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Aristotle... Virtues and Vices essays

Aristotle... Excellencies and Vices papers 1. Aristotle What does Aristotle consider an uprightness and how does this decide Aristotle...

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

The Pros And Cons Of Management - 1002 Words

Respondent rejects recommended sanction †¢ Hearing committee is convened to hear the case by the Title IX Deputy. Respondent accepts recommended sanction †¢ Respondent and complainant review the settlement document and sign it in agreement. †¢ If both parties do not agree with the settlement, a hearing committee will be convened to hear the case. B. Investigative Procedures for Allegations against University Employees Notice/report/information received – Any report or complaint received from a University Employee that alleges the sexual misconduct policy has been violated is reviewed by the Title IX Coordinator. NOTE: The Title IX Coordinator, based on the information received, may also open a complaint at their discretion or at the†¦show more content†¦Formal Investigation – If a formal investigation is deemed appropriate and/or requested, the Title IX Coordinator will contact the Title IX Deputy in Human Resources to begin a thorough and comple te investigation of the complaint. This process is separate from any law enforcement investigations which may be occurring at the same time. This process will not wait for the law enforcement/criminal process to conclude and instead continues separately in a timely manner. The Title IX Deputy in Human Resources will: †¢ interview the complainant. †¢ send a letter of allegation(s) to the respondent and request a meeting to discuss the allegation(s). †¢ interview the respondent. †¢ conduct other investigative tasks as needed (e.g. interviewing witnesses, gathering other relevant information). †¢ determine preponderance and recommended sanction in consultation with the Title IX Coordinator. Post Investigation – After a thorough investigation has been conducted, the Title IX Deputy will meet with the Title IX Coordinator to discuss information obtained. Information is reviewed to determine if the preponderance of evidence standard is met. Preponderanc e of Evidence Standard Met - Finding of Responsibility: †¢ The Title IX Deputy will communicate the recommendation(s) to respondent and complainant in writing. †¢ If the respondent does not agree with the recommended sanction o The Title IX Deputy will refer the respondent to the Chancellor for an appeal. †¢ If theShow MoreRelatedScientific Management: Pros and Cons1415 Words   |  6 PagesFrederick Winslow Taylor (1865 - 1915) define Scientific Management or Taylorism with 4 principles as explained in appendix A. His principles were than perfected by Henry Ford which known as Fordism, and it showed the world it could be applied and with great success. Although now it s being diluted with different theories and principles in modern era, but the main core principles is still widely used around the world as it brings a certain degree of success and not as a trial an error method. Read MoreManagement : The Team Leader, You Have Weighed The Pros And Cons Of All Options830 Words   |  4 Pagesleader, you have weighed the pros and cons of all options and prepared a presentation to management on how to address this problem. What do you suggest? After generating my chart package on the plan forward in the matter of the employee John, a meeting would be scheduled with corporate counsel and human resources for a review to ensure the company would be protected from a civil law suit and not to impinge on John’s civil liberties and rights. My recommendation to management would be to terminate John’sRead Morethe pros and cons of a database management system (DBMS) for a new a newly established multi-campus Mpokeleshi University library in Muchinga province of Zambia.1989 Words   |  8 Pagesis an attempt to present a position paper about the pros and cons of a database management system (DBMS) for a new a newly established multi-campus Mpokeleshi University library in Muchinga province of Zambia. It further gives sufficiently clear arguments to enable the vice-chancellor make an informed decision on the way forward. The paper will first define the major concepts under review before outlining the pros and cons of a database management system (DBMS) and finally give sufficiently clearRead MoreHealthcare Workers Vs. Non Health Care Workers Essay816 Words   |  4 Pagescare spending (three-quarters of which is spent to the Medicaid and Medicare recipients), consumers pay 14 percent out of their pocket and private insurers pay more than 35 percent of the health expenses. (Michael, 2008). Pros and cons of working in the health care field: Pros: Ranging from small town physician practices to large, urban medical centers, health care industry offers varied employment opportunities. Most health care jobs provide medical and other benefits such as short term and longRead MoreBenefits Of A Healthcare Manager887 Words   |  4 Pagesable to improve and help in providing appropriate patient care. They plan, direct, and coordinate medical and health services making them an important asset to the healthcare field in general. However, just like any other job position, there are pros and cons to being a healthcare manager. But with the responsibility over facilities, services, staff, and budgets, a healthcare manager tremendously affects daily healthcare operations. Overall, the healthcare manager is an important member of the healthcareRead MoreHow Business With The Right E Commerce Platform Essay1251 Words   |  6 Pageswho still wants to be the bread-winner of your family. It’s never late to start weaving your dream with just a bit of knowledge about e-commerce platform is all you need. For which I am here to enlighten you about e-commerce platform and there pros and cons. Things you should know about E-commerce Platforms Before starting you should know what e-commerce platform is? Similar to brick and mortar shop, e-commerce or electronic commerce is a software solution that offers merchants to build a storefrontRead MoreEssay on Pros and Cons of E-Commerce556 Words   |  3 Pages Pros and Cons of E-Commerce nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Electronic commerce or e-commerce involves the buying and selling of products or services over the internet. Put simply, e-commerce means conducting business online. E-commerce software programs run the main functions of an e-commerce web site, including product display, online ordering, and inventory management. This software resides on a commerce server and works in conjunction with online payment systems to process payments. E-CommerceRead MoreBenefits Of Employees And Wellness Programs763 Words   |  4 PagesMany healthcare organizations are using ROI and VOI (Return on Investment and Value of Investment) methods to measure and justify investment in health management and wellness programs. ROI refers to a financial measurement or size of a return relative to an investment (Nash, et al., 2016). VOI refers to the overall value received (considers both financial and intangible benefits) on any given financial investment (Grossmeier, 2015). ROI based organi zations justify the aforementioned investments onlyRead MoreStaffing Policies - Pros N Cons1319 Words   |  6 PagesThe Pros and Cons of International Staffing 1. Introduction There has been a rapid pace of internationalization and globalization over the last decade. Expanding business operations beyond national boundaries while continuing commitment to local markets requires more complex business structures. One of the most critical determinants of an organization s success in global ventures is the effective management of its human resources. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the advantagesRead MoreAssessing A Career In Business: Project Management. Project1584 Words   |  7 Pagesa Career in Business: Project Management Project management is the discipline of using policies and procedures to manage a project from creation to competition. The intent of this paper is to assess the role of a project manager and determine if I am well suited for a career in project management. To achieve this goal, I will be discussing the following areas: job description, general career path, education requirements, salary, career outlook, and the pros and cons. I will also be interviewing a

Monday, December 16, 2019

Polio As A Deadly Disease - 1500 Words

Polio was a deadly disease that struck the United States hard with various epidemic breakouts throughout the country. There are many books written about the disease and how it was controlled. Polio is a well-researched topic in today’s medical world but in this book, Heather Green Wooten, takes it one step further. She placed the focus of the book in the south, a place where the disease struck almost last yet it claimed many lives. It specifies on the state of Texas. In addition to that, she combined the disease epidemic with the social and economic development of the state in the twentieth century. The book follows a well-organized chronological order stating by the early cases of polio and its spread. Then it talks about Franklin D†¦show more content†¦The purpose of the chapter is to provide the readers with some background information. Along with this, it also shows how panic overtook the American communities. The uncertainty of what the virus was or where it cam e from caused a paranoia in many cities. The initial reaction was to quarantine victims and keep them away from the general public. The spread of the epidemic from northern states to Texas is accredited, according to Wooten, by the mass immigration into Texas by residents of other states during the oil industry’s boom in Texas in the early twentieth century. This exposed many people to polio as they moved into cities and the coastal area of Texas became more and more urbanized. The high standards of American hygene made polio a death threat. The body did not have the ability of fighting a small dose of the disease as new born did when hygene in the country was not so clean. By not being exposed to the virus the body did not produce the adequate antibodies to fight it off. When it struck at a later age the body was defenseless and so the epidemic started. The result of the urbanization of Texas and the many polio outbreaks helped the area create many hospitals and lead the fig ht against polio. The book also highlights the life of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who also suffered of polio. Wooten describes how the president acquired the disease andShow MoreRelatedA Brief Look at Poliomyelitis1287 Words   |  5 PagesPolio or poliomyelitis is a viral infection that normally affects kids below the age of 5years old. This childhood killer disease has been around for my centuries. Polio was first discovered my Jacob Heine in 1840 and later identified by Karl Landsteiner as poliomyelitis caused by polio virus from the enteric family of viruses. The polio virus is acquired through oral-fecal transmission. The Latin name simply means grey matter, and it is meaning inflation. There is a more serious form that can spreadRead MoreWhy The Disease Has Been An Enemy Of A Human Ever Since It First?856 Words   |  4 PagesHyun Hwang Mrs. McGee Section 3 27 April 2015 The disease has been an enemy of a human ever since it first appeared. In fact, humankind has been at war with the disease for most of history, often at the losing end. However, the principle of immunization equalized this adversarial relationship. The concept of vaccination has been one of the most significant medical advancements in history because it has prevented the onset of deadly diseases, has eradicated previously malignant maladies, and hasRead MoreBenefits Of Getting Vaccinated Far Out Weigh The Risks Essay1453 Words   |  6 Pagesalong. But it is due to these vaccines that most children today have never experienced diseases such as polio or the measles such as their grandparents have. Since they have not seen these diseases, parents feel it is unnecessary to vaccinate them for fear of developing the possible side effects or because of reports they cause autism. However, these vaccines are critical for eradicating these deadly infectious diseases, and are vitally needed t o keep them under control. Which makes it absolutely necessaryRead MoreVaccines A Cure Or Curse?984 Words   |  4 Pagesprotect humans against disease. However, currently many people are questioning their use and many Americans are not vaccinating their children. Vaccines are used to prevent disease not cause more health problems which is why they should be encouraged by health clinics across America and required for children to attend public schools. Public schools should require students to be vaccinated to attend school to protect the health of every student and to prevent the spread of diseases in public places. Read MoreReducing Deaths from Infectious Disease in Austrailia948 Words   |  4 Pagesmortality rates from infectious diseases over the last century Introduction Over the last century, the mortality rate from infectious diseases in Australia has declined significantly3. Along with highly successful research to develop effective vaccines, public health campaigns have contributed substantially to this outcome. Organisations such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF have been heavily involved in finding vaccines to treat these diseases and promoting education and communityRead MoreVaccines And The Diseases Of Vaccines1542 Words   |  7 PagesVaccines and the diseases they are used for have been an incredible scientific feat that has changed the way we live drastically. Before vaccines, people were dying rapidly from many diseases that are now either eradicated or controlled. Vaccines have saved millions of lives and are continuing to do so today. People no longer live in fear of catching a disease from other people due to vaccinations and what they do to the body. Diseases come in all shapes and sizes, and science has been able to successfullyRead MoreThe Importance Of Vaccines And Its Effect On Children915 Words   |  4 Pageschildren are not able to get vaccinated due to medical conditions and due to that they have a weak immune system that is incredibly vulnerable to infections. Everyday that these children go to school they are put at a prodigious risk for contacting a disease that could compromise their immune system and their lives. By implementing a vaccination requirement in all public schools we will be able to better protect our children. Vaccines are important for a number of reasons, three of which I will discussRead MoreThe 1944 Polio Epidemic of Newark, New Jersey during World War II 693 Words   |  3 PagesPhilip Roth constructs a dynamic between disease and a reinvention of the self through Bucky Cantor’s attempts at heroism. Set in the 1944 polio epidemic of Newark, New Jersey during World War II, the novel tells the story of a young man, Bucky, whose town lives in a state of fe ar of the disease. Bucky’s futile attempts to overcome the fear of this deadly pestilence and become a hero ultimately bring him to his downfall. Through Bucky’s endeavors, the disease consumes him, both literally and metaphoricallyRead MorePrevention Of The Anti Vaccination Movement1472 Words   |  6 Pagesheadaches, aches and pains, fever, or runny noses are all common symptoms. They are symptoms that can lead to anything from the common cold to a deadly viral infection. It is because of this that vaccinations are a fundamental part of society and why doctors and parents alike advocate for hand washing, hydrating, and staying home when you are ill. Disease prevention is a corner stone in today’s society and has been one for around 200 years since; Edward Jenner created and administered the first smallpoxRead MoreThe Vaccination Of A Vaccine1586 Words   |  7 Pagesadministered in one of three ways: (1) via syringe and needle injected into a muscle, (2) a nasal spray though the sinus canals, or (3) a liquid that is ingested via mouth. If a person is getting a polio vaccine, for example, then the vaccine would be made up of the the weakened or dead virus of polio and administered as mentioned above. The body then reacts to the virus creating an antibody to be produced and used by your immune system; the antibody’s job is to identify and neutralize the virus

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Strategic Management In Small and Medium Enterprises

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Management in Small Medium Enterprises. Answer: Introduction: There has been a recent growth in the industry that is expected to be sustainable for half a decade. The brewers in the industry have been boosted by the growth that has been seen in the emerging markets in china, India and Brazil that has been fueling their capital investments. The consumption of beer is expected to rise in the coming years. However, there are threats facing the market that has displayed a risk to the projected growth (Ledovskikh, 2016). There has been a financial crisis that has been promoted by the fall in demand, increased competition in the market, and the fact that the some governments are focused on reducing the consumption of alcohol. Thus, the traditional global brewers have been driven by the threats to look into invigorating the supply chain, create umbrella brands and also drive a strategic innovation to build the market share. Research has critic the market implying that the consumption in the markets in the United States and Western Europe have been sta gnant because of the demographic transformations strict regulations and tax rules connected to the universal financial crisis (MarketLine 2015). America has always been seen as the original home for craft beer and it has consider its craft beer to use traditional ingredients. The Australian beer market comes in the history with iconic brands that appears to have deep connection with the state, the origin of manufacturing and where growth opportunities were aimed at developing distributions networks between states. The distribution of beer in the Australian market is guided by licensing the liquor and also the link between the traditional brewers and the consolidated Australian supermarket industry. The role the Australian government is playing is also important for the smaller operations. The tax system for the government has been favoring the draught beer that is sold through kegs. The traditional brewer has on the other hand been looking to maintaining the status quo through well entrenched arrangements with hoteliers (Rutishauser, Rickert Sanger, 2015). PESTLE analysis, is a concept in marketing principles that is usually used by organizations as a tool to track the environment they are operating in and to plan a launch of new products in the market (Dransfield, 2004). PESTLE is a mnemonic that stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental. The tool can give the beer industry a birds eye view of the entire operational environment from various angles to check and track while developing new ideas (Rao Sivaramakrishna, 2008). The industry is surrounded by different stakeholders. The suppliers are the ones supplying the industry with the raw materials to make the brew. The competitors are the companies that have similar products as Chester Kent Craft Beer. The customers are the target markets that the industry intends to sell the brew. (Gorgenla?nder, 2010). The political factors involve the strict legislation set by the government regarding alcohol consumption that may hinder clients from buy the product. Such actions by government to limit alcohol consumption might prevent many people from taking the brew and thus, low customer demand. The environment in this case may be the premises around the company that may raise issues concerning the pollution effects of the company. Such may raise issues that could make the company lose focus while dealing with concerned authorities. For the legal aspects, it may include the taxations that the authorities have imposed on the alcohol that may force the company to raise its prices that may then be followed by few consumer consumption. The socio cultural factors as the religious beliefs may force the people to stop consuming alcohol. Also, there are certain cultural values that do not allow alcohol consumption. Economic elements includes the financial crisis that can affect the brewing companies. Also, there is the competition in the global market that may make the company incur more costs than expected to be able to become sustainable in the market. Technology is also an important aspect in the industry. The use of technology can imply in terms of online marketing and transactions and also, Chester Kent Craft Beer can use digital machinery in its production. Industry environments The industry is revolving around the stakeholders for the company. The customers, suppliers, employees, and other stakeholders needs to be considered for the success of the business. Porters five forces is a tool for analysis that is usually used to analyze the competition levels within an industry and business strategies development. The tool draws upon the economics of the industrial organizations to derive the forces that defines the competitive levels and as such the attractiveness of the industry. The forces were developed to help companies to be able to assess and evaluate the competitive strength and position of a business corporation (Kossowski, 2007). The forces discovered by porter can help the beer industry globally to identify where the power lies in the business situation considering there are expected growth and also financial crisis is affecting the business (Day Wharton School, 2004). Forces narrative Industry Rival- beer industry if facing a lot of competition and rivalry as there are many companies in the field that offer similar products. The companies all aim at securing a huge market share and to hold a higher position in the market segment. In the international market, there are many rivals and this causes the industry to become highly competitive. Bargaining power of suppliers-considering there a government regulations controlling the company operations, it is easier for the supplier to take advantage of the situation and hike the prices of their raw materials. With this, Chester Kent Tap House and Brewer will have no word but to comply with its suppliers to be able to remain in the market (Roy, 2009). Threat of new entry- Chester Kent Tap House and Brewer has no major threats of new entry. Entering the industry is not quite easy considering the different forces that places barriers in the market. The partnership has already set its roots and new entries will have to work out and use more resources to compete with the company in the domestic market. Threat of substitutes- there are no threats of substitution in the market and the company has no fatigue on this as the regulations in the industry has made it difficult for other parties to think venturing into the business. Bargaining power of buyers- following the regulations posed the government on the consumption of liquor, the company is at the verge of losing a lot of customers who fear falling victims of the laws. As such, they can force Chester Kent Tap House and Brewer to lower the prices of the beer so that they can be driven into drinking. Even though the company might be running loses, it will have no otherwise as it will have no customers it does not set up strategies. Complements complementors may cause the customers get confused and buy their products as they are more or less the same as with what Chester Kent Tap House and Brewer might be offering. Complementors manufacture products that are similar to the rivals in the market causing an intense competition. Key success factors are the functions and activities involving business practices, and are defined by the market and viewed by the customers and are termed critical to the customer relationships. The success factors are defined by the market and by the customers and are never defined by the company. Such factors always revolve around the skills, processes and systems. KFS are normally three to five areas where a company may place a lot of focus to be able to attain its vision. These success factors may also be major flaws that will need to be addressed before the goals can be completed or the strengths that has to be preserved. Key Success Factors External forces Industry responses Success factors v Excellent skills v Good customer service v Reliable distribution channels v Good promotion techniques v Chester Kent Tap House and Brewery should seek a superior workforce talent, quality control and design expertise among other skills relevant to the beer industry. v Chester Kent Tap House and Brewery has to find the latest technology applications and innovations and incorporate then in the business. There can be use of internet to make purchases and supplies. v Should have the best skilled personnel in the manufacturing of the brew v Ability to reach customers at the convenient time possible v Ability to create brand awareness to target customers v Adhering to the law and regulations governing the industry v Use of latest technology to improve the production process. KSF narrative For a company to be successful, there has to be the application of the most modern ways of conducting business that will increase the chances of becoming the top positions in the market. Applying the latest appropriate technology can save the company costs and manpower and also increase efficiency. The manufacturing of the Chester Kent Tap House and Brewery has to be focused ion the best quality products to remain competitive in the market. The distribution channels has to be more than anyone can expect (McLoughlin Aaker, 2010). The customers should get the products easily and not to hustle to access them. To make the products become known in the market, Chester Kent Tap House and Brewery has to select the best marketing tools to enhance its products awareness. There is also need to have the best skills that will offer the best services aimed at customer and entire stakeholder satisfaction. Top most is that the company has to be able to make the business flourish in the best moder n ways than ever (Analoui Karami, 2003). Chester Kent Tap House and Brewery has to find the latest technology applications and innovations and incorporate then in the business. There can be use of internet to make purchases and supplies. The brewer can opt to make the best quality drinks and find means to reduce the production costs. The management can as well decide to be flexible to make a range of products. The brewing company should be able to identify the best marketing strategies. This may be advertising, customer service, and attractive styling among others. Chester Kent Tap House and Brewery should consider having strong networks for wholesale distributors and suppliers, and also figure ways to reduce the costs of distribution. Chester Kent Tap House and Brewery should have superior information systems, ability to respond rapidly to the changing environments and the ability to conduct the business in more modern ways. Discuss the value of the rational models (such as PESTEL, Five Forces and KSFs) in contemporary strategic planning PESTLE is a mnemonic that stands for Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental. The tool can give the beer industry a birds eye view of the entire operational environment from various angles to check and track while developing new ideas. The beer industry can use this tool to research the market to find alternatives of the legal and economic challenges that has been seen to be a persistent issue to the industry. All the aspects of the technique are critical for the beer industry as it gives more than just the understanding of the market. It is also at point to represent the hub of the backbone of the strategic management that defined what the company should do as well as accounting for the industrys goals and stringed strategies. Porters five forces is a tool for analysis that is usually used to analyze the competition levels within an industry and business strategies development (Bulcke, Verbeke Yuan, 2009). The tool draws upon the economics of the industrial organizations to derive the forces that defines the competitive levels and as such the attractiveness of the industry. The forces were developed to help companies to be able to assess and evaluate the competitive strength and position of a business corporation. The industry can use the porters five forces to understand whether the new products in the market are profitable. At the point of understanding the area where the power lies, the theory can also help the companies to identify the strong areas and also improve the weaknesses aside from avoiding mistakes. Key success factors are the functions and activities involving business practices, and are defined by the market and viewed by the customers and are termed critical to the customer relationships. The success factors are defined by the market and by the customers and are never defined by the company. Such factors always revolve around the skills, processes and systems (Sadgrove , 2005). KFS are normally three to five areas where a company may place a lot of focus to be able to attain its vision. These success factors may also be major flaws that will need to be addressed before the goals can be completed or the strengths that has to be preserved. References Analoui, F., Karami, A. (2003). Strategic management in small and medium enterprises. London [u.a.: Thomson. Bulcke, D. ., Verbeke, A., Yuan, W. (2009). Handbook on small nations in the global economy: The contributions of multinational enterprises to national economic success. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. Dransfield, R. (2004). Business for foundation degrees and higher awards. Oxford: Heinemann. Gorgenla?nder, V. (2010). A strategic analysis of the construction industry in the United Arab Emirates: Opportunities and threats in the construction business. Hamburg: Diplomica-Verl. Day, G. S., Wharton School. (2004). Wharton on dynamic competitive strategy. New York, NY [u.a.: Wiley. Kossowski, A. (2007). Strategic management: Porter's model of generic competitive strategies - theory and analysis. Mu?nchen: GRIN Verlag GmbH. Ledovskikh, A 2016, IBISWorld Report Industry Report OD5071: Craft Beer Production in Australia. Available from: IBISWorld. [22 September 2016]. McLoughlin, D., Aaker, D. A. (2010). Strategic market management: Global perspectives. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. MarketLine 2015, MarketLine Industry Profile: Global Beer. Available from: MarketLine. [22 September 2016] Rao, C. A., Rao, B. P., Sivaramakrishna, K. (2008). Strategic management and business policy: Texts and cases. New Delhi, India: Excel. Roy, D. (2009). Strategic foresight and Porter's five forces: Towards a synthesis. Mu?nchen: GRIN. Rutishauser S, Rickert, S Sanger F 2015, A perfect storm brewing in the global beer business, McKinsey Compan Sadgrove, K. (2005). The complete guide to business risk management. Aldershot, Hants, England: Ashgate Pub.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Outline and evaluate one theory of the formation of romantic relationships Essay Example

Outline and evaluate one theory of the formation of romantic relationships Paper One of the theories that helps explain why some people choose one person over the other or some relationships just don’t work is the ‘Filter Model’ (FM) which was proposed by Kerchoff and Davis in 1962.  The FM argues that relationships develop through 3 filters, so therefore, different factors are important at different times. There are many potential partners but slowly we narrow them down to potential partners that we could realistically form a romantic relationship with, through the process of filtering. The first filter looks at demographic or social variables. So we discard those people who we will never come into contact during our lives. Therefore this leaves us with the people who we tend to mix with: go to school/ work, live in the same area or do the same activities or sports. As we can’t meet everyone in the world, billions are automatically filtered out as it would be impossible to establish a relationship with them. The second filter is that of ‘Similarities of Attitudes and Values’. If couples share ideas, values and beliefs then communication will be easy but if they don’t then they would hardly have anything to talk about, so their relationship wouldn’t be able to progress. Due to this people who are very different to us are also filtered out. The last filter is ‘Complementary Needs’ where once a relationship is established we take into account how well the couple are together and how they meet each other’s needs. If the partners don’t complement each other then they will be filtered out, so therefore the relationship will end before it has properly begun. We will write a custom essay sample on Outline and evaluate one theory of the formation of romantic relationships specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Outline and evaluate one theory of the formation of romantic relationships specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Outline and evaluate one theory of the formation of romantic relationships specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The FM is supported by various studies, for example a researcher tested the model and found that in the initial stages of a relationship, the second filter was the most important but after 18 months the third was more important. This supports the theory because it argues that different factors are important at different times in the relationship. In the initial stages, in order for the relationship to progress the couple must share things in common in order to be able to communicate with each other. However, as the relationship develops the third filter starts becoming more important as you’re starting to enrol in a long term relationship. Each partner will have to complement each other’s needs if not the relationship will inevitably end, so this is why after about 18 months filter 3 does become more important. Furthermore, Sprecher in 1998 found that those matched in physical attractiveness, social background and interests were more likely to develop a long term relationship. This also supports the FM as in the second filter, we filter out those who are very different to us and only keep those who share interest and have things in common. Taking it to a simple level, if one partner is very physically attractive but the other isn’t, then that person may feel insecure because they think that their partner should be with someone of their ‘standards’. Also, if there is nothing or very little in common then communication will be very difficult, thus leading to the end of the relationship. There are some issues with the methodology used when testing the FM. Firstly it was a longitudinal study so it could be subject to attrition. As participants had the right to withdraw, then those who felt they were inadequate in the study would have dropped out, leaving those who are better in relationships, maybe for reasons such as they are securely attached. This would have led to the results obtained being biased as the sample wouldn’t have been representative. In conjunction with this, questionnaires were used. As it was an opportunity sample the students may have responded in a way that they thought would benefit the researcher and in a way that was regarded by social norms. Therefore all these factors show that there was social desirability bias, demand characteristics and population validity. There is another type of bias; social economic bias, as student couples of the same age group and culture were used. This is further reinforced as only one generation was used. If a few generations would have been used then there may have been another trend in the results, for example older generations would have found filter 2 more important than filter 3. By explaining relationship formation in stages it fails to capture their fluid and dynamic nature. Some relationships flow at a slower or faster rate than the model suggest. It may not take a couple 18 months for the third filter to become most important and the evidence suggests. Alongside to this, the FM doesn’t account for individual differences as it has only dealt with similarities of personality and attitudes. There are some couples who have nothing in common but their relationship is as strong as others who have everything in common. Sometimes it’s better to have fewer things in common than everything because couples can get bored of each other when everything they do is the same.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Cell Phines Chould Not Be Allowed in School Essay Example

Cell Phines Chould Not Be Allowed in School Essay Example Cell Phines Chould Not Be Allowed in School Paper Cell Phines Chould Not Be Allowed in School Paper Cell phones are wireless phones that most people use now. First they used the home phone which is still used in different countries in the world. In 1834 a man named Michael Faraday, was studying if space could conduct electricity and he came with the idea to develop the cell phone. Cell phones are now used everywhere by anyone, even kids. This brings a problem, CELL PHONES in school. Cell phones should not be allowed in school. Cell phone has a harmful effect on teenagers. Student at high school should not be allowed with cell phones due to certain circumstances. There are many disadvantages derived from the uses of cell phones by high school students. Although cell phones are great they need to be banned from schools. Society has come to a point where the idea of living without cell phones seems absurd that they can’t be without cell phone. The usage of mobile phones has provided evidence of them being used for both positive purposes and negative reasons. Student’s desire cell phones in order to sustain contact with friends, but the parents of students wants their children to have cell phones with them for security purposes. But talking about security the students can also be in danger, and also affecting them in their studies? Cell phones carry multiple benefits, but with this technology lies a dualism that goes precariously between the benefits and negative effects of cell phone usage especially with students. In the case of school emergencies, cell phones can prove more of a hindrance than a help. Cell phones have been used to call in bomb threats. Tracking a cell phone is not easily done. Also, students use of cell phones in a school emergency can possibly trigger a real bomb if an explosive device is on the schools property. Students are affected because instead they learn they are copying, texting in class, receiving calls during class, they are being distracted. Cell Phones should not be allowed in High School. Although mobile phones have taken over society, they have been around for several decades. In the late 1940 they discovered that the technology that would be used for cell phones, created and the idea of a mobile phone was introduced. The first mobile phones, referred to as First Generation or 1G, were introduced to the public market in 1983. However, the 1G cell phone was the size of a large briefcase and very inconvenient and uncomfortable but people did not care. During the 1990s, there was a great improvement made in the mobile phone technology. These phones used Second Generation, or 2G technology. The Second Generation cellular phone technology was much faster and much quieter than its analog predecessor. This new technology also made the cell phones capable of being smaller rather than the large briefcase-sized from the 1980s. In today’s society the cell phone has not only help us in communication but also as a treat to our students. The cell phone is now a huge distraction to our students in the class room and even causing accidents on the high way due to lack of attention. Teenagers and cell phones they seem to be inseparable these days. For example when you go to the mall or places that you could find students it is hard to grasp their attention due to the fact that they are either talking on the phone or text messaging each other. Cell phones and school may not be a good combination, although they are helpful in communication, but why would someone need to be in a conversation while at school? Why not use the school community phone? We have seen that cell phones are helpful but they need to be banned from school. Students use Cell phones to cheat in school and are not learning. Cell phones enable students to take a picture of tests and answers. Cell phones are good for an emergency but it also has its bad part. If there is an emergency at the school, students may not pass along correct information rather giving wrong information. Also there are school phones that can be used for terrorism, as for call for bomb threats and explosions. It has the potential to detonate real bombs with their signals and can explode and kill the entire school. There is distraction in class in which other students are not learning because they are texting, answering calls, and calling. This also affects the students because they are not grasping what the teacher is lecturing and because of short like abbreviation they are failing test and exams. Students tend to download nudity stuff and forward it to friends (some they don’t like it because it causes a problem). Cell phones are affecting the students in their academic performance and teenagers have become addicted to it. Students are rather cheating than studying. Since cheating has become such a large threat in schools with the expanding use of the internet and the availability of so many resources, cell phones can easily be used to pass on information to other students. Students can send test pictures, answers or even websites where they can find the work. This is not fair because as some students struggle to study some are just copying. Although they are copying they don’t know that they are the ones who will suffer the consequences. Students, who are receiving higher grades through cheating, make it far more difficult for other students who are truly putting their best effort. Students are not learning if they are using the phone to cheat. Despite the admission of cell phones being used by students for emergencies, this is no excuse. If something is urgent and the student take its phone to school, Then that student is responsible to put his/her cell phone on silence and have the opportunity to get up and go outside without distracting the other students who are interesting in school work. If the student has an emergency, don’t you think that they should discuss the problem with the school counselor? Plus if they need to call this can easily be achieved by phoning their parents directly from school. Cell phones are distraction in class when learning is taken place. Many schools in higher crime areas began banning cell phones long time, due to the business of illegal drugs and other gang-related activities. Students can be able to order and use illegal drugs during school hours and could have them delivered right to the school before the end of the day. This made it more convenient for the children because they are at school and away from the prying eyes of their parent. In the case of bomb threats at school, the threat itself was probably called into the school on a cell phone because of these devices; they cannot be traced by law enforcement officials. In other words to trace a bomb in a cell phone is difficult and to evacuate an entire school it’s kind of hard. While most of these threats turn out to be hoaxes, a real bomb could possibly be detonated by cell phone usage. Also if the teenagers take phones to school, not every student will remember to put his/her phone on vibration, this can leads to classes interruption by the occasionally ring tones which leads in annoying the teacher and interrupt the class and plus the other students who want to learn. Yes they will receive texts from their parents and to see if they are okay but, if students put the phone on vibrate it also interrupt the class, why? Because there are different models of phones and for each one, the vibrations are somehow loud and also interrupt the class. If students also take phones to school and if there is a call the students will want to know from whom the call is coming from and will cause distraction to the class, to him and this would be disrespect to the lecturer. It will be disrespect because the lecturer is teaching and you won’t be paying any attention than to your phone. This will cause the student with the phone to lose focus and valuable information being lectured by the teacher. Cell phone makes students to practice and engaging in criminal activities, which lead them to have less time for school work causing the school and students to be both involved and being affected. . High school student are achieving poorly in terms of their academic records and in some major subject. Students are spending more time on cell phones than on their school work. This makes them to achieve poorly at school because their focus is on phones. Moreover, students with cell phones are not able to maintain good writing skills because if the result of short like abbreviated words used in texting. During formal writings as in a exam or test, they are below grade level because they use the words that they practice when they send texts messages to friends or relatives. In this case like this students are struggling to get a good grade better than a 70% in writing. It is the view that most student send messages are in short like abbreviated. Against that is the view that student are not able to maintain good writing skills is the result of short like abbreviated words used during texting. Students get accustom in using short like abbreviation and when writing school work it affects them because it is improper English causing them to fail. This will also affect the student in the future, when they are applying for a job or trying to write a letter to their boss for a sickness or job application letter. This will show that you are not capable to do this type of job. This is caused because students are now using short like abbreviation. Students can do research through their phones in the internet and do not need to use a computer but, while using the internet the student might be texting, which is a big distraction because although they don’t see the other students is looking at him, he is also distracted. School administrators do not approve cell phone because they are in school and because what literally student’s go is to learn. Students can take pictures in the locker room and putting them in the Internet, this will bring problems to the school and the student. problem these days with texting (sending nude or pornographic sex messages) in the schools. Students can become distracted during class by trying to download and texting one another instead of listening to the instructor. Students tend to be downloading music and pornographic videos which also cause distraction. Not only pornographic stuff, but also sending answers to those students who have not students, then the students are not learning nor studying. Cell phone is affecting students in one way or another. Conclusion As the argument between if cell phones should be or should be not accepted in school, school officials and concerned parents are revising this issue. Some school administrators have made suggestions that students keep their cell phones in school but have it turn it off. Officers and some parents have some doubt about this because even though the students have their cell phones turn off, it doesn’t matter if they will have it in vibration there will be distraction of class, If they have the phone of course students will turn on the phone. Every time he/she have a call they will want to see from whom it is, that is already disruption of class. The benefit of mobile phones is instant communication but one thing, this is totally unnecessary in a classrooms. In addition cell phones will cause distraction and secondary problems that will lead the student to drop out of school.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Process of Becoming a Climax Community

Process of Becoming a Climax Community A climax community by is a relatively stable and undisturbed biological community of animals, plants, and fungi that have evolved into a steady state of development which secures the stability of all the collective  communities. Through a natural successional  process of instability, all individual  organism ecosystems simultaneously transition  through a series of more stabilizing stages where they all finally maintain their individual positions in the community and where they become stable from egg and seed to maturity. So, all biotic communities on earth engage in a forward-moving evolutionary process that takes place in several major defined steps or stages. Until climax completion, these transitional  stages are each called a serial stage or a  sere.  In other words, a sere is an intermediate stage found in  ecological succession  in an ecosystem advancing towards a particular organisms  climax community. In many cases, there is more than one serial stage to pass through before  climax conditions are attained. A serial community is a name given to each group of biota within the succession. A  primary succession  describes primarily the plant communities that occupy a site that has not previously been vegetated. These plants can also be described as the vegetative  pioneer community.   Defining Plant Succession To understand a climax plant community, you must first understand plant succession which is simply the replacement of one plant community by another. This can occur when soils and sites are so harsh that few plants can survive and takes a very long time for plants to establish a root-hold to begin the process of succession.  When destructive agents like fire, flood and insect epidemic destroy an existing plant community, plant establishment can happen very rapidly. Primary plant succession starts on raw unvegetated land and usually  exists as a sand dune, an earth slide, a lava flow, a rock surface or a retreating glacier. It is obvious that these harsh conditions for plants would take eons for this type of exposed earth to decompose to support higher plants (with the exception of the earth slide which would start plant succession fairly quickly). Secondary plant succession generally starts on a site where some disturbance has set back a previous succession. The sere  can be continually setback which then lengthens the period to a potential  final plant community climax condition. Agricultural practices, periodic logging, pest epidemics, and wildland fire are the most common agents of secondary plant succession setbacks. Can You Define a Climax Forest? A plant community that is dominated by trees representing the last stage of natural succession  for that specific locality and environment, to some, is considered a climax forest. The name usually given to any particular climax forest is the name of the primary existing tree species and or its regional location. To be a climax forest, the trees growing within a particular geographic region should remain essentially unchanged in terms of species composition for as long as the site remains undisturbed. But, is this really a climax forest or just another late sere  that has avoided disturbance the longest. Do foresters who only manage trees over decades know enough to determine a climax forest and assume it to be the equivalent of late-stage succession? Should speculative ecologists conclude that there can never be a climax forest because cyclical disturbance (both natural and human-caused) will always be a constant in North American forests? The Climax Debate Is Still With Us The first published discussion(s) on the existence of climax communities started nearly a century ago with foundational papers written by two ecologists, Frederick Clements, and Henry Gleason. Their ideas were debated over decades and definitions of a climax changed with a greater understanding of a new science called ecology. Political winds also confused the topic with terms like virgin forests and old-growth forests. Today, most ecologists agree that climax communities are not common in the real world. They also agree that most exist in space and time and can be observed on large  time scales of many decades and on wide ranges of an  area, from a dozen acres to thousands of acres. Others believe that there can never be a real climax community because of constant disturbance over time. Foresters have adopted a silviculturally practical approach when managing large stable communities of climax tree species. They use and name a climax forest to be the final sere in terms of the stabilization of major tree species. These conditions are observed on a human timescale and can maintain specific tree species and other plants over hundreds of years. Examples of some of these are:   The coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest.The wetlands  in North America.The redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forests.Beech-maple of the North American Northeast.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Green acres seed company Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Green acres seed company - Assignment Example This is called the awareness stage which highly target audience to be reached rather than the aim of marketing in the websites which the visitors do not have interest in. Through marketing of Green acres seed Company using the modern technology of marketing, the company retargets those who visit the website thus keeping the products top of the mind. The company uses test messaging to convince the farmers about the seed company explaining the different varieties of seeds available with their prices. The market structures of Green acres seed Company is the seller concentration, the degree of buyer concentration, the brands differentiation and the condition of entry to the market. The company has adopted a high seller concentration which means that the seller supply is about 90% to make it available to those who want the seeds. Due to competitors, the company has adopted a pricing strategy to make sure that the products remain in the market despite competition in the market. For example green acres company has survival means in the market when there is price war, market decline or market saturation. Green acres seed Company has temporarily set a price which covers the cost when the prices of the seeds tend to be low so that the company can continue with the operation. The company provides products with low cost due to the market differentiation from the competitors, but the most important thing is good and high quality seeds that have a high germination percentage. high quality products makes the customer to consider green acres company products though people consider the most expensive products as high quality products (Kent 2003). Green Acres Company usually maximizes the quantity of the product this is because the company focuses on reducing long term costs. The approach is used because the company is well funded by the founders and the investors. Green Acres Company may also maximize quantity so as to maximize market

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

ACT 23 The US Govenment and the Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ACT 23 The US Govenment and the Economy - Essay Example According to the model, C indicates consumption by consumers, X and M represent exports and imports respectively. The ‘I’ and ‘G’ represent government investment and government spending respectively. It is impossible to compute the GDP without considering the government’s investment in the public sector and its spending. Government’s investments take the form of gross capital formation and final consumption expenditure. For example, government investment in gross capital formation entails investing on projects that ought to derive future benefits to the public such as infrastructure. On the other hand, investments on final consumption entail purchasing goods and services that ought to satisfy the public’s immediate needs. The government’s spending forms the third component of the GDP model. Spending in this case refers to the act of obtaining and releasing money to the economy. Such a phenomenon is referred to as the fiscal policy. The government controls the monetary system through treasury bonds and bills. The government sells the treasury bonds and bills to the public to reduce the amount of funds in the economy. On the other hand, the government may buy the treasury bonds and bills from the public to increase the amount of funds in the economy. As such, the government controls the flow of money by trading on the treasury bonds and bills. The government’s role in the economy should not cease. In fact, its role ought to increase. This is possible through the monetary policy. The government has control over the flow of funds in the economy. In addition, the flow of funds in the economy dictates economic growth. However, such flow ought to be kept at a manageable level to avoid inflation or slow economic growth in the case of excessive funds and a deficit respectively. The government ought to apply stringent measures to control how commercial banks implement the monetary policy. The public ought to access funds at a

Sunday, November 17, 2019

How Social Media Influences Your Shopping Essay Example for Free

How Social Media Influences Your Shopping Essay At the present time social media is the one of the most powerful ways to shop and advertise online via the use of web-based and mobile technologies; it transforms online communication into an interactive dialogue. Quester, Pettigrew and Hawkins (2011) defined social media as â€Å"media for social interaction, using highly accessible and scalable communication techniques.† According to Vithoulkas, social media is more than just the hardware or software which enables it, instead he argues that it is more of a philosophy of communication where honest and transparency is required and information is shared and has the potential to â€Å"spread virally very quickly†. For the consumer, social media can be a continual bombardment of advertising and promotion every time we use communication modes, such as the internet or mobile, which may be infuriating for the consumer but increases the market exposure for the seller. This report intends to analyse the effectiveness of social media in influencing the general population to purchase more than presently before. When large companies, such as Pepsi, invest 50% of their annual advertising budget into Social Media it is obviously a worthy idea for the discussion of marketing professionals worldwide. The buyer behaviour system has been challenged in ranges of high involvement and low involvement alike. Consumer control is now the focus of consumption, when before it was heavily regulated institutionally. Although social media is an inescapable part of every day life it cannot be assumed that it will replace other forms of communication. A great number of people of all ages use social networking sites before purchasing a product, especially in high involvement purchases. Seidma (2010, p11) has demonstrated that the large majority of people are engaged in some form of social media, showing its considerable societal acceptance; Marketing magazine online tells us that â€Å"Facebook has more than 400 million active users. Every minute, 24 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube. An estimated 5–10 thousand Twitter accounts are opened per day,† showing that when information is directly found by a population 20 times that of Australia there is serious product awareness to gain . Quester et al. (2011) stated that there are fives stages of decisions making processes prior to making the choice in buying a product or service. These include problem recognition, information search, evaluation and selection, store choice and purchase and post purchase processes. When consumers’ recognise a need or identify a problem which may exist, they then undertake an information search on the product or service with their behaviour influenced by internal and external factors, Consumers evaluate the various alternatives after they have gathered all information, and afterwards they make a selection of retail outlets for the actual purchase of the good or service. Lastly, the consumer compares the product performance against their expectations and decide whether they satisfied or dissatisfied with it. In last few decades, traditional media such as television, radio, newspaper has been the only way to promote and communicate with the target market, but now it appears that the trend has changed. As seen in diagram one (below) consumer control is now the driver in the marketing segment. As seen in chart one (below), it can be seen that on average people spend more time when choosing and product and general spend more money, suggesting that when purchasing online the products will be a high involvement purchase. Marketing Magazine online tell us â€Å"For 35% of shoppers, the process starts with online search; 30% of consumers read user reviews on retailer websites as a part of the shopping process.† In the U.S.A. alone there are 95 million people who admit to frequently using social-media in their purchase decisions. Hub Magazine found that more than 40% of American adults currently use social media as part of their shopping experiences, with further data showing most consumers increased in use of social media for shopping within an annual period. Hub magazine also found that 39% have strongly agreed with the statement that ‘they can learn a lot more about a brand by seeing what everyday people are saying about it online’ in comparison with only 22% percent of non-social media shoppers agreeing with the statement. This clealy shows us that Social Media can obviously affect buying habits. However, social media may not be the first choice for every business or organisation for their marketing strategy. In December 2009, COM Score released a report of their customer survey that showed peoples views on social media in comparison to traditional forms of media. Overall, they found that 28% of respondents were likely to notice advertising on social media and less than that 23% are likely to trust the advertisements they notice. Those numbers put social media websites at #5 on the list behind television, print, news and corporate websites. In the same findings it also showed that only 28% of those who had began their holiday shopping this season indicated that social media has influenced their purchases specifically consumers said their influences were: †¢ Reading a consumer-generated product review (13% of respondents) †¢ Reading an expert product review (11 %)  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Following a fan page on Face book to take advantage of special offers and deals (7%) †¢ Influence by a friend’s Face book status update referring to a particular product (6%) †¢ Following a company on Twitter to take advantage of special offers and deals (5%) †¢ A friend’s â€Å"tweet† about a product influenced their purchase behaviour (3%) Given the exposure to the internet that we in the western world undergo every day versus time spend watching television, it is odd that only 13% saw the high consumer involvement in reading reviews of products. What is even stranger is that these consumers have shifted from trusting expert reviews to peer reviews. In traditional media reputable sources were usually quoted to give weight to a certain product. It seems in the days of social media, peer influence has replaced the trustworthiness of reputable sources. Thus changing the buyer behaviour process. Social Media may influence and change the buyer behaviour process but it is not necessarily a replacement for tradition media. Although it is a change to the normal standards of media, it will never replace traditional media given the system of interaction in our society. The interesting thing, as discussed in this essay, is the change in the high involvement purchase process and the consumer control over purchases. It is effective to some degree, given the right target audience and consumer group, but in our society with the lack of general literacy (21.1% of the world are internet literate) and dramatic choices for consumers it is not the answer to the change of the consumer buyer process.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Karl Marxs Communist Manifesto and the Industrial Proletariat Essay

Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto and the Industrial Proletariat Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto was most appealing to and revolutionary for the industrial workers of 1848 (and those to come after that time). The call for unification of the proletariat and abolishment of the Bourgeoisie was an urgent one during a time of rapid progress in all aspects of industrial life. This urgency of The Communist Manifesto and the desire for change of political ideologies (to match the exponential rate of progress of wealth and industry) created not only a spate of revolutions, but a long lasting change in political ideas for industrialized European nations. The Communist Manifesto created a sense of unity and class awareness throughout the proletariat, thus they were able to recognize their power politically, socially and economically. Naturally, with the sudden rise of industry (particularly in England) other sectors of the European economy were affected. Cottage industries were put out of business by competition from manufactured goods and agricultural workers migrated to the cities. Not only did the farming economy change drastically, but the urban setting where migrants came for employment expanded rapidly. These changes in labor practices and the economic landscape as a whole were most unsettling and unfair for the industrial workers of the 184 0's. Conditions were often poor and a very distinct line was drawn between rich and poor, factor owner and factory laborer. "Industrial workers, increasingly tied to the pace of machinery, found it more and more difficult to control their work processes; they had to work ten or twelve (or more) hours nearly every day on schedules fixed by factory owners."(1) The oppressed industrial... ... utopian vision for a classless, productive, industrial society that was beneficial to all, the mere recognition of strength in numbers and class solidarity were fundamentally effective and paved the way not only for future governments but for future laborers. Works Cited Blackford, Mansel G. Labor in the Industrial Revolution {Introduction} derived from Exploring the European Past Thompson Learning Custom Publishing, 2002 Engels, Fredrick Conditions of the Working Class in England, ed. Eric Hobsbawin (London 1969), 39-40, 41-42 Hunt, Lyn The Making of the West: Peoples and Cultures, Volume II, Bedford/ St. Martin's 2001 Marx, Karl The Communist Manifesto translated by Samuel Moore, 1888 Saddler Committee Report exerpted from Parliamenary Papers: Reports from Committees, Vol 15, Labor of Children in Factories (London: House of Commons, 1832)

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Government of Pakistan Essay

The Government of Pakistan is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a centralized governing authority of the four provinces of a proclaimed and established parliamentary democratic republic, constitutionally called the State of Pakistan. The order of operations constitutes a Westminster system, and it comprises three branches of government: the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary. The executive branch is headed by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, who is a chief executive (Head of Government) and exercises his or her power on officers subordinate to him or her. The President of Pakistan is merely afigurehead and Head of State who is a civilian commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces and holds ceremonial powers to fulfill the constitutional requirements; the President’s appointment and tenure is dependent, constitutionally, on the Prime Minister’s term. The Parliament(Legislature) consists of a lower house (National Assembly) and an upper house (Senate), as well as the President. The judicial branch consists of aSupreme Court (its apex), five provisional high courts, numerous other district courts a specially designated anti-terrorism court, a Sharia court, and the Green Court. The Electoral College, composed of the Senate, the National Assembly, and the four Provincial Assemblies, chooses a President, through indirect elections, for a five-year term. The Prime Minister is a supreme leader of the majority party (or director of the coalition government) in the National Assembly and is assisted by a cabinet of ministers d rawn from both chambers of the Parliament. Recent history The National Assembly elections that were held in October 2002. On 3 November 2007 President Musharraf suspended Pakistan’s constitution by declaring a state of emergency. In the general elections held in February 2008, the party of slain leader Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) won 123 seats in the National Assembly while the Pakistan Muslim League (N) of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif won 91 seats in the National Assembly. President Musharaf’s ally party Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (PML-Q) came third with 54 seats. After the elections the People’s Party Parliamentarian and the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz announced a coalition to form the new government along with the Awami National Party (ANP). Pakistan’s new parliament elected the country’s first female speaker on 19 March 2008 from the Pakistan Peoples Party: Fahmida Mirza. Allies of President Pervez Musharraf withdrew their candidate for Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Farooq Sattar, and the coalition chose Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani as the Prime Minister of Pakistan, who was sworn in on 25 March 2008 by President Pervez Musharraf.[5] On 7 August 2008, the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) agreed to force Musharraf to step down and thus, begin his impeachment. Asif Ali Zardari, Rehman Malik, Altaf Hussain and Nawaz Sharif announced sending a formal request or joint charge sheet that he steps down, and impeach him through parliamentary process upon refusal. Musharraf accordingly delayed his departure for the Beijing Olympics by a day. Currently, the seat of Prime Minister was occupied by caretaker Mir Hazar Khan Khoso, who was appointed by the Election Commission of Pakistan on 24 March 2013, following the completion of the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government’s term the same year. Assemblies * Senate of Pakistan * National Assembly * Provincial Assembly Senate of Pakistan The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Pakistan. Elections are held every three years for one half of the Senateand each Senator has a term of six years. If the office of the President of Pakistan becomes vacant, or the President is unable to perform his functions, the Chairman of the Senate acts as President until a President is elected. National Assembly The Pakistani National Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Majlis-e-Shura, which also comprises the President of Pakistan and Senate (upper house). The National Assembly and the Senate both convene at Parliament House in Islamabad. The National Assembly is a democratically elected body consisting of a total of 342 members who are referred to as Members of the National Assembly (MNAs), of which 272 are directly elected members and 70 reserved seats for women and religious minorities. A political party must secure 172 seats to obtain and preserve a majority. Members are elected through the first-past-the-post system under universal adult suffrage, representing electoral districts known as National Assembly constituencies. Provincial Assembly A Member of the Provincial Assembly, or MPA, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to the legislature or legislative assembly of a subnational jurisdiction. In Pakistan, the members are elected by the voters in provinces for a term of five years. Federal government * Federal ministries Provincial governments * Balochistan * Islamabad Capital Territory * Khyber Pakhtunkhwa * Punjab * Sindh * Kashmir * Gilgit–Baltistan Local governments * Districts * Tehsils * Union Councils * Divisions (abolished in August 2000) Kashmir governments * Government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir * Northern Areas Government President and Parliament Under Article 50 of the Constitution, the Majlis-i-Shoora (Parliament) of Pakistan consists of the President and two Houses to be known respectively as the National Assembly and the Senate. The President is elected by members of both Houses of the Parliament and the Provincial Assemblies. The President may be removed from office or impeached through a resolution, passed by not less than two-thirds of the total membership of the Parliament in a joint sitting of the two Houses, convened for the purpose. The Constitution empowers the President to dissolve the National Assembly in his discretion if a situation has arisen in which the Government of the Federation cannot be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and an appeal to the electorate is necessary. The President in case of dissolution of National Assembly shall within fifteen days of the dissolution refer the matter to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court shall decide the reference within thirty days whose decision shall be final. However, the Senate is not subject to dissolution. In case the office of the President becomes vacant for any reason, the Chairman, or if he is unable to perform the functions of the office of the President, the Speaker, acts as President till such time that a President is elected. Same is the case when the President by reason of absence from Pakistan or any other cause is unable to perform his functions. Cabinet The Constitution provides that there shall be a Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister which is collectively responsible to the National Assembly. The Prime Minister is chosen from the National Assembly. The Federal Ministers and Ministers of State are appointed from amongst the members of Parliament. However, the number of Federal Ministers and Ministers of State who are members of Senate, shall not at any time, exceed one fourth of the numbers of Federal Ministers. Parliament and Federal Government The bicameral federal legislature is the Majlis-i-Shoora (Council of Advisers), consisting of the Senate (upper house) and National Assembly (lower house). Members of the National Assembly are elected by universal adult suffrage (over eighteen years of age in Pakistan). Seats are allocated to each of the four provinces, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and Islamabad Capital Territory on the basis of population. National Assembly members serve for the parliamentary term, which is five years, unless they die or resign sooner, or unless the National Assembly is dissolved. Although the vast majority of the members are Muslim, about 5 percent of the seats are reserved for minorities, including Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs. Elections for minority seats are held on the basis of joint electorates at the same time as the polls for Muslim seats during the general elections. The prime minister is appointed by the president from among the members of the National Assembly. The prime minister is assisted by the Federal Cabinet, a council of ministers whose members are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister. The Federal Cabinet comprises the ministers, ministers of state, and advisers. The Senate is a permanent legislative body with equal representation from each of the four provinces, elected by the members of their respective provincial assemblies. There are representatives from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and from Islamabad Capital Territory. The chairman of the Senate, under the constitution, is next in line to act as president should the office become vacant and until such time as a new president can be formally elected. Both the Senate and the National Assembly can initiate and pass legislation except for finance bills. Only the National Assembly can approve the federal budget and all finance bills. In the case of other bills, the president may prevent passage unless the legislature in joint sitting overrules the president by a majority of members of both houses present and voting. Other offices and bodies having important roles in the federal structure include the attorney general, the auditor general, the Federal Land Commission, the Federal Public Service Commission, Election Commission of Pakistan, and the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Ombudsman). Provincial Governments Pakistan’s four provinces enjoy considerable autonomy. Each province has a governor, a Council of Ministers headed by a chief minister appointed by the governor, and a provincial assembly. Members of the provincial assemblies are elected by universal adult suffrage. Provincial assemblies also have reserved seats for minorities. Although there is a well-defined division of responsibilities between federal and provincial governments, there are some functions on which both can make laws and establish departments for their execution. Most of the services in areas such as health, education, agriculture, and roads, for example, are provided by the provincial governments. Although the federal government can also legislate in these areas, it only makes national policy and handles international aspects of those services. Elections in Pakistan At the national level, Pakistan elects a bicameral legislature, the Parliament of Pakistan, which consists of a directly elected National Assembly of Pakistan and a Senate, whose members are chosen by elected provincial legislators. The Prime Minister of Pakistan is elected by the National Assembly. The President is elected by the Electoral college, which consists of both houses of Parliament together with the provincial assemblies. In addition to the national parliament and the provincial assemblies, Pakistan also has more than five thousand elected local governments. Elections in Pakistan are conducted under the supervision of Election Commission of Pakistan. The country offers a multi-party system, with numerous parties. Frequently, no single party holds a majority, and therefore parties must form alliances during or after elections, with coalition governments forming out of negotiations between parties. The Parliament of Pakistan consists of the President and two Houses to be known respectively as National Assembly and the Senate. The National Assembly consists of 342 Seats including 60 seats reserved for Women and 10 Seats reserved for Non-Muslims. The Senate consists of 100 Members including 17 Seats reserved for Women and 17 Seats reserved for Technocrats and Ulema. The Members of the National Assembly are elected for a term of 5 years whereas the Members of the Senate are elected for a term of 6 years with staggered elections every 3 years.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Quality Service Literature

a. ) Local Literature b. ) Foreign |Literature Parasuraman et al. (1985) argued that evaluation of service quality is difficult as compared to physical goods. Physical existence of goods facilitates the customers to buy them due to its aesthetic characteristics. Services are considered as intangible because we are unable to see, touch or feel them (Hoffman and Bateson, 2002). Hanson (2000) suggested that service quality shows the organization's ability to meet customers' desires and needs.So organization must improve their services to meet the customers' wants and requirements. It is found that customers' perception of service quality is very important for managers to compete in the market (Hoffman and Bateson, 2002). Morre (1987) identified that concentration on service quality leads to differentiation that enhance the competitive position of the organization for long term benefits. Service quality and customer satisfaction became core issues for the successful survival of any servi ce organization.Service quality is considered very important indicator towards customer satisfaction (Spreng and Machoy, 1996). Service quality got popularity among professionals and academia due to increased competition. It contributes a lot to gain competitive advantage to maintain long-term relationship with customers (Zeithmal et al. 2000) Asubonteng et al. (1996) defined service quality as the difference between customers' expectations about the service before its use and their perceptions after receiving the service.Quality factors vary from one to another in reference to the importance and their impact on the satisfaction level of the customers. It was found that specific activities like increasing the speed of processing information have resulted in delighted customers. Similarly, improvement in the reliability of equipment lessened dissatisfaction (Johnston, 1997). However, it was reported that service quality is the subjective comparison between what the customers require and what they actually get (Gefan, 2002). . ) Local studies d. ) Foreign studies There are two perspectives regarding service quality i. e. one is European and other is Americans. European researchers concentrate on functional and technical aspects of services having a keen analysis of organization's image (Gronroos, 1982, 1984; Lehthinen and Lehthinen, 1982). They focus on three dimensions of service quality to measure the performance of any product by considering functional quality, technical quality and corporate image.Service quality is defined as a discrepancy between expected and perceived service. It is said that service quality is the outcome of customers' comparison between expectations and performance (Gronroos, 1982). The Americans' perspective is concentration on functional quality to measure the performance of services (Parasuraman et al. 1985, 1988, 1991; Kang and James, 2004). They investigated the service quality of different industries by dividing the service qualit y into five dimensions: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy.Firstly, they identified ten dimensions but finally service quality is refined to five dimensions (Parasuraman et al. 1985, 1991). Ibanez et al. (2006) investigated service quality dimensions and found a significant effect of service quality on satisfaction in Spain. In another study, a conceptual framework to measure service quality from the customer's perspective is empirically tested for convergent validity, uni-dimensionality and reliability (Saravanan and Rao, 2007). e. ) Relevance of the presence

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Maus vs. Art essays

Maus vs. Art essays How Maus Compares to Contemporary Art Maus is a book that is very much unlike any other story. Maus is a gripping story of the holocaust and a man that tells a story about what he went through at Auschwitz, the famous death camp. The story is presented in comic book form instead in the form of a novel, and the characters, instead of being humans are drawn as animals. This is a very clever idea because each group of characters is a different animal group. For example, the jews are characterized as mice, the Germans as cats, the French as frogs and the polish as pigs. This helps the reader to understand better what is going on. This book can be compared to two contemporary artists that we studied in class. The first artist that uses a style similar to the one in Maus is Roy Lichtenstein. Lichtensteins career was mainly based on his technique of taking specific sections out of comics and enlarging them to portray a certain theme. If Roy Lichtenstein had picked this book up he could have had a field day with it, because there are so many controversial parts of the story. There are many gruesome scenes in this book that if they were singled out and blown up, they would be very controversial just by themselves. I had trouble trying to find another artist that we talked about in class that had pieces that could be easily compared to those of Maus. Cindy Sherman, eventhough she didnt do anything with comics, I think that she had something in common with the book. Cindy Sherman was famous for her photography, and made many breakthroughs in contemporary photography in the 1970s. The reason I think that her work is similar because in her pictures she would use props and costumes to create controversial pictures. This reminded me of the author in Maus and how he was wearing a mouse mask so he could see things like the mice did and get a better idea of what he was writing about. I think that this book ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

3 Types of Extended Phrasal Adjectives

3 Types of Extended Phrasal Adjectives 3 Types of Extended Phrasal Adjectives 3 Types of Extended Phrasal Adjectives By Mark Nichol Each of the following sentences includes a phrasal adjective (two or more words that modify a noun) consisting of several words, and each requires hyphenation missing from that phrase. Discussion after each example explains the problem, and revisions demonstrate solutions. 1. These remain front and center priorities for organizations. When a phrase structured as â€Å"[blank] and [blank]† and serving to modify a noun precedes the noun, hyphenate the three words: â€Å"These remain front-and-center priorities for organizations.† However, no hyphenation is necessary when the phrase follows the noun: â€Å"These priorities remain front and center for organizations.† 2. This guide includes a special supplement on the first of its kind regulation requiring certification and screening programs. The same holds true for any more extensive phrase providing more details about a noun that follows the phrase- hyphenate the phrase into a unified chain: â€Å"This guide includes a special supplement on the first-of-its-kind regulation requiring certification and screening programs.† Again, omit hyphens when the phrase follows the noun: â€Å"This guide includes a special supplement on the regulation, the first of its kind, requiring certification and screening programs.† 3. It was a wrong place, wrong time situation for me. When a phrase that represents or alludes to a standing expression precedes a noun, as in the abridgment of the sentiment â€Å"[One] was in the wrong place at the wrong time† in the example above, string the phrase together with hyphens, deleting any punctuation internal to the phrase: â€Å"It was a wrong-place-wrong-time situation for me.† Once again, omit hyphens (and retain applicable punctuation) when the phrase follows the noun: â€Å"The situation was a case of wrong place, wrong time for me.† Enclosing the phrase in quotation marks is an alternative (â€Å"It was a ‘wrong place, wrong time’ situation for me†), but this strategy should be reserved for phrasal adjectives of unwieldy length that, because they are part of a direct quote, cannot be relocated after the noun in a revised sentence. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Congratulations on or for?3 Types of HeadingsThe "Pied" in The Pied Piper

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Summarize an article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Summarize an - Article Example (Garfinkel) Moreover, developers have no idea about the cybersecurity; therefore they can leave holes in the application to exploit them with the malicious application. We should underline also the fact that even companies themselves use hackers for â€Å"strengthening† their defenses and in the result they teach hackers to override the sophisticated securities. Hacking became more popular within the last decade when the internet became wide-spread when all computers have united in the huge net, where hackers can easily reach victim with the money or with the needed information. Particularly, banks’ structures are open for the hackers’ connection within the idea that users can use internet to fulfill their bank needs. And hackers can do so too, however without the permission of the banks’ staff. It means that in the most cases it is people who create, produce or develop the security means and application are cause to the increasing troubles with the securi ty. Even people who defend computers themselves can help hackers to reach the target; we all know the Iran’s case when the hackers have reached the isolated from the internet

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Animal Testing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Animal Testing - Essay Example Animal testing has also contributed to understanding how to treat malaria, Leukemia, and other major diseases that eliminated a very high number of human populations in the past. The animal is the best research subjects because they share similar characteristics with human beings. For instance, Chimpanzees has 99% DNA similarity with humans (Hayhurst, 2000). In addition, mice are almost genetically similar to human beings. Due to these similarities, they are susceptible to the same diseases that affect human beings. There are very many ethical considerations that might be observed when using human subjects. This is mainly when testing medicines that are of high toxin levels. In such cases, the lives of human beings should not be put in any form of danger (Watson, 2009). Therefore, the test of human beings should be preceded by that of human beings.Animals have also benefited immensely in the testing. Many deadly diseases such as rabies, tetanus, anthrax, etc could not have been contr olled if animal testing was not conducted. Moreover, more animals could have been swept off by the diseases and become extinct. As a result, the testing has major benefits on animal species (Watson, 2009). Animals used for testing have a shorter lifespan than human beings. For instance, a mouse has a lifespan of two to three years (Hayhurst, 2000). Therefore, while testing a medicine that affects a whole lifespan of a human being, it’s easier to get quick results when using animals rather than human beings.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Comparison-Contrast life before the internet vs life after the Essay

Comparison-Contrast life before the internet vs life after the internet - Essay Example Camacho indicates that it was tedious to send since it could take up to an hour or longer to write and then stuff the letter into an envelope, fix a stamp and then drop into a mailbox. It took quite a few days for the letter to be delivered. Today we are at advantage since we can sit in front of a computer and type an e-mail then send with just one click of a button and it reaches its destination right away. As technology advances, we have also seen changes in conversation; these differences may be seen as more of an improvement rather than a mere paradigm shift as with letters versus email (Camacho, para3). Earlier, the only way of having a conversation was through a live conversation with someone at a distant location over the telephone. Telephone has evolved along with the internet and now there is more option available to us. We can now use a choice of instantaneous messengers on the computer to chat, in addition to having a phone dialogue with someone. The way people live, play and work has been changed by the internet. People book all the elements of a vocation online and play travel agent unlike before when one had to go all the way to the booking office and do the bookings. Today people can arrange their bills to be paid automatically even when they are not there physically. The internet has brought a lot of changes and faster reachable information.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Staples: PESTEL Analysis and Five Forces Model

Staples: PESTEL Analysis and Five Forces Model Staples Inc., a US based office products company, has been chosen for this report which carries out an analysis of the company and its subordinate offering a range of office supplies, business machines, technology products, office furniture, and business services with about 91,000 employees. Founded by Tom Stemberg, Staples opened the worlds first office supply superstore in the Brighton neighborhood of Boston in 1986. In 1989, Staples made an initial public offering (IPO) of $36 million and launched its catalog delivery service, Staples Direct. In three years time, Staples went for diversifying its portfolio and acquired 42% ownership in Business Depot, a Canadian company, in 1993 and the next year the company took over Business Depot with 100% stake. Later, Staples purchased its European partner Kingfisher and Maxi-Papier in 1996. In the same year, the company became a Fortune 500 company (Datamonitor, 2010). The strong growth in revenue is attributed to the attachment of Corporate Express, whose revenues are included in the companys Financial Year. On its successful venture, Staples signed a marketing agreement with Yahoo! and became an office supply merchant on Yahoo! small business portal in 2000. In the consecutive year, the company entered into an agreement with an online legal resource for consumers and small businesses, MyCounsel.com, and with ePolicy.com Insurance Services. Staples has been very successful in expanding its worldwide operations even in the Asian markets. In this continuation, the company entered the $10 billion office products market in India through a joint venture with Pantaloon Retail in 2007, and its new office products business unit, Future Office. The very next year, Staples opened its Copy Print Shop, a new store format in New York City, designed to meet customers copy and print needs. During the same year, the company opened its first store in Houston, Texas. Very recently, Staples Advantage launched the Staples Technology Solutions in February 2010 which offers business customers from small and medium-sized businesses to Fortune 1000 corporations, access to a full range of offerings from data center solutions and printer fleet management services to network services and everyday desktop technology products (Datamonitor, 2010). Task 1: Review and determine the organizational strategic aims and objectives 1.1 strategic aims and objectives The strategic aim of a company is a broad statement of the strategic outcomes which it plans to achieve. At times the strategic aim of a company is also called company goals. The strategic aim is what the organization wants to accomplish (Chartered Management Institute, 2009). Accordingly, the aim of Staples is to be an employer and neighbor of choice, to differentiate its brand, to grow profitably and responsibly, carry out its business activities ethically, work in a sustainable manner, give job skills and education opportunities to its employees, leverage diversity, create sustainable change in its local communities. The aim of Staples is be a committed company that shows its obligation to the environment, practices diversity and be an ethical company. It wants to be a global in its operations and grow financially. It wants to be a great employer, corporate citizen and neighbor (Staples, 2007). According to Chartered Management Institute (2009), the strategic objectives of a company are the specific outcomes and are most often quantified. Objectives are the aims of the company which are broken down and are more concrete. Particularly, the strategic objectives of Staples are (a) to make it easy for customers to recycle eWaste, (b) to build greener buildings, (c) to donate $15 million to community related projects, (d) to deepen commitment to environmentally responsible products, (e) to Qualify 500 U.S. retail stores to the ENERGY STARÂÂ ® standard for retail store standard for energy efficient performance by the end of 2011, (f) to save $10 million in costs through energy conservation programs in the U.S. by the end of 2011 (Staples, 2007). Staples objectives follow the SMART criteria as they are clearly written. They are measurable as the Compensation Committee assesses the extent to which Staples achieves these objectives. They are achievable as Staples analyses the resources it has before setting them. They are realistic as the company has analyzed the skills it posses before setting them. Staples has also aligned these objectives with its long-term vision. Staples objectives are time-bound as the company sets the timescales by which it has to achieve these objectives (Staples, 2007). 1.2 Components of strategic plan The components of the strategic plan include a companys mission, vision, values, its objectives, its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT), its action planning, implementation process and how it measures and evaluates the achievement of its objectives (Friel, 2009). Mission statement: The mission statement of Staples is very clear and states their motive in following few lines: Staples Soul reflects commitment to corporate responsibility what moves us to embrace diversity, sustain the environment, give back to our communities, and practice sound ethics. Linking these values with our global business strategy and operations contributes to our financial success and helps us become a great employer, corporate citizen, and neighbor (Staples, 2007). Vision statement: Staples vision statement elaborates responsible aspects of company in this way: Staples corporate soul is centered on a rock solid belief in social responsibility and the desire to make a positive impact on our associates, customers, and the world. We act responsibly and with integrity, conducting our global business as a great employer, corporate citizen and neighbor. Staples soul thrives in the fair treatment of our diverse and talented associates, in our environmental conscience, in giving back to our communities and in our sound business ethics(Staples, 2010). Value Statement: Staples aims at greater value to its customers therefore its productivity, revenues are as high as customer satisfaction and goodwill. Staples gets higher quality consumer data from its electronic procurement system, lower costs due to lower maintenance/customer service/and ordering costs, ability to lock in customers through dependency on their ordering system (switching costs), larger product offering of 80k items, and differentiation of services from its competitors. (Staples 2010a). Considering New York, Staples is celebrating its 20th anniversary with $16 billion in revenue, 11 percent compounded growth and 1,780 stores in 21 countries. According to the CEO of Staples, consumer electronics is a big part of our business and has been one of the most rapidly growing categories, therefore main forces lies upon these goods. (Staples, 2010). Staples is taking growth in its business and maintains its position in the market. In particular, office supplies and ink cartridges, signify 40 percent of the retail mix, along with notebook computers leading the sector in enhanced growth rate. Miles recognize that better attachment selling of more profitable products like cables and ink is much better corporate strategy rather then selling individual items. Complete Care Plans, Attachments which include variety of discounts according to nature of product is major present strategy of Staples to maximize profits, on other hand the corporate looks forward to target maximum markets along with wide range of brands and generating staples compatible versions of these brands (Staples, 2010). Finally, Staples measures and evaluates the achievement of its aims and objectives through the Compensation Committee. Some 90 days after the beginning of the fiscal year, the Compensation Committee establishes goals and objectives for that fiscal year. The responsibility for the achievement of these goals and objectives rests with the Compensation Committee (Staples, 2009). 1.3 Factors affecting the strategic plan The strategy of Staples is affected by the external environment. Staples external environment includes political, economic, social and technological factors that can impacts on its strategy. Staples strategic plan is affected by its internal environment. Staples internal environment includes its competitors, customers, suppliers, its Board of Directors (BoD), its corporate culture and its employees. Staples capabilities, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats also affect its strategic plan. Staples strategic plan is affected by the nature and kind of products and service it provides to its customers, its target customers, the market it serves, the degree of innovation it practices and how it faces the challenges that affect its operations (Bracken, 2006). The factors highlighted in the SWOT analysis affect Staples strategic plan. Staples Inc SWOT (S)trengths Staples Inc is a office product company which operates in three segments: delivery, retail and international segment. While the operations of delivery and retail segments are concentrated in the US and Canada, the international segment has its operations worldwide covering 23 other countries. The company has its strength in its international segment, which contributes to almost 22% of the companys revenue. Staples recorded higher comparable store sales growth (comp growth), for more than a year, than its close competitors as Office Depot and OfficeMax. Operating margin, which represents income as a percentage of sales, of Staples has witnessed an increase for the first time in Q1 of 2010 since Q3 of 2007. The acquisition of Corporate Express enhanced Stapless position in several fronts. The addition of Corporate Express expanded the companys offerings into new areas and enhanced the offerings in existing areas (Datamonitor, 2010). (W)eaknesses The capital structure of Staples consists of debt which has increased by close to 27% in FY2010 compared to FY2009. The company has long-term debt and debt service requirements with $500 million 7.75% notes due in April 2011, $325 million 7.375% notes due in October 2012 and $1.5 billion 9.75% notes due in January 2014 (Datamonitor, 2010). (O)pportunities Staples is successfully getting the average order size up in the Corporate Express delivery business, despite the economic backdrop and it is now around $180, up from $160 at the time of the acquisition. In addition to direct selling and retail stores, Staples generates revenues through the internet on its web portal. The performance of Staples Business Delivery and North American Retail stores is dependent on the performance of the small business segment in the US (Datamonitor, 2010). (T)hreats Strong relationship exists between macro trends and office sales. Office product companies are late cycle plays. For most corporations, office products fall under General Administration expenses. Other than small and large businesses, Staples also serves white-collar workers. The level of employment among white-collar workers, the end-users for Staples, has an impact on the demand for office products. The economic situation in China and Europe continue to be a cause of concern as it would have direct impact on the profitability of Staples.The unemployment rate in China has been on a sequential rise. From, 4% in Q32008, the unemployment rate rose to 4.3% in Q22009 and continued at that level till January 2010 (Datamonitor, 2010). In addition to SWOT analysis, the factors highlighted in the PESTEL and Porters Five Forces model are used as analytical tools to achieve a more complete understanding of the strategic aims and objectives. PESTEL Analysis for Staples Inc Political Factors: Considering the political aspect of Staples Inc, the most prominent areas are stated below. As Staples manufactures goods in china, the rising fuel costs due to political factors effects supply chain of Staples forcing to increase its product prices and therefore, effecting customers and profitability. However, on the other side, the ongoing practice of price fixing amongst the big four retailers within the UK can have some negative impact to the industry in general and Staples in particular. Staples monopolistic nature in office supplies has created deep concerns among its customers. Staples is the most popular among the students who buy laptops, printers and other student accessories, but due to political influence and cutting down student inflow in England, staples is expected to see decrease in profits. Beside that, in the UK, the Government is to decrease the rate of corporation tax from 30% to 28%, which will save big companies like Staples significant sums o f money (Staples, 2011). Economic Factors: Considering the economic factors of the staples, the following areas are identified. Recession lead higher numbers of unemployment.ÂÂ   As one of the largest and fastest growing retailers, Staples can provide more jobs therefore helping to reduce the levels of unemployment. Recession may also effect the profit margins of the company, as it decrease the purchasing power of consumers and though they will still buy the essentials they may be more cautious. They might avoid buying the luxury items, something that has a greater profit margin for Staples. Online buying competition within every segment of the retail sector has lead to retailers giving a lot of incentives to the consumers. Which ultimately affects Staples profit levels as the prices have to be brought down to meet competition. Increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) from 15% to 17.5% has created negative impact on profits as Staples was unable to increase prices to cover the profits (Staples, 2007). Social Factors: Staples appears to be committed to environmental factors as the below mentioned lines states positive about the company behavior. Environmental stewardship and maintainable business practices continue to be important aspect at Staples. The company is offering products and services to help customers preserve natural resources and reduce their environmental footprint. The major commitment to the environment is in the purchase and promotion of products having post-consumer recycled materials; recycling initiatives; energy conservation and renewable power procurement; and environmental education initiatives for customers and associates. Staples Inc has implemented a variety of programs to make it easy for customers to recycle. The recycling facilities by Staples regarding ink and toner cartridges in the US, UK and Canada, helps to benefit the local schools through Staples Recycle for Education, a program that donates $1 to public education charities and schools for every eligible used cartridge that is recycled at more than 1,200 Staples stores. The company is considering the new ways to recycle the products to utilize the minimum energy and maximize the safety of environment, which helps to preserve the economys need of power generating resources. Staples keeping in consideration Humanity, Donated huge sum of money to Haiti victims in collaboration of Red cress society and any one who desires to donate can easily donate in any Staples store (Staples, 2011). Technological Factors: For the convenience of consumer, Staples also introduces the self checkout machines, employed by Staples in USA, which can help solve queue up problem. Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID) technology is used in Staples which significantly benefits to the supply chain of Staples. This technology leads more efficient inventory handling. Staples uses advance machines to manufacture its brands and compatible ones which assure quality satisfaction (Staples, 2011). Environmental Factors: A lot of emphasis of Staples has been on the role of reducing carbon footprint and increasing energy efficiency. Staples are a multicultural organization where proper career planning of all associates is carried out without any racism or cultural issues. Staples Foundation for Learning sponsored a grant in 2004 to Earth Force, an organization which provides teachers an innovative multi-disciplinary curriculum focused on environmental education for middle school students (Staples, 2011). Legal Factors: Staples strictly follow all environmental regulations and promotes environmental education. Staples strictly follows police regulations regarding selling of knives, scissors, glues which must not be sold to children under 21 years of age (Staples, 2011). Porters Five Forces Analysis Porters (1985) Five Force Analysis deals with factors outside an industry that influence the nature of competition within it, the forces that influence the way in which firms compete, therefore industrys possible profitability is conducted in Porters Five Forces model. Every business must understand the activities of its industries and markets in order to compete effectively in the marketplace. (peerpapers.com) Staples Inc Five Forces Analysis The business of Staples Inc can be suited into the Five Forces analysis as follows: Competitive Rivalry Office-max, Office-Depot, Currys, are major Competitors in market. Online buying facility and online stores. Small shops in Universities. Switching Cost for Staples is very high. Staples manufactures and sells variety of office accessories, which many rivals dont. Threat of New Entry Small shops are opening in universities Staples manufactures and sell its own brands, with minimum cost. Staples Recycles material in its manufacturing premises with less cost. Threat of Substitution Staples Specializes in unique and multiple brands with wide range of products. Staples manufacture many compatibles of brands such as Epson, Lexmark and cannon Cartages. Brand loyalty of customers due to low price Buyer Power Staples Manufactures its own products at cheap rates. Facilities such as in-store NUS discount and special offers Less Switching power to buyer Customer Doesnt know production cost of products. Products are of strategic importance to customers Supplier Power Staples Manufactures and supplies to its stores on its own. Less supplier power available in hands of supplier. Switching cost from one to another supplier is low Source: Staples (2011, 2007, 2010) Task 2: Identify and analyze progress towards organizational strategic aims and objectives 2.1 Application of strategic analysis tools Staples can monitor progress towards achievement of its strategic aims and objectives by using the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) approach. BSC was first proposed by Norton and Kaplan (1996) who claim that it helps the company translate its strategy into measurable actions. Therefore, McCarthy and Chapman (2009) describe BSC as a strategic planning and management system used to align business activities to the vision statement of an organization. It can measure a teams performance on four perspectives such as financial perspective, customer perspective, internal business process perspective and learning and growth perspective. 2.2 Review and assess the expectations of all stakeholders and their influence upon the organizational strategy Stakeholder analysis is used to review and assess the expectations of all stakeholders and their influence on organizational strategy. Stakeholder analysis is a methodology used to facilitate policy and reform processes by keeping in consideration the needs of those who have a stake or an interest in the reforms. With information on Stakeholders, their interests, and their capacity to oppose reform, reform advocates can choose how to best adjust them, thus making sure that policies adopted are politically realistic and sustainable (Johnson et al, 2008). Stakeholder Impact Analysis for Staples Inc Staples stakeholders are its shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, investors and the government. Each Stake holder show sincere relationship with staples. This is further elaborated as follows: Shareholders: There sincere relationship even during recession kept the company standing while many other superstores couldnt bear it. Employees: All company employees are dedicated to there work and it is due to there friendly environment which keeps them motivated to generate profits for company rather then making unions and creating problems. Customer: Customers are dedicated to staples brand due to cheep product and reliability, therefore company generates huge revenues each year. Investors: All brands rely upon staples. From Technology to office supplies variety of brands can be seen. All investors trust upon staples policies and future growth. Environmentalist: Staples promotes environmental consciousness among people, therefore it is never objected by environmentalists. Government: Staples generates huge revenue therefore provides huge tax amounts, which gives government shelter to Staples. 2.3 Analyze, interpret and produce a structured evaluation of the organizational strategic position Strategic capability analysis is used to analyze, interpret and produce a structured evaluation of Staples strategic position. Staples Resource and Competence Analysis It is the analysis of competencies, knowledge, and skills that Staples Inc can apply to achieve success in a competitive environment. This concept is derived from the core competencies approach to corporate strategy. This will encompass the need to adjust and change in order to fit the changing environment and the need to stretch to exploit organizational resources in ways that are innovative, or that other organizations will find it hard to compete. Strategic Capability Ways to Build on the Competency/Resource Competences Core Competencies Manufacturing capability. Branding and Expansion. World wide Stores and access. Transforming its Supply Chain. Cheap production Threshold Competencies Customer satisfaction and value Customer service, online and offline. Resources Unique Resources Cheep production I.T. use for inventory management. Research and development. Wide range of brands. Threshold Resources IT outsourcing Production in china at low cost Staples Inc recognizes that it has to find new ways to drive sustainable growth and profitability. The area of major attention is that Staples has been improving its supply chain management activities. Staples goal was to widen its lead over competitors in all key industry areas, by improving supply chain execution, and thereby decreasing costs while increasing productivity and reliability and ensuring that customers could always find products they wanted on store shelves. Manufacturing products and differentiated product are the key core competencies of Staples. Task 3: Determination and Evaluate of Strategic Options 3.1 Identification and development of strategic options Internal Environmental Analysis Based on the internal environmental analysis (SWOT analysis) of Staples, it appears that the company has unique competencies in office supplies business. Staples manufacturing competency, multiple retail channels and strong distribution network target different customer segments efficiently. Whereas threat of new entrants in shape of small stores at key areas and online buying trend from cheep online stores are major threat to staples. External Environmental Analysis Furthermore the external environmental analysis (PESTEL analysis) for Staples shows that increase in VAT, reducing inflow of international students and credit crunch; and Porter`s Five Force analysis showing increasing threat of new entrants in shape of small shops in universities and local areas and increase in online buying trend with cheaper price; along with stakeholder`s analysis reflecting total dependence upon employees and customers are weak aspects of Staples. Suggested Corporate Strategy for Staples Beside that the above analyses, since Staples produces goods at competitively low-cost and has operations worldwide, propose that Staples should adopt Cost Leadership strategy of Porter`s Generic Strategies. Rationalization of Cost-Leadership as the Corporate Strategy: Cost-leadership strategy emphasizes efficiency which is based on avoiding unnecessary or non-value adding activities that consume organizational resources but cannot add any value for which customers are willing to pay. Along with this philosophy, economies of scale is the guiding policy for implementing cost-leadership strategy as it requires the company to produce items at the lowest possible cost among all competitors of the similar products. By producing high volumes of standardized products, the firm will take advantage of economies of scale and experience learning curve effects. Since products are produced at a relatively low cost and made available to a very large customer base, along with access to raw materials, components, labor, and other important inputs, cost leadership approach is most suitable for Staples. Successful implementation of this approach is expected because of Staples following capabilities: Good process engineering skill system of Staples. Office Supplies products designed for ease of manufacture Sustained access to cost-effective capital Good and close supervision of labor Staples tight cost control Incentives based on quantitative targets Always ensuring that the costs are kept at the minimum possible level. 3.2 Determine and justify the strategic option The above new corporate strategy for Staples can be implemented by carrying out the functional strategies discussed below. Functional Strategy: Since there are other rivals in the market, however, their concentration is focused upon food, clothes, and other products rather then office supplies, therefore Staples has acquired major position in market. Consequently, the corporate strategy of cost- leadership must be remained focused and maintained. Staples should adopt following functional strategies for its relevant departments in order to implement this corporate strategy of cost leadership: Research and Development for minimizing costs. (RD Department) Online Selling, Marketing, maintaining goodwill and customer service (Marketing Department). Branding and expansion (Purchase Department) Functional Strategy: Research and Development for minimizing costs Staples manufactures in China where cost of production isrelatively low due to availability of cheaper raw materials and labor, while on the other hand, Staples needs to concentrate on research and development facility to minimize cost at such a level where rivalry influence can be easily coped, if required. Action Plans Performance Indicators 1) Exploring more countries for much cheaper production. (During one year period) Number of countries found, comparing production costs with current product costs. 2) Opening production facility to produce raw material for finished goods. (During Two Year Period) Number of Factories established. Functional Strategy:Online Selling, Mraketing, maintaining goodwill and customer service. Staples should advertiseits online buying facility to students and offices. In addition, maintaining good customer service is essential to keep Staples goodwill intact and even stronger. This will eliminate rivalry influence and help maintain cost leadership and monopolistic influence. Action Plans Performance Indicators 1) Awareness Campaigns in universities, offices and exhibitions that Staples provide cheep and quality products. (During 6month period) Number of Campaigns launched, customer feed back and sales figures. 2) Participation in Community and social projects. (During Two Year Period). Number of Projects undertaken. Functional Strategy:Branding and expansion Staples must open stores all over the world to maintain its influence, adding more brands will satisfy customers as they can find everything under one roof. This will ultimately make Staples a popular brand and its cost leadership influence will be enhanced. Action Plans Performance Indicators 1) Expanding brands and producing its compatible ones. (During 6month period) Numbers of brands added in Staples and its compatibles. 2) Opening Stores in major parts of world. (During 2 years Period) Number of Stores opened worldwide. 3) Opening Small shops and stores in universities and offices will remove small rivals from market. (During 1 year Period) Number of small shops and stores opened in these places. Staples Inc, for its manufacturing capability and unique products, can easily integrate in various cities of the world. With expansion and branding it can obtain huge amount of market share thus eliminating rivalry influence. With its skilled RD Department, Staples can manufacture compatible goods for various brands at cheap rates. They have got a great management team with motivated team work and great leadership style. This differentiates Staples as a unique store which not only provides eco-friendly products but possess a good reputation among its customers. It must focus upon its vision, mission and values in order to maintain such reputation. Conclusion The strategic analysis of Staples Inc., reveals that it has been enjoying a very well is a well established company which is known for providing quality products to its customers. By careful consideration of its external and internal environment and keeping in mind the interests of its stakeholders, it has been able to establish itself as a leader in the office supplies business. Staples is competent in carrying out its business activities. It is recommended that it applies the new corporate strategy highlighted in this report to gain competitive advantage in the marketplace for a long sustainable period.