Decline in Applications for Online MBA Degrees. Myth or Fact 2019

Business Week Online has reported that there is a sharp decline in the number of MBA applicants. The reason behind this is thought to be that the students are opting for part time, executive or non USA programs. There is a general feeling that a more universal education for management is required to cater to the escalating global economy. If you are not moving ahead in your professional life, this decline may prove to be a boon. For if there are less MBAs around, the chances of you exploiting the situation increases. Thus, making a secure future for you. If you do not possess a MBA degree, you are probably being regularly superceded. A degree or an advanced course will immensely benefit you. But if you are unable to quit your day job, have a family to support or cannot move to another place, you still have options open for you. .ue288555ef97d80c2c72f0db0fc886ffd { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -o-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); text-decoration:none; } .ue288555ef97d80c2c72f0db0fc886ffd:active, .ue288555ef97d80c2c72f0db0fc886ffd:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .ue288555ef97d80c2c72f0db0fc886ffd { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .ue288555ef97d80c2c72f0db0fc886ffd .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:inherit; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .ue288555ef97d80c2c72f0db0fc886ffd .post Title { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .ue288555ef97d80c2c72f0db0fc886ffd:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } READ Online Computer Science Degree Important Contributions to Society from Professionals in Computer ScienceYou may be aware of online courses. More so about the online MBA programs. You may have a feeling that they are no as influential as a usual on campus degree. It might appear to you as not the real thing but you are wrong here. Increasingly large numbers of companies are hiring candidates with online MBA degree. They dont discriminate between the candidates on the basis of type of course completed to obtain the degree. At present, approximately 19,000 students have enrolled in the University of Phoenix for online degree programs. The website for MBA Business Schools offer a listing of schools and details of the programs offered by them, online or on campus and a comparioson of both. There are about 150 schools listed and a brief synopsis of each school and its philosophy. MBA360.com is another useful site which helps to decide the type of schools that suits you best. It outlines the curriculum of the program, its duration, delivery method, placement opportunities offered, networking capability and financing of your enrollment. .u210f3af4ad50f4627aa460f27ad2c7d1 { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -o-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); text-decoration:none; } .u210f3af4ad50f4627aa460f27ad2c7d1:active, .u210f3af4ad50f4627aa460f27ad2c7d1:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .u210f3af4ad50f4627aa460f27ad2c7d1 { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .u210f3af4ad50f4627aa460f27ad2c7d1 .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:inherit; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .u210f3af4ad50f4627aa460f27ad2c7d1 .post Title { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .u210f3af4ad50f4627aa460f27ad2c7d1:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } READ Earning Your Masters of Business Administration Degree OnlineFinally what you have to understand is that advanced knowledge has a role in furthering your career and providing you with better job options. If less people are enrolling in online or say traditional MBA programs, it doesnt mean that the degree is not valuable. Advanced education and degree is useful tool in the financial workplace, including the global economy. A degree in related specialization goes a long way in making or breaking a career. Many a times, seemingly negative statistics as decrease in MBA enrollment by some organizations, can make things better for you. So dont wait for changes to happen. Change them yourself. Discover the diversity of options out there waiting for you. You wont regret the decision. Advanced education and training always reaps positive results. Related ArticlesSociology Degree A Jumpstart to a Management Career or a First Step to Becoming a SociologistWhy not an MBAAn Executive MBA Is The Leadership DegreeYour Financial Future with a Finance degreeA Doctor of Business Administration Degree Unlocks the Door to the Global EconomyOnline Finance Degree and a Secure Financial Future .u5434fdd61cd747720c90d729432ebe34 { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -o-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); text-decoration:none; } .u5434fdd61cd747720c90d729432ebe34:active, .u5434fdd61cd747720c90d729432ebe34:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .u5434fdd61c d747720c90d729432ebe34 { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .u5434fdd61cd747720c90d729432ebe34 .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:inherit; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .u5434fdd61cd747720c90d729432ebe34 .postTitle { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .u5434fdd61cd747720c90d729432ebe34:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } READ Connecticut Colleges and Universities Pursuing Online and Campus-based Education

The Benefits and Problems of Democracy - 1750 Words

The benefits and Problems with Democracy In the famous words of Sir Winston Churchill, â€Å"No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.† As a staunch supporter of democracy, Churchill is admitting that although there may be a variety of flaws in a democratic government, it is still a far more suitable choice of governing as opposed to alternate forms of government. Widely accepted as the most popular and working form of government, democracy is, in a nutshell, a political system in which the power is given to the popular vote of the people. In fact, the very origins of the term democracy†¦show more content†¦Foreign investors and international businesses would also be naturally reluctant to venture their businesses into a nation that has a potential undergo political turmoil. However, in most autocracies or extreme oligarchies, the exchange of power from one regime to another political party typically results in a large amount of bloodshed and violence. Furthermore, even if one regime manages to take control without any kind of violence and turmoil as most often the case, the new political party may or may not choose to take the country’s economic policies to a whole new direction. In a democratic country, however, change from one political party to another is fairly safe and secure with little political upheaval, since the new political party would be elected by the masses that political party’s economic policies should be reflection of a majority opinion of the country. Thus, democracy would be preventing any rash and unforeseen economic changes made by a new political party as well as maintaining the political and economic safety of the country. This in turn provides an incentive for local industries to look toward long-term economic growth, as well as providing the safety necessities for foreign industries to invest i n the country’s growth. Continuing on the benefits of a democracy on the economy are the more obscure benefits such asShow MoreRelated Is Spreading Democracy in the U.S. National Interest?1566 Words   |  7 Pagespolicy of spreading democracy emerged. This new policy has both good and ill effects on the â€Å"helped† nations and our own. In 2011, there were 115 electoral democracies, representing nearly sixty percent of the world’s government were democratic. In 1989, just 41 percent of all governments were democratic (Current Issues, 2011-12, p. 168). So, is spreading Democracy in the U.S. national interest? Or should our nation employ a more hands-off approach? The textbook defines democracy as a system of governmentRead MoreThe Pros and Cons of Democracy Essay1633 Words   |  7 PagesChurchill’s claim that â€Å"democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried† is deliberately provocative and intended to challenge the reader’s simplistic ideal that democracy is without faults. There are an estimated 114 democracies in the world today (Wong, Oct 3rd lecture). A figure that has increased rapidly in the last century not necessarily because democracy is the best form of government, but primarily for reason that in practice, under stable social, economicRead MoreWhy Government Is Necessary, Political System, And The Dangers Of Direct Democracy906 Words   |  4 PagesEvery American citizen has right and obligation to protect their benefit and rights, and to decide their government how to use their power. I agree with representative democracy in America. In the essay, I will explain wh y government is necessary, which kind of political system is the best to America, Compare and contrast direct democracy to representative democracy, explain what Teledemocracy is, and the Dangers of Direct Democracy. Anarchy period of the American history is the best negative exampleRead MoreNationalism And Democracy Are Intertwined Within The State1491 Words   |  6 PagesNationalism and democracy often are co-existent with each other at any time within the state. These interactions that they have with each other culminate in both benefits and problems for society, or sometimes produce a neutral reaction. This essay will explore these interactions that could either be beneficial, detrimental, or neutral in the ways that nationalism and democracy are intertwined within the state. The important notion that nationalism brings to democracy is the concept of conflictRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography On Critical Thinking1263 Words   |  6 Pagesannotations and a critical analysis of the published work. Annotations and Critical Analysis Professor Thomas K. Donaldson taught at Australian National University for years. In his article, he made argument of the objection against the workplace democracy for the reasons that the conflicts between the democratic environment and the private discretion that always accompanies the discharge of responsibilities are not resolvable and enforceable. Solutions are then raised as ‘perfect-market argument’Read MoreDemocracy, Peace, And The Well Being Of Citizens1405 Words   |  6 PagesDemocracy represents freedom, peace, and the well-being of citizens As Secretary of the State, a member of the President’s Cabinet and National Security Council, the President should promote western democracy to other countries because the more countries become a democracy more peace will be created for the world. In other words, this will display the meaning of the Democratic Peace Theory. As a matter of fact, this creates less problems and threats for the U.S such as fewer enemies and potentialRead More‘a Fear of Democracy Runs Throughout Liberalism.’ Discuss.651 Words   |  3 Pages‘A fear of democracy runs throughout liberalism.’ Discuss. Democracy means rule by the people, implying both popular participation and government in the public interest. Liberals have been ambivalent about the benefits of democracy. Very few liberals reject democracy, on the other hand no liberals accept democracy uncritically. Liberals do not believe that a balanced and tolerant society will develop naturally out of the free actions of individuals and voluntary associations. They fear theRead MoreThe Representation Of Democratic Democracy993 Words   |  4 PagesElections in America The role of elections in America is to serve the representative democracy. In a representative democracy one person represents the voting patterns, and acknowledgements of other people. American citizens, who cast votes to improve delegation problems, solve coordination problems, and pick an agent over another serve representative democracy in American elections. American elections serve this goal by creating campaigns, advertising on television, and by free information beingRead MoreThe Perils Of Presidential Democracy By Juan Linz882 Words   |  4 Pages The essay titled â€Å"The Perils of Presidential Democracy† by Juan Linz is about two different systems of democracy, parliamentary, and presidential. Linz’s main argument is that in countries with cases of deep political divide, parliamentary forms of government generally offer the best hope of preserving democracy. Juan Linz proves these claims by highlighting points that discredit the presidential system of democracy. He begins by bringing to light that only one other presidential system has lastedRead MoreRacism And Racism1326 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout history, inequality and racism have been a major problem in all governments. Inequality is the difference in size, degree, and circumstances. Governments have showed inequality in their economic growth, which also helps them thrive on the poor. Racism is also a benefit to states where the dominant race runs the government. A liberal democracy is a democratic system of government in which individual rights an d freedoms are officially recognized and protected, and the exercise of political

American Samoa Free Essays

I’m from American Samoa Samuelu Tofiga PSY 202 Renee Bostick 2/25/2013 Outline Introduction Thesis: Here are my five characteristics that I want to share with you, I’m from American Samoa, one of the territories of the United States of America, I’m a proud Samoan, Family, and Culture and Tradition. I. American Samoa a. We will write a custom essay sample on American Samoa or any similar topic only for you Order Now Beautiful island to take a vacation on b. Many myths and folk tales from the past c. The social, political and family issues are mere windows at forming the many facets and drawings that connect the cultures of the world II. One of the territories of the United States of America d. American Samoa is served by one major airline today and two computer, or smaller, airlines e. There is television and newspaper in print f. Telephone (including cellular phone service) and Internet service available and used by almost everyone on the island III. I’m a proud Samoan g. I am a full Samoan and I let you know that being a Samoan or live in Samoa takes you in a different place and we always love visitors from outside or around the world who wants to visit the beautiful island of American Samoa h. Some Samoans leave our island and move in different places but suddenly they will come back where they originated from and where they belong to i. No matter where you go, no matter how far you go, you will always be back where you belong to IV. Family j. Children are taught when they are young to respect their older siblings k. The father is the patriarch of the family and next to him is the mother. From there it is the children from oldest to youngest l. Within the family, giving and receiving tautua (service), fa‘aaloalo (respect) and alofa (love) are crucial in Samoan social relations V. Culture Tradition m. The concept of fa‘asamoa is essential to Samoan identity, and consists of a number of values and traditions: aiga (family), tautala Samoa (Samoan language), gafa (genealogies), matai (chiefly system), lotu (church), and fa’alavelave (ceremonial and other family obligations) n. Hospitality to outside visitors is a natural part of the culture, though it is most important to observe and respect local Samoan traditions o. When visiting Samoa, your resort, hotel or lodging will be pleased to advise you of other local customs Running Head: AMERICAN SAMOA I’m from the beautiful island of American Samoa Samuelu Tofiga Ashford University of Iowa Abstract American Samoa is what some people called the joyful place or the island of the paradise. Hi my name is Samuelu Tofiga I’m from the territory and the island of American Samoa; I welcome you to the story or some important facts of my beloved island to you folks all around the world. You almost can’t find my island on the globe or the map, but it’s a tiny rock where we live at and it’s in the Pacific Ocean and its closer to the equator. I want to take you to the interesting story of where I’m from and tell you we are human beings too. You will be able to enjoy my writing and explore the new information from my island. I’m from the beautiful island of American Samoa Don’t shrink your dreams, super-size your courage and abilities (â€Å"Salmonsohn). Welcome everyone to my island of American Samoa; if you want to explore one of the passion islands in the Pacific Ocean, you should visit American Samoa. In the past, my island was form from small tiny rocks, they break apart and become lands. Here are my five characteristics that I want to share with you, I’m from American Samoa, one of the territories of the United States of America, I’m a proud Samoan, Family, and Culture and Tradition. First of all, American Samoa is a beautiful place; an island to take a vacation on, if you want to go to someplace warm, you should visit American Samoa it’s closer to the equator. We have many myths and folk tales from our own ancestors in the past, up until now we usually maintain that fact from the past. It is very important for people all around the world that American Samoa is very helpful, people are very kind and I know many people from different countries are likely to live, stay and make their family here in American Samoa. American Samoa is a wonderful example of a culture and a people that, over the years have developed into a diverse structure; the traditional and the modern. Comparing and contrasting these two can include many elements, but the economy and religion are two that affect almost every area of both groups of these people. The social, political and family issues are mere windows at forming the many facets and drawings that connect the cultures of the world. Secondly, American Samoa is one of the territories of the United States of America. As an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States and administered by the Office of Insular Affairs and the United States Department of the Interior Independence, the America Samoa military activities take place within the United States. American Samoa is served by one major airline today and two computer, or smaller, airlines. There is television and newspaper in print. Surprisingly though, telephone (including cellular phone service) and Internet service available and used by almost everyone on the island. A proud Samoan should have knowledge and familiar with the Samoan Culture, the pride to be a Samoan, and understand and loves to communicate and work together with the people of Samoa. I am a full Samoan and I let you know that being a Samoan or live in Samoa takes you in a different place and we always love visitors from outside or around the world who wants to visit the beautiful island of American Samoa. Some Samoans leave our island and move in different places but suddenly they will come back where they originated from and where they belong to. No matter where you go, no matter how far you go, you will always be back where you belong to. Family is a key to the Samoan people because it ties altogether with the culture and tradition. â€Å"Children are taught when they are young to respect their older siblings. At the same time their older siblings are being taught to respect their elders. There is always someone older than you to give respect to. The structure of a Samoan family follows a hierarchy. The father is the patriarch of the family and next to him is the mother. From there it is the children from oldest to youngest. This structure becomes very important as the children learn faaaloalo because the siblings are very much involved with each other’s learning. The central element in Samoan culture is the aiga (family). Within the family, giving and receiving tautua (serv ice), fa‘aaloalo (respect) and alofa (love) are crucial in Samoan social relations. Young people are expected to serve and show respect to elders, and can expect to receive love, protection, honor, a name to be proud of, and defense by the family when it is needed. The Samoan Culture and Tradition is very important. The concept of fa‘asamoa is essential to Samoan identity, and consists of a number of values and traditions: aiga (family), tautala Samoa (Samoan language), gafa (genealogies), matai (chiefly system), lotu (church), and fa’alavelave (ceremonial and other family obligations). There are also the associated values of alofa (love), tautua (service), fa‘aaloalo (respect), feagaiga (a covenant between sibilings and others) and usita‘i (discipline). Hospitality to outside visitors is a natural part of the culture, though it is most important to observe and respect local Samoan traditions. These include not giving money to children, removing footwear before entering a fale, never standing when a local elder is sitting, asking permission before taking photos in a village, avoiding skimpy attire, wearing a lavalava (sarong or cloth wrap) when visiting churches or villages. Nude or topless bathing is prohibited. When visiting Samoa, your resort, hotel or lodging will be pleased to advise you of other local customs. As of now, you understand and really enjoy the short story from where I am from, and if you really wanted to visit or you want it a proof come and visit my island and you will definitely wanted to go back where you came from. You will enjoy your staying and wanted to live in American Samoa forever. Likewise I wanted to inform you again my five characteristics; American Samoa is where I am from, one of the territories of the United States of America, proud Samoan, family, culture and tradition. References Salmonsohn, K. (n. d. ). Cute Inspirational Sayings. In notsalmon. com. Retrieved February 8, 2013 (2001). In http://amsamoa. net/. Retrieved February 10, 2013 The Family Faaaloalo (2005). In www. saolelei. com. Retrieved February 10, 2013 Samoan Culture (1998). In www. teara. govt. Retrieved February 10, 2013 Samoa – its culture and traditions (2013). In www. samoaholidays. co. uk. Retrieved February 10, 2013 How to cite American Samoa, Papers

Analysis of Canadian Apparel Industry for Pestel - myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theAnalysis of Canadian Apparel Industry for Pestel Analysis. Answer: Political- Canada has a system of governance that is strong, based on a federal system. It has a parliamentary system that operates within a multiparty democracy. The Cabinet runs the government together with the Prime Minister who has the responsibility of appointing them. The country offers an environment that is stable for investors with the guarantee of continued peace in the long-term. Having a politically stable neighbor is also another plus for the country when marketing the country to investors. Economic- Canada is relatively wealthy as a nation. It is ranked highly amongst the top richest nations globally. Canada is has a strong trading economy and is a member of the G-8. More than 70% of its GDP is based on the service sector and is the biggest employer in the country (Statistics Canada, 2017). The US is the largest investor in the Canadian economy and enjoys strong economic integration with it. Social- The social perspective focuses on education, income and gender issues in the country. The average income for a family is above $60,000 and shows less disparity on income when compared to the US (Statistics Canada, 2017). Education is a right which is guaranteed and this has resulted in a population that is well educated. Women have lower incomes when compared to men.. The population is relatively young with the median age being between 25-50 years being the majority. Disposable income which is high encourages consumer spending in the country. Technological Canada is technological developed with regards to internet, telephone connections. Production in most sectors is based on technology which is innovative. This extends to the garment industry as well. Technological advances have positioned the country as one of the leading technical textile producers in the world. The use of e-commerce is also well developed in most sectors including the apparel industry. Environmental- There is a substantive department tasked with ensuring that the environment is protected in Canada. This includes resources such as water, flora and fauna as well as those which are renewable such as forests. The department leads compliance at the federal level and works in conjunction with provincial governments. Regulations that govern environmental standards for manufacturers are also set by the relevant department concerned. Legal- The country follows the legal system that is based on the governing law in the UK. The province of Quebec practices a different system for matters pertaining to law that is private in nature. The Supreme Court has final jurisdiction in all the legal matters in the country (Simeon Papillon, 2006). Having strong ties with the United Kingdom, decisions made by the House of the Lords are binding in Canada. There are minor exceptions as set out by the governing law. SWOT analysis Strengths- The industry is strong in manufacturing across clothing knitting mills and clothing accessories. The specialized technical textile is used in the defense, aerospace and transportation sectors. Strong home-grown companies that have global appeal are strength of the industry and reduce reliance of foreign brands dominating the market. Such companies include Lululemon and Guess, Inc (Milstein Co Consulting, 2008). The highly mechanized forms of production that reduce labor costs are strength of the apparel industry in Canada. Other strengths are in the design stages where the industry has shown strong innovation. The industry produces world class designs based on creativity and innovation which is functional. The manufacturing facilities are also superior and can compete with global players. Local production is flexible and fast and this is able to meet with demands of replenishments both locally and for the export market. Weakness- The industry has been shown to not have strong financial fundamentals and knowledge that is necessary for profitability. Most companies are unable to gain access to capital necessary for expansion from the banking industry. Being unable to identify segments which are profitable is the consequence of this shortcoming. Many companies have also been shown to have weal management structures in the industry. Weak marketing and sales capabilities are also prevalent within the industry and reduces global competitiveness. Another weakness is the issue of succession that faces most companies in the garment industry. Many are facing problems of who will take over the running of such companies in the next five to ten years. The lack of clarity in continuity also discourages potential investors in the industry. This creates the difficult situation of having long-term strategic plans. This situation is unhealthy in the short-term and impacts negatively its global competitiveness. Opportunities- The US market is an opportunity that the industry can focus on in order to consolidate its position. An increase of just 1% in market share could lead to offsetting the loss currently being experienced in the industry (Milstein Co Consulting, 2008). Exports to the US account for less than 1% and this creates to room to tap in this market. Similarity in markets makes it easy to have a unified approach to marketing. Overhead costs when selling to the US are less when compared to other markets. Another opportunity for the industry is to consolidate through mergers in order to face the global challenges that are arising. New models of manufacturing are possible when SME merge and consolidate their competencies locally and globally (Milstein Co Consulting, 2008). Specialization that is functional as well as targeting certain niches is an opportunity that the industry can capitalize on. Economies of scale through merging will lead to lean manufacturing that can compete on the global scale. Threats- The major changes that have resulted in increased globalization pose the greatest threat for the industry in Canada. Increased imports from low wage countries that offer cheaper imports have destabilized the dynamics of the local market. China in particular stands out as the one country that has increased exports to Canada and this has led to some companies folding up. Global brands with strong value chains are another threat to the local brands and limit their growth domestically. The threat of being taken over by the global brands is also a serious problem within the industry. References Milstein Co Consulting. (2008). A Canadian Approach to the Apparel Global Value Chain. Retrieved from https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/026.nsf/vwapj/apparel-vetement-gvc-vms_eng.pdf/$file/apparel-vetement-gvc-vms_eng.pdf Simeon, R., Papillon, M. (2006). Canada. In MAJEED A., WATTS R., BROWN D., KINCAID J. (Eds.),Distribution of Powers and Responsibilities in Federal Countries(pp. 92-122). McGill-Queen's University Press. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt7zsgr.8 Statistics Canada. (2017). Report on the Demographics Situation in Canada. Retrieved from https://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/91-209-x/91-209-x2013001-eng.htm

Assignment on S-Curves Essay Example

Assignment on S-Curves Essay Definition According to Richard N. Foster (1985), S-curves are a phenomenon showing the typical paths of product performance in relation to investment in Ramp;D. Technology S-curves are usually showing the performance of technology against time. Technology S-curve is different from product life cycle curve because its fluctuation is hardly predictable and highly dependable on the technological product or service improvements. According to Clayton M. Christensen (1992) in Exploring the limits of the technology S-curve, the technology S-curve is a useful framework describing the substitution of new for old technologies at the industry level. Christensen examines the usefulness of S-curve framework for managers at a firm level in planning for new technology development while using the information from the technological history of the disk drive. In most cases technology S-curve is used for high-tech products where the innovation of technology is main success factor directly influencing demand for that product. While using this framework we must always remember diffusion of innovations theory, pioneered by Everett Rogers, which posits that people have different levels of readiness for adopting new innovations and that the characteristics of a product affect overall adoption. Rogers classifies individuals into five groups: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards. In terms of the S-curve, innovators occupy 2. 5%, early adopters 13. 5%, early majority 34%, late majority 34%, and laggards 16%. Such theory makes technology S-curve less flexible because the real effect for the demand is lagged (Figure No. 1) Figure No. 1. A graph of Everett Rogers Technology Adoption Lifecycle model. Describe two different types of technology S-curves. Explain how they differ and why they have the shape they do? We will write a custom essay sample on Assignment on S-Curves specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Assignment on S-Curves specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Assignment on S-Curves specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer There are two different types of S-curves which differ in fluctuation intensity and shape depending on what kind of product or service company is providing and what strategies are used to introduce or improve that product/ service. Those S-curves can be separated as ‘rugged’ (Figure No. 2) and ‘smooth’ (Figure No. 3). Rugged S-curves have more intense fluctuation because companies innovate by using high risk – high return tightly coupled strategies such as shotgun sampling. Such strategies have some randomness which makes them very risky and affordable only for big companies because costs of such strategies are accordingly high. Of course, they are only random to some extent because those companies already have a good knowledge of their industry and technologies but invention of something absolutely new requires taking some trials. In most cases, such products or services are highly independent and hard to copy. Such strategies were used by Merck which is one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world. They developed methods to screen and test huge numbers of potential drugs simultaneously. In their case the research was too slow especially because researches were not fully aware of the business environmental conditions. Another big company, BMW, conducted tests on their cars and motorcycles in virtual environment conditions with the goal of stability and safety improvements. Such technology was efficient because they managed to cut costs by creating realistic situations in virtual environment. When using such strategies company must be a veteran in its industry and have perfect knowledge of their technology limitations, industry standards and requirements. . Figure No. 2. Example of ‘rugged’ S-curve. Another type of S-curves is ‘smooth’. Its fluctuation is more stable because companies use modular strategies which are not so risky and are oriented to product improvements rather than installments. Moreover, products or services which are developed by such strategies are more easily copied so company should either be innovator or try to find other solutions on product’s/ service’s lifecycle peak. Despite that, it is always possible to undo one or other change of some particular module and, by this, make improvements until the highest realized peak point. One example of innovator using modular strategies for their products is Sony. Since 1979, Sony under the Walkman brand started to introduce portable audio and video playback devices and improve according to customer needs and by implementing newest technologies. Competitors couldn’t cope with such rapid changes that Sony was making because all they could do was copy and Sony was one step ahead of them because by the help of ‘smooth’ S-curve they could easier evaluate their technological achievements and mistakes. Figure No. 3. Example of ‘smooth’ S-curve. Both types of S-curves reflect what kind of technological strategies companies apply for their products or services. The biggest difference between them is the shape which is caused by the before mentioned factors of risk, intensity and amount of improvements. My above given examples show how demand for products or services is affected by change in technology in time. There may be another type of S-curves which show how new products or services are adopted depending on the group of customers provided by E. Rogers. As it can be seen in figure 4, then different products or services appear on the S-curve. Figure No. 4. Percentage of different products adoption depending on the customer type. Such type of S-curves represent how different products/ services are taken-up depending on one or more factors such as complexity of use, compatibility with environment, expedience and other. Figure 4 shows that fixed line and digital TV were adopted by the majority of customers because those products have had long lifecycle and no subsidiaries in market. All products from figure 4 have their own technological S-curves which may be very different. This type of S-curve is useful to project and see the tendencies of market and not product/ service alone. By having a good knowledge of market tendencies it is easier to foresee how your product/ service will be taken-up and which stage of adoption will be reached. Where is your product/service located on the technology S-curve? What insights can you draw from that, and what implications does it have for developing your business idea? According to the seven stages of business life, our business is in the seed stage because this is just an idea. It is possible to choose from two alternatives – either to start our own technology S-curve from scratch or to copy a part of it from already existing similar businesses. In my opinion, the best choice would be to copy already evolved technology of making soup as ready to sell product and leave variables of menu variability, interior and exterior design, staff, etc. for our own judgment. By such start-up strategy we would evade costs of possible trials for finding the most efficient combination of technology. In our case, using modular strategy would be more appropriate. For example, finding the best combination of the menu would require a series of trials but we cannot afford to use shotgun sampling strategy because it would dramatically increase needed technological resources which we do not have. We may add or change one soup at a time and leaving the rest of the menu untouched and observe if there is any demand for it. If results are not satisfactory, it is easy to undo changes on the ‘smooth’ S-curve and keep on repeating such trials. It is also important not to make decisions too quickly because according to before mentioned E. Rogers new product adoption curve, customers tent to accept new products differently in time manner. The goal would be to fill at least the early majority group of customers. Anyway, until soup restaurant is not introduced in Odense, it is impossible to place it on such type S-curve which is shown in figure 4. Moreover, the demand for this product depends more on marketing activities and marketing mix than on its technology, so putting it on market S-curve is even harder. Despite that, our goal is not to cover all the population demand but to aim at particular target market which may be relevant to innovators and early adopters. Discuss the concepts of modular and integral or coupled design and how it relates to your business idea (even in an abstract form). What could be the effects of modularity for your business in terms of: a. Structuring the tasks of designing and bringing your product or service to the market? As I mentioned before, usage of modular design is not so risky and results can be reversed. All the tasks of preparing, making and serving the soup and getting customer feedback should be structured because only then it would be possible to implement modular design strategies and use findings to get benefits. Furthermore, modular design strategy would make respective tasks more structured. b. Variety and flexibility of product/services offered? It is crucial to find the best combination of product variety in order to attract the biggest possible and supplyable amount of customers. It is impossible to have that combination at the very beginning but structured tasks and customer feedback should help to achieve that in long-term. c. Knowledge your business idea draws on? I see the knowledge notion very broad because it covers a lot of sections which are crucial when starting new business. It is important to have at least market and technology knowledge. As I mentioned before, it is possible to copy technology knowledge but market knowledge is usually achieved only by working in that particular market. Despite that, it is possible to have ‘experts’ who would help us to get knowledge of doing business and not to get into the same situation that Merck did get into. If we would copy the technological side of making soup, keeping it warm and serving, we still must have a structured system which would guarantee that all soups are made accordingly to receipts, kept in certain temperature and served with appropriate manners. To have that we must have people who have experience in this industry and do not work on their own insights. Such attention to human resources would require more costs but would definitely make inside processes more standardized and image of the restaurant more stable and reliable. References * Richard Foster (1986), Innovation: The Attackers Advantage; * Clayton M. Christensen (1992), Exploring the limits of the technology S-curve; * Everett M. Rogers (2003), Diffusion of innovations;

Northern Leopard Frog Facts

Northern Leopard Frog Facts The song of the northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens or Rana pipiens) is a sure sign of spring in North America. While the northern leopard frog is one of the most abundant and widespread frogs within its region, its population has declined so significantly that its no longer found within parts of its range. Fast Facts: Northern Leopard Frog Scientific Name: Lithobates pipiens or Rana pipiensCommon Names: Northern leopard frog, meadow frog, grass frogBasic Animal Group: AmphibianSize: 3-5 inchesWeight: 0.5-2.8 ouncesLifespan: 2-4 yearsDiet: OmnivorousHabitat: United States and CanadaPopulation: Hundreds of thousands or millionsConservation Status: Least Concern Description The northern leopard frog gets its name from the greenish-brown irregular spots on its back and legs. Most of the frogs are green or brown with spots and pearly while undersides. However, there are other color morphs. Frogs with the burnsi color morph lack spots or only have them on their legs. Albino northern leopard frogs also occur. The northern leopard frog is a medium to large frog. Adults range from 3 to 5 inches in length and weigh between one half and 2.8 ounces. Mature females are larger than males. Some morphs of the northern leopard frog lack spots. R. Andrew Odum / Getty Images Habitat and Distribution Northern leopard frogs live near marshes, lakes, streams, and ponds from southern Canada through the northern United States and south into New Mexico and Arizona in the West and Kentucky in the East. In the summer, the frogs often venture further from the water and may be found in meadows, fields, and pastures. The southern leopard frog (Lithobates sphenocephala) occupies the southeastern United States and is similar in appearance to the northern leopard frog except that its head is more pointed and its spots tend to be smaller. Diet and Behavior Tadpoles eat algae and rotting vegetable matter, but adult frogs are opportunistic predators that eat anything that will fit within their mouths. The northern leopard frog sits and waits for prey to come near. Once the target is within range, the frog leaps and snatches it up with its long, sticky tongue. Common prey includes small mollusks (snails and slugs), worms, insects (e.g., ants, beetles, crickets, leafhoppers), and other vertebrates (small birds, snakes, and smaller frogs). The frogs do not produce offensive or toxic skin secretions, so they are preyed upon by numerous species. These include raccoons, snakes, birds, foxes, humans, and other frogs. Reproduction and Offspring Northern leopard frogs breed in the spring from March to June. Males make a snore-like, rumbling call to attract females. Once the female selects a male, the pair mates once. After mating, the female lays up to 6500 eggs in the water. The eggs are gelatinous and round with darker centers. The eggs hatch into tadpoles that are pale brown with black spots. The rate of hatching and development depends on temperature and other conditions, but development from egg to adult typically takes between 70 and 110 days. In this time, the tadpoles gain size, develop lungs, grow legs, and eventually lose their tails. Conservation Status The IUCN classifies the northern leopard frogs conservation status as least concern. Researchers estimate hundreds of thousand or millions of the frogs live in North America. However, the population has been rapidly declining since the early 1970s, especially in the Rocky Mountains. Laboratory research suggests a possible explanation for regional decline relates to the effect of higher-than-normal temperatures on crowding and bacterial infection. Other threats include habitat loss, competition and predation by introduced species (especially bullfrogs), hormonal effects of agricultural chemicals (e.g., atrazine), hunting, trapping for research and the pet trade, pollution, severe weather, and climate change. Northern Leopard Frogs and Humans Northern leopard frogs are widely kept in captivity for science education, medical research, and as pets. Educators use the frog for dissection, to teach about how muscles are used for different modes of locomotion (swimming and jumping), and to study biomechanics. The sartorius muscle of the frog remains alive in vitro for several hours, allowing experimentation on muscle and neuron physiology. The frog produces a type of enzyme called ribonucleases that are used to treat cancer, including brain tumors, lung tumors, and pleural mesothelioma. Northern leopard frogs are popular pets because they prefer temperatures that are comfortable to humans and eat readily available prey. Sources Conant, R. and Collins, J.T. (1991).  A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians: Eastern and Central North America (3rd Ed.).  Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts.Hammerson, G.; Solà ­s, F.; Ibà ±ez, R.; Jaramillo, C.; Fuenmayor, Q. (2004). Lithobates pipiens. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2004: e.T58695A11814172. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2004.RLTS.T58695A11814172.enHillis, David M.; Frost, John S.; Wright, David A. (1983). Phylogeny and Biogeography of the Rana pipiens Complex: A Biochemical Evaluation. Systematic Zoology. 32 (2): 132–43. doi:10.1093/sysbio/32.2.132

W4-A Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

W4-A - Essay Example departments or units such as HR department, Finance department, Supply chain management etc to coordinate activities by sharing information through this platform. ERP systems help in faster completion of daily routine tasks and with more accuracy. It reduces the overhead costs and enables better strategic planning since the needs can be assessed in a better manner. The team at ERP.com (2009) stated in one of their articles that the term ERP has originated from MRP (Material Requirement Planning) that later became Manufacturing Resource Planning and it also came from CIM (Computer Integrated Manufacturing). This term was originally used to refer to the extent the organization had planned to use their organization wide resources. Earlier, ERP systems were mainly used in large organization, industrial types of companies. In the late 70’s, the main idea behind MRP originated; it was meant for the management of the raw materials needed to fulfill the order from large companies and enterprises. After some time, the companies moved to a different approach â€Å"just in time† inventory planning. This step proved to cut warehousing and inventory costs because of better production planning. In these times, sales forecast started gaining a prominent name in business and hence began generating at weekly basis instead of monthly. This need evolved into a desire for a new dynamic enterprise system that could be used to manage company wide resources and data. A decade later, the need for a system that would enable the managers to streamline the processes and existing data throughout the organization evolved into Enterprise Resource Planning. ERP are now used in almost every organization, whether large or small. ERP are used to address a diverse range of areas in an organization; manufacturing, supply chain management, finances, project management (PM), customer relationship management (CRM). There are many service providers who offer reliable and efficient ERP systems, some

Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen Essay

Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen - Essay Example the articles of the declaration embodied the absolute rights of an individual. Initially there was also a list of duties which every individual had to perform but after a while the people who framed the Declaration removed them from the list. The articles promise the individuals of freedom, their own piece of private property, social security and immunity from cruelty. The Declaration also promised freedom of speech and freedom of the media and press. The emphasis of the Declaration was on the equal treatment of all individuals and their independence. It stated that the law should be based on the citizens of the country and the officials should be answerable to them as well. The finances of the country should also be in the hand of the citizens. A number of articles of the Declaration were directed at the unfairness of the ancient regime and how it abused the rights and interests of the individuals. Liberalism in the 19th century was deeply affected by the Declaration of the Rights o f Man and Citizen. However the Declaration did not seem to have any provisions regarding women or slaves. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen helped in changing the government of France from monarchy- where only the queen and the king had all the power and the power passed down the generations and new leaders were not elected- to republic where all the citizens had basic rights and also the right to vote and elect their own leaders. The Declaration gave rights to citizens which were never granted anywhere in France before like equality, liberty and property. It also led to the constitution of the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen. The United States Declaration of Independence of 1176 had Thomas Jeffery as one of its main writers and at the time the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was being drafted, he was present in France and was in contact with the authors of the

The Power of Knowledge in Douglasss Learning to Read and Write Essay

The Power of Knowledge in Douglasss Learning to Read and Write - Essay Example That knowledge is power is already a clichà ©, but it is most essential for the disempowered sectors of society because they can use what they learned to improve their conditions in life. Douglass becomes miserable because of having full awareness of his wretched conditions. As a slave, he is not a human being. He has no freedoms and rights. His master controls his life, even the lives of his children. Therefore, he is more like a beast with no identity and future than an individual with a deeper purpose in life. Before realizing what his learning is for, Douglass sinks to anxiety because reading exposed him to the ills of the institution of slavery. Fortunately, he learns about the abolitionist movement, and he focuses his energy on running away and becoming free. Furthermore, Douglass understands that knowledge will help him in his quest for freedom. Literacy will be his ticket to freedom, as well as his means for success as a free man. His plan of learning how to read and write f irst, before running away, shows that he is an intelligent person, who knows long-term planning. Indeed, if he remains illiterate, he can easily be manipulated by others who know how to read and write. Douglass uses his knowledge of the fruits of literacy in producing long-term plans, which proves the supporters of slavery that blacks are not an inferior race. Their weaknesses, if present, are not inherent to them, but are products of the conditioning of slavery, so that they will stay ignorant and lacking in initiative for self-development. Douglass breaks away from the stereotype of the passive slave because of his knowledge that as a human being, he has rights and freedoms. He must and should be free, so he does all he can to prepare for the fateful day of his emancipation. Douglass demonstrates ingenuity and a firm resolution in reaching his dreams, because knowledge is not sufficient to be free. He is determined to learn literacy, but he has to be extra careful. He is resourcef ul enough to pay bread to street children who taught him how to read. By bragging to other children that he knows how to write, he also learned writing skills. At the same time, Douglass is observant of his surroundings. He studies letters from ships, which shows his determination to maximize his resources, however limited they are. Moreover, the copybooks of his young master proved to be invaluable. He practices how to write, while his masters are away. Douglass clearly does not know how to give up. He knows the painful punishment, perhaps even death, which awaits him; if his owners learned that he was studying how to write. But he no longer minds his short-term need for safety, when he has the larger long-term goal of freedom. The human being in him naturally wants to be free, and slavery cannot stop him forever. He builds his knowledge and establishes contacts and resources, which will one day help him to be free. In his mind, Douglass has a singular mission: to be free and to be a human being with dignity once more. Education and slavery do not mix, as Douglass learns from his masters, because slavery is disempowering, while education

Explore Travelling Constraints People Face Tourism Essay

Explore Travelling Constraints People Face Tourism Essay Various number of research studies explore travelling constraints people face. In contrast to motivations that push people towards travelling, the overshadowing constraints of traveling could prevent the travelers from engaging in travel although the motivation may perhaps exist (Page and Hall, 2003). Financial Considerations In 2007(DSS, 2008), it was presumed that the income of an individual has a relationship with the number of foreign trips made by him/her yearly. Key findings (DSS, 2005) discovered that the household income of an individual is a critical factor that influences the choice of travelers while deciding the amount of money he/she would spend in travelling for each trip. A study in consumer behavior revealed that people of higher income are likely to explore more for products/services information (Andereck and Caldwell, 1994; Runyon and Stewart, 1987; Robertson, Zielinski and Ward, 1984; Newman, 1977). Heung and Chu (2000) found that tourists with lower income are more concerned about the pricing in comparison to tourists with higher income. In Zhang et al. (2004)s research also stated that respondents with higher income considered travel cost less significant than the lower income groups. Travel expenditure patterns play a fundamental role for travel planners and destination marketers (Jang et al., 2004). The rise in international tourism expenditure had reached 5.6% (adjusted for exchange rate fluctuations and inflation) in 2007, (WTO, 2008). WTO stated that almost 80 countries received more than USD1 million from international tourism in 2007. Hong et al. (2005) revealed that monetary factors specify a notable positive correlation between income and travel spending. Nicolau and Mas (2006), suggest that at the time of selecting a destination for travelling, the motivations of a tourist pacify the effect of prices. A particular group of people is reluctant to pay more for costly places where family or friend dwells, however they are keen to pay to explore new places. According to Nicolau and Mas (2006), travelers who are opting for culture are commonly more willing to pay higher prices, while those looking for climate are less eager. Whilst the majority of travelers spend consciously, there appears to be a tendency of people choosing a destination which offers better exchange rate so more could be spend while paying less. Dwyer, Forsyth and Rao (2002) recommended that price competitiveness is a general concept covering price discrepancies coupled with exchange rate movements and qualitative factors that have an effect on the attractiveness of a destination. The exchange rate movements have largely been altered by the structure of price within respective countries, which has resulted in either an increase or drop in price in travelling segment. In addition, their study discovered that countries like Thailand, Indonesia and Turkey took the advantage from the devaluation of their respective currencies which were compensated by the increases in the consumer prices in these countries. Whereas, Zhang et al. (2009) concluded that other factors remained constant, the chief motivation for a traveler would be the decline i n currency of the domestic market. For example, the higher the US dollar to Thai baht, the more probability of tourists to choose Thailand as their destination as tourists expenditures could be a lot lesser than USA or Europe countries. Distance and Time According to Nicolau and Mas (2006), the significant influence of distance on travelers motivations is balanced out at the time of deciding the destination to travel. The research carried out in Spain concluded that the traveler has a preference for shorter distances and is not inclined towards extended and time-consuming journeys. Nonetheless, travelers favor longer trips if they are visiting their family or friend or exploring new places. While some of the likely causes of short distance travelling could be lack of time availability or economic constraints. Zhang et al. (1999)s study revealed that people with higher income have a tendency to opt for longer journeys, however the correlation is not linear and the higher the tourists perceive their incomes the longer will be the travelling distance. Safety, Security and Visa Issues Mansfeld and Pizam (2006) suggest that travelers may possibly have safety and security concerns because of issues such as war, civil unrest, terrorism, disease, crime (specifically theft), catastrophes caused by human or technical error, natural disasters, and dangerous wildlife. Beirman (2003) stated that the key determinant in travelers choices to go visit a destination is the perception of safety and security. Researchers say that episodes like the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, SARS in March 2003, Tsunami in December 2004 and Swine Flu influenza in April 2009 had tremendously damaged and threatened the travel and tourism industry. Regarding this, Dickman (2003) pointed out that the lack of confidence in an individual could be one of the possible reasons that they are expected to respond strongly on negative conditions like epidemics, disasters and terrorism. Pakistan faced the most prominent plummet in visa issuance for USA after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre. In 2002, the number of tourist and immigrant visas issued to Pakistani citizens fell approximately 70 percent and 40 percent respectively, in comparison to 2001. International tourism to America chopped down for nearly three years following 2001 incident. The total number of Americans who traveled internationally also decreased past 9/11, the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries reports (Jason and Dalia, 2011). Even though travel surveys time after time discover that safety and security are vital concerns among travelers (Poon and Adams, 2000), the latest research conducted by Valencia and Crouch (2008) testing travelers response to risk uncovered that 33% of the surveyed respondents would go ahead as planned regardless; 21% would decide to relocate to another safer destination and 19% would delay their trip. On the contrary with a natural disaster, 36% preferred to reschedule their trip and 19% chose to go to a safer destination and 15% would go ahead with their trips as planned. Likewise, the results in Rittichainuwat and Chakraborty (2009) carried out in Thailand, also discovered that a mean of 2.89 respondents were not put off entirely (by travel risks or epidemics but would decide to visit another safer destination (mean=3.56). Moreover, PATA and Visa (2008) study proved that out of 52% of travelers whose travel plan has been affected by the economic crisis, 75% would switch to less co stly destinations and 31% would delay their trips. In the survey by Zhang et al.(2004), Hong Kong natives identified epidemics as a main aspect while travelling, followed by safety, disaster, good value for money, political and social environments. Pakistanis face the visa restrictions when travel to USA. There is also a lot of abhorrence for USA in Pakistani society because of the losses of their lives during war on terror (Shahnaz, 2012) Edgell (1994) specifies that outbound tourists are commonly affected by different governmental policies and restrictions of various countries. Particularly rules regarding the imposition of restrictions such as limited visa grants, exit visa requirements, limited access to foreign currency and restricted allowances for foreign travel services are widespread. Socio-demographic constraints Researchers suggest that socio cultural, demographic and economic features like nature of society i.e. patriarchal or matriarchal, age, family life cycle stage, influence of family, education, profession, economic position and self-concept also influence decision making in travelling. Constraints in travelling choices are principally linked to gender, life cycle and cultural factors (Jackson, 1991; Shaw, 1994). Factors like family, work, domestic responsibilities, determine the quantity and quality of time accessible for traveling and act as constrictions for some individuals. Although constraining features affect both genders, the extent to which either gender is affected is poles apart. The limitations operate on females more than on males (Sonia, 2011). Apostolopoulos and Sonmez (2001) propose that despite the fact that womens travel patterns and trends reflect their individual societal customs and principles, cultural or religious limitations in regards to their societal positions and socio economic restrictions are expected to decide their travel capabilities and methods (Bartos, 1982; Myers and Moncreif, 1978; Schul and Crompton, 1983; Van Raaij Francken, 1984). In accordance with tourism decision making research DeCrop (2005) has explained the family as a Decision Making Unit (DMU) in which fundamental decisions of life are discussed. When it comes to travelling decisions, in addition to family, close social circles e.g. friends etc. possibly signify significant DMUs as well. The value of family and the influence of each family member are crucial in deciding the liberty that one associate exercises in making independent decisions. The findings, however, point out that females are by and large more controlled by family responsibilities and approvals than males. It is evident that lesser the limitations operating on an individual the more will be the participation in traveling (Sonia, 2011).

Invisible Man - Invisible to White Society :: Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reason I chose," THE INVISIBLE MAN, "is because the black man in this story symbolizes the black the black man in society which is set up to fail. He is used, humiliated, and discriminated against through the whole book. He feels that he is invisible to society because society does not view him as a real person. Reading this book was very difficult, because the book was written in first person singular. I had to think hard on my opinion of Ellison's underlining message in this book. To do this I had to ask the question, what drives a man to believe that he is invisible to a society of people?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book starts out with a Negro boy shy and timid comes to a southern town to be awarded a scholarship. Together with some more Negro boys he is rushed to front of the ballroom were they witness a blond women dancing in the nude. This fiascle is frightening to the boys, because during this period in history a black man could have gotten hung for looking at white lady, not to mention a naked white lady. After this event the boys are blindfolded and made to beat each other to a bloody pulp. Afterwards the boy is made to give a speech of gratitude to the drunken white people while swallowing and nearly choking on his on blood. After this shocking opening the book kind of mellows out some. Next he goes off to college but while in school makes a mistake and takes a white donor through a Negro gin mill. Which from this event he gets expelled. Thinking he has a letter of recommendation, but it is really a document warning potential employers not to h ire him written by Dr.Bledsoe the same man who through him out of the college he adored so much. He travels to New York City. Once in New York his attitude changes it seems that all his misfortunes have taken an effect on him and his attitude changes. He joins a Communist group in which the reader can see the bitterness in his heart. Yet in the book Ellison talks about the party so bad it is a wonder they caught the I of his character at all. He later leaves the group. Yet, still it amazed me that a man could feel so out of place or even unwanted enough to join the communist party. Invisible Man - Invisible to White Society :: Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reason I chose," THE INVISIBLE MAN, "is because the black man in this story symbolizes the black the black man in society which is set up to fail. He is used, humiliated, and discriminated against through the whole book. He feels that he is invisible to society because society does not view him as a real person. Reading this book was very difficult, because the book was written in first person singular. I had to think hard on my opinion of Ellison's underlining message in this book. To do this I had to ask the question, what drives a man to believe that he is invisible to a society of people?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book starts out with a Negro boy shy and timid comes to a southern town to be awarded a scholarship. Together with some more Negro boys he is rushed to front of the ballroom were they witness a blond women dancing in the nude. This fiascle is frightening to the boys, because during this period in history a black man could have gotten hung for looking at white lady, not to mention a naked white lady. After this event the boys are blindfolded and made to beat each other to a bloody pulp. Afterwards the boy is made to give a speech of gratitude to the drunken white people while swallowing and nearly choking on his on blood. After this shocking opening the book kind of mellows out some. Next he goes off to college but while in school makes a mistake and takes a white donor through a Negro gin mill. Which from this event he gets expelled. Thinking he has a letter of recommendation, but it is really a document warning potential employers not to h ire him written by Dr.Bledsoe the same man who through him out of the college he adored so much. He travels to New York City. Once in New York his attitude changes it seems that all his misfortunes have taken an effect on him and his attitude changes. He joins a Communist group in which the reader can see the bitterness in his heart. Yet in the book Ellison talks about the party so bad it is a wonder they caught the I of his character at all. He later leaves the group. Yet, still it amazed me that a man could feel so out of place or even unwanted enough to join the communist party.

Ordering System Essay

Introduction In recent years, technology is evolving rapidly. The use of computers is mostly needed for business day-to-day operations, evidently in most institutions like grocery stores. Grocery stores are familiar to most people and located throughout the country, although their sizes and range of goods and services often vary. Stores in the grocery store industry primarily sell a range of food items, but may also sell some nonfood goods. Most grocery store employees work in a clean, well-lighted, and climate-controlled environment. However, work at times can become hectic, and dealing with customers can be stressful with the use of manual process. In this study, we want to develop a new system for Jewel and Nickel Grocery Store Order System that will help them to minimize the time in taking the orders of their costumers, minimize the time in computing the total amount of each transactions, and to lessen the errors and problems in taking the costumers order for more efficient and time effective process. JEWEL AND NICKEL GROCERY STORE starts in 1990 with a capital of one thousand pesos only. The owner starts their grocery store on their own. The name of the store comes from the owner`s siblings Jewel their son and Nickel their daughter. Jewel and Nickel Store is located at PritilBinangonan Rizal and they are open at eight in the morning until six in the evening. After 22 years of selling quality goods, their store is now much bigger and now they have their own passenger boat and a lotto outlet. MISSION †¢To sell quality goods and to earn at least 3% profit. VISSION †¢To satisfy their costumer and to make sure that our goods are all in good quality.

Free Essays on Life Is Hell

â€Å" Life is hell!† This comes out of the mouth of a bright, 16 year-old boy named Max, who had seemed not to have a care in the world. Tim is quiet and polite- the model student and son during the week but falling down drunk on Saturday night. Then there is Jackie. She wrote a note to her friend saying â€Å" Life is just more than I can handle sometimes.† Is Jackie looking for attention or is she crying out for help? Are pressures from his peers or pressures from himself bombarding Tim? Max, is he just having a bad day or is there something deeper? If we take a closer look at these stories, we can realize there is something that ties them all together. This is not a group of friends. They suffer from a serious epidemic that affects people all over the world, depression. Depression is a disorder in the brain that affects how one feels, acts, and thinks. According to a report by he National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, or NAMI, millions of teens suffer from depression. So, what problems come about because of teen depression? What is causing teens to become depressed and how can we help these teens? Most of us think of depression as something that just makes people sad and withdrawn, but there are other severe problems with being depressed. Many teens lose interest in things that ordinarily were a blast. According to the National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association, things such as sports, listening to music, dating, and having fun with friends, diminish in a depressed teens life. They often just want to be alone. Life becomes too much to handle and they feel that if they are all by themselves it will all just go away. Yet, this isolation can actually cause more problems than are solved. If a teen isolates themselves they are not going to deal with their problem. Some dangers concerning school also surface from teen depression. Dr. David Fassler, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, sta... Free Essays on Life Is Hell Free Essays on Life Is Hell â€Å" Life is hell!† This comes out of the mouth of a bright, 16 year-old boy named Max, who had seemed not to have a care in the world. Tim is quiet and polite- the model student and son during the week but falling down drunk on Saturday night. Then there is Jackie. She wrote a note to her friend saying â€Å" Life is just more than I can handle sometimes.† Is Jackie looking for attention or is she crying out for help? Are pressures from his peers or pressures from himself bombarding Tim? Max, is he just having a bad day or is there something deeper? If we take a closer look at these stories, we can realize there is something that ties them all together. This is not a group of friends. They suffer from a serious epidemic that affects people all over the world, depression. Depression is a disorder in the brain that affects how one feels, acts, and thinks. According to a report by he National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, or NAMI, millions of teens suffer from depression. So, what problems come about because of teen depression? What is causing teens to become depressed and how can we help these teens? Most of us think of depression as something that just makes people sad and withdrawn, but there are other severe problems with being depressed. Many teens lose interest in things that ordinarily were a blast. According to the National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association, things such as sports, listening to music, dating, and having fun with friends, diminish in a depressed teens life. They often just want to be alone. Life becomes too much to handle and they feel that if they are all by themselves it will all just go away. Yet, this isolation can actually cause more problems than are solved. If a teen isolates themselves they are not going to deal with their problem. Some dangers concerning school also surface from teen depression. Dr. David Fassler, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, sta...

Legal Searches and the Fourth Amendment essays

Legal Searches and the Fourth Amendment essays As a response to the intrusive presence of the British forces of occupation before the American Revolution, the framers of the United States Constitution took care to be sure that any indigenous government would be permanently enjoined from imposing itself in unwarranted ways on the citizenry. "Using a Writ of Assistance, British customs officials were able to enter any home and search the premises for evidence of customs violations" (Robinson, 2004) in the years before the Revolution. The protective amendment to the Constitution written by the colonists has been a linchpin of the personal freedom Americans have enjoyed ever since. That protection was embodied in the Fourth Amendment, commonly referred to as the search and seizures' amendment. It guarantees: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. (U.S. Constitution, Fourth In short, no one can go on a fishing expedition' to see if an American is doing something unlawful; the authorities must have probable cause.' Like every significant phrase in the Constitutionand which of them is not significant'this phrase has been interpreted through the years by various courts, including the Supreme Court, of course. Generally, probable cause' is understood to mean some better reason than "He's a mean person," or "Her grandmother was a thief, so." Arguablyand it will be argued laterinterpretations through the centuries have been fairly strict. The cause had, in short, better be a darn...

Find out about Marks ans spencer and its competitors to write a review Essay

Find out about Marks ans spencer and its competitors to write a review of the company's environmental management - Essay Example The region is populated with an estimated 5.3 billion of populace based with 84% of them are located in urban centers (Index Mundi, 2013, p. 1). The presence of these diverse and multicultural consumers and its relative economic affluence compared to other emerging countries, are opportunities for business chain to undertake corporate operation. Mark and Spencer sell clothes, food, home needs, and other products, has it main center based in UK and has varied offshore operations including chains in advanced countries. The company relies on its core corporate values: quality, value, service, innovation and trust (M & S, 2012a, p. 2). Its subsidiary company at UK also contributed to the ? 9.9 bn group revenue in 2012, underlying group operating profit of ? 810.0 m. As a leading retailer, it sourced its products responsibly from 2,000 suppliers globally (M & S, 2012a, p. 2). Central to its business operation since 2007 is the drive to address ecological concerns and social inequities by upholding a healthier and sustainable lifestyle (M & S, 2012b, p. 1). The company prided of integrating sustainability in managing its business by providing such framework of governance that is focused on environmental management systems (M & S, 2012b, p. 1). What is environmental management system? The US Environmental Protection Agency (2013) defined Environmental Management System (EMS) as a quality control mechanism designed to enable an organization to practice set of rules and behaviors that will reduce and mitigate environmental destruction to scale up its operating efficiency (p. 1). Such framework encourages companies to attain environmental objectives by employing environmental plans, goals, and protectionism campaigns as part of its operational mandates in management, for customers, for human resources, including its suppliers (USEPA, 2013, p. 1). This extols the assumption that employing environmental management control will likewise gain social acceptance and hence impr ove the corporate financial sustainability of the organization (USEPA, 2013, p. 1). This is also presumed that the EMS is also aligned and is consistent to company’s goals and business practices (USEPA, 2013, p. 1). Experts likewise posit that this internal and external regulatory approach requires stringent compliance to reduce risks, hazards, and to ensure cost-efficient business operation (USEPA, 2013, p. 1). This is also to address the call of our times amid the devastating impact of climate change and the need to respond for ecological protection (USEPA, 2013, p. 1). It also provided remedies to unregulated issues like problems on energy conservation, quality operational control and the importance of corporate stewardship (USEPA, 2013, p. 1). Thus under this framework, the company develops its own environmental goals based on ecological and legal basis; form its own environmental objectives, increase employees competence. EPA encourages company to have an environmental p olicy as its foundational plan to attain targeted environmental performance and outcomes (USEPA, 2013, p. 1). These blue prints are implemented and became subject of an evaluation at the end of every cycle of to determine it has improve its corporate social relations, it is has positively impacted

Beyond Budgeting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Beyond Budgeting - Essay Example To complete such development, a change of accounting system must also be considered, most of which is to get rid of budget or ‘managing with numbers’ and set goals for a longer period of time. Traditional budgeting is no longer valid in the emerging information age that is why hospitality industry needs to move ‘beyond budgeting.’ This is an alternative management model that promotes flexibility, devolution, and value maximization. This suggestion is supported by empirical investigation of hospitality budgeting mostly in the United Kingdom and United States. It is believed that Beyond Budgeting fits the progressive N-form organizational structure wherein full potential of the organization and the people are being liberated. Beyond Budgeting in International Hospitality Industry Introduction Nowadays, most organizations are facing considerable barriers in managing their performance capabilities particularly in the areas of budgeting. Hospitality industry is o ne of those industries that desperately need to experience a new management structure and performance budgeting system in the emerging information age. Traditional budgeting model is said to be universally disliked because the concept is expensive, it takes too long to respond, and a minimized value. Shareholders as well as customers are pressuring the industry to consider an alternative management model that is designed to eliminate conflicts in the organization as well as the reduction of costs and bureaucracy. Aside from being cost effective and strategic, the new management model must also coincide with the business goals of the twenty-first century. This vision is a great challenge to every organization because it requires â€Å"a new set of management process and new style of leadership...a new coherence among these management process and leadership principles to liberate full potential of the organization and its people† (Hope & Fraser, 2003, p.17). Beyond Budgeting is the model that has a capacity to manage performance and at the same time control the organization without budgets. However, the success of this concept is still doubtful to many organizations considering that how can there be management if there is â€Å"no budgets, no absolute targets, and no fixed plans† (Daum, 2002, p.1). The purpose of this paper is to discover the fresh approaches of information age such as Beyond Budgeting and new management structure. This paper has three sections that include: the overview of opportunities in Beyond Budgeting principles; the examination of current literature and critical evaluation of the topic; and the key recommendations applicable for international hospitality industry. Overview of Beyond Budgeting and Organizational Structure â€Å"The two fundamental elements of Beyond Budgeting model are new leadership principles based on the principle of empowerment of managers and employees, and new more adaptive management process† (D aum, 2002, p.2). According to the Beyond Budgeting Round Table (BBRT) of the Consortium for Advanced Manufacturing International (CAM-I), this empowerment which is also known as devolution is a process that will enable the organization to discover the full potentials of its people. The existence of Beyond Budgeting is due to the growing dissatisfaction delivered by the traditional general management approach of budgeting. Most of the tools and techniques that organizations used nowadays were no longer applicable to the issues of information

Is there a relationship between early education and the development of Research Proposal

Is there a relationship between early education and the development of social and emotional skills of children - Research Proposal Example Also, self perceptions about some attributes are formed by values placed on such attributes by a culture or society (Szente). The literature findings supports how early education is effective at laying a solid foundation for later success and increases school readiness. A study will be conducted to find out if children who experience early education have better social and emotional skills than their counterparts who did not have preschool education. This topic is of importance to me as a previous early educator and future School Counselor because it is noticed that because of the current wave of accountability, it appears that developmentally appropriate practice in the early years which includes social and emotional skills are not receiving much emphasis. Children need the ability to communicate emotions effectively and to listen to instructions. Children need the skills to solve problems. Research has established that preschoolers and the other educational settings are vital to the psychosocial, ethical and moral development of children (Paccione-Dyslewski & Boekamp, 2005). How can every child be exposed to have a positive experience through a model from parents, guardians, caregivers, and teachers? According to Szente (2007), a positive experience can lead children to move in positive directions while an abusive experience will create barriers for future success. The purpose of the study is to explore the relationship between early education and the development of social and emotional skills in young children. This study will be conducted through observations of students in kindergarten and first grade classrooms in a title 1 school. Teachers and parents will be interviewed. This is an attempt to find out if emotional and social skills improve student’s achievement in grade school. The hope is to add to the research about quality early education that addresses the full range of social, emotional and academic

The Jamestown Settlement Essay Example for Free

The Jamestown Settlement Essay I always consider the settlement of America with reverence and wonder, as the opening of a grand scene and design in providence, for the illumination of the ignorant and the emancipation of the slavish part of mankind all over the earth. -John Adams. Jamestown, Virginia was the first permanent English settlement in the New World. The Jamestown Colony is a town in Virginia. It is the oldest, and first, English colony in North America. The London Company, formed in 1606, was a group of ten men, mostly well-to-do merchants, who decided to colonize Virginia (Fishwick, 49). Francis Bacon, a member of the Company, decided the colony was to be a long-term scheme and settlers were to be given twenty years to find their feet (Fishwick, 49). Settlers were selected for their special skills, and included many farmers so the colony could become self-sufficient. The Colonial Council was a group of thirteen settlers who would be directed by a royal council of thirteen in England (Fishwick, 49). One member was selected to be the president, and he would make laws, vote taxes, mint money, and dispense justice in Virginia (Fishwick, 49). The settlers were granted â€Å"all rights and immunities†¦Ã¢â‚¬  of citizens in England, including the right to own land and trial by jury (Fishwick, 50). All taxes on trade with Virginia were used to benefit the colony. The London Company set sail from Blackwell, England, on December 20, 1606 (Fishwick, 50). They had three ships, tools, weapons, ammunition, food, grain, and 105 â€Å"hardy adventurers† (Fishwick, 50). Many settlers were classified as â€Å"gentlemen†, and there were some skilled craftsmen and farmers, and two surgeons (Fishwick, 50). The settlers came to the New World to acquire land, gold, or quick fortunes in trade. They sought a greater measure of liberty, though some were merely restless or driven by the love of adventure, but they all shared a hope for better things in Virginia (Fishwick, 50). The Council’s directions were to search for gold and other precious metals, explore the rivers for a passage to the South Sea (Northwest Passage), and to look for the Lost Colony (Fishwick, 51). The three vessels, the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery, took the colonists to the New World. The Susan Constant was the largest at 100 tons, and was very roomy. The Godspeed was forty tons, and the Discovery was twenty tons (Fishwick, 51). They would be out at sea for four weeks before reaching the West Indies. Ship food consisted of hard biscuits, saltmeat and fish, and barley gruel (Fishwick, 51). Land was sighted on April 26, 1607. George Percy recorded â€Å"About 4:00 in the morning, we descried the land of Virginia† (Fishwick, 57). Edward Maria Winfield was elected president of the Colony. An advance party as sent out to explore the country and choose a site for settlement. The site was chosen on May 13th. It was a flat peninsula nearly three miles long and located on the north side of the James River. Though it could be defended with ease, the land was low and boggy with sandy soil and malaria mosquitos (Fishwick, 60). Jamestown was founded a year before the French founded Quebec (Appleby, 8). It was funded by a joint-stock company, whose investors saw the colonies as sources of raw materials and markets for English goods. Despite early troubles, the settlers survived with the help of local Native Americans, the Powhatan Confederacy. The colony prospered by growing tobacco. In 1619, the House of Burgesses was formed to make their own laws (Appleby, 8). More than 4,500 settlers immigrated to Virginia in 1622 (Appleby, 8). The expansion of the colony alarmed Native Americans and they attacked Jamestown in 1622. The English court blamed the Virginia Company’s policies for high death rates and revoked its charter (Appleby, 8). Virginia became a royal colony run by a governor appointed by the king. Pocahontas was born in 1596 (â€Å"Pocahontas†, 1). Her birth name was â€Å"Amonute† and â€Å"Pocahontas† was just a nickname, meaning â€Å"playful one† because of her frolicsome and curious nature. She was the daughter of the Powhatan chief, Wahunsenaca. The Powhatan chieftan had a population of about 25,000 (â€Å"Pocahontas†, 1). When the English arrived and settled in Jamestown in 1607, Pocahontas was eleven years old. In the winter of 1607, Captain John Smith of Jamestown was captured by the Powhatan. He was brought in front of the chief and two large stones were placed on the ground with Smith’s head placed on top of them to be smashed. Pocahontas quickly intercepted and put her head on top of his, stopping the execution (â€Å"Pocahontas†, 2). As a result of this, the Powhatan chief told Smith he was a part of the tribe in exchange for â€Å"two great stones and a grindstone† and the chief would treat him as his son (â€Å"Pocahontas†, 2). Chief Powhatan sent gifts of food to the starving English settlers. Pocahontas brought the gifts to Jamestown and became a symbol of peace to the English. The Jamestown National Historic Site is on the western edge of Jamestown Island, Virginia. It is located seven miles from Colonial Williamsburg and is a total of 22.5 acres (â€Å"Jamestown National Historic Site†, 1). Jamestown is important because it was the first English colony in North America. It is also the scene of the first representative legislature on this continent on July 30, 1619 (â€Å"Jamestown National Historic Site†, 1). In 1893, the owners, Mr. and Mrs. Edward E. Barney donated a plot of their land to the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (APVA). In 1934, the rest of the land was acquired by the National Park Service as a part of the Colonial National Historical Park (â€Å"Jamestown Nat. Hist. Site†, 1). The trip from Greensburg, Indiana to Jamestown, Virginia is a relatively long one. It is a total of about 624 miles. By car, the trip takes eleven hours (â€Å"Google Maps†, 1). Jamestown, Virginia was the first permanent English settlement in the New World. The Jamestown settlement is rich in our country’s history and is remembered throughout time as the beginning of a new nation.

Critical Evaluation of Change Managed in Practice

Critical Evaluation of Change Managed in Practice The Government has clearly outlined the need for nurses to develop leadership skills at all levels within the workforce in order to deliver the NHS modernisation programme (DH  [1]  1998; DH 1999). The leadership role expected of community practitioners is evident in Shifting the Balance of Power (DH 2001a) and Liberating the Talents (DH 2002) with the expectation that health visitors will lead teams which will deliver family-centred public health within the communities they work (DH 2001b). The change I was to lead however was not initiated primarily to support clients, but instead to protect staff working in the community to ensure they were safe and supported in their public health work as a large proportion of the time is spent working alone. The issue of lone worker safety is particularly topical after the recent murder of a mental health support worker during a home visit (BBC News 2006). To support this proposal, Baulcomb (2003) asserts that any change management initiative should not only yield benefits for patients but also for staff and the wider organisation. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE 2005) reports that nurses and other health care workers are 2.8 times more at risk of an injury  [2]  than clerical workers and the vulnerability of health care workers increases significantly if they are working alone  [3]  (Chappell and Di Martino 2000). It was a particularly pertinent time to examine mechanisms for risk reduction as they had still not been reviewed despite a member of staff being off sick  [4]  due to an adverse incident involving lone work. As health visiting frequently requires lone work, it was clear that lone working practices needed reviewing to reduce the likelihood of a similar or more serious incident recurring. Further drivers for change were identified as a result of observations of workers in practice. I noted the following areas of concern: up-to-date whereabouts of staff not always provided (or out of date) and a lack of a reporting-in system which would identify whether staff had finished work safely for the day. I discussed these issues with the community nursing manager who wholly supported any attempts to introduce mechanisms that would improve lone worker safety. A further driver for change was the obligation to implement health and safety legislation. Due to limitations in report length, this information has been provided in Appendix One. If changes are to be implemented which lead to increased worker safety, this will have a positive (although indirect) effect on clients because if staff feel safer and more supported in their roles, they will be less likely to be off sick with stress or injuries (Mahony 2006) which would impact on the teams ability to deliver the public health agenda. As workers who contribute to the implementation of health and safety measures are known to be healthier and safer than those who do not (HSE 2005), it was felt that this would be an appropriate area for the team to examine and implement change. It was after consideration of these anteceding factors that the need for change was established and a vision created: To improve the safety of lone workers within the health visiting team. Implementing the change was a dynamic and multidimensional process with many facets too abundant to detail fully here, however pertinent examples will be selected and analysed. The following study will detail a reflective evaluation of my application of leadership and management theory to effect a change in practice. The successes and difficulties encountered will be given throughout with reference to the literature. Change management requires well-developed leadership and management skills (Marquis and Huston 2000). A combination of these skills is necessary to ensure that the job is done not only efficiently, i.e. new mechanisms are put in place and embedded into the teams practice (the management dimension) (Stewart 1996) but that it is achieved in such a way that motivates and inspires staff to change their practice- the leadership dimension (Stewart 1996). To guide the changes, a change management model was selected. Deegan et al (2004) report that such models provide a theoretical sequence, which will be instrumental in helping the change manager to choose, develop, and order activities which are required during planned change episodes. As the change was planned (as opposed to emergent), a suitable model was Lewins three-stage model of planned change (Lewin 1951)  [5]  . The use of this model in the National Health Service (NHS) is widely documented and has underpinned the successful changes in many of the research papers read  [6]  . It is also a simple model which is not overly prescriptive and so does not restrict individual practitioner creativity (Cameron and Green 2005). The three stages of planned change according to this model are: unfreezing the existing equilibrium (Unfreezing); moving to a new point (Movement) and refreezing the changes into practice so that they become embedded in practice (Refreezing). My change management project is currently part way through the Movement stage as the change has not been fully implemented or evaluated yet I continue to lead this project  [7]  . Lewin (1951) suggests that in the changes preliminary stage, factors which will drive or resist the change should be identified. This process is known as Force Field Analysis (FFA) and will identify the change enthusiasts, the potential objectors and the undecided (Turner, 2001) (see Appendix Three for the FFA carried out at this stage). Lewin (1951) asserted that change occurs as a result of a shift in the equilibrium between the opposing forces (those which resist change) and the driving forces and is thought to be more likely to occur successfully if restraining forces are removed rather than by simply increasing the driving forces. Hussey (1998) exercises a word of caution at this juncture warning that an increase in the driving forces may lead to an increase in the restraining forces, however if the driving forces outweigh the restraining forces, there is a positive climate for change (Cameron and Green 2005). After analysing the force field I could see that the driving forces o utweighed the resisting forces and so confirmed that the change was needed and realistic. Leaders motivate their staff by inspiring vision and encouraging followers to share in that vision (Bennis 1997, Davidhizar 1993) and like in Kassean Jagoos study (2005), the unfreezing stage was initiated by facilitating peoples thoughts on the current situation (Greaves 1999)- stimulating ideas for how to change the current situation  [8]  . As people can only be empowered by a vision that they understand (Sheldon and Parker 1997), it is paramount that strategies are used to foster inclusion and participation so that all team members are fully aware of the impetus for change. For change to be successful and enduring, Kouzes and Posner (1987) say that it is imperative that the leader encourages team ownership of the vision by encouraging their participation in the project. Without participation failure is likely to result due to resistance from team members. It is vital to the success of the change that it is perceived to be needed by those that will be affected by the change ( Marquis and Huston 2000) and so to raise awareness of the issue and create dissatisfaction with the current state (Lewin 1951), I introduced my ideas at a team meeting. On reflection, I can identify aspects of transformational and situational leadership in how I shared my ideas and interacted with the team. Most team members agreed that risks to lone working needed to be reduced and willingly offered their ideas (see Appendix Four). Encouraging team input and facilitating problem solving are key features of the supportive behaviours exhibited by the situational leader (Northouse 2004). Situational leadership was developed by Hersey and Blanchard (1977) and assumes the leader adapts their style according to a given situation  [9]  . This style has two main types of intervention: those which are supportive and those which are directive. The effective situational leader is one that adjusts the directive and supportive dimensions of their leadership according to the needs of their subordinates (Northouse 2004). As most team members were highly motivated in the project, freely offering suggestions and ideas, a directive role was not needed. The supportive behaviours I employed encouraged a participative approach characterised by the use of finely tuned interpersonal skills such as active listening, giving feedback and praising (Marquis and Huston 2000) which can be likened to a Skinnerian approach of positive reinforcement. In retrospect I can identify my correct use of this leadership style by looking at a later development of this model which introduced a further dimension to the leadership style: the developmental level of the participants. This is ascertained by assessing workers competence and commitment to completing the task. The member of staff that appeared to take little interest and was not able to offer ideas displayed a lower developmental level compared to other team members and hence I directed her more using the coaching behaviours advocated by Hersey and Blanchard (1977). This coaching promoted inclusion and participation by: giving encouragement, soliciting input and questioning the participant on what they thought of the proposals and the changes they would like to see. This was done to increase levels of commitment and motivation (Northouse 2004) and thus integrate that team member into the change process. On reflection this can also be identified as an example of reducing the resist ing factors to the change within the force field as by adapting to the needs of that team member, she was encouraged to take part and share ideas rather than hinder progress and potentially thwart the change. A model which places great importance on the needs, values and morals of others is transformational leadership (Northouse 2004; RCN 2005) and elements of this could be identified in my leadership. The needs of staff could be regarded as the need to stay safe, and values may be their desire to get home to their families at the end of the day. I was aware that on face value, looking at improving safety for lone workers would perhaps not appear to be an issue that would provoke much excitement, or according to Kotter (1999) light a fire. However, I articulated my vision in terms of getting people to consider the impact of what the consequences could be if we were to be a victim of an adverse incident. When discussing the impact of this with staff and getting them to consider the impact of not changing practice, of how their lives and their families lives could potentially be affected, I created motivation within the team to examine working practices. This was confirmed to me as many of the staff showed their interest by their offering of ideas to meet this challenge. By tapping into the moral dimension of a proposed change i.e. promoting the need to contribute in order to protect the safety of not just themselves but also the wider team, the transformational leader further inspires staff to change by motivating followers to transcend their own self-interest for the sake of the team and organization (Bass 1985). Once the vision had been shared and accepted by the team, several strategies were discussed that could contribute to risk reduction (Appendix Four). At this stage it was realistic to focus on a single change. A reason for this was because McIntosh (2000) highlights that many changes focus on the needs of the organisation (e.g. to provide certain services or to implement Government policy) and often overlook the needs of the employees. Applied to this case, there was an organisational need to manage risk but this had to be balanced with not overwhelming the team with too many changes at once  [10]  . At the meeting it was decided by the team members present  [11]  that the simplest intervention to implement would be to phone into the clinic base administrators when finishing their shift to notify that they had finished work for the day and were safe  [12]  . Although the proposed change would not eliminate the risk of an adverse incident occurring, it would ensure that should an incident occur, it would be identified and acted upon as swiftly as possible and thus the risk would be managed more effectively. Vroom and Yetton (1973) propose five types of considered decision-making ranging from that which may be expected of an autocratic manager i.e. a decision is made by the leader entirely alone, through to a democratic approach whereby the matter is discussed with the whole team and a consensus decision is made. When analysing my own management stance it was clear that my style had been distinctly democratic as I had sought to include everyone and promote consensus decision-making. I demonstrated sensitivity and appreciation of the pressures that others were under by ensuring that those not present at the meeting were included in the decision-making process as open consultation with key stake holders often leads to the successful introduction and adoption of change (Phair and Good 1998, cited in Deegan et al 2004). This contributed to creating a climate of a learning organisation. A learning organisation is one where all members are encouraged to increase their capacity to produce resul ts they care about (Karesh 1994) and one which promotes the exchange of information between members in order to create a knowledgeable workforce. I was determined that those who could not attend the meetings still be part of the decision making process. However there were difficulties with this as due to being in practice just two days a week meant that it was unrealistic to consult each absent worker individually and so I emailed out meeting minutes from the meeting and invited feedback  [13]  . Although the use of email to communicate ideas is one of the least popular ways to receive information, it was one of only a few methods available to me and hence justified its use. Without using this medium, communication with the team would have been compromised and could have led to some team members feeling they had been excluded from the decision-making process. Further analysis of this point reveals my own concern that all the follow up and meetings needed to be done by myself whe n perhaps this could have been delegated to someone else. With regard to situational leadership, if team members are motivated and committed to the change, the leader can assume a more passive role where they let team members take responsibility for doing the job and refrain from giving unnecessary support (Northouse 2004). This perhaps reveals Theory X management style traits (McGregor 1960) whereby the manager feels the need to keep a tight grip on staff perceiving them to need coercion to achieve tasks, deeming them to possess little capacity to explore and solve problems spontaneously without direction. This approach may convey distrust of the team (McGregor 1960) and was therefore not an ideal management style in the actual situation I was in. Rather than viewing this as a weakness however, it must be viewed as an opportunity to explore my assumptions of the team, assessing whether my assumptions had any grounding in reality or whether this style was assumed due to my inexperie nce leading and hence insecurities about the role. Reaching a consensus on the change to implement was an example of how in situational leadership, decision-making can be shared between the leader and motivated followers (Hersey and Blanchard 1977). From a management point of view, this participative approach facilitates the process of completing the task but it is also an example of how leaders empower their teams by transferring some of their power to the follower to enable them to be active participants in the decision-making process. After confirming the change intervention, the safety plan was devised (see Appendix Six). This was a contingency plan detailing the steps to take should a team member fail to report in. The team agreed that I should draw this up due to my previous experience of using one. As the manager is responsible for ensuring a task is completed on time and is done efficiently (Stewart 1996) there was no reason for this task to be delegated elsewhere as this would have taken up time and hence been an inappropria te use of resources. During the movement stage, I positively reinforced the importance of the change by acting as a role model. Role modelling is a key feature of transformational leadership whereby the leader demonstrates specific types of behaviours that they want their followers to adopt (Northouse 2004). Stewart (1996) also reports that the greatest power as a leader is the example that you set (p.25) and so I did this by ensuring that I implemented the proposed changes i.e. I always reported into base on finishing work even before the agreed implementation date. The change is currently in the latter stages of the Movement phase with implementation and evaluation still required to complete the phase  [14]  . Refreezing is the final stage of Lewins model and involves the change agent (myself) supporting staff to integrate the change into practice so that it becomes part of the status quo (Marquis and Huston 2000) ensuring that over a period of time everyones practice changes and there is no chance of reversion to former ways. A strategy for the future development of the change and to conclude the refreezing stage would be to carry out an evaluation to determine the changes effectiveness. A summative (or outcome evaluation) could be conducted to investigate: whether the intervention is effective in reaching planned goals; what happens to the participants as a result of the change and whether it is worth continuing with the change intervention (Robson 2003). The first question could be assessed by carrying out a risk assessment of the hazards faced by lone workers including strategies in place to reduce risk. The HSE (2005) detail a five-step risk assessment guide that can be carried out to assess the extent of risk post-intervention. Ideally a risk assessment should have been carried out in the unfreezing stage and thus provide a baseline to compare against. Another strategy to obtain objective data would be to keep a copy of all reporting-in records which should identify those failing to report in  [15]  . Although this appears to be a policing measure which may imply distrust for staff (typical of a Theory X manager, McGregor 1960), it may be the only way of conclusively being able to tell if people are actually putting the new change into practice. If an audit of these records revealed certain team members were not engaging in the process and were having to be chased by administrators to ascertain whether they had finished work safely, I would use responsive leadership skills incorporating effective interpersonal communication to work with these staff members to identify what the problems and issues were. It is vital that this is done as if ignored these resisting factors could impede the change and failure could result (Hussey 1998). A key goal of refreezing is supporting those involved so that the change remains in place (Marqui s and Huston 2000) and so this audit may reveal those who need further support  [16]  . The change detailed in this case study has first and foremost considered the needs of the employees (i.e. to be safe in their lone work) yet has many benefits for the wider organisation and staff: potentially decreased litigation due to decreased adverse incidences affecting staff, increased recruitment and retention due to the organisations increasing attractiveness as a supportive employer and many more. This highlights effective use of a combination of leadership skills to inspire and motivate staff coupled with the ability to function in a management capacity by directing changes necessary in order to meet the organisations requirements (Marquis and Huston 2000). Change management requires well-developed leadership and managerial skills (Marquis and Huston 2000). However as a student health visitor many of these skills were far from being well developed and rather than use and manipulate models as I went along, elements of models such as transformational and situational were recognised retrospectively. However in doing so my knowledge of the theoretical underpinning has been developed and consolidated arming me with a plethora of skills to draw on in future. Northouse (2004) states that leadership style refers to the behaviours shown by an individual who attempts to influence others. I felt this was a daunting task as in my student role I felt very much the subordinate as opposed to the leader. However, Government papers such as Making a Difference (DH 1999) stress for the need to develop leadership at all levels meaning it is not an activity reserved for the upper echelons of an organisation (Garvin 1996). I found it hard at times to reconcile the requirement to develop leadership skills with the need to embrace evidence-based practice as the two often clashed due to the fact that there is little empirical evidence of the effectiveness of many leadership models (Northouse 2004) including those I used. To further illustrate this point Wright and Doyle (2005) conclude it is impossible to say how effective transformational leadership is with any degree of certainty and it is not possible to say here that another approach would have been more effective without trying it. Northouse (2004) also criticises other models of leadership including situational leadership, and questions their validity commenting that they are under-researched and with few published research findings. I had not viewed myself as a born leader and coupled with my student status, I felt nervous embracing a leadership role. 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Available from: Appendices APPENDIX ONE Health and Safety Legislation in Practice. The Lone Worker Policy (SYPCT 2006) in my practice area is heavily influenced by the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSE 1974) and the Health and Safety at Work Regulations Act (HSE 1999 cited in SYPCT 2006) which stipulate the duties of the employer  [17]  and the employee  [18]  . The more recent legislation requires employers to assess the nature and scale of any workplace risks to health and ensure there are proper control measures to reduce or eliminate risk. Although the policy encompasses the relevant legislation and raises awareness, its aims are particularly broad and apart from indicating particular training, there are few suggestions of good practice to help staff understand exactly how they can take reasonable care. It was also evident that although Lone Worker safety training was mandatory, fewer than half of the members of the team had accessed this within the l