Inclusion in Early Childhood Education Personal Statement

Inclusion in Early Childhood Education - Personal Statement Example Programs, lobbies, and organizations have increased regarding inclusion over the years. More and more people have been getting involved. Likewise, the number of schools affected by inclusion has multiplied. The education system has been changing towards equality for all students. Increasingly, many individuals have realized the benefits of this movement. As humans, freedom has always been one of our strongest passions. It brings us joy to know that we are all being refined in the culture of equality. Educating all children to the utmost extent possible in a regular classroom is one of the noblest movements of mankind. We must then say yes to inclusive education since it fights for the rights of all children to be full members of the society. Some people think that inclusion is not the best option for all cases. Several think that it is unfair for the other students to be compromised. â€Å"†¦for example, children with hearing impairments may be in segregated classrooms or at ho me to concentrate on learning sign language† (Deiner, 1999, p. 31). ... A number of individuals still have misconceptions about inclusion. Others just define it with their own understanding. Furthermore, definitions have evolved and influenced by a country’s legislation. Some teachers who have to face the challenges are ill-equipped on how to handle the situation. In reality, there are educators who have to accept the â€Å"inclusive classroom setting† without appropriate knowledge and experience. Traditionally, children with special needs are not included in assessment standards. This makes it hard for several systems to evaluate their respective performances. In actual settings, teachers, including volunteers, are not enough to manage the learning process inside the classroom. According to the U.S. Department of Education (2007), 53.6% of children with disabilities are served in regular classrooms. With this population, more educators are undeniably needed to be thoroughly trained concerning teaching children with disabilities. Clearly, i nclusion brings about a change in the education system that everyone needs to be prepared of since the special education, as well as the regular system, are affected in this alteration. To address the other teachers’ qualms regarding inclusion, a collaborative approach can be helpful in communicating the necessary information. It is understandable that many professionals are still in the denial stage regarding inclusion. In due time, they will be able to have acceptance, understanding, and eventually knowledge about the process of inclusion. Almost all schools are already pushing for this undertaking to succeed. Sooner or later, more compelling regulations are likely to be endorsed.  

Business Ethics And Social Responsibility Management Essay

Business Ethics And Social Responsibility Management Essay Capitalism is often said the most selfish economic system but what usually is forgotten is that the very base of capitalism, the very foundation is based on ethics, morality and laws. Yes the system might seem to be fair but within that system, there is the paramount place for utility and protection of private property. This very fact makes ethics indispensable to the core ideology. It is unfair to take somebody elses property (an often repeated rule of capitalism), one can not force another person to work against ones will (another virtue of capitalism) , all point out to the special role ethics has played in the field of business and commerce. The whole modern day structure of commerce, business and trade is based on the unwritten and often vague principles of Ethics and moral behaviour. The point can well be taken forward by looking at the concept of externalities in business today. The point will be explained further by analyzing case studies of individual companies, today we live in an integrated society where no one person is isolated from the actions of the other. If today steel companies are producing pollution, then they are bringing trouble on themselves since they are polluting the environment they themselves breathe in. The harmful effects of pollution are global. This precisely is the concept of negative externalities. Ethics command us not to pollute the environment, modern day welfare Economics, directs us to the exact same. Now that we have established a firm base for ethics by use of modern day welfare economics, we continue to define what Business ethics are and what does the term corporate social responsibility mean. Business ethics (also known as corporate ethics) is a form of applied ethics or professional ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment. It applies to all aspects of business conduct and is relevant to the conduct of individuals and business organizations as a whole. Applied ethics is a field of ethics that deals with ethical questions in many fields such as medical, technical, legal and business ethics. Further the practice of using ethics to make tough business decisions is known as ethicism and is increasingly gaining in popularity showing the kind of attention ethics is getting today. Professor Reshma Prasad says that firms can often gain super-normal profits by acting in an unethical fashion but sooner or later such behaviour does have its negative impact as well. Business ethics can be both a normative and a descriptive discipline. As a corporate practice and a career specialization, the field is primarily normative. In academia descriptive approaches are also taken. The range and quantity of business ethical issues reflects the degree to which business is perceived to be at odds with non-economic social values. Historically, interest in business ethics accelerated dramatically during the 1980s and 1990s, both within major corporations and within academia. For example, today most major corporate websites lay emphasis on commitment to promoting non-economic social values under a variety of headings (e.g. ethics codes, social responsibility charters). In some cases, corporations have redefined their core values in the light of business ethical considerations. Types of Managerial Ethics Archie B. Carroll, an eminent researcher, identified three types of management ethics, depending on the extent to which the decisions were ethical or moral: moral management amoral management immoral management Types of Managerial Ethics 1) Moral management Moral management strives to follow ethical principles and doctrines. Moral managers work to succeed without violating any ethical standards. They seek to succeed remaining within the bounds of laws. Such managers undertake such activities which ensure that though they may engage in legal and ethical behavior, they also continue to make a profit. The law should be followed not only in letter but also in spirit. Moral managers always seek to determine whether their actions, behavior or decisions are fair to themselves as well as to all other stakeholders involved. In the long run, this approach is likely to be in the best interests of the organizations. 2) Amoral management This approach is neither immoral nor moral. Amoral management simply ignores ethical considerations. It is broadly categorized into two types intentional and unintentional. Intentional amoral managers do not take ethical issues into consideration while making decisions or while taking any action, because in their perception, general ethical standards should only be applicable to the non-business areas of life. Unintentional amoral managers, however, do not even consider the moral implications of their decisions or actions. Amoral managers pursue profitability as the only goal and pay very little attention to the impact on any of their social stakeholders. They do not like to interfere in their employees activities, unless their behavior can lead to government interference. The guiding principle of amoral management is Within the law of the land, will this action, decision, or behavior help us make money? 3) Immoral management Immoral management not only ignores ethical concerns but it also actively opposes the ethical behavior. Organizations with immoral management are characterized by: Total concern for profits of the organization only. Strong inclination to minimize the expenditure. Laws are regarded as hurdles that should be removed or eliminated. Stress on profits and organization success at any cost. The basic principle governing immoral management is: Can we make money with this Action, decision, or behavior? Thus, ethical considerations are immaterial. Coming now to corporate social responsibility. A formal definition by Ravindran- CORPORATE social responsibility (CSR) is a concept that frequently overlaps with similar approaches such as corporate sustainability, corporate sustainable development, corporate responsibility, and corporate citizenship. While CSR does not have a universal definition, many see it as the private sectors way of integrating the economic, social, and environmental imperatives of their activities. CSR can be seen both in a positive light as well as some are more sceptical about the efforts that modern day firms undertake in the name of CSR. Different organisations have framed in the past different definitions, although there is considerable common ground between them. For instance, it is largely agreed largely that CSR is about how companies manage the business processes to produce an overall positive impact on society. So by balancing profits with an overall understanding and awareness of the short- and long-term consequences of an organisations activities on the environment and community, a company can help to ensure that future generations not only enjoy its products but also the environment. The paper will extensively analyze both the positive and negative effects of CSR initiatives. CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY CSR. is a concept that states that organizations, especially corporations, have an obligation to consider the interests of customers, employees, shareholders, communities, and ecological considerations in all aspects of their operations. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into the business model and day-to-day operations of the company. CSR policy gives a self-regulating framework whereby a business monitors and ensures its adherence to law, ethical standards, environmental norms and morality. CSR is a concept that frequently overlaps with similar approaches such as corporate sustainability, corporate responsibility, corporate sustainable development and corporate citizenship.In addition to integration into corporate structures and processes, CSR also frequently involves creating innovative and proactive solutions to societal and environmental challenges, as well as collaborating with both external and internal stakeholders to impr ove CSR performance. From a business perspective, CSR involves focusing on new opportunities as a way to respond to interrelated societal, social and environmental demands in the market.  CSR is  generally  seen as the business contribution to sustainable development which has been defined as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, and is generally understood focusing on how to achieve the integration of environmental, economic and social imperatives. CSR commitments and activities typically address aspects of a firms behavior (including its policies and practices) with respect to such key elements as; environmental protection, health and safety, human rights, community development, corporate governance and consumer protection business ethics, supplier relations, labor protection, and stakeholder rights Relevance of Corporate Social Responsibility In the present corporate arena every company aims at long-term, sustained growth for its business. How does the growth trajectory of a business becomes long-term and sustained ? This happens when in future the supply of customers is assured. It is imperative that the company invests now to assure this future supply of customers. Thus, it is important that the company invests in the society because from the society forms the base from which its future customers will come. For long-term success, investment in the society is the most profitable investment a company can make. Moreover, there is a marked change in the way consumers buy their products and services. They engage in a cultural and ethical audit of the producers. They are eager to know how the company treats its employees, whether the company is sensitive to societal needs, issues etc. A company having a good history of positive contribution to the society gains an edge over other companies, thus enhancing the buy-ability of their product or service. In other words a producer having a good reputation in terms of adherence to ethics and morals has higher probability of scoring over other producers. In crowded markets, companies strive for the mindshare of the consumers by offering them a unique selling proposition that separates them from the competition in the minds of consumers, through social endeavours. Corporate Social Responsibility plays a vital role in building customer loyalty based on distinctive ethical values. CSR initiatives also enhance the reputation of the company as an employer. A CSR programme can be an aid to recruitment and retention, particularly within a competitive market where companies vie for the best of minds and talents. Potential recruits often eager to know the firms CSR policy and history as an employer during an interview. Having an active and comprehensive policy can give an advantage to the employer and positively differentiates the company in the eyes of the potential recruits. CSR can also help improve the image of a company among its present employees.CSR initiatives targeted towards the current employees sends positive signals to them, contributing to the environment of mutual respect and understanding between the management and the employees. Consumers and society in general expect more from the companies whose products they buy. This sense has increased in the light of recent corporate scandals, which reduced public trust of corporations, and reduced public confidence in the ability of regulatory bodies and organizations to control corporate excess. Hence, the impact of business clearly extends beyond the company and the market to society as whole. Apart from profitability, it is important that the company considers the ethical, moral, environmental, legal and social context of its activities. Businesses need to take responsibility for the impact of their activities on the environment, local population, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere. The implication for the corporate sector is to strike a balance between profitability and social consciousness and sensitivity. The inclusion of public interest into corporate decision-making and business model is very important in the present corporate landscape. Positive Aspects of CSR CSR is an important business strategy because, everyone wants to associate with a partner they can trust. Customers want to buy products from companies they trust; suppliers want to form alliances with corporations they can rely on; employees want to work for companies they respect; and governments, increasingly, want to work with companies seeking feasible solutions and innovations in areas of common concern. Satisfying each of these stakeholder groups allows companies to maximize their commitment to another important stakeholder group-their investors, who benefit most when the needs of these other stakeholder groups are being met. Having a positive social image has its costs as companies have to invest in various endeavours but it pays in the long run. The businesses most likely to succeed in the globalizing world will be those best able to combine the often conflicting interests of its multiple stakeholders, and incorporate a wider spectrum of opinions and values within the decision-making process and objectives of the organization. We take two cases where years of CSR investments and adherence to societal norms helped corporations tide over crisis situations. Johnson Johnson British Petroleum Johnson Johnsons Tylenol Case Johnson Johnsons transparent handling of the crisis facing its Tylenol brand in 1982 is widely heralded as the model case in the area of crisis management. The company could make it possible through years of adherence to ethics and societal norms which were reflected in its CSR policies . The worldwide success of Johnson Johnson is widely attributed to its business philosophy. Robert Wood Johnson II first articulated this business philosophy in 1943 called The Johnson Johnsons Credo. In 1982 and 1986 Johnson Johnsons Tylenol acetaminophen was adulterated with cyanide and used as a murder weapon. During the crisis Johnson Johnsons managers and employees made countless decisions that were inspired by the philosophy embedded in the credo. Tylenol was immediately cleared from store shelves and the company was proactive and open in addressing each crisis. JJ went far and above what had previously been expected of corporations in such situations, instigating a $100 million re-call of 31 million bottles of the drug following a suspected poisoning/product tampering incident. In acting in the way it did, JJ saved the Tylenol brand, enabling it to remain a strong revenue earner for the company to this day. British Petroleum This example illustrates how investment in CSR initiatives can help a company gain the trust of the society . BP, with a $200 million re-branding exercise, has effectively re-positioned itself as the most environmentally sound and socially responsible of the extraction companies. The company stands in stark contrast today with Exxon Mobil that faces on-going NGO attacks, consumer boycotts, and activist-led litigation because of its decision to fight the environmental movement, and its failure to recognize the wider importance of CSR as a corporate strategy. Questionable CSR A counter view to the conventional one is that companies undertake CSR initiatives to distract the public from ethical questions that are posed by the fundamental operations of that company. Companys sole motive is to make profits and hence they start CSR programmes for brand building and in turn help achieve their corporate objective. Also by funding certain specific projects they also build reputation with government officials who in turn are obliged to favor them. Many firms claim to be committed towards sustainable development whereas their core business is a threat in itself. An example could be the hypocrisy of Ford. Although CSR issues aim at raising awareness of social and environmental issues no company changes its business model. Ford has a stance on reduction of greenhouse gases whereas their profits come from trucks and SUVs. Many companies have failed due to pursuit of unethical practices. An example of the same is satyam and Enron. Such companies CSR statements are only phony promises and their vested interests are the main reason for entering this corporate social sphere. To make companies behave in an ethical and socially responsible manner laws would have to be enforced. Corporate hypocrisy and sincerity needs to be addressed by making regulations and policies binding. We have taken two successful companies and analyzed their CSR initiatives and practices followed: British American Tobacco Dealing with the hypocrisy of the stance that organizations take Wal-Mart The unethical practices that are followed and how regulation can play an instrumental role in checking these undesirable activities British American Tobacco A major fiasco resulted as a revelation of the fact that the worlds second largest tobacco company masks the damage it causes to health, development and the environment in the garb of corporate social responsibility. Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was tried to be blocked by the top BAT executives .They tried to win political influence in Africa by using their support for AIDS prevention as a tool. They used tobacco industry research information to negate the findings of WHO regarding the harmful effects of secondhand smoke. BATs donation of HK$300,000 in 1992 to repair the Haizhou Bridge in Guangzhou province of China obliged the officialdom and helped establish. In 2005 BAT profits were greater than  £2.7 billion a year from a 15 per cent share of the world tobacco market. The total number of deaths due to tobacco related diseases was about 5 million. This implies BATs 300 brands of cigarettes that were sold in 180 countries caused three-quarters of a million premature deaths. ASH Director Deborah Arnott said: Tobacco firms like BAT hide behind glossy reports and boast of Corporate Social Responsibility. But this report shows the cynicism and deceit behind the public face. It should be read by decision-makers, campaigners and health professionals in every country where BAT seeks sales. Companies like BAT offer the ultimate devils bargain. When they enter developing countries in search of new markets, they come with a smile a handshake and an open cheque book. But they leave behind nothing but a trail of addiction, misery and death. The various CSR initiatives taken were: A clinic for the diagnosis of disease Accommodation for the homeless Arts and educational projects Such programmes win allies in local markets and also open doors of politicians and regulators. Impact on developing world: The regulations in poorer countries are weak and by helping to a little extent the companies oblige politicians and in turn they win favors and can easily establish themselves. Hence stringent regulations are required to prevent this exploitation. Wal-Mart Wal-Mart is one of the largest private employers in the US. The sheer size and magnanimity of the company allows it to follow certain unethical processes as the laws against them are also not very stringent. Some of the controversies surrounding Wal-Mart are: Many employees having children working here live below the poverty line. Wal-Mart portrays itself as a company selling U.S. manufactured goods but in reality it utilizes products made in foreign countries and at questionable workshops. As a result of the cost advantage it gets it throws some of the competition out. Unethical business practices that this company follows include: Labor Union Opposition: Wal-Mart claims to follow open door policy but its effectiveness in Wal-Mart is questionable. It is a non union organization and hence this structure helps the company have a no complaint system. Third party intervention is not desired. Employees are provided lower wages than unionized corporations and as a result end up quitting by the end of the first year. The employees are prohibited to talk to union representatives. This is unethical as according to the National Labor Relations Act, employers cannot discourage employees from forming a union for they have that right. Cases were filed against Wal-Mart United Food and Commercial Workers Union filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board against Wal-Mart. National Labor Relations Board alleged that Wal-Mart violated federal labor law as it bribed employees to report on co-workers who favored a union. (www.washingtonpost) Unfair Treatment of Employees: June 2001 Six Wal-Mart female employees filed a sex discrimination lawsuit. Women were not being trained or given promotions. Also they were underpaid as compared to their male counterparts. Discrimination on basis of gender was prevalent. Hence women were being treated in an undignified and disrespectful way. (www.arkansasnews.com) . Later in lieu of the given events Wal-Mart introduced workplace diversity initiatives to promote equality. Wages were very low compared to prevalent rates .They wanted to continue offering low prices to customers hence did not want to increase operating costs. Due to this the wages were kept low. Wal-Marts health insurance was very expensive and some of the employees could not even afford to pay for it. Case was filed against Wal-Mart as it did not pay employees more for overtime. Wal-Mart used illegal immigrants as workers to reduce costs. In October 2003 hundreds of illegal immigrants employed were uncovered. Companies have to spot ethical and unethical practices otherwise they would loose their reputation in the market. CONCLUSION Corporations today are best positioned when they reflect the values of the constantly shifting and sensitive market environment in which they operate. It is vital that they are capable of meeting the needs of an increasingly demanding and socially-aware consumer market, especially as brands move front and center of a firms total value. Global firms with global lifestyle brands have the most to lose if the public perception of the brand fails to live up to the image portrayed. Integrating a complete social perspective into all aspects of operations will maximize true value and benefit for an organization, while protecting the huge investments companies make in corporate brands. Along with the social responsibility, comes the opportunity to convert these social initiatives into tangible results namely profits. An organization should look what amount of value the project can give back to the organization. A social cost benefit analysis can give the organization a fair idea about what kind of rewards the initiative can generate for the organization. Thus an organization can decide on the initiatives taking into consideration these various factors.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints :: Mormon Church

Many people have varying ideas about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It has been said that the Mormons are a cult out to destroy the beliefs of the other Christian churches. Some believe that they are not a true Christian church, that they hide their beliefs from investigators of their religion, and they keep important details of their religion secret until after you have become a member. It is also said that they are not Christian because they use The Book of Mormon instead of the Bible.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cults that are formed today do not believe in Jesus Christ as the savior. Christian churches are the only ones that claim Jesus to be the savior. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was founded around 1850. If a cult had any intentions to undermine the beliefs of other religions, lead people to kill themselves or others, and turn people away from Christianity, they would not wait more than 150 years to do so.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints does not hide its beliefs. They have no problem explaining their beliefs and scriptures to other people. They send Missionaries around the world to teach people about the correct views of the church. The Temple ordinances are hidden because they are sacred and meant to be for only special instances. All of the members must follow the laws of the church to be found worthy to participate. Mormons do not know anything about them until they attend for the first time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Book of Mormon is not a replacement Bible to the Mormons. It goes along with the Bible and consistently concedes many things found in the Bible. In the Bible a latter day prophet is discussed and it is said that he will restore the true and correct church. Joseph Smith, who translated ancient scrolls with a third grade education, was this latter day prophet. He received inspiration from God that the true church Jesus created was no longer on Earth. After translating the scrolls, he began teaching and finding new members to help him restore the true church to the Earth.

Employee right case study bea Essay

The Pledge of Loyalty is portion of the baptismal of fire when you enter an organisation. When you become portion of a group. you are obliged to follow the pledge or if you can non. merely leave. And this will play a important function in the treatment of this instance survey. On the first inquiry of Allen Lopez retaining his occupation. while the First Amendment states that Lopez’ aerating of grudge is protected under the Freedom of Expression. he is. nevertheless. in struggle with the offense of calumny and for non detecting employment limitations and trueness curses. So while he is allowed to utilize whatever medium to province his feelings and thoughts. the jurisprudence allows his company to fire him for he endangers the security of his company’s work force. On the 2nd inquiry on whether Lopez be forced to take his web site. the company may make one of two things. First. the company may petition for Temporary Restraining Order that will be issued by the tribunal which will so order Lopez to stop dead the web site or to convey it down temporarily before the tribunal decides on whether seting up the web site did go against company Torahs as stated in the trueness pledge. Second is to action Lopez for amendss and include in their gesture that he convey down the web site to control farther onslaughts on the company’s image.Last. on how ExtremeNet’s executives will esteem Lopez’s rights and self-respect. it is best for ExtremeNet to merely inquire the tribunal to convey the website down particularly if it did non present any important negative effects in the traffics of the company. Allen Lopez has been a good employee and was merely contending for the public assistance of the lower ranking employees. But still. it is in the discretion of ExtremeNet to either fire or retain Allen Lopez in the company. FindLaw. First Amendment – Freedom of Expression. & lt ; accessible at hypertext transfer protocol: //caselaw. LP. findlaw. com/data/constitution/amendment01/ & gt ; eLaws. Employment Law Guide. & lt ; accessible at hypertext transfer protocol: //www. dol. gov/compliance/guide/ & gt ;

Nike Marketing Report Essay

The purpose of this report is to use concepts, models and theories to critically assess and evaluate Nike’s digital marketing activities. Within the report models such as the Marketing Mix and Assofs Matrix are used to demonstrate the importance of Nike’s digital campaigns and evaluate their validity. The report begins with an introduction to Nike as a company; this is a brief history into how the company was conceived. After this we explore different  product ranges Nike have to offer and their share within the sporting goods market. I go on to discuss how â€Å"Nike create anâ€Å"ecosystem† of digital services that complement its product range and encourage consumers to connect with the brand daily†(Olander, S., 2012). I continue to use evidence to support the importance of digital based marketing at Nike. I demonstrate the way in which they target their specific markets using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter. My conclusion focuses on the flaws and achievements of the companies digital marketing efforts. Nike is a company that has an impeccable record when it comes to marketing and its reflected within the examples I present throughout. Using Assofs matrix model I assess what Nike will have to do to remain dominant within its market. These include: – Diversifying into emerging foreign markets such as Chine and India. – Utilizing relationship marketing more effectively with marketing campaigns segmented to the consumers individually. – Market development within its pre-established markets – Product development to keep up with current digital trends Introduction to Nike As smaller companies are fading away and large multinationals are flourishing its hard to think of them having any similarities. One company that boasts of being that largest sportswear company in the world, started out with humble beginnings. I have chosen to analyze Nike due in part to their large online presence, which continues to grow and adapt to their ever-changing environment. The way in which we consume information has drastically changed in the last 20 years causing companies to rethink their marketing strategies. I believe that Nikes success as a company is due in part to its effective use of marketing to create a strong brand image and its adaptability when faced with a digital revolution within the global markets. Track athlete Philip Knight and his coach, Bill Bowerman created Nike in 1964. Originally called Blue Ribbon Sports, the company started as an American distributer of footwear made by Onitsuka Tiger, a Japanese shoe maker that would later go on to found the sportswear company ASICS. Originally Blue Ribbon Sports conducted their business out of the back of Phillip Knight’s car after training. Knight’s and Bowerman’s business grew and 2 years after they had first created their brand they had opened their first store in California. This is when they adopted the name Nike, inspired by the ancient Greek goddess of victory. This was the time they would also start using the iconic image of the â€Å"swoosh†. After this point their business started to expand rapidly. It did so by â€Å" Pursuing different advertising strategies in its various markets, while at the same time striving to communicate an identical brand identity worldwide† (Von Borries, 2004, p19) . In 1988 Dan Wieden of the Wieden and Kennedy advertising agency coined one of the most famous advertising slogans of all time. The Iconic â€Å"just do it†. The slogan has been chosen as one of the most iconic slogans of the 20th century by Advertising Age magazine. (Nike: History and Heritage , 2012). Financially Nike has seen a massive growth from its humble beginnings of selling products from the trunk of a car to having revenue of $24.148 billion and a income of $ 3.040 billion in 2012 (United States Securities and Exchange Commission, 2011) Nike has been extremely effective at expanding beyond its domestic market of the United States to become a global brand that boasts 44,000 employees worldwide. When it comes to the products produced by Nike it is clear that they have diversified slowly over the years to produce an extremely broad range of sporting goods. Their range of products includes shoes, team kits, clothing and base layers to name a few. As a company they also produce goods for an array of sports including, ice hockey, track and field, tennis, football, lacrosse, baseball, basketball, and cricket. Like any other sporting goods companies they face many  competitors within the market. These include Adidas, Reebok, Fila, Puma, New Balance, Asics, and Skechers though Nike is the largest company within the group. Adidas is its closest competitor with a 16 % market share compared to 31% help by Nike. Not only is Nike the leader within its market but it also has the most creative marketing campaigns, which I believe to be the key contributor to its international success. Though they have faced controversy over the years with accusations of poor working conditions and low pay for staff they have managed to continue their dominance within the market. They are a true testament to what branding and marketing can achieve within a retail company.

Water Wars essays

Water Wars essays Drinking a glass of water from our faucet is second nature to us. It is hard to believe that in view of the fact of the limited water resource we have, we may not be able to enjoy the vast amount of water we selfishly consume. It is a true embarrassment how San Diego and other big counties, such as Los Angeles, are erroneously accusing the Imperial Valley of having too much water for our own good. What these full-size cities do not recognize is that if it was not for our farming and field workers, they would not have there food on the table. It seems a little exaggerated, but just the way the economic cycle flows, the Imperial Valley receiving this amount of water is for a good and instrumental motivation. We require that water, not to quench the thirst of our peoples craving but only to feed the soil and allow our agricultural process to continue producing lots of our fruits and vegetables that we lay on our table to feed our offspring and loved ones. One good way to break this common knowledge to the capital desiring community that wants our rightfully given water is to tell them in laymens terms what in reality is going on. It in fact is not too hard to comprehend that the longer a shower you take. The more water you are going to waist. If we set a timer in our showers, for five minutes, and try to beat the record of showering under those five minuets, we can accumulate a whole lot of water just by making water conservation a diversion or a competition where the grand prize is cash. I think they should make water conservation like daylight savings. An additional way of helping our communities understand the true significance of water is to educate them. Tell them the actuality of how wasting water or snatching Imperial Valleys water concern every person. Not just by creating laws that no one really understands, but by making everyone conscious of the damage that we are causi ...

A Walk in the Night and A Dry White Season

A Walk in the Night and A Dry White Season African apartheid and discrimination that some many people had to face has become the basis for a number of books and films. â€Å"A Walk in the Night† and â€Å"A Dry White Season† are two movies that describe the oppression people of African descent had to face. The discrimination and unequal treatment had no real basis, except for selfishness, greed and the mere ability to inflict unpunished harm onto other people.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"A Walk in the Night† and â€Å"A Dry White Season† specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The movie â€Å"A Walk in the Night† tells a story of an African man Mikey who has had a rough night. He is one of the workers at the local factory and is fired because he confronts the foreman, after being called a racist name â€Å"kaffir† (A Walk in the Night). This is very much representative of the society where people were able to get a way with offending others based on their race and skin color. Such behavior would not be tolerated if it was done to someone of equal status or race but for those of African descent this was acceptable. This shows how ignorant and cruel a whole nation of people can be and what sort of influence a large number of individuals can have. Mikey is outraged by such behavior and his reaction costs him his job. After he leaves the factory, he meets Joey who is caught up with the wrong crowd and leads a life of crime and unemployment. Even though Mikey wants to help Joey, he realizes how futile and pointless his efforts are because a whole society is prejudiced and will not be able to change overnight. Mikey then finds out that his girlfriend is pregnant and is feeling hopeless because he lost his job and he knows that the society they live in is very much unhealthy. He then encounters a police officer who adds to the frustration by harassing him and calling another racial name. Mikey is in such a stressed condition that he goes drinking with his neighbor Uncle Doughty. They have a heartfelt conversation because Doughty has been around for some time and knew Mikey when he was a child, as well as his mother. The climax of the movie is the scene where Uncle Doughty says: â€Å"Mikey, my boy†¦ It’s just a manner of speech.† (A Walk in the Night). This outrages Mikey and he kills Doughty. This scene shows how tired and humiliated the nature of African people was because they were facing discrimination and disrespect for so long. The movie â€Å"A Dry White Season† is another representation of discrimination towards Africans. It tells a story of a white teacher in a South African school who is asked for help by a man Gordon. Ben, the teacher, refuses, as he does not want to participate in the fight between races and societies. Even though he avoids the fight, he faces it later because he sees the unacceptable behavior of the white people. Gordon an d his wife are killed and Ben takes up the fight against the white man’s regime.Advertising Looking for essay on african american? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The quote â€Å"Blacks lead double lives one you see and one you dont† proves how the offense and stress that the whites have caused is unseen and Native Africans are forced to live their lives in segregation and separation (A Dry White Season). In the movie, Ben represents the fight for respect and equality and portrays everyone who was in support of blacks and was not afraid to fight them. Both movies are a strong representation of events that can be seen as one of the dark spots in human history. A Dry White Season. Ex. Prod. Paula Weinstein. Beverly Hills, United States: MGM. 1989. Film. A Walk in the Night. Ex. Prod. Mickey Madoda Dube. Johannesburg, South Africa: SABC. 2000. Film.

Biography of Augusta Savage, Sculptor and Educator

Biography of Augusta Savage, Sculptor and Educator Augusta Savage, an African American sculptor, struggled to succeed as a sculptor despite barriers of race and sex. She is known for her sculptures of  W.E.B. DuBois,  Frederick Douglass,  Marcus Garvey; Gamin, and others. She is considered part of the  Harlem Renaissance arts and culture revival. Early Life Augusta Christine Fells Savage  lived from February 29, 1892, to March 26, 1962. She was born Augusta Fells in Green Cove Springs, Florida to Edward Fells and Cornelia (Murphy) Fells. She was the seventh of fourteen children. As a young child, she made figures out of clay, despite religious objections of her father, a Methodist minister. When she began school in West Palm Beach, a teacher responded to her clear talent by engaging her in teaching classes in clay modeling. At college, she earned money selling animal figures at a county fair. Marriages She married John T. Moore in 1907, and their daughter, Irene Connie Moore, was born the next year, shortly before John died.  She married James Savage in 1915, keeping his name even after their 1920s divorce and her remarriage to Robert L. Poston in 1923 (Poston died in 1924). Sculpting Career In 1919 she won an award for her booth at the county fair in Palm Beach. The fairs superintendent encouraged her to go to New York to study art, and she was able to enroll at Cooper Union, a college without tuition, in 1921. When she lost the caretaking job that covered her other expenses, the school sponsored her. A librarian found out about her financial problems, and arranged for her to sculpt a bust of African American leader, W.E.B. DuBois, for the 135th St. branch of the New York Public Library. Commissions continued, including one for a bust of Marcus Garvey. During the Harlem Renaissance, Augusta Savage enjoyed growing success, though a 1923 rejection for a summer of study in Paris because of her race inspired her to get involved in politics as well as art. In 1925, W.E.B. DuBois helped her get a scholarship to study in Italy, but she was unable to fund her additional expenses. Her piece Gamin brought attention, resulting in a scholarship from the Julius Rosenwald Fund, and this time she was able to raise money from other supporters, and in 1930 and 1931 she studied in Europe. Savage sculpted busts of Frederick Douglass, James Weldon Johnson, W. C. Handy, and others. Succeeding in spite of the Depression, Augusta Savage began to spend more time teaching than sculpting. She became the first director of the Harlem Community Art Center in 1937 and worked with the Works Progress Administration (WPA). She opened a gallery in 1939, and won a commission for the 1939 New York Worlds Fair, basing her sculptures on James Weldon Johnsons Lift Every Voice and Sing. The pieces were destroyed after the Fair, but some photos remain. Education Overview Florida State Normal School (now Florida A M University)Cooper Union (1921-24)with sculptor Hermon MacNeil, ParisAcademie de la Chaumiere, and with Charles Despiau, 1930-31 Retirement Augusta Savage retired to upstate New York and farm life in 1940, where she lived until shortly before her death when she moved back to New York to live with her daughter Irene.​

Risk Assessment and Management Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Risk Assessment and Management Plan - Essay Example People suffering physical disabilities as well as having psychiatric problems are among the main sufferers of domestic violence. Furthermore, children are also directly or indirectly influenced by domestic violence (Iowa State University of Science and Technology, 2011). In accordance with the case, Janice, who is the mother of two and a half year child Sam was observed to be suffering from a problem of mental health i.e. bipolar disorder. Janice was least caring about the nutrition as well as the medical needs of Sam. Subsequently, Sam was removed from the care of Janice. After three months when Janice’s condition stabilised through medication, Sam’s care was restored to Janice. Moreover, for two years Janice and her partner Doug was together as well as had another child named Jessie but there were various incidents of domestic violence among them. Due to the stoppage of medication, Janice’s conditions worsened which led to further extreme violence among them. However, the partners were majorly concerned about their children. Domestic violence worker is required to support Janice in order to protect her goals and facilitate her to be able to take care of her children. The Mental Health Service is concerned about Janice and her children as she missed her two group support meeting consecutively. Moreover, it was observed in the last meeting that Janice was asking for money from other members of the group. The Police had approached o the Department of Child Safety in order to discuss about this family in the SCAN (Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect) meeting. The meeting was organised as they were concerned about the safety of children. The disability service provider and Child Health Clinic were concerned about the health of Evelyn and Jessie respectively. The Educational or School Counsellor was concerned about Sam who was negatively impacted by the acts of domestic violence, results of which were seen in his behavioural aspects towards the other

Religious Imagery in The Glass Menagerie Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Religious Imagery in The Glass Menagerie - Essay Example Religious Imagery Act 1 Scene 4: Probably one of the strongest religious images in the play is the trivialized representation of Christ in the person of the magician named Malvolio (i.e., â€Å"hatred†). Malvolio changes water into wine, then to beer, and finally whiskey. By depicting one of the most popular miracles of Christ (The Wedding at Cana) as a mere trick or illusion, the image is a commentary on superficial religiosity, and Christ compared to a mere magician. Finally, Malvolio rises from a nailed coffin without any injury, quite apparently a farcical re-enactment of Christ’s Resurrection. In a way, the Resurrection encapsulizes the theme that runs through the play, which is all about escape. Act 2 Scene 8: Another religious symbol is also that of Christ as Savior, in the person of Jim, the should-have-been suitor to Laura. Tom brings Jim home on the orders of Amanda, in the hope that romance would blossom and they would eventually get married. The dinner scene was quite suggestively called â€Å"Annunciation† in the stage direction, depicting Tom as the messenger who informs the virgin Laura of the coming of the Savior (Jim).

Personal Statement in Journalism Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

In Journalism - Personal Statement Example Then I made a decision to pursue my education in journalism and apply for a bachelor`s degree at King Saud University in Saudi Arabia. The desire to become a professional journalist was not the only thing that pushed me to the choice of this career; I was also interested in possibility of research in this field. I also had a substantial practical experience while working for the three major newspapers and TV stations institutions in Saudi Arabia. I saw how the process of information collection, processing, analysis, and demonstration is going on from the inside. During this I time I also understood the responsibility which journalists take when working with information. It is not accidental that media industry workers are called a â€Å"fourth power† because they are able to form tendencies and opinions of people. My experience also enabled me to understand the necessity of Mass Communication for the gradual evolution of the society. But I also faced a lot of questions concern ing the mechanisms of Mass Communication and purposes of this phenomenon. Inability to find answers on my numerous requests personally led me to accepting an offer of an assistant lecturer position in King Saudi University and achieving a scholarship to study Mass Communication in a graduate school in the United States of America. This scholarship will allow me doing a deep and systematic research which I consider to be the only method of answering those questions.   My experience also enabled me to understand the necessity of Mass Communication.

The Race Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Race - Essay Example is a function of the wage they receive" (Romaguera 14) is true, wages in minority neighborhoods may be lower, because they do not need to be higher. If one worker is not productive and is fired, there are many others waiting to take his or her place, who will work for the same wage. Again, the ability to purchase resources is reduced, due to lower income. The same concept can be applied to housing and rent, only reversed. "In 2000, the proportion of African American households that had obtained home ownership was 65% lower than the proportion of white households that had obtained homeownership" (Ohio State University 3). Therefore, the rental owner will seek to charge as much as demand will allow, regardless of race. This means that those living in less affluent neighborhoods may ultimately get less for their money, in terms of rental unit quality, amenities, and space. Social segmentation also affects the distribution of resources. It may not always do so directly, but by altering marketing efforts, based on clustering or categorization of specific geographic locations or types of customers, allocation is indirectly affected. In Asian Social Science December, 2008, Yingchun Guo ( 3-4) explains how clustering works for electric power consumers. The types of customers are divided into four categories. The highest ranking are those that consume more power and have good credit, while the lowest ranking group has less than idea credit and consumes less power. Marketing strategies are likely to focus more heavily on the highest ranking users, where the company stands to make the most profit. Those is the highest ranking group may be offered special rate packages and pricing that is... Ohio State University. Social/Economic Indicators: Comparing Brown Era Racial Disparities to Today." (April 2004). 11 Dec. 2009

Jazz concert report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jazz concert report - Essay Example Susan is a pianist while Michael Zilber is a saxophonist. They were joined by other CJC members Jeff Chambers and Jason Lewis both played bass and drums consecutively. The concert lasted for an hour and forty minutes. Zilberella mainly played contemporary jazz pieces but they also interpreted standards of jazz. The jazz pieces they showcased include: - ‘UN POCO LOCO’ which is a style of jazz called Bright Latin. Medium –up swing jazz style had songs which included ‘bud Powell’ and ‘blues on the corner’. Another style of jazz included the bright swing which they sung to ‘Voyage’ together with a ballad ‘THE MEANING OF BLUES’. Interpretation of standards was showcased by the song ‘You leave me breathless’. Zilberella had no featured soloists as they each played a part to the songs. Furthermore, they covered everything but their areas of interest were in the showcasing of contemporary jazz music and standards of jazz. The performance of the group was amazing because Zilberella could actually read the audience’s mood and switch tempo and rhythm to suit the moods. They also effectively utilized the use of blue note in their performance. The key signature changes were the most amazing in the whole performances the audience was well catered for in terms of music. In my opinion I think Susan was the most talented. She played the piano but was also reading the crowd mood and organizing the group to make the necessary changes. Her ability to know how to switch the rhythm and tempos and changing keys was magnificent since it went smoothly and perfectly. Michael was also good at the saxophone since he played his heart out mixing his emotions and feelings in his facial expression. It was like he was acting out the song to the audience which made the audience and the group to connect. I must say that that Michaels way of silently talking to the audience through facial expressions and Susan’s ability to

EMPLOYEE RIGHTS, MANAGED CARE AND PATIENT SAFETY Essay - 3

EMPLOYEE RIGHTS, MANAGED CARE AND PATIENT SAFETY - Essay Example Managed care organizations, commonly referred as MCOs (Pozgar 2012) have been a key feature in this sector. According to the (Altenstettter &Bjorkman 2000) it has been seen that integration of both the insurer and provider functions been in the increase. Health Maintenance Organizations not only finances, but also ensure delivery of health services, which are comprehensive, to all the bonafide beneficiaries. The charges, under this model, are made on the employer for each subscriber. The fixed premium charge goes a long in giving the beneficiary rights of both being insured and provided medical care in case of ailments (Pozgar 2012). Subscriber should though note that, once in this system they can only get service from HMO contracted physicians. The HMO model has several forms which include staff and Independent practice association model. Under staff-model, an arrangement is made for the physician to proved services to the subscribers on full-time basis. The IPA- model has arrangeme nts made between the independent physicians and HMO to offer services on contract to the beneficiaries. Health care services can be bought from a group of providers who are carefully selected. Care in selection is emphasized so that the beneficiaries get the best treatment. This is accomplished through preferred provider organizations which are characterized by a well utilization management plan. Under this model, negotiation of payment rates and speeded payment terms are facilitated. In addition, the beneficiaries have freedom to choose services from other providers though at their own cost (Pozgar 2012). The major essence of this model is the negotiation of charges between the payer and panel providers whom the terms are on contract basis. The payer also selects a panel of providers whom are consulted by the enrollees in case of ailments or other medical necessities. This model has

Jazz concert report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jazz concert report - Essay Example Susan is a pianist while Michael Zilber is a saxophonist. They were joined by other CJC members Jeff Chambers and Jason Lewis both played bass and drums consecutively. The concert lasted for an hour and forty minutes. Zilberella mainly played contemporary jazz pieces but they also interpreted standards of jazz. The jazz pieces they showcased include: - ‘UN POCO LOCO’ which is a style of jazz called Bright Latin. Medium –up swing jazz style had songs which included ‘bud Powell’ and ‘blues on the corner’. Another style of jazz included the bright swing which they sung to ‘Voyage’ together with a ballad ‘THE MEANING OF BLUES’. Interpretation of standards was showcased by the song ‘You leave me breathless’. Zilberella had no featured soloists as they each played a part to the songs. Furthermore, they covered everything but their areas of interest were in the showcasing of contemporary jazz music and standards of jazz. The performance of the group was amazing because Zilberella could actually read the audience’s mood and switch tempo and rhythm to suit the moods. They also effectively utilized the use of blue note in their performance. The key signature changes were the most amazing in the whole performances the audience was well catered for in terms of music. In my opinion I think Susan was the most talented. She played the piano but was also reading the crowd mood and organizing the group to make the necessary changes. Her ability to know how to switch the rhythm and tempos and changing keys was magnificent since it went smoothly and perfectly. Michael was also good at the saxophone since he played his heart out mixing his emotions and feelings in his facial expression. It was like he was acting out the song to the audience which made the audience and the group to connect. I must say that that Michaels way of silently talking to the audience through facial expressions and Susan’s ability to

Emergent Multimedia Technology (Cloud Streaming Technology) Essay

Emergent Multimedia Technology (Cloud Streaming Technology) - Essay Example The paper tells that the world of technology is a dynamic one with scientists and technicians coming up with high-tech gadgets by the day. This has not always been the case. Technology has come a long way off. From the time of the dark ages where the only form of data storage was the primitive human mind not to mention the ancient writings preserved in stone. The short comings of these methods of storage called for better ways of data preservation hence the discovery of paper and later secret safes that were used to store classified information. Decades later, the world enjoys an unlimited number of technological options to choose from. Modern technology too has continued to grow in leaps and bounds with incremental and disruptive developments being made daily. Incremental development is whereby a development in one sector is so as to improve on a previous development that had already been made. These inventions come in with highly sophisticated and efficient apparatus. Machines that more than double human output, this means that production is taken to a higher level thus the supply to consumers is made easier and available thanks to these inventions. A good example can be drawn from the development of play stations which was a follow up of the traditional brick games. Other examples of incremental development are the use of tractors in agriculture as an improvement on the traditional hoe used to plough, use of modern processing and storage facilities instead of the previous versions of the same and the use of electric trains is also an improvement on the locomotive.... Modern technology has converged together for a common goal. This can be explained by equating technology to an abstract entity. The entity slowly moves towards other entities in the same field with similar goals. At the end, they form one big entity that is more efficient. This simple yet complex technological advancement is the reason why today, we are able to easily access audio, video and even application data more efficiently than before. This convergence of technology has been made possible by massive funds that have been channeled into research by both private and commercial developers. The end result is that the new development from this mergence is more progressive and has competitive advantage over the redundant ones. There has been a number of emerging technologies in various fields ranging from information technology to medicine, agriculture, robotics and even biotechnology. Emerging technologies in the field of medicine include new surgical equipment and procedures and th e development of new drugs to combat emerging diseases. Development in the field of medicine has seen the mastery of new procedures such as artificial insemination and the use of test tube babies, a fete that was once thought impossible. Furthermore, vaccines against diseases like tuberculosis, malaria and even HIV/AIDS have been developed. Doctors are now able to treat and sometimes cure diseases like cancer which were previously unmanageable. This has consequently improved the life expectancy in the country. Child mortality rates have also decreased significantly (Hung, D & Khine, M. S., 2006, p 567). In the fields of agriculture, emerging technology such as genetic engineering has made

Entrepreneurs Personal Characteristics And Influence On Growth Commerce Essay

Entrepreneurs Personal Characteristics And Influence On Growth Commerce Essay Barons (2002) definition of entrepreneurship indicates that entrepreneurship involves a complex process in which specific individuals recognize opportunities and then act to convert them into tangible economic benefits by setting up a new business. This corresponds with Schumpeters (1934, from: Elliot, 1983) early definition of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs. He states that an enterprise is a carrying out of new combinations and entrepreneurs are the individuals whose function it is to carry them out. According to Schumpeter everyone is an entrepreneur only when he is actually carrying out new combinations, and he loses that character as soon as he built up his business. The entrepreneur then becomes only a small business owner (Carland et al., 1984). In this report I use Schumpeters definition of entrepreneurs and with that focus on entrepreneurs that started a business recently. Several meta-analyses have shown that entrepreneurs differ from other groups in terms of a broad range of personality (Zhao et al., 2010). The five-factor model (FFM) of personality provides a meaningful and generalizable taxonomy for studying these differences. The FFM consists of five relatively independent dimensions: Extraversion, Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness to Experience (Wang and Erdheim, 2007). Each dimension reflects certain personal characteristics. Small businesses are different from large organizations. Their characteristics are that they are reactive, fire-fighting mentality, have resource limitations, informal strategies and flexible structures (Terziovski, 2010). While small firms opportunity-seeking skills may be strong, their limited knowledge stocks and lack of market power inhibit their ability to enact the competitive advantages necessary to appropriate value from opportunities the firms choose to pursue (Ketchen et al., 2007). This paper consists of a literature study on the personal characteristics of entrepreneurs and their influence on small business growth. Scientific literature will be consulted to study this relationship. I have chosen to investigate the relationship between an entrepreneurs personal characteristics and their influence on small business growth because I am interested in entrepreneurship and because I am working on setting up my own small business. It is an interesting topic because there are not many articles written about it and I think it can give entrepreneurs insights in how to use certain personal characteristics to make a positive contribution to the growth of their small business. The research question of the paper is: To what extent are an entrepreneurs personal characteristics of influence on small business growth? The sub questions are: How can personality be defined? Which personal characteristics are according to the literature specific for an entrepreneur? What are the characteristics of the small business sector? What kind of challenges will an entrepreneur face after starting up a business? The paper will be structured as follows. In the next section I will put up a definition of personality and review the Five Factor Model. Some insights about personal characteristics of entrepreneurs that are written about in the literature are also being discussed. After that a section is dedicated to the characteristics of the small business sector and what kind of challenges entrepreneurs face after starting up their business. Section 4 consists of an analysis where the insights from the foregoing two sections are combined. I will also analyze and discuss the results of an interview with an entrepreneur in this section. In the last section a conclusion will be given with a concrete answer to the sub questions and the research question. I will also discuss the limitations of this study and some recommendations for future studies. Figure 1 summarizes the paper structure. Figure 1: Paper structure An entrepreneurs personal characteristics In this section an overview is given of an entrepreneurs personal characteristics that are elaborated on in the literature. First a definition of personality will be given. In the same section The Five Factor personality Model (FFM) is explored because in this model certain personal characteristics are grouped together into five different personality dimensions. After that other personal characteristics that are quoted in the literature are being discussed. The goal of this section is to derive a set of personal characteristics from the literature that are typical for entrepreneurs and match them to the dimensions of the FFM. Personality and the Five Factor Model This paragraph starts with a definition of personality. After that I will explain the FFM model and specify an amount of personal characteristics that are typical for the five dimensions of the model. Personality can be defined as enduring dispositions that cause characteristics patterns of interaction with the environment (Parks and Guay, 2009). Personality consists of personality traits that are endogenous basic tendencies tied to underlying biophysiological response systems. They are strongly heritable, immune to social and parental influences and quite stable throughout maturity (Olver and Mooradian, 2003). In the 1990s consensus was reached about five broad categories of personality. These five categories together are called the Five Factor personality Model. The five FFM dimensions are: Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability/Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Openness to experience (Parks and Guay, 2009; Wang and Erdheim, 2007; Zhao et al., 2010). Conscientiousness refers to making deliberate choices and being reliable. The personal characteristics that belong to this dimension are being careful, thorough, responsible, motivated, organized and efficient. Emotional stability/neuroticism represents the individual differences in the tendency to experience distress and the typical behaviors that are associated with it. According to Parks and Guay (2009) emotional stability refers to the characteristics self-confident, resilient and well-adjusted. According to Wang and Erdheim (2007) neuroticism is the opposite of emotional stability and is being anxious, depressed, emotional, worried and insecure. The third dimension, extraversion, refers to being ambitious, talkative, assertive, and sociable. Agreeableness consists of the social aspect of personality, that is being friendly, cooperative, loyal, courteous, good-natured and tolerant. Finally, openness to experience refers to the characteristics curious, imaginative, open-minded and artistically sensitive. This dimension reflects the creative side of personality. According to Zhao et al. (2010) these five dimensions do not cover all personality traits, so they expanded the model with the dimension Risk propensity. Risk propensity can be defined as the willingness to pursue decisions or courses of action involving uncertainty regarding success or failure outcomes. This was a short explanation about personality and the FFM. In the next paragraph I will discuss several personality traits of entrepreneurs that were elaborated on in literature. An entrepreneurs personal characteristics In this paragraph I will start with Schumpeters theory about the psychology of the entrepreneur. After that several personal characteristics of an entrepreneur that are reviewed in the literature will be discussed. Schumpeter (1934, from: Elliot, 1983) was one of the first to discuss the personal characteristics of the entrepreneur. He argues that there is the dream and the will to found a private kingdom, usually, though not necessarily, also a dynasty. Then there is the will to conquer: the impulse to fight, to prove oneself superior to others, to succeed for the sake, not of the fruits of success, but of success itself. Finally, there is the joy of creating, of getting things done, or simply of exercising ones energy and ingenuity (p. 93). After Schumpeter several other researchers investigated the psychology of the entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs differ from the rest of the population in a number of ways (Beugelsdijk and Noorderhaven, 2005; Brandstà ¤tter, 1997; Zhao et al., 2010). Entrepreneurs can be characterized by an incentive structure based on individual responsibility and effort, and a strong work ethic (Beugelsdijk and Noorderhaven, 2005). This means that they think that the state should not take more responsibility, private ownership should be increased, that unemployed should not have the right to refuse a job and success is not a matter of luck and connections but of hard work. Brandstà ¤tter (1997) attaches an entrepreneurs personal characteristics to some situational characteristics that are common to all entrepreneurs. First, it is the absence of people who give orders, set goals and control the outcome. This means that entrepreneurs are more individually oriented than other people (Beugelsdijk and Noorderhaven, 2005). A second aspect is the insecurity. There is always the risk of economic failure that entrepreneurs have to deal with. They dont need to be upset or worried very easily, so emotional stability is a prerequisite for entrepreneurs. This corresponds with the vision of Zhang et al. (2009). They mention that the level of neuroticism was a key predictor of centrality in advice and friendship networks. People that score low on the level of neuroticism tend to obtain central positions in advice and friendship networks and people high in neuroticism tended to become the center of adversarial networks. Because social networks are very important for entrepreneurs, these results suggest that entrepreneurs have to be emotional stable. The third characteristic Brandstà ¤tter (1997) defines is the demand for social contact. Entrepreneurs have to convince their customers of the usefulness of their product and they have to keep in touch with them to fulfill their needs. Finally, entrepreneurs have to be ready to try out new ideas and respond quickly to changes around them. This means that entrepreneurs have to be more innovative than others. Another characteristic of entrepreneurs is that they score high on the extraversion dimension (Zhang et al., 2009). This seems logical because extraverted people tend to have more social skills and this is important for entrepreneurs because they have to persuade different stakeholders. Baron (2002) supports this vision. He states that entrepreneurs who are successful in generating enthusiasm in others, may be significantly more successful than those who are not. Smith-Hunter et al. (2003) defined the most researched personal characteristics from the traditional school, that is a group of researchers who focused on the personality characteristics of the individual. These characteristics are locus of control (Poon et al., 2006), risk-taking (Zhao et al., 2010), achievement motivation (Poon et al., 2006), and problem solving style and innovativeness (Beugelsdijk and Noorderhaven, 2005; Schumpeter, 1934, from: Elliot, 1983). Locus of control can be defined as peoples perception of their ability to exercise control over the environment (Poon et al., 2006). People with an internal locus of control believe that their own effort determines certain outcomes in life, whereas people with an external locus of control believe that outcomes are determined by external factors they cant influence. Locus of control is one of the classical themes in the entrepreneurial trait research that differentiate entrepreneurs from non-entrepreneurs (Beugelsdijk and Noorderhaven, 2005; Poon et al., 2006). Entrepreneurs are characterized by a more internal locus of control (Dvir et al., 2010). Many recent studies have focused on the relationship between the locus of control and an entrepreneurs level of self-efficacy (Smith-Hunter et al., 2003). Entrepreneurial self-efficacy is the degree to which people perceive themselves as having the ability to successfully perform the various roles and tasks of entrepreneurship (Hmieleski and Baron, 2008). Hmieleski and Baron (2008) investigated that self-efficacy is moderated by the degree of optimism and the industry conditions. The results of their study indicate that (1) in dynamic environments, entrepreneurial self-efficacy exerts positive effects on performance for firms led by moderately optimistic entrepreneurs, but exerts negative effects on performance for firms led by entrepreneurs who are highly optimistic and (2) in stable environments, the effects of entrepreneurial self-efficacy on firm performance are less clear and not moderated by the degree of optimism. The opinions about the characteristic risk-taking are diverse. Some researchers found that entrepreneurs are high risk takers (Zhao et al., 2010), but others mention that entrepreneurs are moderate risk takers (Xu and Ruef, 2004). There are two forms of risk tolerance that may lead individuals to entrepreneurial activity, strategic and non-strategic (Xu and Ruef, 2004). In strategic risk tolerance rational actors actively prefer low-probability, high payoff outcomes. In non-strategic risk tolerance rational actors need not have active risk preferences, but only appear to prefer low-probability, high payoff outcomes because their information on the distribution of outcomes is based on conditions of imperfect knowledge. The need to achieve refers to a desire to do well in order to achieve a sense of personal accomplishment (Poon et al., 2006). The need to achieve can be related to the characteristics desire for independence (Dvir et al., 2010; Poon et al., 2006) and risk-taking propensity (Zhao et al., 2010). People who have a high need for achievement possess five critical attributes (Smith-Hunter et al., 2003). High achievers like situations where they can take responsibility. They like rapid feedback on their performance, so they can criticize their own improvements. They avoid very easy or very difficult tasks and they dislike succeeding by chance. They prefer striving to achieve targets and the last characteristic is that they are interested in concrete knowledge about the results of their decisions. Finally innovation and problem solving capabilities are expected to be the core of the entrepreneurial capability of an entrepreneur (Smith-Hunter et al., 2003). Schumpeter (1934, from: Elliott, 1983) mentioned that creative destruction, whereby new products and processes replace old ones, is more important than price competition among existing firms and products. This means that entrepreneurs are more innovative than non-entrepreneurs (Beugelsdijk and Noorderhaven, 2005). For this end the most important characteristics of an entrepreneur that were cited in literature were discussed. Dvir et al. (2010) mentioned the most frequently cited personality traits of entrepreneurs. These are the desire to be independent (Beugelsdijk and Noorderhaven, 2005), internal locus of control (Poon et al., 2006), creativity or innovativeness (Schumpeter, 1934, from: Elliott, 1983), risk-taking propensity (Xu and Ruef, 2004; Zhao et al., 2010), need for achievement (Poon et al., 2006), and credible role models. In the next paragraph the above mentioned characteristic will be related to the FFM dimensions. An entrepreneurs personality traits and their relation with the FFM dimensions The characteristics mentioned in the foregoing paragraph can be related to the dimensions of the FFM. The five dimensions were Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability/Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Openness to experience. The extra dimension added by Zhao et al. (2010) was risk propensity. Because of the strong work ethic (Beugelsdijk and Noorderhaven, 2005) and the high need for achievement (Poon et al., 2006) entrepreneurs score high on the conscientiousness dimension. Conscientiousness has been found to be a consistent predictor of job performance across occupations involving managing others and sales performance (Ciavarella et al., 2004). Emotional stability is a prerequisite for entrepreneurs because of the insecurity they have to deal with (Brandstà ¤tter, 1997). People that score high on the level of emotional stability tend to obtain central positions in advice and friendship networks (Zhang et al., 2009). An internal locus of control (Poon et al., 2006) and mostly a high level of entrepreneurial self-efficacy (Hmieleski and Baron, 2009) are specific for an entrepreneurs emotional stability. Entrepreneurs also score high on the extraversion dimension (Zhao et al., 2010). The reason for this is that being extraverted should facilitate the development of social networks, ultimately resulting in stronger partnerships with suppliers and customers, which is very important for entrepreneurs (Ciavarella et al., 2004). The characteristics of extraversion are being ambitious, talkative, assertive, and sociable (Parks and Guay, 2009). According to Ciavarella et al. (2004) agreeableness is an interpersonal factor that focuses on the quality of relationships through cooperation and trust. Entrepreneurs who establish trusting, flexible, and courteous relationships with their customers should expect to reap the profits of repeat business. Zhao et al. (2010) expected that, given the limited margin for unselfish behavior and the high likelihood of guarded and even conflictual interpersonal relationships associated with entrepreneurship, there would be a negative relationship between agreeableness and entrepreneurial intentions. However their results have shown that this is not true and that entrepreneurs do score high on agreeableness and with that are highly cooperative and reliable. Openness to experience describes the extent to which individuals tend to be curious, creative, and open to new ideas, which relates to self-direction values, those are beliefs that individuals ought to be independent and self-directed (Parks and Guay, 2009). Successful entrepreneurship is likely to require constant information monitoring and learning to keep up with changing tastes and market trends, competitor behavior, and new Technologies (Zhao et al., 2010). This indicates that entrepreneurs are more innovative than non-entrepreneurs (Beugelsdijk and Noorderhaven, 2005) and that they score high on openness to experience. For the last dimension, risk propensity, the visions are not always the same. Zhao et al. (2010) argue that entrepreneurs are characterized by a high risk propensity, while Xu and Ruef (2004) argue that entrepreneurs are moderate risk-takers. The goal of this second section was to derive a set of personal characteristics for an entrepreneur from the literature and relate them to the FFM dimensions. After first discussing the FFM model and after that, reviewing the personal characteristics of an entrepreneur, I attached the personal characteristics to the dimensions of the FFM. With this the second section is finished. In the next section I will discuss the characteristics of the small business sector. Because of the focus on entrepreneurs that recently started their business, some challenges they face will also be reviewed.

Thesis on a Tale of Two Cities :: essays research papers

Charles Dickens’s voice varies from being sympathetic with the revolutionaries, to a feeling of discord with their method of revolting. A Tale of Two Cities revolves around the French revolution and the tension in England. Dickens gives the tale of a family caught in the conflict between the French aristocracy and radicals. In the course of the book, the family handles extreme difficulty and obscurity. Dickens’s neutrality, though sometimes wavering from side to side, is apparent throughout each book in the novel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the book, Dickens portrays his objectivity between the classes through a series of graphic descriptions. For example, the horrid events that occur when the Marquis murders the child is a time when Dickens most definitely favors the rebels. Dickens’s attitude when Jacques kills the Marquis is that justice has been supplied. There is a definite tone of approval in his voice after these actions. On the other hand, Dickens’s attitude towards the mutineers is not always one of endorsement. When the activists nearly kill Gabelle and burn the Chateau, Dickens’s attitude changes from one of approval to one of disbelief. His disposition is almost one of sorrow for all the beauty being carelessly destroyed. As the reader can see, Dickens’s opinion varies greatly in accordance to the portion of the story the person is reading.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Possibly, to find the clearest image of Dickens’s neutrality, the reader needs to gain a larger view of the tale.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As the reader sees a broader picture, a pattern emerges. Dickens, in each book, gives the tale in favor of the different parties, showing his indifference to the outcome of each party. Thus while the reader may form feelings towards the revolutionaries, Dickens stays unmoved by both causes and relates the story accordingly. This way of showing Dickens’s apathy once again proves that Dickens is only partial to either side in certain portions of the book.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Perhaps the clearest illustration of Dickens’s neutrality is located in the very first sentence of the novel. He shows his neutrality through the description â€Å"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times . . .(7).† This unusually comparative sentence single-handedly starts the book with a feeling of un-bias. In the final chapter of the book, six carriages carry â€Å"the days wine† (people) to La Guillotine to be be-headed (374). In this passage, Dickens shows his remorse for what is done. He gives hint that the common-folk were once a good people who are perverted by the aristocracy, and given the same conditions will be perverted again.

Important Qualities in the Life of Jesus :: Religion

Important Qualities in the Life of Jesus Ever since Jesus was born, he has always been perfect. There have never been any flaws that had to do with him. He had many different characteristics and qualities that were unique about him including holiness, purity, faithfulness, mercifulness, grace, righteousness, love, integrity, divinity, and courageousness. There is nothing that is more powerful than that of the triunity, which consists of God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, and God the Son. This report deals mostly with God the Son, which is Jesus. Jesus has all these qualities and we are supposed to be following in His footsteps. Most Christians try as hard to have these great characteristics, but there is no possible way that we could achieve such a goal. It is impossible for humans to reach that goal. It says in the Bible "For everyone falls short of the glory of God.". That right there is enough proof to show that we are not worthy of his presence. God is of the Spirit. He is not made of matter and mind, and he does not possess a physical nature. Some think that God is that of a human. There is no possible way that this could be, because in John 4:24 Jesus speaks "God is spirit, and those who worship him just worship in spirit and truth.". Even though Jesus had flesh was of the Spirit he still did have matter. He had flesh which is matter. In this flesh was very important qualities. God still possesses all of these qualities even though He does not have flesh. These characteristics would fit for either God the Father, God the Son, or God the Holy Spirit. They all work in the triunity and have these qualities even though one might display it in a different manner than the other. In the thirty-three years of Jesus' life, He had three very important characteristics that are something we all should try and follow: Loveliness, Faithfulness, and Forgiveness. Very often when people think of Love, they think of Jesus. In John 4:8,16 it says that God is love. This is a paraphrase but it is still stating something that is very important. That verse shows that Jesus had (and still does) mercy and compassion for us. Another verse that shows that God's love as apparent is John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he

Information Technology’s Effect on Society

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Information Technology’s Effect on Society * Tanya Cavaleri * English Compostion II * EN 130. 1. 1 Sitting at the park on a nice beautiful day, you’re reading your friends post on Facebook from your IPhone. At home getting ready to type up a research paper and you realize you still need one last piece of information where do you go? Google and conduct a search. Your teenager just came to you crying because she was accused of sending pictures via text to her boyfriend and now it’s all over Twitter and Facebook that she is a slut.Information technology’s effect on society comes with good and bad effects on people everywhere every day. We have come so far since internet has gone public in early 1990’s (Howe, 2012), but at what cost to our society? According to Merriam-Webster dictionary (2011) information technology is the technology involving the development, maintenance, and use of computer systems, software, and network s for the processing and distribution of data. The use of computers and other devices have allowed us to use social medias like Facebook to find and stay in contact with our family and friends.The World Wide Web has all the information we may need at our finger tips. No more waiting on snail mail to deliver mail when we can send an email and have it delivered instantly to the recipient. Information technology is even enabled us to be able to work from home more efficiently. With the click of our mouse or the swipe of our finger we’re able to send off packages and track the delivers without ever changing out of our pajamas. Paying bills and managing budgets having never been easier.But at what cost is all this information technology bringing? Our society is so desensitized that we don’t seem to care what all this â€Å"awesome† technology is doing to our world. For example our teenagers are faced with both bullying at school and online. Having to face their peers daily and fear the rumors that could spread over one remark or wrong picture on Facebook, Twitter or text message is difficult for many of them. So is social media a good thing? Maybe, but it needs to be monitored more.Google (â€Å"Google,† 2012) the word Hacker and there is about 246,000,000 results. Like â€Å"how to become a hacker† or â€Å"how hackers work†. Information technology can open society up to be very vulnerable. Like leaving the back door unlocked for anyone to walk through if we’re not careful. Siciliano (2012) writes according to the Javelin Strategy & Research, in 2011 identity fraud increased by 13 percent. More than 11. 6 million adults became a victim of identity fraud in the United States.Online banking, bill pay, shopping online are all conveniences we have grown accustomed to over the last 18 years but we need to protect our private information. Sometime information technology can fall in the wrong hands and cause havoc for thou sands of people. Just one of many examples is in 2006 the U. S. government warned that a database containing sensitive information about veterans and their families had been stolen, after an employee violated policy and brought the data home (Lemos, 2006).So yes information technology is a much needed asset in today society. Providing helpful guided searches, helping to connect with family that are thousands of miles away, paying bills quickly and sending messages lighting fast. But in the wrong hands in can be more destructive then a hurricane, leaving heartache and pain with every stroke of the finger. Davidson, J. (n. d. ). Ezinearticles. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles. com/? Online-Banking—History-Still-in-the-Making? &a

Communication Opinion Essay

Effective communication plays a significant role in providing proper care for patients. According to Cheesebro, O’Connor, and Rios (2010) â€Å"Communication is sometimes defined as the process of sending and receiving messages† (para. 14). For the communication to be effective both the sender, and the receiver must understand the message. The way individuals communicate is altered according to their audience or environment. For example if an instructor is communicating through small talk his or her tone and vocabulary would differ from communicating through informational talk. The same goes for when an individual communicates with children or adults. Even though the tone and style of communication may be altered to fit the audience, the process of communication has to stay the same to be effective. Effective communication allows health care professionals to gain trust in a reluctant consumer and handle cultural differences among patients. The four basic elements of the communication process include a sender, message, receiver, and feedback. In effective communication the sender constructs a message that is appropriate for the receiver(s). According to Haycock (2003) there are three elements called the ‘3Ts’ that the sender should consider when constructing an effective message. The ‘3Ts’ are tone, tools (computer, video, note, etc. ), and tactics. It is important to think the message through before sending it to be sure it is as clear and concise as possible. In effective communication the receiver should be able to understand the message completely. The receiver may have to decode the message to gain full understanding. If he or she still does not understand the message, the receiver should use feedback to ask the sender for clarification. Feedback is an important part of effective communication because the sender learns if the receiver understood the message or not. If the receiver did not understand the message feedback allows the sender the opportunity to elucidate the message. â€Å"In short, feedback is the primary means of increasing personal awareness and establishing a shared understanding. You should give and get as much feedback as possible† (Cheesebro, et. al. , 2010, para. 23). Health care communication encompasses the four basic elements of communication. However, the basic rules of health care communication are a little more complex. According to du Pre (2005) â€Å"People are actively involved in health communication. They are not passive recipients of information† (pg. 9). Providers specifically focus on the tone and presentation of the message to ensure patients’ satisfaction. The ultimate goal in health care communication is to develop and maintain a shared understanding between health care professionals and patients. Physicians may use the biomedical or biopsychosocial model when communicating with patients. With the biomedical model, physicians use short and to-the-point questions or statements. This limits the patient input, which can cause the patient to feel dissatisfied with the care or diagnosis. The advantage of using the biomedical model is that it will save time. Although the biopsychosocial model does not save time, it is more effective when communicating in the health care setting because it focuses more on patient’s feelings. This reduces the risk of malpractice lawsuits, therefore saving money in the end. Whether health care professionals use the biomedical or biopsychosocial model, they will still encounter reluctant consumers. A provider may encourage a reluctant consumer to communicate candidly by validating the patient’s concerns, uphold complete honesty, and share plenty of ideas or information. When a consumer is reluctant, he or she can have a bad attitude and less willingness to listen. To encourage the reluctant consumer to communicate candidly it is extremely important that the provider maintains patience yet remain slightly persistent. The tone and presentation delivered by the provider makes a significant difference when persuading consumers to communicate openly. A patient may be reluctant to share open communication with a provider because of cultural differences. Some individuals feel extremely strong about their cultural beliefs, which can make it difficult for physicians to discuss cultural differences with patients. Providers generally share the same main goal, which is to help improve patient’s health. When the patient’s cultural beliefs go against certain tests and treatments it can sometimes prevent providers from doing reaching this goal. When providers cannot help improve patient’s health it an be very difficult. However, providers must respect patient’s wishes. â€Å"To be effective, health communicators must be concerned enough to pay close attention to people’s behavior and knowledgeable enough to recognize cultural and personal preferences that make people different† (du Pre, 2005, pg. 8). Barriers can arise in health care because of reluctant consumers or patients with strong cultural beliefs. Effective communication through the sender, message, receiver, and feedback can aid in breaking down these barriers. Once patients and providers can break down barriers it permits more open discussions and proper health care. Communication, especially in health care should be thought out, sensitive to feeling, clear, concise, and appropriate. According to du Pre (2005) â€Å"Communication, then, is an ongoing process of sharing and creating meaning. The challenge is not merely to put thoughts into words, but to cooperate with others in developing a shared understanding of what is happening and what it means† (pg. 10).

Microsoft’s Diversification Strategy Essay

1. Why did Microsoft, the most successful computer software company, choose to remedy its strategic disarray? Microsoft is a multinational computer technology corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services related to computing. The company was founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen on April 4, 1975. Microsoft is the world’s largest software maker measured by revenues. It is also one of the world’s most valuable companies. However, after a string of bad news seriously undermined the future growth of Microsoft, the bad impression was arisen. Microsoft tried to remedy its strategic disarray, because in the high-technology industry, standstill is equal to commit suicide. IT industry is really a highly competitive industry. Microsoft must to solve their problems as soon as possible. Microsoft was the most successful computer software company. However, if they ignore its strategic disarray, they may be defeated. I would like to use SWOT analysis to illustrate my views why Microsoft chose to remedy its strategic disarray. Strengths: Microsoft is the world’s largest software company with global name recognition and strong reputation for innovative products. Microsoft’s Software products have high name recognition, broad-based corporate and consumer acceptance (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access), and numerous powerful features that are in use worldwide, thereby promoting standardization and competitive advantage through their ease of integration and cost-effectiveness. Windows 95, 98, 2000 series are globally known as the PC desktop operating system with a market share of about 88%. What’s more, Microsoft has relatively rapid product development processes that allow for timely updating and release of new products. Weaknesses: Between1990-1995, Microsoft leadership failed to correctly anticipate the growth or popularity of the Internet. In addition, it perceived by many as a cut-throat competitor that uses its dominant market position to marginalize competition by stealing/destroying the competition’s products, stifling product innovation, and decreasing the availability of competitor products. Furthermore, Microsoft had its strategic disarray in the early 2000s. Opportunities: In the early 2000s, the demand for personal computers in American and global markets remains strong despite the growth and increasing popularity of personal handheld devices. Moreover, cheaper global telecommunication costs open new markets as people connect to the Internet. Threats: From the case study, basic office software had been challenged by a string of start-ups. Between 1993-1995, Sun Microsystems, Netscape, Oracle, IBM, AOL, and other companies moved into the Internet space and defined it while Microsoft failed to anticipate its growth or popularity. These new competitors were able to churn out popular programs such as e-mail, desktop search engines, and instant messaging over the Internet much faster than Microsoft. So Microsoft need reinvent itself. For instance, Red Hat, the one of key competitors of Microsoft, dominated the market for Linux, went public in 2000. Red Hat became famous. What’s more, in 2001, Red Hat expanded its software products and included database applications and an e-commerce software suite designed for average-sized businesses. Nevertheless, a string of bad news undermined the future growth of Microsoft since the early 2000s. If Microsoft didn’t remedy its strategic disarray, Red Hat or other competitors may surpass Microsoft in the future. Furthermore, from the case study, according to a study conducted by McKinseyï ¼â€ Co. in 2004 on IT spending trends, although IT spending had increased since 2003 after three years of decline. 2001 is the first annual decline since 1958. Customers would expect to get more out of their technology investments. Companies had been more concerned about the value of IT and enforced stringent rules and guidelines for IT spending. Therefore, Microsoft would have less opportunity to develop in the U.S. Moreover, Apple and Linux threaten Microsoft’s 88% market share of the desktop operating market. Linux influence growing from 7% in 1998 to 17% in 1999. In addition, Personal computers, mobile-phones, personal digit assistants, entertainment-oriented hand-held computers, and similar wireless products for Internet access do not require Window operating system products. And Software piracy of commercial and consumer applications software on a global scale threatens revenue streams. In general, the weaknesses and threats outweigh the strengths and opportunities in the early 2000s. At that time, Microsoft was threatened by a series of challenges, both external and internal. That why Microsoft choose to remedy its strategic disarray at that time. 2. How did Microsoft grasp market chances to diversify its operation beyond its comfort zone, fighting all the way with its major competitors? Microsoft chose to diversify its operation beyond its comfort zone since early 2000s. Diversification marketing strategy is a corporate strategy to increase sales volume from new products and new markets. Diversification can be expanding into a new segment of an industry that the business is already in, or investing in a promising business outside of the scope of the existing business. As what we have learned in the textbook, diversification strategy has many advantages. Diversification strategy can help Microsoft to limit risk. This is because a diversified portfolio is not overexposed to a single industry and therefore is somewhat insulated from downturns and volatility — or market fluctuations — in that industry. In addition, diversification limits an investor’s risk extending from an individual company or type of investments. In addition to limiting downside risk, diversification strategies also have the effect of maximizing portfolio returns. This is in part because risk is limited — by avoiding exposure to major losses, the portfolio can be more likely to make money. Microsoft was moving beyond the personal computer (PC) software business and expanded its product lines into enterprise software, consumer products, and services markets. It got into other devices such as mobile phones, television setup boxes, and game consoles. Microsoft had ventured into the services market through MSN in order to generate new revenue. MSN is a collection of Internet sites and services provided by Microsoft. It was a Web portal that offered a wide range of online services including: news, information search, e-mail, instant messaging, online shopping and games, chat rooms, and message boards. Based on its success in MSN, Microsoft had hoped to leverage its experience to transform its Windows-based services for consumers and enterprises. Moreover, Microsoft also leveraged MSN to generate revenue through traditional advertising on its Web site, and also sold text-based advertisements to compete with Google’s AdWords and AdSense, and Yahoo! Search Marketing. In the enterprise software market, Microsoft deliberately chose not to compete with leading enterprise applications providers such as SAP and Oracle for large multinational companies. Instead, the software giant aggressively pursued opportunities with small and midsized enterprises. In 2001, Microsoft acquired Great Plains Software, a long-time partner and a specialist in accounting applications for small and midsized businesses. In 2002, Microsoft acquired Navision, a Denmark-based enterprise software maker. Therefore, Microsoft Business Solutions offered a wide range of software applications. This kind of strategy is really shrewd. If Microsoft competes with leading enterprise applications providers at beginning of the extending stage, it is impractical. Microsoft used acquisition method to enhance its strength in order to compete with leading companies in the future. Microsoft entered the video gaming business in 2001 compete with Sony. After the first launch of the video game console, Xbox, Microsoft is in the distant second place behind Sony’s Playstation 2. Microsoft tried to challenge Sony’s dominant position. First, the software giant’s Xbox 360 was launched several months ahead of its rivals’ products: Sony’s Playstation 3. Some believed that the success of Sony’s Playstation 2 had been partly due to its advantage in reaching the market earlier than its rival s. Hence, Microsoft copied this marketing trick by becoming the first game console in the new business cycle. It is called, dominating the market by striking first. We can learn from the Microsoft that capturing initiative is important in the business. Second, learning from the flop of the original Xbox in Japan, this time Microsoft worked closely with the producers of the Japanese games in the hope of neutralizing the traditional advantages of its two main rivals. I can learn from this case, we should learn from failure as Microsoft did. Avoiding backwards and developing merit. Third, Microsoft abandoned its previous approach of using off-the-shelf parts provided by Intel and Nvidia. Although efficient, that approach lacked the flexibility that Microsoft’s rivals enjoyed in reducing the consoles’ costs and increasing the profit margins during their lifetime. For example, Sony had gradually reduced the number of chips required by its Playstation 2 without sacrificing its performance. So Microsoft adopted a new design for Xbox 360, hoping to achieve a new degree of flexibility that could help integrate various components and profitability in the future. Microsoft also ventured into the mobile communications market. Microsoft went to the mobile operators because of the exclusion of the mobile handset manufacturers. At that time, many mobile operators, particularly in Europe, started to leverage original design manufacturers (ODM), mostly in Taiwan, to produce handsets that would bear their own brand names in order to create market differentiators. Meanwhile, Microsoft spotted this opportunity and persuaded the operators and handset manufacturers to develop phones based on its Windows Mobile operating system. In 2002, HTC launched the first Windows-based smart phone. HTC is a leading ODM in Taiwan. Other operators followed suit after that. In late 2005, Palm (Microsoft’s rival in handheld devices) decided to adopt the Windows Mobile software and replace is Palm OS with its Treo smart phone. This move further signaled Microsoft’s success in penetrating the mobile and handheld market segments. From this case, we can learn that the company should be sensitive to the business environment and grasp the chance in time. Microsoft spotted and grasped the opportunities to further establish itself in the industry. Microsoft had struggled for many years in the television market. At the beginning, many competitors were concerned that once Microsoft entered the market it would repeat its monopolistic practices of the PC business in the cable industry. In this situation, Microsoft had formed strategic partnerships, hoping to improve its position in the cable market. In this way, Microsoft established itself as a leading IPTV technology provider. Through this arrangement, a number of leading telecom operators adopted Microsoft’s software for their IPTV services. Hence, understanding how to cooperate with competitors is also important for doing business. In 2009, Microsoft created Bing as a search engine competed with Google. Microsoft grasped chances to be successful in the Chinese market to the best of its faculty. When entering the Chinese market, challenges remain for those looking to do business in the country. Intense competition, corruption, business etiquette and language are some of the barriers that can be faced. However, challenges are opportunities to some extent. Microsoft realized that when entering the Chinese market, the product may not sell like it does in the United States or Europe. In terms of Microsoft and China, the country has a strong censorship in place for its citizens, and Microsoft tried to come to an agreement to partner with a Chinese company to make the browser effective. Microsoft has signed a deal with Baidu, the biggest search engine in China, to provide English-language search results to improve its market share. In addition, Microsoft knew that Chinese government’s demands are significant. Microsoft Company censored the search results to relevant department to meet the Chinese government’s demands. The announcement of the deal is a boost to Microsoft, which has been struggling to boost the position of its Bing search engine against Google’s dominance in almost every country around the world. Sometimes, Bing trumps Google in touch-accessed services designed expressly to help iPhone and iPad die-hards have cooler experiences shopping and finding restaurants online. It will also be a boost for Baidu, which has ambitions internationally. In 2012, Microsoft launched panel computer, Surface. Ballmer redefined panel computer at Surface’s New Product Presentation in June, 2012. Surface is different from iPad. Surface is closer to the idea of ​​Bill Gates. This is a panel computer that can work in the company. This is in harmony with Bill Gates’ definition to the panel in the beginning. Apple thinks panel is a mobile terminal. Microsoft Surface is more inclined to think is personal computers. I can see this point at the choice of the operating system. Apple is using iOS system for iPad. On the contrary, Microsoft is using Win8 for Surface. Moreover, Surface’s design is directed against for the iPad’s weaknesses. Microsoft used differentiation strategy. iPad’s input system is inconvenient, but Surface has a detachable keyboard, which makes Surface use like a computer. Meanwhile, Surface’s design is directed against for iPad’s App Store. App Store’s application depth is not enough. Nevertheless, Surface Pro is using the X86’s Win8 operating system, it can use more compatible operating system. One of Microsoft’s largest competitors is Apple Corporation. At the first competition between Apple and Microsoft, the winner is Microsoft. Windows operating system has good compatibility. Different brands and types of the computers around the world are installed in the same system. Despite it has shortcomings, but it can not hide the plebification characteristics. In contrast, Apple is pursuit of perfection and strict exclusiveness. Only Apple can install Apple’s system, but also only be installed such systems. Although Apple produce a good product, but can not win the favor of consumers. What’s more, Microsoft faced the challenge actively. In 2011, Skype was purchased by Microsoft Corporation for over $8 billion, and now operates as a division of Microsoft. Skype is a proprietary Voice over IP service and software application. Skype has expanded into education, as numerous classrooms worldwide now use the service to video conference with instructors, other student, and even other institutions. This will allow Skype to have a leg up in the future, when they decide to push even further with their subscription plans. What’s more, with Microsoft’s efforts in 2010 like apps store, Bing search engine, Yahoo-deal for ad-sharing, Zune platf orm and Project Natal, will undoubtedly compete with Apple and others effectively. 3. What can you foresee or what suggestions can you think about its growth of new area in the future? As far as I’m concerned, the growth of Microsoft’s new products will increase smoothly. However, Microsoft will face some challenges. Xbox, Kinect and Xbox Live continue to emerge as a rich hub for games, sports, movies and TV shows that can be accessed via touch and voice controls. And these controls are being increasingly integrated into all manner of screens: HDTVs, smart phones and tablets. â€Å"Two years ago, very few services connected,† says Frank X. Shaw, Microsoft’s vice president for corporate communications. â€Å"Now if you have an Xbox, you can see Bing, access Sky Drive (cloud storage) and use your Windows Phone to have a better experience, because the services are shared.† They are all products of new area. Their marketing foreground will be rosy. In my opinion, in all new products, Microsoft should focus on Bing. The key competitors of Bing, Google and Yahoo!, had adopted the application-as-services model coupled with a new advertising-driven funding approach, which enabled them to develop open-source and free software products for the general public. In particular, in the case, Google and Yahoo! had formed partnerships with various telecommunication or cable service providers in order to position their respective portals as the default entrance to the Internet. Microsoft should find methods to provide Internet users a range of services from search to e-mail and discussion blogs to news in order to compete with competitors. In the entertainment and consumer markets, Microsoft’s Xbox Live had been a leader of online gaming. The system provided classic arcade games, game trailers, and upgrade packs that were downloadable. However, the Xbox game console and the ventures in mobiles and IPTV, these products should be more consumer-oriented. The big competitors, Apple and Sony, their products are much more consumer-oriented and media savvy. For instance, Apple’s iMac and iPod products, and iTunes services were designed to cater to the high-end media centric consumers. Sony’s video games and entertainment business remained one of the strongest in the industry, particularly in the consumer electronics segment. If Microsoft’s products be more consumer-oriented, in my views, the Xbox game console and the ventures in mobiles and IPTV will be the star products in the future. However, Microsoft should pay attention to its major area, that is, personal computer software business. The superiority and proprietary advantages will be diminished if Microsoft ignored its major area. Japan and South Korea joined China in 2012 on a project to jointly develop a new operating system based on Linux as an alternative to Microsoft’s Windows. Thailand and Malaysia have instigated programs to offer low-cost PCs to citizens with Linux operating systems. It is the Butterfly Effect on global pricing. They’re being helped along by Microsoft competitors such as Sun Microsystems, which has signed a deal with the Chinese government to supply its Linux desktop operating system and office program to as many as a million PCs there. In Apple Company, Steve Jobs wants to overwhelm Microsoft in the field of operating systems. It is worth noting that, Apple’s computer hardware performance has been unmatched. However, Apple chose to â€Å"kill† Microsoft in the field of software. It means Apple was warning Microsoft intentionally: Not only IBM can be a threat to Microsoft, but also Apple. Microsoft’s competitors are trying to improve their market share in China and all over the world. Microsoft should not relax vigilance. It is still a long way to go for Microsoft. In my view, Microsoft should forge its own product culture. Apple is pursuit of elegant products. Apple adheres to creativity and uniqueness. Eventually become a model for other companies to emulate. Microsoft should find its own development route and set up unique product culture. Only in this way can Microsoft have its own distinguishing features and lead the industry. Microsoft used diversification strategy and it had entered various new markets in which it had no proprietary advantages. Facing with a bunch of new challenges, Microsoft should not confront alone. It should have new partnerships. The impression of people to Microsoft is a little bit haughty. So Microsoft should form more strategic partnerships in the future and learn more from the competitors modestly to capture opportunities in these new markets.