Organizations keep searching for mechanisms of improving the processes of management. Strategic change management is thus a dynamic process which enables organizations to develop and implement strategic goals. Strategic goals are often detailed and seek to address issues within organizations. Organizations engage in a wide rage of activities. Most of these activities force organizations to make changes to their structures (Teece, Pisano and Shuen, 1997). Corporate change and strategic management – influence on organizational culture Organizations seek to raise the levels of performance by diversifying their programs and functions. Corporate strategies lead organizations to the attainment of practices and activities that help them in meeting their corporate goals. Corporate change starts by the evaluation of the competitive landscape within which an organization works. Organizations are required to analyse their capabilities. Capabilities of organizations are reflected in their assets and liabilities. Strategies of change are often developed based on operational capacity of firms. Strategic changes are implemented using organizational resources. This means that limitation of organizational resources will often pose difficulties in the implementation of corporate change. Corporate change entails cumulative changes that are made to the design of organizations (Lucke, 2003). Corporate change is driven by the need for an improvement of organizational practices so as to capitalize on opportunities that exist in the operational environment. On the other hand, corporate change may be directed at eliminating harmful effects that come from the environment. All in all, the motives for organizational change are to improve the performance of an organization. In situations where the forces in the environment are too strong, companies may be forced to use resources to put them in a position in which they cannot be swayed by the forces. In case of mounting pressures from external organizations, businesses are left with limited options. They work under limited timelines. If it takes them longer to adapt to changes, they are bound to fail. Thus, they make quick adjustm ents to corporate functions. This is a risky exercise and puts organizations in a tight angle. Corporate change has to be aligned with organizational strategies. However, this is a daunting task because change results in modification of organizational culture from which organizational strategies are derived (Alvesson, M Sveningsson, 2007). As earlier observed, the current management environment is competitive and highly dynamic. Therefore, firms engage in various activities to help them in keeping pace with their rivals. Organizations must learn to deal with different pressures that result from change as it is a process that cannot be avoided (Argyris, 2001). Organizational change is an activity that has a high degree of dynamism. An example of such activities that are commonly practiced by firms as a way of raising their competitive strengths are mergers and acquisitions (Kavanagh Ashkanasy, 2006). Mergers and acquisitions are among the practices in strategic change management. T hey are part of the operational strategies that are applied by many firms today (Buono Bowditch, 2003). They have an immense impact on the culture of organizations involved. Acquisitions and mergers have proved to be effective mechanisms of attaining growth, corporate diversity and rationalization of organizational operations. According to Van Knippenberg and van Leeuwen (2001), mergers and acquisitions entail a wide range of activities which have a direct effect on the culture of organizations. When organizations involve in merger and acquisitions, they are forced to adopt new models of working. Firms which have emerged often come up with a new charter that defines the functioning of the resultant organizations. Structures of operation used by each organization keep changing. This means that new cultures are developed by such strategic practices of managing firms. Therefore, organizational leaders that are involved in conducting merger and acquisitions are often faced with difficu lt tasks. They have to ensure that they align the structures of the organization with its function. Stable working organizations are developed when the culture of companies, taking part in merger exercise, is properly aligned (Kavanagh Ashkanasy, 2006). This helps in eliminating hitches that may hinder the work of such organizations. Introduction of new structures involves a change in the style of leadership in organizations. Change in organizational leadership necessitates modifications in the pattern of work. Experts in strategic leadership and management argue that change in cross organizational contact is realized when organizations communicate changes to all their members (King et al., 2004; Herscovitch and Meyer, 2002). The impact of radical change on the stability of organizational members Huy (2002) observed that there are different circumstances that necessitate the introduction of change programs in organizations. In a number of cases, organizational managers introduce ra pid change to contain certain situations. Rapid change is introduced to aid in arresting certain situation which seem trivial to organizational functioning. While rapid change programs are applauded for mitigating the barriers to organizational performance, they also have negative effects on the emotional stability of the companies. Rapid changes come with rapid adjustments to work patterns in the businesses. In most cases, employees are taken aback with these change programs. Stability of emotions among organizational employees is a crucial factor. Employees feel more content when they are performing the tasks that they are used in organizations. Rapid changes introduced may require employees to perform the tasks which they had gotten used to performing in the past. The nature and pace of adjustments are defined by the rapid change programs which are often undesired. The situation is further aggravated if there is a failure of organizational managers to perform a quick assessment o f the organization, prior to introducing such program (Fineman, 2003). In most cases, such programs end up failing to meet their intended objectives because they do not take into account the emotional state of organizational employees. The emotional state of employees is determined by the operational norms of an organization, thence organizational culture. Every activity, which has the potential to sway the mental state of employees, needs to be approached with caution. Therefore, the quality of strategic management is critical at this stage. The introduction of such change programs calls for closer supervision, guidance and continuous encouragement of workers as they perform the stipulated tasks. Emotional intelligence management is highly desired in the discharge of duties that come with rapid change programs in organizations (Plowman et al., 2007). Diversity of strategic options may occur in challenging and at the same time in normal times. In any case, the quality of leadership which is part of organizational culture becomes the key determinant of effective choices (Delbridge, Gratton and Johnson, 2006). The high level of professionalism of organizational leaders is desired since it helps them to make rational decisions for organizations. If mistakes are made at this stage, then there is a high likelihood of missing the mark in pursuance of change in organizations. In most cases, organizational members differ with the choice of strategies. Sound leaders are manifested at this crucial point (Latta, 2009). This helps organization in reaching consensus about the desired strategies. The choice of change strategies is affected by the culture of an organization. The choices that are made by the managers must be compatible with organizational operations (Pettigrew, 1990). Conclusion Change is a desired practice in the management of organizations. Organizational change entails the introduction of several adjustments to the operations of the companies. Change in or ganizations is a dynamic process. Strategic management of change is a combination of activities that help businesses in meeting the demand from the external environment. It has a direct effect on organizational culture. It is therefore imperative to say that culture can have both positive and negative impacts on organizational change. When the practices of an organization favour a given course of events, which denotes change, then it becomes easy to implement change programs. When a number of new organizational programs and process impact heavily on organizational norms, it becomes difficult for organizations to implement the programs and processes. In such cases, it forces organizations to devise and implement strategies which would ensure that organizational members and structures absorb change. Organizational culture entails the practices that are embraced by business ventures. From the discussion, it can be deduced that organizational culture is highly impacted upon by change pr ograms. Strategic change programs are desired as they help organizations adapt to the practices of strengthening the competitive forces of organizations. Leading strategic change entails the analysis of organizational practices and making recommendations that favour the performance of companies. More often, organizational change involves practices that force organizations to make substantial adjustments to their system of operation. Many companies are working on modalities of improving performance. Most organizational practices have a significant effect on the way firms work. It is, therefore, vital for organizational managers being vigilant as they introduce new programs. Change programs have many aspects of dynamism which affect organizational culture. Reference List Alvesson, M Sveningsson, S 2007, Changing Organizational Culture: Cultural Change Work in Progress, Taylor Francis, New York, amazon.com/Changing-Organizational-Culture-Cultural-Progress/dp/0415437628. Amagoh, F 200 8, ‘Perspectives on Organizational Change: Systems and Complexity Theories’, The Innovation Journal: The Public Sector Innovation Journal, vol. 13 no. 3, 1-14, innovation.cc/scholarly-style/amagoh3dec2008jag2rev1.pdf. Argyris, C 2001, On Organizational Learning, Blackwell, London. Bamford, D Forrester, P 2003, ‘Managing planned and emergent change within an operations management environment’, International Journal of Operations Production Management, vol. 23 no. 5, 546–556, emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=849475show=pdf. Buono, A F Bowditch, J L 2003, The human side of mergers and acquisitions: Managing collisions between people, cultures, and organizations, Beard Books, Washington, DC, http://books.google.com/books?id=MqRPbirnnBcCprintsec=frontcoverhl=ru#v=onepageqf=false. Burnes, 2004, Managing Change, Pearson Education, UK. Cameron, E Green, M 2004, Making Sense of Change Management, Kogan Page, London. Clegg, S, Kornberger, M, Pits is, T 2005, Managing and Organizations: An introduction to Theory and Practice, Sage, London. Daft, RL, Murphy, J Willmott, H 2010, Organization theory and design, South-Western Cengage Learning, Andover, amazon.com/Organization-Theory-Design-Richard-Daft/dp/0324598890. Delbridge, R, Gratton, L Johnson, G 2006, The Exceptional Manager, Oxford University Press, Oxford, amazon.co.uk/Exceptional-Manager-Making-Difference/dp/0199228736. Fineman, S 2003, Understanding Emotion at Work, Sage, London, amazon.com/Understanding-Emotion-Work-Stephen-Fineman/dp/0761947906. Fineman, S 2008, Emotional organization; Passions and the Power, Blackwell, London, amazon.com/Emotional-Organization-Passions-Power/dp/1405160306. Herscovitch, L Meyer, J P 2002, ‘Commitment to organizational change: Extension of a three-component model’, Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 87 no. 2, 474–487, http://journals1.scholarsportal.info.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/tmp/14169021142071216180.pdf. Huy, Q N 2002, ‘Emotional balancing of organizational continuity and radical change: The contribution of middle managers’, Administrative Science Quarterly, vol. 47 no 3, 31–69, jstor.org/stable/3094890. Kavanagh, M H Ashkanasy, N M, 2006, ‘The Impact of Leadership and Change Management Strategy on Organizational Culture and Individual Acceptance of Change during a Merger’, British Journal of Management, vol. 17 no. 2, 81–103, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-8551.2006.00480.x/abstract;jsessionid=6FF0A229F3A627D5E02A5DBF14D6E133.d01t03?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=userIsAuthenticated=false. King, D R, Dalton, D R, Daily, C M, Covin, J G 2004, ‘Meta-analyses of post acquisition performance: Indications of unidentified moderators’, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 25 no. 2, 187–200, http://journals1.scholarsportal.info.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/tmp/8961001857065712972.pdf. Latta, G F 2009, ‘A Process Mode l of Organizational Change in Cultural Context (OC3 Model): The Impact of Organizational Culture on Leading Change’, Journal of Leadership Organizational Studies, vol. 16 no. 1, 19-37, http://skat.ihmc.us/rid=1GSQPFH9L-D6KVCN-Q90/A%20Process%20Model%20of%20Org%20Change%20in%20Cutural%20Context.pdf. Luecke, R 2003, Managing change and transition, Harvard Business School Press, Boston, amazon.com/Managing-Change-Transition-Richard-Luecke/dp/1578518741. Pettigrew, A 1990, ‘Studying strategic choice and strategic change: a comment on Mintzberg and Waters, ‘Does decision get in the way?’, Organization Studies, vol. 11 no. 1, 6-10, http://journals1.scholarsportal.info.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/tmp/12659491582356535299.pdf. Plowman, D, Baker, L, Beck, T, Kulkarni, M, Solansky, S, Travis, D 2007, ‘Radical change accidentally: the emergence and amplification of small change’, Academy of Management Journal, vol. 50, no. 3, 515–543, http://bus.utk.e du/mgt/faculty/personal/plowman/documents/AMJradicalchange.pdf. Stace, D Dunphy, D 1991, ‘Beyond traditional paternalistic and developmental approaches to organizational change and human resource strategies, International Journal of Human Resource Management, vol. 22 no. 3, 263–284, tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09585199100000068. Teece, D, Pisano, G Shuen, A 1997, ‘Dynamic capabilities and strategic management’, Strategic Management Journal, vol. 18 no. 2, 509–533, http://faculty.fuqua.duke.edu/~charlesw/s591/Bocconi-Duke/Papers/C10/TeecePisanoShuenSMJ.pdf. Van Knippenberg, D Van Leeuwen, E 2001, ‘Organizational identity after a merger: Sense on continuity as a key to postmerger identification’, In: M. A. Hogg and D. J. Terry (eds), Social identity processes in organizational contexts, Psychology Press, Philadelphia, http://gpi.sagepub.com/content/13/4/461.refs. Weick, K E Quinn, R 1999, ‘Organizational change and developmen t’, American Review of Psychology, vol. 50 no. 4, 361-86, http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/docview/205830411.

My Fair Lady Essays - My Fair Lady, Tony Award For Best Musical

My Fair Lady Essays - My Fair Lady, Tony Award For Best Musical My Fair Lady My Fair Lady is a musical comedy written by Bernard Shaw, which is set in England. The story is about Elisa, who spoke very bad English, with a cockney accent, but she wanted to learn how to speak better English, so she went to a phonetics? teacher, Higgins. Elisa was very poor, so she didn?t have the money to pay for the lessons. Then Higgins made a bet with Pickering, another phonetics? teacher, that he could pass Elisa of as a duchess. Then after two months they had to put her on proof. She did great. But they didn?t give her any credit for her work, only for Higgins? work. So she went out of Higgins? house. But Higgins? missed her. Later Elisa returned and they stayed together. I think the actors are very good. And Audrey Hepburn as Elisa and Rex Harrison as Higgins were perfect. Stanley Holloway as Pickering was very good too. I learnt that you needn?t speak perfectly to be a better person. I would recommend this film to people who like musical, because there?s too much singing in the film.

Challenges faced by Technology Business-Free-Samples for Students

Tech organizations are bigger and more varied as compared to the others. This rapidly growing and expansive field attracts the investors and venture capitalists. However, I found that the technology companies face various unique challenges that the start-ups of other companies may not have to face.   Major challenges faced by the tech companies are as follows – Continuous change – continuous changes in the technology as compared to other industries lead to the start-up issues. Lot of pressures are there for quick move and beating the competitor for finding a solution. Owing to these factors, investors think twice before investing in tech companies. Partnership decisions – as the new business partnership with any other company from the same field may sound great. However, as the stakes are comparatively higher for the start-up of tech companies the operations can be ruined easily if the mainstream technologies become obsolete. Therefore, as the chances of financial losses are higher, most of the investors do not find the tech companies as profitable investment option. I found that sometimes the tech start-ups find it difficult for using the start-up loan or bank loan as the funding option. It may take long time for a platform or app for becoming profitable. For instance, Twitter, one of the widely used social network still making loss in each year. Some funding options for tech companies are as follows – Bootstrapping – this is a funding option that will use my own resources for generating a product that is minimum viable and releasing that in the market as early as possible and thereafter, feedback from the audience will be taken for improving and refining the product (Jonsson and Lindbergh 2013). Instead of investing too much money and time for creation of a product that I feel is perfect, it will be a wise decision to create a product as per the requirement of the potential customer. The main advantage of this funding is I will be able to work more efficiently for the final product and gain customers those may assist in generating profit in initial stages (Albert et al. 2014). Crowd funding – this type of funding is divided into reward-based crowd funding and equity crowd funding. Under equity option, the investors will invest their money for my business and will get equity as return (Mollick 2014). On the other hand, under reward-based option, people invest their money in my business and will receive reward in return. The main advantage of this form of funding is that with the reward-based option, I will have full control and under the equity-based option I can offer the investor exactly the same that I will feel comfortable with. It will also assist me in showcasing the fact that there is an active market for my proposal (Sahm et al. 2014). However, the crowd funding is considerably time consuming and requires big commitment for success Albert, M., Bartlett, J., Johnston, R.N., Schacter, B. and Watson, P., 2014. Biobank bootstrapping: is biobank sustainability possible through cost recovery?.  Biopreservation and biobanking,  12(6), pp.374-380. Jonsson, S. and Lindbergh, J., 2013. The development of social capital and financing of entrepreneurial firms: From financial bootstrapping to bank funding.  Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice,  37(4), pp.661-686. Mollick, E., 2014. The dynamics of crowdfunding: An exploratory study.  Journal of business venturing,  29(1), pp.1-16. Sahm, M., Belleflamme, P., Lambert, T. and Schwienbacher, A., 2014. Corrigendum to â€Å"Crowdfunding: Tapping the right crowd†.  Journal of Business Venturing,  29(5), pp.610-611.

Harlem Riot of 1943 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Harlem Riot of 1943 - Research Paper Example The culture of the period affected the way in which the events were reported, the tone of the media shadowed by the way in which society viewed the African American place within it. The Harlem riot of 1943 is an event that shows how the media has a great influence on the way in which public opinion is created about events and the people who are involved. The Harlem riot of 1943 occurred after an incident where a policeman had hit an African American woman that he was arresting for charges stemming from a public disturbance. As he was about to hit her again, a young African American soldier by the name of Robert Bandy moved to stop the policeman’s violence. As a result, the soldier was shot in the shoulder, but the rumor was spread that he was killed which sparked the riot. The incident occurred on August 1, 1943 and the riot was finally ended on August 3 after six people were killed with 500 African Americans arrested (Capeci 116: New York Times). In studying riots, the most c ommon format from which to characterize the events is from the precipitating event, such as the shooting of the soldier who was defending the woman. The emotions created by this event created a climate of violent reaction in which the targets of the volatile consequences were representations of authority. Riots are almost always a result of a social injustice that becomes a part of a theater of violence in which the participants are acting out the underlying emotions of that injustice (Monti 42). The conflict was not representative of black-white confrontation as much as it was represented by confrontations with police and with symbols of oppression and authority which included local stores. According to Gold, â€Å"Observers attributed the Harlem riot to the fact that blacks’ opportunities and living conditions showed few signs of improvement, despite the booming wartime economy† (85). Oppression led to an outburst against that oppressive state in order to express the unequal position that was imposed upon those living in neighborhoods where hope was a limited commodity. The dynamics of the social situation was reflected in the resources that were provided by the media as the event was covered. The Kerner Commission, which was the 1968 National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, was given the task of looking at the riots that had occurred during the 20th century and at the multiple causes of difficulties that were segregating Caucasians from African Americans. Using the Harlem riot of 1943 as one example of the problems that were evolving, a report by the commission charged â€Å"the nation’s media with contributing to a culture of ignorance and prejudice that imprisoned African Americans in stereotypes and helped to foster and perpetuate the poverty and discrimination that eventually led to turmoil† (Henry 80). The specific recommendation to thwart this problem was a call to the news media to include black voices so that a mo re equitable balance of information could be heard (Henry 80). The mainstream press covered the events through perspectives that have not held up historically. According to Lubin, â€Å"the mainstream press repeatedly insisted that it was not a race riot, but rather the work of gangs of hoodlums. Some white critics argued that it was the result of racial ‘

Female Orgasm Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Female Orgasm - Essay Example Once at the point of a sexual high they are in a rhythmic stage which allows them to feel at the precept of having an orgasm. However, it can be factually said that many men have no idea of where to even begin in bringing a woman to this point, let alone to a climax because the woman's human anatomy is far more complex than the man's is. Therefore many women suffer from sexual frustration because they are not granted the same pleasure sexually that their male counterpart is. There are different forms of orgasms that are easier to obtain than from vaginal intercourse alone. These three different female orgasms are known as, clitoral, G-spot, and then of course the vaginal. Researchers who have studied the interactions of sex among human beings have found that many women have clitoral orgasms far easier than they do the G-spot or through vaginal intercourse. The reasoning in-behind this is the fact that women have to have clitoral stimulation while there is sexual penetration in order to gain a fulfilling orgasm, which many men fail to give to women. This is one of the reasons that it has been discovered many women fake their orgasms because their partners are not fulfilling their sexual needs. This can be validated and proven by showing that a study carried out by the American Medical Association defined the fact that 43 % of women are sexually dysfunctional and do not have regular orgasmic experiences during sexual interactions (Oumano 2000, p. 34). Als o, another 10 % to 15 % of women never even have an orgasm, not even through their own masturbation techniques. In cases such as these the male partner is not to blame but it is rather an anatomical dysfunction or it could perhaps be psychological as well. Also, viable evidence shows that many women, around 30 % to be exact never have an orgasm through vaginal penetration alone, which validates the fact that was stated, which emphasized that vaginal intercourse along with clitoral stimulation is the way to bring about a fulfilling orgasm for the woman.Because of this fact, and in order to demystify the vaginal and G-spot orgasmic experience, many researchers claim that the clitoral area is where all orgasms stem from (Oumano 2000, p. 35). However this can be refuted itself because many women claim that no two orgasms are ever the same and some are more intensely pleasing than others, especially those who are directly from clitoral stimulation and oral sex. Also, from a philosophical context, Fr eud stated that women who could experience an orgasm during sexual intercourse must be experiencing a vaginal orgasm as many philosophers, psychologists, researchers, and even doctors do not believe that the G-spot truly exists (Rudolf 1997, p. 63). This idea has led to many debates over orgasms among women as a woman knows her body far better than anyone else and she should know whether there is truth in the G-spots existence or not. Clearly women would not agree with Freud as they commonly know that there is a G-spot in their female anatomy. Also, of course if they have actually had the sensational experience of the penis making contact with this area then they assuredly know it exists. Therefore, the conflicting views leaves some puzzlement over why the

How Has Architecture Developed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

How Has Architecture Developed - Essay Example Studies have, however, revealed that the first structures that incorporated architectural designs with respect to beauty and outlook were the worshipping places (Watkin, 2005; 43). The prevailing cultures and religion greatly influenced the type of structures which were constructed in a particular region or place (Ching, 2006; 89). Geography also dictated the type of buildings designed and put up. Today, architecture is no less than science. It is due to the development skills of those in the field of architecture that some huge structures are seen today. The tall and strong buildings, huge bridges and complex structures are attributed to the creativity architectural experts (Hugh, 2000; 20). Architecture was an important discipline in the ancient times and its importance continues to be seen today. All the existing designs are a proof that the field has been developing. The growth and development is still ongoing albeit being influenced by some factors like geography, religion and societal

FedEx's HR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

FedEx's HR - Essay Example The FedEx Team integrates a range of technological solutions, Management Information Systems, and leadership ideas to deliver quality services by maintenance of cohesion in its team and monitoring of performance levels. Use of innovative technology begins right with the collection of the shipments. FedEx ® Ship Manager Software gives a unique track record of the shipment from collection to delivery. The software also helps the company in risk mitigation during transit. FedEx Compatible Solutions Program gives, the customer, flexible shipping options linked with time and cost. White Glove Services ® and FedEx Custom Critical also provide customer specific deliverables. The company’s intellectual properties are owned, operated and protected by its IT division. The increased focus on quality deliverances go hand in hand with strengthening of the company’s human resource infrastructure. FedEx allows strategic decision making at all levels and has a well-oiled system to monitor its implementation by managing the upward, downward and lateral flow of information. Four business divisions of FedEx are integrated by a centralised IT system that has an annual budget of $1.5 Billion. 7 Habits ® training module keeps the IT team in a dynamic improvement of key skills mode. The company used the exclusive FXTV and IP multi-cast technology to keep the employees, worldwide, abreast of a change management initiative. The training curriculum in FedEx, the Leadership Evaluation and Awareness Process (LEAP) carried out in-house at Leadership Institute moulds employees into middle rung managers, sometimes catapulting them to the top echelons of the company. An Internet based program helps the employees to look up and seek company wide promotion oppo rtunities available. This doesn’t exclude company’s policy to take into its ambit, at any level, HR talent from outside. Creativity, aptitude, and to undertake

Human Trafficking Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Trafficking - Research Paper Example According to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), human trafficking is defined according to the nature and purpose of trafficking human beings. Hence, TVPA defines sex trafficking as an act where â€Å"a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such an act has not attained 18 years of age† (Department of States.., 2007, p.7). The TVPA defines other kinds of trafficking as â€Å"the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use offorce, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery†. In simple words, the victims of trafficking are forced to work by keeping them captive (Hart, 2009, p. 4). Forced labor is called trafficking even when a person is forced to work against his will in his own country. According to International Labor Organization (ILO), at a given time, around 12.3 million to 27 million people are the victim of "forced labor, bonded labor, forced child labor, and sexual servitude" in different parts of the world. This shows that the racket of human trafficking is not only strong but is also widespread. The statistics also suggest that traffickers are not restricted to certain areas or countries. In fact, traffickers increase the vulnerability of the victims by trafficking them to the countries at the vast distance, where the victims feel alien due to a large barrier in language and culture.... In simple words, the victims of trafficking are forced to work by keeping them captive (Hart, 2009, p. 4). Forced labor is called trafficking even when a person is forced to work against his will in his own country. According to International Labor Organization (ILO), at a given time, around 12.3 million to 27 million people are victim of â€Å"forced labor, bonded labor, forced child labor, and sexual servitude† in different parts of the world (Department of States.., 2007, p.8). This shows that the racket of human trafficking is not only strong, but is also wide spread. The statistics also suggest that traffickers are not restricted to certain areas or countries. In fact, traffickers increase the vulnerability of the victims by trafficking them to the countries at vast distance, where the victims feel alien due to a large barrier in language and culture (Department of States.., 2007, p.7). This further removes the chances of victims asking for help or support from people aro und them. In this way, traffickers use different methods to weaken the victims and make them feel vulnerable, bonded and slave at the hands of the traffickers and customers. Types Of Human Trafficking There are different types of human trafficking like bonded labor, involuntary servitude, domestic servitude, prostitution etc (Hart, 2009, p. 6). People who are victim of human trafficking are forced to work in various fields and farms to plant and harvest the crop (Hart, 2009, p. 6). Some are made to work in restaurants to do cleanup jobs (Hart, 2009, p. 6). Women and children are forced to work hard as domestic servant, either by torturing them physically and emotionally, or by promising them good pay and schooling (Hart, 2009, p. 6). They are made to

How Has Architecture Developed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

How Has Architecture Developed - Essay Example Studies have, however, revealed that the first structures that incorporated architectural designs with respect to beauty and outlook were the worshipping places (Watkin, 2005; 43). The prevailing cultures and religion greatly influenced the type of structures which were constructed in a particular region or place (Ching, 2006; 89). Geography also dictated the type of buildings designed and put up. Today, architecture is no less than science. It is due to the development skills of those in the field of architecture that some huge structures are seen today. The tall and strong buildings, huge bridges and complex structures are attributed to the creativity architectural experts (Hugh, 2000; 20). Architecture was an important discipline in the ancient times and its importance continues to be seen today. All the existing designs are a proof that the field has been developing. The growth and development is still ongoing albeit being influenced by some factors like geography, religion and societal