Accounting Convergence - 1153 Words

Accounting Convergence: Advantages and Disadvantages Winston Churchill once said that â€Å"there is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction† (Thinkexist.com) . Today, the accounting profession and standards in the United States is facing one of the biggest changes it has seen in a long time: the convergence of its Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Is this a step in the right direction for the United States? The debate is still alive, although the change is happening now. In this paper I will explain the convergence and then describe some of the advantages and disadvantages to this change. Convergence is a term that means â€Å"the coming together or†¦show more content†¦GAAP has been around for many more years than IFRS has. Is this an advantage or disadvantage for a move towards IFRS? Some people would argue that it is a disadvantage because the U.S. GAAP covers almost all possible accounting issues and has also shown sustain ability through its years in practice. On the other side, the advantage to having a newer set of standards is that they will not be as cluttered as the U.S. GAAP. But doesn’t the word â€Å"convergence† mean to eliminate the differences between the two standards? So we would be blending the best of both sets of standards and both of these arguments would be illogical, right? That brings us to another debate about the convergence with IFRS. If the business world would flow better with one set of accounting standards, why are we trying to blend the two accounting standards instead of just adopting IFRS? If over 100 countries and counting have switched to IFRS, why can’t the U.S. do the same so that one set of standards will really be attained? According to Intermediate Accounting, some of the standards between U.S. GAAP and IFRS that differ and are long-term projects for convergence are issues such as revenue recognition, the conceptual framework, and research an d development costs (18). All of these issues are currently being worked on between the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). An advantage to the conceptual frameworks for both U.S.Show MoreRelatedThe Convergence Of Accounting Principals926 Words   |  4 PagesThe Convergence of Accounting Principals When it comes to financial accounting, there are two sets of standards that seem to have incongruent rule and principal based views on the way things should be done. These standards include the Generally Accepted Accounting Principals (GAAP), which is rule based, and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which is principal based (Waybright p.260). Despite opposing views, the two have been attempting to fully converge since 2002. HistoricallyRead MoreInternational Convergence Of Accounting Standards1494 Words   |  6 Pageseffort of moving towards international convergence of accounting standards has risen since the end of World War II, resulting to the revolution of financial reporting. â€Å"IFRS for example are accounting standards issued by the IASB, an independent organisation based in London, UK† (Ball, 2006). IASB is primarily established to promulgate IFRS and are responsible to set rules that can be equivalently implemented by public companies internati onally. Uniform accounting standards are simply demanded in orderRead MoreThe Convergence of Two Accounting Systems and the International Financial Reporting Standards1318 Words   |  5 PagesI. Introduction The convergence of two accounting systems, the US GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards, is not a new concept. For many years, the primordial idea of convergence started in the late 1950’s in response to post World War II economic integration and related increases in cross-border capital flows. Initially, the term used was â€Å"Harmonization until the early 1990’s the politically correct term is â€Å"Convergence†. It has been in deliberation to whether all countriesRead MoreWhy The Aicpa Is Becoming More Popular1408 Words   |  6 PagesAs many students graduate high school throughout the United States, a degree in accounting is becoming more popular. Many students realize that being an accountant offers a high-paying salary and a very stable job market. Although this may sound appealing, the process in reaching this gratitude may be difficult for some. In most cases, one must become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or a Certified Management Accountant (CMA). To becoming certified, you must pass the exams the American InstituteRead MoreEvolution of Accounting Thought6174 Words   |  25 Pages Hendriksen and Michael F. van Breda, Four Thousand Years of Accounting, Chapter 2 of Accounting Theory, 5th edition, Irwin, 1992 Accountancy, from Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accounting. Retrieved January 20, 2011. Contents of lecture notes: 1. Introduction 2. Why bother with the history of accounting? 3. The beginnings 4. So what is ‘accounting’ (or ‘accountancy’)? 5. Double-entry accounting 6. Why double-entry accounting? 7. The period 1500 to 1800 8. The period 1800 to 1955 9. TheRead MoreAcc 541 Accounting Standards Board Paper1116 Words   |  5 PagesAccounting Standards Boards Leslie Brian ACC/541 November 14, 2011 Delphine Agnor Wolsker Accounting Standards Boards The field of accounting is constantly evolving. This is true not only for the theory of accounting itself but also the entities that govern its theory and practice. Presently, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) are faced with some of the biggest challenges to date. To understand the significanceRead MoreEffect of Globalisation on Management Accounting6683 Words   |  27 Pagesthe development of accounting (based on research by Gray and Hofstede (1988), Robson (1991), and Doupnik and Salter (1995)), came to the conclusion that accounting developed because of the complex interaction between it and the external environment. Therefore management accounting, as a role player in the business environment and a subfield of accounting, has by no means been unaffected by the drivers of change. Siegel and Sorensen (1999:3) contend that management accounting should undergo perpetualRead MoreAuo 1 Study Guide Essay12292 Words   |  50 PagesAshley Richardson 11/15/2013 Western Governors University AUO1 – Auditing and Information Systems Additional Study Questions/ Study Guide 1. Accounting Information Systems Competency 302.1.1: Nature and Purpose The student understands the nature and purpose of information systems. * What is the difference between transaction processing systems, management information systems, and decision support systems? 2. Transaction processing systems - document financial activities Read MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 PagesContemporary Issues in Management Accounting This page intentionally left blank Contemporary Issues in Management Accounting Edited by ALNOOR BHIMANI 1 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford ox2 6dp Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Auckland Cape Town Dar es Salaam Hong Kong Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne MexicoRead MoreWhy The Usa Is A Method Of Inventory Valuation1184 Words   |  5 Pagesmethods to value the inventory. The last in, first out (LIFO) method is one of the proper methods in inventory valuation method. For some reasons in IAS 2 Inventories it is not able to be used any more, but it is still accepted by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) in the United States of America. LIFO refers that the last importing item of inventory is sold by the first purchased inventory. To use this method will lead to some potential financial questions, especially in the period

The Objectivity and Rationality of Morality Essay

The Objectivity and Rationality of Morality According to Kant morality is rational and objective. It is based on rational human reasoning. For Kant it is not the consequences of an action that make it moral but the reasoning or intention that goes behind the choices one makes. What Kant is saying is that the only thing which can be qualified as good is good intention. When the intention behind an action is good, (what Kant calls the Good Will) then the act is morally plausible because it is being done out of duty. The will in this sense†¦show more content†¦For most people morality is influenced by their religion or theology. Religion most often holds that morality is not the work of man but of God. What is called the conscience (the naturally infused mechanism that gives us our sense of morality) is put into mankind by God. Others may define what is morally acceptable based on their experiences. Hence what they call morals may be principles they have imposed on themselves to live by as a result of previous experiences so as to guide them for what lies ahead. Morality can therefore be said to be relative. What may be accepted by one individual as moral may not be accepted by the other. Similarly what may be accepted as moral in one society may not be accepted by the other. For Kant, what is moral is only justified when it is acted out of duty. To act out of duty means to have given thought to an action before carrying it out and to have considered its consequences. Acting out of inclination for Kant requires no thought. This is because almost any man is bound to do what he has been groomed to do by his culture in order to satisfy his conscience. Kofi comes from a society where he has been taught to share with and give to the hungry. He has also developed the habit of giving and consequently become inclined to show pityShow MoreRelatedSummary of in the Shadow of the Organization by Robert Denhardt1575 Words   |  7 Pagesbook: In the Shadow of Organization The book focuses on the impact of individuals within organizations and how organizational efficiency or rationality is getting deep into our individuality. The author states that the modern organizations and the way their administration work are the results of heavily borrowed principles of rationality and objectivity from the sciences. It has resulted in a one-sided focus of placing the rational goals of the organization above, and often in place of, thoseRead MoreFeminist Ethics : A Better Alternative Than Traditional Normative Ethical Theories Essay1540 Words   |  7 Pagesrelationships of power between different groups of people and the trust that they have in them. They question who, what, and why trust is given. Furthermore, they have to try and figure out which relations of power apply to whom and how they relate to morality. Many traditional philosophers argue over what ought to be, but in doing so they teach that being ethical is something that cannot be attained. In ord er to understand what is morally right, a person has to understand humanity’s current role in theRead MoreKant And David Hume Views On The Matter1457 Words   |  6 Pagesto be a distinct difference between the philosophers Immanuel Kant and David Hume views on the matter. Both are life changing philosophers with very opposing views. One sees the feelings in human nature while the other seems to see nothing but rationality. One can argue both are used but according to these two there is only one or the other dominating the brain of individuals. Both philosophers give a compelling insight as to which is truly dominant, and out of the many examples they use to proveRead MoreThe Problem of Moral Rationalism907 Words   |  4 PagesThe Problem of Moral Rationalism There are many disagreements amongst philosophers concerning the way humans make their moral judgments. While there are those who believe the origin of our moral judgments are based on rationality which is described in moral rationalism, there are also others who believe our moral judgements are based on our emotion which is described by sentimentalism. There are many studies that support this idea of sentimentalism which poses a threat to moral rationalism. SpecificallyRead MoreComparing and Contrasting Nietzsche’s Preparatory Human Being and Kierkegaard’s Knight of Faith1469 Words   |  6 Pagesindividual towards a normative sense of morality. A particular section reads â€Å"†¦for all of them believe in one normal type and ideal for their species, and they have translated the morality of mores into their own flesh and blood† (Science 192). He goes on, in the same section to state that a men of free spirit, the free spirit being another name of the arc hetype of preparatory human being, had a boon in polytheism, for it allowed people to create their own morality because they chose their gods fromRead MoreMoral Objectivism : The View That What Is Right Or Wrong?924 Words   |  4 PagesTheories (or Deontological Theories): Theories that claim that what determines whether an act is morally right or wrong is the kind of act it is.(1) 1: Deontological or duty based theories: In a general sense, Deontological theories determine morality of an action by asking about the action itself. Kantianism: In my opinion Immanuel Kant is the quintessential deontological philosopher. Those following Kantianism ask two questions before acting. The first question is, can I rationally will thatRead More Ethical and Philosophical Questions about Value and Obligation977 Words   |  4 Pagesdeals with substantial ethical issues, such as, What is intrinsically good? What are our moral obligations? Metaethics deals with philosophical issues about ethics: What is value or moral obligation? Are there ethical facts? What sort of objectivity is possible in ethics? How can we have ethical knowledge? Recall, also, the fundamental dilemma of metaethics. Either there are ethical facts or there aren?t. If they are, what sort of facts are they? In what do they consist? If thereRead MorePhilosophy and Religion in Education Essay1166 Words   |  5 Pages An examination of four significant philosophical issues, typically including one social issue (e.g., the morality of capital punishment), ethical relativism and objectivity, relationship between human freedom and the scientific outlook, and rationality of belief in God). Develops analytical thinking, critical reading and writing and sensitivity to argumentation. Read MoreThe Theory Of The Natural Sciences Essay1489 Words   |  6 Pagesways knowers interpret knowledge; objectivity is extremely difficult to reach, if not impossible. Within the natural sciences, fundamental disagreements develop due to the adoption of conflicting theories and alternate methodologies. Moreover, individual and analytical biases can skew the interpretation of data, leading to contrasting conclusions or understanding. Subjectivity is much more apparent in ethics due to the emotive and intuitive justification of morality. Therefore, discord tends to ariseRead MoreWilliam Gulliver s Travels And Oroonoko1687 Words   |  7 Pageswill permeate this island, which manifests in the laws that govern the island and encourage good works and philanthropy. When magnified, these creatures are ugly in appearance and described by the protagonist as being physically gross, yet their morality amplifies their inner beauty. When compared to the giants, Gulliver’s human qualities come to light, as he shows hubris and conveys his affinity for European society, politics, and social life. As such, Swift conveys constructive social criticism

Competitive Strategy Procedure - Stratagems and Diplomatic Policy

Question: Discuss about the Competitive Strategy for Procedure, Stratagems and Diplomatic Policy. Answer: Introduction: The strategy comprises the execution plan of a firm for growing competitive advantage and improving its threefold baseline before the long-term. The performance plan is associated with obtaining the financial, cultural, and environmental achievement goals; in principle, it provides support to build bridges connecting the longstanding concept and short-lived resolutions (Harvard Business Review 2015). G Johnson and K Scholes (Exploring Corporate Strategy) assert that strategy sets the long-term direction and potency of the company, and discover how assets must be fashioned to satisfy the claims of the businesses and stockholders (Mindtools.com 2016). The strategy involves defining the company's market, the unique value a company can provide, producing policies and plans to maintain the value; and allotting resources to keep those. It is principally about utilizing natural assets to generate a value proposition. It assists to seize chances in the hostile conditions while evading threats. The business strategy describes the procedure, stratagems and diplomatic policy embraced by a company to draw clients and attain its trade objectives. It is a very extensive expression that envelopes all a company does to earn capital. From associating with another company and drawing best potential to obtaining current technology, all is enfolded under the range of corporate strategy (Blog.udemy.com 2016). Nestl calls itself as food, nourishment, fitness, and wellness business. They formed Nestl Nutrition, an international trade organization created to establish the center of their primary food market. They assume their power in this business is the essential factor of their business strategy. This trade is described as a unit in which the customers major push for buying is the demands made by the commodity based on its nutritious composition. To strengthen their competitive advantage in this domain, Nestl Nutrition was entrusted with the production and gain and loss accountability for the claim-based market of Child Nourishment, Medical Nutrition, and Execution Nutrition. This segment strives to contribute excellent trade achievement by giving customers esteemed, scientific sustenance commodities and aids (Articles.castelarhost.com 2016). Nestl's Wellness policy must assure to be constant with the company's values. Nestl commonly follows a set of trade policies that have continuously supported the system of its operation. One fundamental theory is that of satisfying customers' requirements for subsistence, pleasure, and a character they can believe. It is the reason the firm puts so much importance on business analysis and on the useful means to interact with consumers. Principles that uphold customer interaction involve emphasizing regulation in food intake and portraying children in lively, vigorous pursuances. Nestl is transparent that its promotion should not look like urging children to consume snacks rather than meals. It is necessary to execute a strategy after transparently forming it. Nestl would try to make sure that in future all its goods maintain an exceptional taste report while supplying improved nutritional profits. This will occupy: 1. Keep some commodities 2. Commodity reformations 3. Originating innovative goods with carefully determined nutritional advantages (Businesscasestudies.co.uk 2016). Nestl's merchandise research and development system guarantee it is soundly situated to face the hurdle of shifts in customer anticipations. The organization's Wellness policy is precisely equipped to producing what customers require concerning the meals they consume - a powerful nutritive value and a real participation in their overall wellbeing. It has directed to the subsequent three-fold approach: Using this procedure Nestl has improved or reformed more than 700 commodities so that they boast of moderate cholesterol and taste composition. In addition to that, the firm views to aware customers regarding normal routines and a decent diet. Its actions involve the Nestl Trust sponsoring some activities concentrated on promoting nutritional consciousness, a website centered on presenting nutritional knowledge and on-pack substance data. Their Strategic Wellness Unit is established to assist the Wellness method both inside and out of the company to make sure everybody grasps what it symbolizes and what is the process to execute it. Their strategy must warrant the business has the required devices to back the idea. With its scientific and technological foundation, Nestl is well furnished to promote the fundamental scientific enhancements to subsisting commodities. It can also manage the expansion of new assets that provide to Wellness. With its well-established brands, extensive product collection and mains proficiency, Nestl is soundly placed to profit from a flourishing market. The company possesses the advantages and the supplies to match consumer demands in a situation where an increasing number of people are exploring Fitness and Wellness (Businesscasestudies.co.uk 2016). Business Model Innovation All business patterns are not identical. Regrettably, many officials view their design as settledas the fundamental, the valid, or possibly the exclusive way to earn capital in any particular business. However, in actuality, there are several models that officials can pick from. Recognizing that there are multiple rather than a couple can provide people withy a new direction of how to do business: that companies can be artistic while setting up their businesses. So, along with variation in goods, services, and methods, organizations require exploring trade design innovation. This innovation is a mixture of shifts a firm makes around the trade, business, and income model. While these elements are distinct and singular, they can be interlinked (Ixl-center.com 2016). ZARA A Well-Incorporated Business Model Why Zara has developed fast capturing market share from the high-end fashion boutiques (too costly) and the retail stores (too outdated). End Users: Young, trend aware customers Zara evade being out of affordability range or out of trend for its end market. Determining the What: Transformation with reduced cost The mixture of reduced cost, sound quality swiftly shifting to follow the contemporary trend Business Model Pattern Aspects Discussed: Obtaining modern ideas browse, pick, imitate analyze contemporary fashion. In-house stylists transform and improve based on consumer buying. Bypassing surplus requirement, which a slow demand chain cannot meet Growing a demand chain, that is extremely sensitive. Facilitating fast feedback from purchasers to product plans. Formulate an in-store encounter. Small but swiftly shifting the array of clothes Cost cutting by bypassing the surplus provisions that must be reduced, little promotion, imitating ideas off the market, lessened the array of samples, sizes, and shades permit low cost with quick inversion diminish working resources. Expanding the How Analytical Capabilities: Lean business. Growing distinctive competencies in identifying fashion trends. Running a very swift and active demand chain 7-day inversion IT treasury of plans on CAD/CAM Tiny, manageable stitching workshops in Spain Essential Lessons of the matter: The significance of market locus The quality impression of the customer The capability of lean and resilient demand chains for bulk transformation A fundamental lesson of a sound business model innovation is the value of a stable arrangement between the how, what and who. In a coordinated business model, the abilities and connections of the company support the value proposition and facilitate achievement and maintained competitiveness (www.aciic.org.au 2016). References Articles.castelarhost.com. 2016. Nestle's Competetive Strategy. [online] Available at: https://articles.castelarhost.com/nestle_competitive_strategy.htm Blog.udemy.com. 2016. Business Strategy Examples: Four Strategies Businesses Use to Make Money. [online] Available at: https://blog.udemy.com/business-strategy-examples/ Businesscasestudies.co.uk. 2016. Ensuring strategic fit - Responding to changing customer requirements: the drive towards Wellness - Nestl | Nestl case studies, videos, social media and information | Business Case Studies. [online] Available at: https://businesscasestudies.co.uk/nestle/responding-to-changing-customer-requirements-the-drive-towards-wellness/ensuring-strategic-fit.html#axzz4I2OwBjo0 Businesscasestudies.co.uk. 2016. Implementing the strategy - Responding to changing customer requirements: the drive towards Wellness - Nestl | Nestl case studies, videos, social media and information | Business Case Studies. [online] Available at: https://businesscasestudies.co.uk/nestle/responding-to-changing-customer-requirements-the-drive-towards-wellness/implementing-the-strategy.html#axzz4I2OwBjo0 Harvard Business Review. 2015. What Is Strategy, Again?. [online] Available at: https://hbr.org/2015/05/what-is-strategy-again Ixl-center.com. 2016. Business Model Innovation Demystified IXL Center. [online] Available at: https://www.ixl-center.com/business-model-innovation-demystified/ Mindtools.com. 2016. What Is Strategy?: The Three Levels of Strategy. [online] Available at: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/what-is-strategy.htm www.aciic.org.au. 2016. www.aciic.org.au. [online] Available at: https://www.aciic.org.au/assets/Publications/2012/Business-Model-Innovation.

The Columbus conundrum Essay Example For Students

The Columbus conundrum Essay The line between sea and sky is erased in the blinding white light of the Gulf of Cadiz. Five hundred years ago Christopher Columbus gazed across these horizonless waters, plotting his voyage to the Canary Islands and then west, on to the fabled golden citadels of Asia or so he believed. When he finally set sail on Aug. 3, 1492, with only his own doggedness and a set of dublous maps to guide him, he inadvertently propelled all of modem humanity onto a journey without end. It began as a Spanish quest for the riches of the Orient, evolved into a colonist bid for territory, gave birth to a Native American struggle for freedom, and continues today as a collective search for identity on the part of all three Americas, North, South and Central. We will write a custom essay on The Columbus conundrum specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The Columbus story is one of conquest, obsession and hubris. For better or worse, it is our story as a people, and so we are forever obliged to tell it, retell it, question it, read between its lines. Today a new generation of artists and writers are meeting that obligation with a profusion of books, movies, plays operas and artwork a virtual industry of ideas inspired by one medieval sailor, his surly crew and three rickety ships. Nowhere is the sprawl of the Columbus myth more evident than on North Americas stages. This past summer, while Philip Glass and David Henry Hwang were preparing a Columbus epic for an October opening at New Yorks Metropolitan Opera, New York Citys Theatreworks USA was on the road, taking its micro-musical version of the saga to school children along the Atlantic seaboard. The Pilgrim Theatre was drawing small but enthusiastic audiences to a sweltering black box in Boston for the premiere of a performance piece called Columbus, Dreams of a New World, and the Bread and Puppet Theater was enlisting community participants for an outdoor Columbian pageant on a Burlington, Vermont lawn. In July, playwright Richard Nelson made his Barbican Theatre mainstage debut at Londons Royal Shakespeare Company with Columbus and the Discovery of Japan, while the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park was still basking in the glow of its January premiere of Canadian Richard Epps Japango. Of all these plays, Theatreworks USAS Columbus took the most straightforward historical approach. In the tried-and-true tradition of childrens theatre, its aim was to educate and entertain, and by the looks of its attentive, five-foot-and under audience at the Paramount Center for the Arts on a dreary April day in Peekskill, N.Y., it achieved both objectives. Written and directed by Jonathan Bolt, with music by Douglas J. Cohen and lyrics by Thomas Toce, Columbus follows the mariners exploits from his youth to his fourth and final voyage to the Americas. Five actor-singers carry multiple roles, and a simple collection of planks and ropes is manipulated to suggest every setting from the desk of the Santa Maria to Queen Isabellas chamber. The familiar story is all here-Columbuss relentless petitioning for funds and Isabellas eventual capitulations; the long first voyage and the sailors near-mutiny but with a few revisionist twists. First were told that Columbus was not the only man of his day to believe the world was round (indeed any educated Spaniard knew this to be true). Were also informed that he found the Bahamas, which he thought to be Asia, largely by luck. Finally were witness to his disastrous handling of the colonies, which led to the deaths of many of his crew members and countless Native Americans, and the eventual collapse of his own career. Still, we last see Columbus embarking triumphantly on his final voyage to the New World, even through we know from the history books that he spent his declining years landlocked and out-of-favor with the Spanish monarchs. There is a tension here between the story the play purports to tell the true-to-life history of Christopher Columbus and the follow your dream subtext common to much childrens theatre. Arguably, neither the explorers dreams (of wealth and prestige) nor his character were worthy of much admiration. Yet that fact constantly rubs up against the musicals celebratory songs and its youcan-do-anything-if-you-just-believe dialogue, creating an unsettling sense of internal conflict. Its as if the play wants a hero, and at those times when Columbus obviously wont do, Isabella steps into the role (as when she orders the mariner to stop taking slaves). But the Queen was no saint herself. Truth be told, this is a story without heroes, and as such its tough to adapt for childre n. One way to avoid such difficulties is to cast the Columbus tale not as an historical narrative, but as a portrait of a personality. Focusing on character rather than event allows writers to sidestep sticky political issues and simultaneously satisfy the publics seemingly insatiable appetite for psychological drama. Richard Epps Japango takes this tack, presenting the explorer as a man awash in memories of his past triumphs. Presented by the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, the play was billed as a voyage to discovery to find Christopher Columbus himself. Epp told the Cincinnati Post, I was struck by the stubbornness of the man and his denial until the day he died that he had been anywhere but Asia. I found him arrogant, greedy, but at the same time a buoyant human being. Playwright Richard Nelson, likewise, describes his Columbus and the Discovery of Japan as a portrait of an artist of the explorer as artist. His aim was to sift through the historical representations of his subject and present him neither as a Hitler nor a hero. He explains, The Columbus we grew up with was an invention of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was the product of a hemisphere that needed to define itself in opposition to the Old World. In that sense he was an ideological creation. .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef , .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef .postImageUrl , .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef , .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef:hover , .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef:visited , .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef:active { border:0!important; } .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef:active , .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u99184f4ad836f6bf6823d5fcd4f2b4ef:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Terrible Fate Of Humpty Dumpty and Blue Remembered Hills EssayThe Columbus of today the liar, pillager and murderer of revisionist histories also an ideological creation. My play does not participate in the struggle between these competing ideologies. The tale I have to tell is about someone doing something against great odds. Its about a man with an urge, a drive that even he himself doesnt understand. Director John Caird oversaw the lavish staging of Columbus and the Discovery of Japan, re-creating 15th-century Spain with lots of the usual RSC dry ice, according to one witness. Nelson reports that the production polarized Londons critical community: Ive never faced such angry reviews, but on the other hand the critics who were supportive loved it. Its a huge story its running time was an epic three-and-a-half hours and you cant expect everyones going to feel the same way about it. The widespread fascination with Columbuss character is a curious phenomenon, because in the last analysis it matters very little who the man was or what he was like. He may be condemned as a murderer, or defended as a product of his time both assessments are accurate, and both equally inconsequential. If Columbuss mission had not succeeded, indeed if he had never been born, someone else would have presented himself to take his place. The blinding white light of the Atlantic would have still been pierced; the inevitable process of colonization and resistance would have still been put into play. History was on the brink; it was just a matter of time. Bostons Pilgrim Theatre and Vermonts Bread and Puppet both leave questions of character behind in their politically charged versions of the story. Pilgrims Columbus, Dreams of a New World, conceived and directed by Kermit Dunkelberg, the troupes managing director, announces itself boldly as a tale not about a sailor but about the collision of two world and the aftershocks we still feel. It takes the shape of a choreopoem, a collage of solo and group recitations and songs that comment on the Babel that Columbus established in the New World. The piece looks somewhat dated-its 10 barefoot, loosely clothed performers recall the Judson Poets Theatre dancers of the early 60s but its concerns are up-to-the-minute. Even more outspoken is Bread and Puppets two-part touring production of Christopher Columbus: The New World Order, under the direction of Peter Schumann. Part one, performed in a theatre with puppets and an oom-pah-pah band, reenacts Columbuss arrival in America and his establishment of peace Or at least that particular peace of subjugation and outright genocide that accompanies the occupation of new lands, as an acid program note instructs. Part two travels outside to a field where, with the help of community participants, the Columbus myth is presented as a metaphor for one of northern New Englands hottest issues: the conquest of the northern Quebec wilderness by the Hydro-Quebec power company. Bread and Puppets familiar fat-headed masks and glant winged puppets do much to soften the stridency of its message: Kids love the show as much as left-wing adults. But theres no confusion as to where the troupes sentiments lie. At the close of part one, a hand-painted banner is unfurled on stage decrying the legacy of Columbus in America: Aggression is fine if it is in your favor, it reads. International law and economic justice are foreign to you. You are a warfare state, an intervention state, a security state. Columbus-bashing is nothing new. According to Richard White, McClelland professor of history at the University of Washington, the explorers 1892 anniversary party was disrupted by a band of revisionists just as vocal as any today. A writer for the Dial called the navigators last three voyages a pitiful record of misfortunes, blunders, cruelties, moral delinquencies, quarrels and impotent complainings. And the Magazine of American History declared Columbuss name polluted by the blood of innocent creatures, his legacy, a satumalia of slaughter. In this century, anti-columbus sentiment has reached a fever pitch. A Native-American coalition called 1992 Alliance has declared this The Year of the Indigenous People, offering an alternative celebration of the federally sanctioned Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee. The Jubilee itself has been carefully billed as a commemoration of the encounter between Europe and the Americas, rather than a celebration of Columbuss discovery. Headlines in local and national publications run the gamut from Columbus, Stay Home! (Newsweek) to Columbus: Scum of the Ocean (the Seattle Weekly). Columbus the rugged individualist has been supplanted in the nations eye by Columbus the megalomaniac, the slaver, the torturer, the carrier of disease, the waster of lands. I think its simplistic to idolize Columbus as a hero, but also simplistic to look at him as someone who brought only rape and ruin and genocide, says David Henry Hwang, librettist of the new Philip Glass opera The Voyage, which will set sail on Columbus Day at the New York Metropolitan Opera. The interplay between individuals and history is very complex. Individuals make decisions for personal reasons, but they end up having political implications that reach far beyond the initial impulse. This train of thought inspired Hwang and Glass to blend biography and history with fantasy to create an epic tale about the notion of exploration in general. Each of the operas three acts is set in a different period pre history, 15th-century America and the future and each deals with the theme of cultural collision. For instance, in Act l, Hwang says, theres a scene in which aliens land on earth. We follow the landing from the alien commanders point of view up until the moment she disembarks from her ship. Then we switch to the natives point of view; suddenly everything the commander says is gibberish. That switch is a quintessential moment in this opera. The question this piece asks is, What happens when different cultures come together?' Or, in the pertinent words of Rodney King, Can we all get along? This is perhaps the most critical question facing Columbuss New World as it enters its sixth century. .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343 , .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343 .postImageUrl , .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343 , .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343:hover , .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343:visited , .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343:active { border:0!important; } .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343:active , .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343 .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u35287d5620c1e7978b7228cb7f9d2343:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Diamanda Galas: in the rough EssayAn ocean of hype surrounds the quincentenary, to be sure, but the publics intense interest in Columbus and his significance is more than just a passing fancy. It is indicative of a radical shift in our perception of the American enterprise. As we enter the turbulent seas of the 21st century, it becomes more and more obvious that the notion of exploration in general is as critical to our future as it was to our past. Specifically, we must take our historical urge to explore and turn it inward, toward ourselves, to find a way to cross the vast divides that separate Americas many peoples. The waters are wide, the horizon out of sight, but com mon ground is out there somewhere, waiting to be discovered. AT COLUMBUS IN TUE MOVIES Sailing, sailing over the silver screen. Its high drama on the high seas this fall as two blockbuster film versions of Columbuss historic passage go head-to-head in the nations movie theatres. Warner Brotherss Christopher Columbus: The Discovery was released in September, barely nosing out Paramounts 1492, due this month. In terms of box-office draw, Paramounts leading man-french mega-star Gerard Depardieu-has it all over Warner Brotherss, a relative unknown named George Corraface. But Warner generated a lot of advance publicity through sheer bungling. Christopher Columbus: The Discovery ran through three directors, two leading men and two screenwriters before its final take, and reportedly accumulated a pile of unpaid bills in the process. The films notoriety was secured by the pre-release paratheatrics of supporting actor Marlon Brando: He requested that his name be removed from the credits due to its depiction of Native Americans. Co-producer Alexander Salkind remains upbeat about his troubled films prospects, however. As he told the New York Times, They have a geographic picture, a serious picture about the life of the man, and we have an adventure No politics. A kind of Robin Hood. A picture for families, for children. Everything up, up at the end. AND IN TUE STAGE It was mid-1991, and the official Christopher Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee Commission had ran aground. Its coffers were bare, its chairman had resigned and a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee had been formed to investigate charges of mismanagement. The fate of the long-awaited Big Bash was cast into doubt. Would the quincentenary sink before it ever even set sail? Not a chance. A veritable armada of Columbus-related events had already been launched in communities, school and cultural institutions nationwide, and this fleet was not about to turn back just because the ship of state couldnt get its act together. Not to be upstaged, theatre artists had planned a small flotilla of events aU their own. What follows is a partial list of Columbus-related plays that have been or will be presented on Americas stages in 1992. This list includes plays only. operas, ballets, puppet shows, lectures, TV shows, movies, exhibits, regattas, horse shows, Bocce tournaments and commemorative wine stomps have regretfully been omitted: * Stage One: The Louisviue Childrens Theatre has commissioned a new play by Laura Amy Schlitz entitled Foreigners: A Play of Christoforo Colombo. Artistic director Moses Goldberg, who will stage its Oct. 10 premiere, calls the drama hard-hitting and balanced. * Encounter 500, a new musical by Mario Fratti and composed by Giuseppe Murolo, is currently touting Italy en route to its November opening on Broadway. It is billed as a tribute to the rich customs and civilization of the Native American culture. 3- Six dramatic variations on the theme of The Discovery of the Americas have been commissioned by a coalition of International festivals, including the Festival International de Teatro de Carcaras (Venezuela), the Festival Iberoamericano de Bogota (Colombia), the Gran Festival Ciudad de Mexico, the Festival Internacional de San Jose por la Paz (Costa Rica), the Festival Iberoamericano de Cadiz (Spain) and the Festival de Theatre des Ameriques (Qudbec). The scripts, written by playwrights from North and South America and Spain, were given their first readings in Montreal in May and June. * Last month, the Perfomance Network of Ann Arbor, Mich. presented Dario Fos rarely seen Isabella, Three Ships and a Shyster, directed by Martin Walsh. This 1963 satirical play-within-a-play skewers both Columbus and the monarchs who sponsored his notorious voyage. * Baltimores Impossible Industrial Action produced a multimedia anti-tribute to the explorer in January. Columbus, a ghost story blended images from grade-school Columbus Day pageants and the Gulf War, and portrayed the anti-hero himself as a ventdloquists dummy. * Gala Hispanic Theatre of Washington, D.C. commemorated the expedition with a Spanish play about one of his greatest detractors: Bartolome de las Casas, a 16th-century friar who recorded the atrocities wrought by the Spanish colonists in his Brief History of the Destruction of the Indies (1540). Jaime Saloms Las Cosas: Una Hoguera al Amanecer (Bonfire at Dawn) was presented (in Spanish) in February and March. * Last Spring, hoping to snare young audiences, Lancaster, Pa.s Fulton Opera House presented a play about Columbuss son. Barry Kornhausers Another Columbus is a fictionalized account of the early life of Diego Columbus, who worked as a page in the Spanish royal court. * Minneapoliss Mixed Blood Theatre Company presents its counter-quincentenary offering Sink the Ships through Oct. 9. * Also in Minneapolis, the Walker Art Center wfll be the site of Guillermo Gomez- Pena and Coco Fuscos The New World Border on Columbus Day. The multilingual piece, presented in conjunction with the Art Centers Viewpoint exhibition The Year of the White Bear, explores recent changes in world topography and how those changes affect peoples sense of identity in the United States. * INTAR Hispanic American Arts Center of New York and Womens Project and Productions premiere Maria Irene Fornes and Roberto Sierras Terra Incognita, an ambitious interdiscipunary reflection on Columbuss Idiscovery of America, performed in English at INTAR on May 12- June 13.

Variable

Operational Definition of Variables Construct/Variable Security risks The major benefit of outsourcing is normally the reduction of costs and maximization of efficiency. To ensure its success, a company usually focuses on finding the best firm to contract a job.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Operational Definition of Variables Construct/Variable specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The off-shore IT services should be handled with a lot of care as it serves as the back bone of the company. In the present age, emerging issues like computer crimes and increased government involvement in the private businesses has questioned the viability of out sourcing the IT services (Beaver, 2011). In most cases, outsourcing usually revolves around the electronic assets of the company. This will include financial information or ideas. Therefore, Outsourcing greatly increases the chances of something going wrong. Since data is shared among various different users. Therefore, it is evident that privacy is limited and loss of data is often looming. Even though most of the IT consulting companies are known to be trustworthy and responsible in nature, not all are perfect. A company may never fully know or comprehend the down side of the company it is outsourcing from. This is usually learnt after they suffer loss of data or violation of integrity (Wejman, 2006). It is true that there is a relationship between IT outsourcing and outsourcing risks. By outsourcing a particular service, in this case the IT services, the company is always at significant risk. Topping the list of risks is that the company losses privacy of its confidential information. Additionally they are not fully aware of any hidden intentions especially from rouge employees who form the outsourced company. When the IT services are held within the company, it is not exposed to such risks but after outsourcing or taking those services off-shore, they have entered into unknown waters. The risk level in outs ourcing is therefore very high. Legal Issues IT outsourcing is known widely to involve contracts hence the need to have lawyers to represent the clients on both sides to agree on the contract terms and conditions. The contracts are required to be formulated in such a way that they serve the interest of the two parties. The experience of the lawyers is vital as it goes an extra mile in pointing out to the client the various pitfalls in deals involved in outsourcing.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The terms are important as they protect the two parties from each other and they indicate their working environment. The contract between the two parties should explicitly indicate the work required to be performed, the time scale of the project (beginning and deadlines), the pay structure and cycle and method/ways of resolving conflict between the parties (Canadian Insti tute of Chartered Accountants, 2003). Organizational Information Threats There are risks that the systems might fail or due to lack of integrity, information may be tampered with. In relation to this, the organizations ability on constructing sound decisions is also jeopardized.since in an outsourcing scenario, functions are carried out by different personnel governed by different management and undertaken in a different environment. In this kind of an arrangement, the employer instructs the outsourcing company to document its activities but in most cases, this may not be done as accurately as they wanted hence it may be substandard. The risk levels therefore are high (Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, 2003). Organizational Performance Performance of the organization is directly affected by all departments. Failure of one department might greatly affect the overall organizational goals of success. If outsourcing the IT service by the organization goes according to plan, t he performance will be upheld. The outsourcing firm should be able to meet the defined standards of performance of the employer to ensure its relevance to the employer. References Beaver K. (2011) Outsourcing IT services: Is it worth the security risk? Retrieved from https://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/tip/Outsourcing-IT-services-Is-it-worth-the-security-risk Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants. (2003). Information technology  outsourcing. Toronto. Houseman et al (2006).Outsourcing, Offshoring, and Productivity Measurement in U.S. Manufacturing. New York; Sage.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Operational Definition of Variables Construct/Variable specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Wejman, B. (2010) Continental Airlines: Outsourcing IT to Support Business Transformation. International Journal of Communication, 2 (1), 19-25.

Eastern Deciduous Forests

Eastern Deciduous Forests Deciduous forests once stretched from New England south to Florida and from the Atlantic Coast west to the Mississippi River. When European settlers arrived and in the New World, they began clearing timber for use as fuel and building materials. Timber was also used in ship making, fence building, and railroad construction. As the decades passed, forests were cleared on an ever-expanding scale to make way for agricultural land use and the development of cities and towns. Today, only fragments of the former forests remain with strongholds along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains and within national parks. The Eastern deciduous forests of North America can be divided into four regions. Northern Hardwoods Forests Northern hardwoods forests include species such as white ash, bigtooth aspen, quaking aspen, American Basswood, American beech, yellow birch, northern white cedar, black cherry, American elm, eastern hemlock, red maple, sugar maple, northern red oak, jack pine, red pine, white pine, red spruce. Central Broad-Leaved Forests Central broad-leaved forests include species such as white ash, American basswood, white basswood, American beech, yellow birch, yellow buckeye, flowering dogwood, American elm, eastern hemlock, bitternut hickory, mockernut hickory, shagbark hickory, black locust, cucumber magnolia, red maple, sugar maple, black oack, blackjack oak, bur oak, chestnut oak, northern red oak, post oak, white oak, common persimmon, white pine, tulip poplar, sweetgum, black tupelo, black walnut. Southern Oak-Pine Forests Southern oak-pine forests include species such as eastern red cedar, flowering dogwood, bitternut hickory, mockernut hickory, shagbark hickory, red maple, black oak, blackjack oak, northern red oak, scarlet oak, southern red oak, water oak, white oak, willow oak, loblolly pine, longleaf pine, sand pine, shortleaf pine, slash pine, Virginia pine, tulip poplar, sweetgum, and black tupelo. Bottomland Hardwood Forests Bottomland hardwood forests include species such as green ash, river birch, yellow buckeye, eastern cottonwood, swamp cottonwood, bald cypress, box elder, bitternut hickory, honey locust, southern magnolia, red maple, silver maple, cherry bark oak, live oak, northern pin oak, overcup oak, swamp chestnut oak, pecan, pond pine, sugarberry, sweetgum, American sycamore, swamp tupelo, water tupelo. The Forests Provides a Habitat for a Variety of Animals The eastern deciduous forests of North America provide habitat for a variety of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates. Some of the mammals found in this region include mice, shrews, woodrats, squirrels, cottontails, bats, martens, armadillos, opossums, beavers, weasels, skunks, foxes, raccoons, black bear, bobcats, and deer. Some of the birds that occur in the eastern deciduous forests include owls, hawks, waterfowl, crows, doves, woodpeckers, warblers, vireos, grosbeaks, tanagers, cardinals, jays, and robins. Ecozones: TerrestrialEcosystem: ForestsRegion: NearcticPrimary Habitat: Temperate ForestsSecondary Habitat: Eastern Deciduous Forests of North AmericaAppalachian National Scenic TrailGreat Smoky MountainsShenandoah

Sensory perceptions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sensory perceptions - Essay Example I will give facts on aspects that lead a person to believe another one’s view on the world and also describe factors contributing to accuracy of this sensory data. Analysing and discussing human development as a child and the child’s outside nurturing influences and how this is continued through to adulthood plays a major role in sensory perceptions. My goal in this paper is to research influences and factors that all contribute to the development of the brain that is the key instrument in interpreting situations , circumstances and experiences in the world. Mental Illness, trauma, and consumption of substances. I will also describe three factors that would influence the accuracy of sensory data and they will come under the headings of childhood positive verbal communication, childhood environment, individual beliefs. My final paragraph will bring the titles together and discuss the roles of natural and nurtured abilities that contribute in interpreting and the world. There are certain mental illnesses that can distort ones view or interpretation of the world â€Å"they have hallucinations ( actually seeing or hearing things that don’t exist) Trauma is said to be the causes losing connections in early brain development which can cause mental illness and an inability to form an accurate view of the world in adulthood â€Å"the brain is compromised of many regions... within each of these brain areas are millions of neurons or nerve cells, which send messages to each other across synapses... Because the brain operates on the â€Å" use it† or â€Å"lose it â€Å" rule an â€Å"over pruning† of these connections can occur

DDS Consulting Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

DDS Consulting - Case Study Example The growth of DSS is as a result of the complex challenges that faced the small school back in 1990s. This comes as the complex challenges forced the school districts to reduce the administrative cost thus calling for a consultation firm or specialist to solve the situation. DSS responded to its growth by subdividing it organs into different practice department mandate to perform distinct duties. These include the information technology, procurement, and system, facilities planning and contract negotiation. The activities of the different department took place with the help and contribution of its members. That is, a selected manager who reports to the general manager of the company heads each department. However, the groups are subjected to get any technical support from the external sources, for instance in case of any query on the way to apply a certain strategy an individual or group should seek assistance from the specialist and the general manager. The manner or the level of un derstanding and cohesiveness amongst the member determines the effectiveness and efficiency of the groups. Situation - Change at DSS How DSS unfreezes old behaviors and moving to a new system The transition of DSS consulting was triggered by the changes of the management strategies. This after the founder decided to cut back the engagement of the management of the organization. The new appointed chief operating offer took the duties and responsibilities of overseeing the entire transition process. She instructed the establishment of a new system that is she felt that it is important to expand the organization operation beyond the traditional customer and strive to deliver more services to the target group (large districts). Its objective was accomplished through the development of new reorganizing and service in a customer-focused and cross-functional approach. The two phases of change, and discuss how this transition influenced Chris, her team, and the feedback she received from Me g. The first phase of change in the company took place immediately after the founder cut back their engagement and involvement in the company. The action of the founders forced Meg to come up with strategic planning on how to maintain the company’s position and realization of its success. The chief operating officers therefore went ahead to promote Chris as the head of the Southwest Region team. The other phase of changes that took place is the decision by Meg to transform the organization’s operation that is her decision to reorganize the departments into a cross- functional team entitled to work on different projects. This influenced the realization of the company’s objective due to the commitment of the member of the group. The team members welcomed the new system because it gave room for diverse ideologies target common goals, which in turn was evident through some positive feedback from the districts and the specialist. Mega also supported the changes and c ommented Chris efforts to work as a group despite the many challenges they encountered. The feedback from Meg was not the expected result after the hard and committed of the group but the group went ahead in accomplishing the projects into the beta testing. Situation: Manager Profile (Chris) Identify the management functions that best reflect Meg’s strengths. Meg stands out as a strong manager with

Changes in the Workplace Essay Example for Free

Changes in the Workplace Essay I believe the work environments can be positive or negative on the psychology health and workplace. The work environment has many properties that can affect both psychological and physical well-being, which is important to understand those aspects of work environments as well as identifying psychosocial characteristics of the workplace, which can affect his or her health. The first step is to create a psychologically workplace, which takes commitment and time to develop a strategy to effect changes at the workplaces to improve the health of all employees. For example: the choices that each person makes and how the individual treats his or her bodies; not only affects the individual health but also the individual mental health, which can be carried over to the workplace causing unwanted stress. Also lack of sleep making it hard to concentrate, irritated with the employees, and unable to do his or her daily tasks that the job requires, which can make the workplace more difficult. Unhealthy diet can make the individual sick and unable to complete the job that’s needs to be done, as well as mental stress that can cause more health problems. Studies on relationships between health and psychology has become more establish in recent years because researchers have provided insight into how an individual’s psychology and health. Such as the individual personalities, personal relationships, and the individual mental and biological processes are all factor in relation to health psychology, which needs to be considered when trying to maintain or to balance his or her health, is to find the correct balance of treatment choices, such as circumstances or other alternative that may be adding to the cause of physical health issues. I believe that lifestyle choices that can affect psychology and health in the workplace can be poor diet. For example: When an individual chooses to skip breakfast in the morning can have a difficult time concentrating, or become ir ritable. The individual may also develop physical symptoms such as headache, dizziness, or nauseas. When the individual becomes irritable, this can lead to lack of communication with other employees as well as loss of production on everyone’s schedule. I also believe when making poor choices can develop problems that can affect the workplace, also leads to psychological, behavioral, and physical difficulties. To enhance health and prevent illness is to improve his or her allover health, even if the changes are  small; it can make a big difference by enhancing his or her health and to prevent illness. For example: having well-balance meals that includes breakfast and a healthy diet can provide energy, which will also lower the risk of certain disease, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and hypertension. To maintaining a healthy body, and a health weight, is to have a healthy diet and physical activity to decrease the risk for cardiovascular disease, and reducing the heart rate. However, taking care of our body is a big step toward emotional and mental health because the mind and the body are linked to each other, and when the individual improves his or her physical health, well the individual will experience greater mental and emotional well-being (Lifestyle to enhance Health and Prevent Illness).

Hotel Rwanda Essay -- Film Movies History Historical Essays

I decided to surf the internet in search of inspiration, and I found it on the mediate.com website. Robert Benjamin’s article â€Å"Hotel Rwanda and the Guerrilla Negotiator† definitely caught my eye†¦particularly since I had checked the DVD out from the library last Friday but hadn’t yet watched it. Benjamin’s article piqued my interest enough to do some additional research on Rwanda, and passion was born. While a colony of Belgium, Rwanda was separated into two tribal groups which many say was based on physical characteristics such as the wideness of the nose: the common Tutsi (majority), and the upper-class Hutu (minority). For many years, the Tutsis were powerful and mistreated the Hutus. In 1962, Rwanda gained its independence from Belgium, the power shifted to the Hutus, many of whom wanted to exact their revenge on the enemy Tutsis. In 1993, Canadian General Romeo Dallaire was put in charge of the United Nations Mission to Rwanda to facilitate implementation of the Arusha peace accords after they were signed by the Hutus and the Tutsis. That mission was derailed when the Hutu president’s plane was shot down by Tutsi rebels. The president’s assassination was the precipitating event of what would become known as the genocide in Rwanda. â€Å"When people ask me, good listeners, why do I hate all the Tutsi, I say: read our history. The Tutsi were collaborators for the Belgian colonists, they stole our Hutu land, they whipped us. Now they have come back. We will squash the infestation.† -- ITLM Hutu Power Radio Then, I watched the movie. In a recreation of actual events, we are taken to Kigali, Rwanda’s capitol, shortly before the 100-day genocide began. Ultimately, at least 800,000 – some say over 1,000,000 – were killed. Paul Rusesabagina is the central figure of the story and Benjamin’s designated Guerrilla Negotiator. Rusesabagina managed the exclusive Hotel Des Milles Collines (owned by a Belgian company) and developed a network of powerful allies (including a crooked Hutu army general) – plying them with bribes with the hope they would be available should he ever need a favor. A Hutu married to a Tutsi, and the father of three young children, Rusesabagina initially refused to believe the rumors of increasing hostility and brutality against the Tutsis (routinely called cockroaches by the Hutu rebels). When Rusesabagina can no longe... ...ion has vanished. â€Å"We need the international community to intervene and help us (to do) justice, and then after doing justice, dialogue.† Lobbying the group to invest and volunteer in Africa, Rusesabagina added â€Å"What Africans need as a whole is not only someone who will come and pay their education but it is also to change the systems in Africa. To help us to change, to find lasting solutions. Africa is ruled by dictators. And those dictators should know that one day they also can be brought to justice.† On July 15-17, 2005, the Save Darfur Coalition is promoting a national weekend of prayer and reflection for the people of Darfur to coincide with legislation being introduced in the U.S. House and Senate. Noting that many delayed intervening in Rwanda in 1994 because they weren’t sure the killing was genocide, Rusesabagina has stated â€Å"What is happening in Darfur according to the definition is genocide.† Citing the cry initially associated with the Holocaust and now also with Rwanda of â€Å"never again† as the most abused words, Rusesabagina charges â€Å"When they were saying that in 1994, it was happening again and again and again and again. So, ‘never again’ to me is not enough.†

Netflix Case

Davor Ramesa k0956979 Netflix case Executive summary What is Netflix’s strategy in the on-line movie rental market? What are Netflix’s sources of competitive advantage? Identify the competences key to the success of Netflix’s strategy and explain why. Netflix was a late entrant to the movie rental market and it was a first mover in the on – line movie rental market. Netflix’s strategy in the movie rental market is differentiation from traditional movie rental stores. Instead of attracting customers to a retail location, Netflix offered home delivery of DVDs through the mail. Why only DVDs? In 1998, most available movies were in VHS cassette format but Netflix concentrated on using only DVDs because its marketing strategy was to develop cross promotional programs with the manufacturers and sellers of DVD players, providing a source of content for the customers. Also, there was no competition in that niche market and DVDs were small and light which made them perfect for mail delivery. Netflix had several sources of competitive advantage. For starters, Netflix’s website included a search engine that allowed customers to easily sort through its selection by title, actor, etc. Using these search engine customers could easily and quickly find a movie that they would like instead of looking on shelves of a retail store. Netflix was using the US Postal Service to deliver DVDs directly to a customer’s home. It was more convenient for customers. They used similar pricing to that offered by traditional video stores in the beginning but what gave them the competitive advantage was moving to a subscription prepaid service. And, soon afterwards they offered unlimited rentals to customers because they were targeting another group of customers – ones that wanted the convenience of watching a movie at any time and change them unlimited during a month. Netflix’s engineers developed a proprietary recommendation system. They have done so because mostly the new movies were being rented and they wanted to balance customers demand. How did this system work? Upon signing into a new account for the first time, customers took a survey to identify their favorite movie genres, as well as rate specific movie titles. This survey gave enough data to Netflix’s engineers to build a base and understand better customer’s preferences. Also, Netflix’s size and growth rate generated a positive †network effect† from its large customer – generated rating system. Because it had the largest collection of movie ratings in the world, customers recognized that they were more likely to have their tastes and preferences accurately reflected from Netflix’s site. The key to success in Netflix’s strategy was hiring Ted Sarandos as chief content office to manage content acquisition. He managed (due to his relationships) to negotiate direct revenue – sharing agreements with nearly all the majors studios. So Netflix was able to improve its relationships with its suppliers. The benefit was not just lower acquisition costs but the promotion of lesser known movies. So, customers had the benefit of large variety of movies. Also, using the proprietary recommendation system and the national inventory Netflix was able to replicate almost perfect inventory. This gave them a serious competitive advantage, since retail stores needed three or five times the copies of a movie to satisfy the same customer demand. Assess Netflix’s performance? Use multiple performance measures (strategic and financial). Table below shows (in 000$) Netflix’s performance using 2 financial ratios in year 1998 and 2006. (source : Netflix 2006 10-k) As we can see from the table, in year 1998 Netflix had poor performance. We can see that it was losing 16. 84 thousands of dollars to subscription (sales= revenue of subscription). Net profit margin was not any better a -18. 940$ . We can see that their operating profit margin was 0. 69 thousands of dollars and net profit margin was 0,04 thousand of dollars in 2006. Why was there such a change in profitability? Answer lies in the number of total subscribers which has grown from 107 000 in 1999 to 6 316 000 in 2006. (source: Netflix 2006 10-k). Number of subscribers was constantly growing since 1998 due to good strategy decisions like : proprietary recommendation system , hiring of Ted Sarandos and opening more distribution centers. All of these moves had one purpose: to add value to their product by increasing customer’s satisfaction. How does Netflix’s strategy compare to Blockbuster? Compare and contrast each’s value chain. Factors which determine the value of the product: Price – of the movie Delivery Time – how long do the customers wait for getting the movie Convenience – what actions do the customers have to do to get the movie Other factors(recommendation system, availability of new movies) Late fees Although prices of Netflix and Blockbuster for a single DVD rental are now the same (10$ per movie-source: http://reviews. cnet. com/4520-11445_7-6325775-1. html), Netflix had an additional value because it offered unlimited rental with the same pricing (an example: you pay monthly fee and you can exchange movies, so you can watch several different DVD†s for the price of one). If you want to rent a movie from a Blockbuster retail store, you can do it in a relatively short time (time you need to get to a retail store) as management proclaimed 10 minute drive for 70% of US population. Delivery time for Netflix is their disadvantage in comparison to Blockbuster, it takes a day or two. Convenience – Netflix has the advantage here since you can order movies from the comfort of your home by using the internet. Blockbuster doesn’t have a recommendation system like Netflix. It only has an employee that can recommend movies to a customer. Netflix has advantage here since it can recommend a movie accordingly to the taste of each customer. New movies are available pretty much the same for both companies. Late fees – in 2005. Blockubuster decided to abolish late fees which gave them an advantage over Netflix, increasing customer satisfaction but also gave them significant costs: 60 milion $ marketing + 600 million dollar of revenue loss. What challenges and opportunities does Netflix face? What are the major risks? Major challenge for Netflix’s online DVD rental business is VOD (video on demand). VOD offers additional value to the customer – no waiting period, since it uses streaming technology to provide customers a movie with no waiting period. This is also an opportunity for Netflix since it has the possibility to implement this new technology into its core business but there are several cons of doing so. First issue is that this feature would cannibalize the core business because Netflix would replace stream of positive cash flows with another. Also Netflix found no way to differentiate itself against competitors like MovieLink and Vongo. Another major risks or challenges for Netflix are cable and satellite providers which offer pay-per-view system, providing HD on demand. For now these services had two primary limitations: technology and content availability. Another major challenge is the entry of Blockbuster in the DVD online rental market. As a bigger company Blockbuster has the financial funds to attract more subscribers using heavy marketing. This entry directly enters Netflix’s niche market and now Netflix has to find a way to differentiate. For starters, what would be Netflix’s entry strategy to these new markets? It could ship the DVDs from USA but this option would have serious disadvantages like import tariffs, shipping costs, long delivery time which would lead to customer dissatisfaction and a very small market share with probably losses rather than profits. If Netflix would open a subsidiary in Europe it would not have problems like the latter but it would need investors since financing the whole subsidiary may present a problem for Netflix. Another issue is that Europe, as a difference to the US, is consisted of many small independent countries with their own laws and import tariffs so this could be a problem as well. Another problem is the customers preferences. If Netflix would try to ship movies from the US (which would also present shipping costs) the European customers might not like US movies that much. They might prefer European movies better. Another issue is that Netflix doesn’t have an established relationship with any European movie studio. So they would lose the competitive advantage that they have in the US. Another problem is the language barrier. In many countries like Germany, Italy, or Spain, movies are synchronized into their mother tongue. So customers might not be willing to rent these movies in the English language. Another issue is the competition in Europe which perhaps would be more competent than Netflix since they know better the customers needs, laws, and other issues mentioned already. Netflix as a company started with an emerging technology – DVD, then. Now the new technology is Blu- ray and as the VHS format was replaced by DVD there are good chances that Blu-ray will replace DVD format. Because Blu-ray technology gives a better resolution than a DVD customers might be willing to switch so Netflix should start to fill its inventory with blu-ray discs and maybe like they did in the past with VHS promote and rent only Blu-ray discs. The goal for Netflix’s is to find the best media (low cost, high quality) for watching a movie or even better – no media at all. Netflix’s, as I see it, biggest threat to DVD rental business is online video streaming. Why? With this technology customers have no waiting period and complete convenience. And these are very important factors when customers are making their decision about watching a movie. Decisive competence key for Netflix is the recommendation system and they should use it with online video streaming.

Causes of WW1 Essay

If Franz Ferdinand hadn’t been killed, World War One would not have happened’ This essay will be discussing the question ‘If Franz Ferdinand hadn’t been killed, World War One would not have happened’. History points out many causes of the First World War, history sources both primary and secondary are split on the idea that the killing of Franz Ferdinand was the most important cause. In, this essay therefore the causes of the First World War will be looked at and a conclusion will be drawn up whether in essence the killing of Franz Ferdinand started the war. On June 28, 1914, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, the presumed heir to the Austrian and Hungarian crowns, was assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia, by a Serbian patriot. The leaders of Austria-Hungary were sure the Serbian government and ultimately the Russians were responsible. Austria-Hungary prepared for war, and this time the Germans were willing to support them. On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. What made this war perhaps an international war were the alliances made prior to it. The Triple Alliance of 1882, the most famous of the triple alliances, was by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy. The terms for this alliance were laid in 1879, when the German chancellor Prince Otto von Bismarck negotiated a secret defensive pact with Austria-Hungary, in case of war. A counter force was organized Triple Entente, this was alliance that developed between Britain, France, and Russia in the late 19th and early 20th century. It was designed to counter the military coalition known as the Triple Alliance. The French government approached Russia, and in the late 1880s a Franco-Russian military pact was concluded in January 1894, and in 1895 the conclusion of an alliance was publicly acknowledged. However a few years into the war Italy swapped sides and became part of the Triple Entente. These two alliances may not seem to be relevant to war, however looking from sources from primary sources from inside Germany, it is clear to see the formation of the Triple Entente angered the Germans. As far back history records people have gone to war for money, power and land and here it is no different. Here, the Triple Alliance thought it was an excellent excuse to go to war, beat the Triple Entente, and seize control of their military and land. This could be categorized under the broad category of imperialism (the belief of building and expanding an empire).However a interesting comparison can be made to a controversial theory about the 9/11 bombings. This theory surfaced in History journal ‘Modern History’, says that a secret organization in Austria paid Princip, to kill Ferdinand and under this pretence, blame Serbia and go to war with them. This theory hasn’t been accepted much, however as the journal very rightly says ‘History uncovers more and more, until what is that to be truths turn into gross misconceptions.’ Overall after looking at the causes of the First World War, a conclusion can be drawn up that because of the growing enmity between Serbia and the Austro-Hungary empire, a war would have happened, and the killing of Franz Ferdinand was a mere excuse or a pretence to go to war, the question still remains whether this would have been a World War. The answer would be yes, if Franz Ferdinand had not died and there had been a war but a little later on, other countries would have still got involved, because of the alliances formed earlier on. However, famous history magazine, ‘History and theory’ said in a few years ago in a publication, that if Franz Ferdinand had not been killed the war would have started, but because the Triple Entente was a very wooly and loose alliance, England and potentially France would not have got involved. What is certain however that there would have been a war, the scale of which remains to be seen. Alas, World War I in all of its horror was a matter of choice, not fate.

Beautiful essays

Crazy/Beautiful essays ?Crazy/Beautiful? is set in both an upscale California neighborhood and an urban, Latino ghetto. It follows the relationship of the troubled daughter of a wealthy congressional representative, and an A student with big dreams. Nicole's self-destructive behavior threatens the relationship and Carlos? promising future. The main conflict in this movie is between Nicole and Carlos. As he gets involved with her, hisA? average slips to barely passing, and his dreams of attending the Naval Academy seem to have fallen by the way-side. Other conflicts occur between Nicole and her father, Carlos and his mother, Carlos and his friends, and Nicole and her stepmother. The majority of the conflict in this movie is relational. Nicole feels that after her mother's suicide, her father stopped loving Nicole as well. Because of this, she is always looking to fill that void, so she latches on to anyone whom she feels will love her. Most of the time, the characters use avoidance in any conflict situation. Nicole's father never attempts to have any type of dialog with her until the end of the film. Even when Carlos has made up his mind that he needs to stop seeing Nicole, he avoids telling her until she pushes him to do so. The only character that does not avoid conflict is the stepmother, she is always yelling at Nicole and telling her how terrible of an influence Nicole is on her younger half-sister. With the end of the movie, comes the resolution of all conflict. Nicole decides she needs to work things out with her dad, and herself, thanks to Carlos. She decides to go to the rehab center her father wanted her to, and Carlos stays by her side. They both realize how much they love the other and work things out. Carlos even achieved his dream of becoming a pilot. ...

10 Things Not to Include on Your ResumeÂÂ

10 Things Not to Include on Your Resume   Apart from the cardinal sin of clichà ©s (â€Å"I’m a hard worker† or â€Å"I’m a team player†), there are a few general no-nos to resume-writing. Make sure not to let any of the following sneak into your resume and you’ll never be laughed out of the â€Å"maybe pile.† 1. Typos and mistakesCheck your spelling, punctuation, formatting, and especially grammar.2. An overly casual toneThe time to be cool is at happy hour, once you have the job! Keep your resume 100% professional.3. Clichà ©sWe said it once. We’ll say it again. Find a new, fresh way to express that you’re a team player or a hard worker without resorting to tired, meaningless language.4. Multiple pagesStick to one. Clean and simple. Remember, hiring managers don’t have a lot of time. They’ll appreciate the effort you make to keep things short and sweet.5. Fancy formattingJust say no to background colors, borders, graphics, hearts, or happy faces. Keep it clean.6. Third personKeep things in the first person. â€Å"My responsibilities included†¦,† â€Å"I managed†¦,† etc.7. EmojisSeriously. Just don’t.8. Saying stupid things about yourselfDon’t give a hiring manager any material to joke about in the coffee room. Make sure you have someone read through your resume before sending it out, just so you make sure you don’t say anything cringeworthy.9. A juvenile email addressYou might think it’s really cute to have hotdogbro@me.com, but no one else does. Some combination of your first and last names at a reputable service provider will do just fine.10. A loony fontDon’t use comic sans just to be original. Don’t use script. Don’t use anything fun. Pick a totally boring and professional font if you want your resume to actually get read.

Media Meanings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Media Meanings - Essay Example n.d.). Discourse or critical analysis is a non constructive reading and interpreting a problem or text. The goal of discourse analysis is to view the â€Å"problem† from a big stance and also to acquire an inclusive view of the â€Å"problem† and in relation to the â€Å"problem†.  Discourse analysis provides an awareness regarding the unseen motives in others and also it allows solving the actual problems, by not providing definite answers (Palmquist, n.d.). The clip of a morning talk show of GMTV, anchored by John Stapleton discussed and debated regarding the issue of Labour administration original under estimation in the number of jobs in UK that went to the expatriates’ over the last few years. Stapleton started with the issues, confusing, â€Å"The Migrant Job Fiasco† posted in the front page of â€Å"Daily Mail†. Similarly in case of The Sun 20, â€Å"Migrants Labours haven’t a Clue†. According to the sources, British people are not getting any job but about half of the jobs in the year 1997 have gone to the foreign workers. It is said that about 2.7 million jobs were created in the year 1997 and 800,000 jobs to migrants, but it was revised to 1.1millions migrant jobs and the statistics of the official was assumed to be more than 1.5 millions. According to Caroline Flint, MP and Labour Employment Minister, it was not a cover-up as about 100,000 foreign nationals came for new jobs in the year 1997, where found to be incorrect and revised the identified mistaken figures and about 1 million jobs which are upfront about. In 1.5 million, includes foreign nationals which also comprise those born and brought up abroad but are actually UK nationals. It is an important raising issue for people, and when it comes to the statistics, taking the same people of 1.5 million remains the same. Later, she also justifies by saying that the administration has the statistics by which they can estimates and introduce new schemes like

MPH599 - Culminating Project Mod 4Case Assignment Essay

MPH599 - Culminating Project Mod 4Case Assignment - Essay Example In doing so, they have data on what is being done and what is working. Involving a representative can only improve the work to be done. The Centers for Partnerships and Strategic Alliance also would be a helpful group to involve as they are involved in some of the granting that is being done for this problem and may be of great help to this group in determining funding that might be available. The NIHCM is a non-profit organization whose mission it is to promote improvement in health care access, management and quality and to foster dialogue and find creative workable solutions to American Health System Problems (nihcm.org). Further ASTHO which is a national nonprofit organization representing the state and territorial public health agencies of the US, US Territories, and District of Columbia (ASTHO.org). There is of course a need for involvement of the children themselves and their parents as anything that comes out of this affect them in some way. Physicians, School nurses and the health care community need to be involved as they are the primary people to carry out any of the plans or principles that come from this. They will also be the data collectors. The local community, schools, and Universities will need to determine how they can help with playgrounds and safe walking and biking trails. Finding tax money to make these improvements may be necessary and involving this group ahead of time will make that process easier. Last but not least are the schools and their contract with the vending machine industry. It makes no sense at all for a child to eat healthy food in the cafeteria and then be able to go out in the hall to get M&Ms. Of course, we know that this is a livelihood for many of these people but what will be needed is for them to change the kind of snacks that are available here. This includes things like Coke and Pepsi machines. This will not be an easy task, however, involving them early in the process will help the process become more

Take Home Exam For The Class Economics of Race & Gender Essay - 1

Take Home Exam For The Class Economics of Race & Gender - Essay Example This class, Economics of Race and Gender has helped me understand how important diversity is to a country and the businesses that operate in that country. Diversity does not only impact the social structure within an economy but it also impacts the educational structure, economic structure and the legal structure. Race and Gender have evolved over the years, previously women and people from ethnic minorities did not interact with the general population, they did minor jobs and the women stayed at home. Times have changed now, women get out of their homes more often and ethnic minorities have more legal rights than the general population. The advantages of group presentations are that they are an easier method to help the students understand what is being taught. It allows the students to conduct research on the topic before hand. These presentations encourage discussions in class and students can question their fellow students more easily then they can question the professor. The disadvantages are that it is usually only that group which needs to present that goes over the topic and conducts research. Other students may become complacent and not take an interest in the class. The three movies presented in class were: Freedom Writers, Rossie the Riveter and Crash. Freedom Writers is a movie about a teacher who inspires her class to write about their daily lives. The students come from poor backgrounds and have experienced much pain in life, they are discouraged and violent, and the teacher asks them to write about their daily lives and things which have happened to them in the past, events which altered their lives. She compiles these diaries into a book and gets them published into a book. These children with the help of their teacher learn some lesson of life such as to be tolerant. Rossie the Riveter revolves around a woman who worked in the factories at a time when women would hardly leave the house. This

Development of Strategic and Comparative bases over time

Development of Strategic and Comparative bases over time Thinking big and applying scale is where we focus, we cant think about just one package or one brand, we have to think about this large portfolio and this large system that we work with Butler, D. (2009), the Vice President Global design, the Coca cola Company Introduction This report involves a brief description of strategic and comparative advantage. It also involves different kinds of strategies under taken by Coca Cola Company that have led it to be one of worlds market leaders compared to other multi-national companies. The strategic and comparative bases of advantage discussed based. The item that shall be looked is coca cola marketing strategy that has been developed for years and based on situations. The marketing strategy shall involve advertising, market segmentation, Equity investment and Branding. Though these strategies seem to be common in other companies either local or international, Coca-Cola Company implements them in a special way. Keywords: Strategy, comparative advantage, market segment, Branding Definitions Strategy Strategy refers to the creation of a unique and valuable position involving a different set of activities (Porter, 1996) whereas comparative advantage sometimes refers to a location of specific advantage that influences the decision of where to source and market (Kogut, 1985). A well-defined definition and a brief description are defined later after strategic advantage. Strategic advantage Strategic advantage occurs when there is equilibrium between three elements, when the brand, the consumer and the market fit together in the best way possible (Xavier,M.J. 2003) Brand-consumer fit is the extent that the brand values coincide with the consumers psychographic make-up. The psychographic elements are measured by the overall scoring and weighting of brand performance in terms of matching consumer needs, motivations, values, self-concept, and lifestyle. Brand -market fit is measured by the extent that price falls into the consumers acceptable price range, the to which the brand is cushioned against budget/trade/distribution influence, the rank-order of importance of the product in the budget/shopping list and finally the ease of access of the product. Consumer market fit: There is a third fit relationship that occurs, fit between consumer and market. This involves the needs and behaviors of consumers under certain market conditions such as specific price points. This relationship between consumer drives and market forces often has direct effect on brand choice. For example a brand might be considered as a good choice to fulfill a particular need or behavior at a particular price that the consumer is prepared to pay, while another brand might not be considered as a good choice for specific combination of need, behavior and price point. The company sets strategies so that it can outperform rivals and it can only do that by establishing a difference in delivering great value to customers or by creating comparable values at a lower cost or do both. Delivering greater value allows a company to charge a high average unit prices and efficiency results into lower average unit costs. All differences between companies in cost or price is derived from hundreds sets of activities required to create, produce, sell and deliver their products or services such as calling on customers, assembling final products and training employees (Porter, 1996) Comparative basis of advantage Deardorff, A. (2003, p. 6) defined Comparative Advantage as the relative cheapness of a good or service in a country that enables that country to export it. More precisely, a country has a comparative advantage in the good whose price in the absence of trade (autarky), relative to other goods in the same country, is lower than the relative price of that same good on world markets. Ricardian Model states that countries have comparative advantage in goods whose labor cost, relative to other goods in the same country, is lower than the relative labor cost of that good abroad. Therefore countries are said to have comparative advantage in a good if its labor requirements are relative to the labor requirement abroad. Ricardian model outlines two theoretical implications of Comparative Advantage and these are: firstly if countries are permitted to trade freely then they are undistorted markets and competitive, they will export the good or goods in which they have comparative advantage and import those in which they have comparative disadvantage, secondly under the same conditions, all countries will gain from trade, in the sense that those individuals who gain from trade within each country will gain enough that they could potentially fully compensate those individuals who lose, within the same country, and still remain better off than in autarky(Deardolff,2003). Business overview Coca-Cola is the largest manufacturer, distributor and marketer of concentrated syrup which is used for the production of non-alcoholic beverages. The company has a span of operations covering over 200 countries since its inception in 1886. It has an annual net income of 6.8 billion and employs the services of around 92,400 associates throughout its operations worldwide (Coca-Cola annual report, 2009). Advertising Advertising can be defined as as any paid form of non-personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services through mass media such as newspapers, magazines, television or radio by an identified sponsor (Kotler et al, 2008 p.737). Advertising is a practical way of informing and persuasion as well as a means of stimulating response from a target audience. The response could be perceptual where the consumer develops, believes or views about the product or it could be behavioural where the consumer purchases the product or increases his purchases of the product in question (Kotler et al, 2008). Advertising is a process which gives information to the public about the product. It is persuasive, controlled, and identifiable as well as influences the target audience. The basic objective of advertising is to increase sales volume and profit. We shall look at several types of advertising which runs hand in hand with the advertising objectives. Informative advertising appears at the early stages of a particular product and is meant to develop the primary demand of the customers. Persuasive advertising is applicable at the competitive stage where a selective demand is built for a particular category of product (Kummer and Mittar, 2008). Comparison advertising is used to establish the superiority of a particular brand through the use of evaluation with one or more other brands in the product line. Reminder advertising is used to refresh the memory of the consumer regarding messages, ideas etc of a particular product. Reinforcement advertising is used to assure the current buyers that they made the right choice regarding their decision to buy the product. The advertising objective should not be arbitrary but should be developed after a thorough evaluation of the current market situation (Kummer and Mittar, 2008). Coca Cola advertising Advertising is a major element of the promotion mix. Personal selling, sales promotion, publicity and advertising are the four elements of the promotion mix. Advertising has been thought of as the best method of promotion because it stimulates sales, creates demand and reaches customer quickly and effectively (Kummer and Mittar, 2008). Coca-Cola has over the years consolidated its leadership position as the worlds most famous and largest beverage company with huge investments in advertising targeted at its existing and potential consumers worldwide. Coca-Cola works in partnership with leading advertising agencies and market research institutes the world over to develop effective advertising campaigns that conforms to current trends in information technology like the use of internet based mediums like face book and twitter to connect with technology loving target audience (Coca-Cola annual report, 2009). The successful advertising strategies used by Coca-Cola over the years in their operations shall be analysed.( Wieden and Kennedy,1996 ) an advertising agency that worked in partnership with Coca-Cola for the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta Georgia came up with four main advertising strategies designed for Coca-Cola for the summer games namely: a home based strategy, a fan based strategy, a global growth strategy and the Olympic torch relay. The home based strategy used by coke was primarily as a result of the fact that Atlanta is the main headquarters of Coca-Cola and so people in Atlanta would readily identify with the brand since they are well familiar with it. Coca-Cola launched several advertisements for the games which include installing 70 new billboards, several street-pole banners and signs in 9 Marta stations (the citys public transportation system). Coca-Cola created a theme park known as the Coca-Cola Olympic city with countless different coke advertisements including a 165 feet coke bottle in the canter of the park (Wieden and Kennedy, 1996). The companys signature colour red was the main colour seen throughout the Coca-Cola Olympic city. Coca-Cola deviated from the traditional practice of using athletes for advertising for the games to focus instead on a fan-based strategy where commercials, print advertisements and posters where used to demonstrate the difference made to the outcome of the games by the enthusiasm of the fans. Coca-Cola used the games as a global growth strategy used to target the worldwide audience tuned in for the games. Coca-Cola also used one of the most efficient strategies for gaining exposure in advertising history which is the sponsoring of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic torch relay (Wieden and Kennedy, 1996). The impact of Coca-colas advertisements during the Olympics was so immense that people dubbed the event the Coca-Cola Olympics. The event served as a means for the company to effectively advertise its brand to a worldwide audience. In 2003, Coca-Cola used the marketing platform tagged real to enhance the image of the brand through the use of television advertisements. This particular advertising strategy was specifically targeted for the teenagers and young adults with resounding success. In the same year, the tropical sprite remix television advertisements which was intended to increase and reconnect the sprite trademark was also targeted at the young, urban consumer base (Coca-Cola annual report, 2003). In 2006, the make every drop count advertising in the United States was purposely designed to create awareness among consumers on the health benefits of Coca-colas beverage portfolio in a response to growing concerns by consumers regardless of age on health concerns like calorie intake and obesity. The coke side of life campaign which was the first ever integrated marketing campaign for trademark Coca-Cola was intended to signify the unifying role of Coca-Cola in daily life and has performed better than previous Coca-Cola advertisements and was launched in almost 100 markets in 2006 with great success. The happiness factory television commercial is part of this global campaign (Coca-Cola annual report, 2006). In 2009, Coca-Cola commenced the design for advertisement strategies to be used for the 2010 Fifa world cup campaign which included colourful television advertisements for the soccer fiesta in South Africa in 2010 as a means of uniting Coca-colas exuberance with the worldwide love of soccer thereby utilizing the soccer fiesta as a veritable means of connecting with consumers worldwide who have immense passion for the love of football (Coca-Cola annual report, 2009). Coca-Cola develops its advertising campaigns based on a communications strategy that uses means to end research to gain greater insight of current and potential customers and other factors like product attributes, keeping specific marketing goals in mind, taking into account competitive advertising and positioning as well gaining attention and interest by connecting with real needs(Reynolds and Olsen,2008) Market segmentation Market segmentation has been described as essential to marketing(Sheth 1967).Market segmentation implies the division of large heterogeneous markets into smaller segments that can be reached more efficiently and effectively with products and services that match their unique needs(Kotler et al, 2008 .p.410) There is no single way to segment a market. A marketer apparently has to try different segmentation variables alone or in combination in order to come up with how best to view the market. Markets could be segmented into either business markets or consumer markets. Consumer markets entail those markets that deal on products and services that are used directly by the consumers whereas business markets have to do with transfer of products and services from one point to the other. Market segmentation could be based on the following major variables: demographic, psychographic, behavioural, geographic etc. Demographic segmentation entails segmenting the market based on age, gender, income and education. Psychographic segmentation is based on personality, lifestyle and motives of the population involved. Geographic entails segmenting the market on the basis of regions, city or country. Behavioural involves segmenting the market on benefits sought, product usage, price sensibility or situations (Kotler et al, 2008). Coca cola market segmentation Coca Cola Company has been conquering markets worldwide overtime, through its network of Bottlers, distributers and whole sellers, and later joint ventures. The market network has grown to include most of the world territories and this market has been divided into market segments. Coca-Cola the worlds most famous and leading beverage company has been shown in their operations to vary the sweetness level of their product, its size as well as effervescence on local conditions and preferences which implies that the company employs the use of behavioural and geographical variables in their market segmentation strategies the world over (Hart et al,2008). Coca-Cola Company has operating segments on continental basis involving Eurasia and Africa, Europe, Latin America, North America and the pacific areas. This strategy is clearly a geographical approach in terms of market segmentation by Coca-Cola which is influenced by the fact that these different geographical areas will have diverse preferences and wants (Coca-Cola annual report 2009). Coca-Cola market segmentation strategies regarding diverse consumers base starts with a process of understanding consumer trends within the multicultural marketplace and then developing depth and breath communications which is based on that knowledge. The Coca-Cola Company has a diversity business development team which serves the purpose of providing diverse consumers with the right beverage portfolio. In 2009, the diversity business development team worked closely with the multicultural marketing team to develop marketing strategies as well as integrating multicultural elements into general market programmes for greater reach (Coca-Cola annual report 2009). The diversity business development team during this period also identified significant opportunities in emerging markets including Asian and disabled consumers. The Asian consumers were subsequently integrated into the existing framework of communications. Coca- colas multicultural consumer marketing team develops and carries out relevant marketing plans targeted at multicultural consumers while working closely with brand and customer teams as well as the bottling system. Coca-Cola North America had their multicultural consumer marketing team refocused on African-American marketing as well as expanded its reach to Hispanic consumers (Coca-Cola annual report 2009). The company is now in the process of implementing a long term strategy targeted at consumer markets on the basis of ethnicity in the United States. Coca-Cola in North Americas operating segment reported in 2009 positive results in its works with its bottling partners to create price and package strategies that will ultimately strengthen their financial results, provide value for customers and provide consumers with choices that meet their needs. This strategy is apparently based on behavioural variables which puts price and preferences of the consumers into consideration Coca-Cola Company introduced the coke zero brand in response to consumer health concerns regarding excess calorie intake (Coca-Cola annual report 2009). The product did well in the market and in 2009, the company made sales on the product on an excess of 600 million cases globally. Currently there are over 800 low and no- calorie beverages in the Coca-Cola portfolio (Coca-Cola annual report 2009). In 2008, the company and foundation spent around 9million dollars to support active, healthy lifestyle programmes. These strategies by Coca-Cola are geared towards effective market segmentation of the target population on behavioural and psychographic basis putting into account the health choices and lifestyle of the consumers. In order for Coca-Cola to meet the diverse and ever changing beverage needs of its consumers worldwide, the company has intensified efforts to add more value for customers in its portfolio of beverages ranging from added benefits of vitamins and minerals to calorie reductions, new ingredients, sweeteners and taste depending on the preferences and wants of the consumers concerned (Coca-Cola annual report 2009). Coca-Cola also has another segmentation strategy which entails different strategies for developing and developed markets. The companys main strategy for the developed markets like the United States is to maximize value and profit which can be achieved by delivering more value to consumers so that they will continue their patronage of the companys products at a premium price. In this regard, Coca-Cola are growing the core beverages-trademark namely: coke, sprite, fanta, powerade and improving their benefits and value to the customers through adding vitamins and nutrients to reduced or no calorie options(Coca-Cola annual report 2009). In developing markets Coca-Cola devised a strategy of making the products affordable to the consumers; in Brazil the company offers consumers 26 package options for brand Coca-Cola at different brand points to meet the needs of an economically diverse consumer base (Coca-Cola annual report 2009). In 1963, the product tab was launched and was specifically targeted at the female consumers but subsequently the company in order to broaden its customer base by appealing to the men folk as well as the entire family had to introduce diet coke to achieve the above mentioned objectives. In 1983, Coca-Cola introduced the caffeine- free versions of Coca-Cola, diet coke and tab which were specifically targeted at health conscious consumers. Coca-Cola also introduced the minute maid soda which was positioned to attract a market segment that prefers fruit juice as well as health and nutrition conscious consumers (Mochmen and Maze,1998). The Coca-Cola Company today through its market segmentation strategies offers a diverse portfolio of products to identified market segments based on different consumer preferences for flavours, calories and caffeine content effectively which continues to add to their success story globally (Lamb et al, 2008). Equity investment Coca Cola Company has over time been making equity investment in selected bottling companies with the intention of maximising companys strength and efficiency in its systems, production, distribution, and marketing capabilities around the world. The level of investment generally depends on the bottlers capital structure and its available resources at the time of investment. Coca cola Company in some instances finds it necessary to acquire a controlling interest. Such controlling interest allows coca cola Company to compensate for limited local resources and enables it to focus on bottlers sales and marketing programs. Equity investment also assists in the development of bottlers business and information systems and the establishment of appropriate capital structures. One of examples of coca cola equity investment is that of Coca Cola Enterprise Inc. (C.C.E) In 2009, Coca Cola Companys ownership in Coca Cola Enterprise Inc.-bottling company, was 34%. Coca cola Enterprise Inc. is the worlds bottler company of trade mark beverages. The sales of concentrates, syrups, mineral waters, juices, sweeteners and finished products by coca cola Company to C.C.E were approximately 6.6 billion by the year end 2009. The Coca Cola Enterprise Inc. estimates its market beverage products to retailers which include a portion of 46 states of USA, Columbia district of USA, Virgin Islands, Caribbean islands, Canada, Great Britain, Continental France, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium and Monaco. Therefore Coca Companys investment strategy in CCE was to take advantage of this vast market for it to sell concentrates, syrups and different coca cola product brands through C.C.E (Coca cola annual report,2009). Branding Coca cola has many kinds brands sold worldwide. In developing a company brand, coca cola conducts product and packaging research to establish brand positioning, develop precise consumer communication and solicit consumer feedback. The Coca-Cola brand development strategy emphasizes on price, preference, and persuasive penetration (Annual report, 2009) The Coca Cola Company main brand products are Coca cola classic, diet coke and coca cola zero whereas the main branding strategies at Coca Cola Company include but not limited to Joint brand strategy, brand diversification strategy, personal branding strategy, and packaging/redesigning strategy (Annual report, 2009) Joint brand strategy involves a situation in which two different brands are linked to form joint promotion, as a consequence one product may sell the other examples in early 1990s Bacardirum and Coke cola brand were jointly marketed together. Coca cola, the common known brand was used to market Barcadirum, the new product on the market. The benefits of this strategy is that if the first brand name gives a certain quality signal, then the second brand quality signal is believed to be as powerful as the first one, hence attracting more buyers. (Akshadf and Ruekert, 1994) Brand portfolio/diversification strategy: Coca Cola Company continues to diversify its portfolio and growing sales with new and acquired brands. The some of the diversified brands are vitamin-enhanced water energy brand, and its star water brand Glaceau. The powerade and Nestiea iced tea brand products, a joint venture of Coca Cola Company with Nestle. The importance of this strategy is that multiple brands allow the company to offset cokes gradual decline with newer, more appropriate brands while removing future potential rivals through acquisition. The strategy also allows coca cola to maintain relatively large market share irrespective of how market changes (VanAnken and Derick Daye, 2007) Personal branding strategy refers to a set of human characteristics as associated with a brand. Users view it as a key way to differentiate a brand in a product category as a central driver of consumer preference and usage that can be used to market a brand across cultures. In coca cola company personal traits associated with coca cola are Cooling, all-American, and real. These three personal traits differentiate coca cola from its competitors. Besides these traits, Coca Cola Company uses slogans, graphic designs, color schemes and trademarks. As a result of personal branding, different categories of people from different denomination find themselves attracted to the brand hence increasing its demand (Aaker, 1997). Packaging/redesigning strategy: Coca Cola Company keeps on redesigning its packaging and visual identity systems. One of examples is its newly identity visual system for its flagship brand introduced in 2008 and contour aluminum bottle initially commercialized in 2005. The nonalcoholic beverage in this new aluminum bottle attracted many buyers especially in 2005 Olympic Games in Beijing-China. (Butler, 2009) Packaging redesigning also continues making coca cola brand a new product in the face of consumers. Comparative advantage The most crucial comparative advantage is that the company has over time built a network bottling partners, wholesalers and distributers spread over in many parts of world. These act as marketing agents of coca cola company products worldwide. Bottling partners pray two major roles, Firstly they act as consumers of the concentrates and syrup which they use in manufacture of coca cola products and later sell these products locally or in foreign market, secondary they act as marketer of company brands. (Annual report,2009) Through a network of bottling companies, Coca Cola Company has been able to access cheap raw materials, for example the high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener, one of the component used in manufacture of concentrates and syrups is available at a cheaper price in all countries where coca cola factories are.(Annual report 2009) The company is the owner and marketer of more than 500 nonalcoholic brands sold over the world, giving the company a wide range of customers. With these brands, consumers are provided with a wide variety of choices to meet their desires, needs and their life styles. As the sole manufacturer of coca cola concentrates and syrups, the company enjoys world monopoly Conclusion The Coca Cola Company has a unique network of bottling partners, distributers, wholesalers and joint ventures spread all over the world which act as channels through which the company promotes and markets its brands. Coca Cola as a result of operating in partnership or in cooperation with foreign companies, it enjoys economies of scale such as cheap labor, land and transport costs. Transport costs are reduced due to the fact its brands are brought closer to customers through a network of bottling partners, wholesalers and distributers. The coca cola companys leading brands with high level of acceptance, a worldwide network of bottlers and distributers of companys products, sophisticated marketing capabilities and talented group of dedicated associates are unique companys achievements overtime compared to other multi-national organizations. (3970 Words)