Case Study -Rehabilitation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

-Rehabilitation - Case Study Example Further, the committee may recommend that the hospital starts home-based care for these patients before admission for rehabilitation. In addition, since the hospital may have a problem getting into these partnerships or even establishing an own institution, the committee may recommend that the hospital adopts a policy that bar patients with conditions requiring treatment from admission. This will ensure that the patients are first treated before admission. Mary, being an authority in health information can play several roles in this process. First, she can be an advisor to the committee providing statistical information on the viability of each of the proposed recommendations. This will not only help in making decisions but also assist the committee to assess the feasibility of procedures and the economic implication of each. Mary can, therefore, help with research and environmental analysis. In addition, Mary as part of the management should help in the implementation of the proposed course of action and communicating this to the rest of the stakeholders in the

American Memory of Holocaust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

American Memory of Holocaust - Essay Example In the first decades after the war, Holocaust was quite trivial in both the American and the Jews consciousness (Novick, 1994). Many scholars suggest that the Holocaust awareness by most Americans was based on inaccurate, trivial, and vague representations. The Jews extermination was remembered in important ways such as through the Nuremberg trials, Second World War accounts, comparisons with the Soviet totalitarianism, philosophical works, Jewish and Christian reflections in theology, mass-media portrayals, and scholarly pioneering publications. These attempts in the postwar period to understand the Jewish tragedy in the prevailing cultural paradigms offered the foundation for the consequent comprehension of that event (Baron, 2003). In the late 1960s and 1970s, American memory of the Holocaust moved to a central position. The curve of memory slope may differ, but it is not steadily downward. The most vivid memory is the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust events that declined with the passage of time. With the Holocaust, it has been apparent social amnesia, virtual silence for an entire generation, then, the Rostovian move into self-sustained growth in the late 1960s and 1970s. For close to 20 years after the Second World War, Holocaust was largely ignored, and today, it is elaborated in the repression language. The Gentile guilt and the Jewish agony were too huge to be confronted. The very silence is often viewed as a testimony of the amount of feeling/sentiment that was being repressed (Novick, 1994). It is important to note that Holocaust became important in the American Jewish life â€Å"only after the Eichmann trial, Israel’s 1967 triumph in the Six-Day War, and the surprise attack by Egypt and costly victory by Israel in the 1973 Yom Kippur War† (Baron, 2003, p62). 3.B. The comic book â€Å"Maus: A Survivor’s Tale (1986)† subtitled as â€Å"My Father Bleeds History† was written by Spiegelman. The comic book narrates two stories; one story is about Artie’s current relationship with Vladek (his father) in Queens, New York. The other story is about the experiences of his parents during the occupation of Nazi in Poland. The text is preoccupied by the question of how Artie (or any other individual in the second generation) can come to possess their parents’ experiences, experiences they never witnessed. Towards the culmination of the first volume, Vladek and Artie are walking when Vladek bends over a trash container and takes an old piece of wire (Landsberg, 1997). Artie asks Vladek why he picked up the wire, Vladek responds by saying that inside the wire are other little wires, and they are good for trying things. Infuriated, Arties asks his father why he always picks up trash and why he cannot buy his own wires. Vladek responds by saying that why one has to buy if he can find some, and that the wires cannot be found in stores. He goes on to tell him that the wires he has picked are very useful. This scene involving Artie and Vladek functions as the metaphor for what the text itself does. The wire recirculation becomes an allegory for the Holocaust recirculation through a different medium. In this case, the recirculation is done by a comic book and this indicates that when the narrative is put into a different medium, new possibilities, and new insights appear (Landsberg, 1997). In this representation, the main theme is recirculation of the Holocaust. The recirculation of the wire serves as a metaphor for the potential value of the Holocaust in the American nation. It becomes a means

Microsofts Stakeholder Analysis

Microsofts Stakeholder Analysis MICROSOFT CORPORATION Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports and sells computer software, consumer electronics and personal computers and services. The company founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen on 4th April 1975 to develop and Its best known software products are the Microsoft Windows line of operating systems, Microsoft Office suite, and Internet Explorer web browser. Its flagship hardware products are Xbox game consoleand the Microsoft Surface series of tablets. It is the worlds largest software maker measured by revenues. 1.1THE OBJECTIVES This assignment is going to discuss about Microsoft Corporation stakeholders interests either in conflict or coincide, the mapping exercise and with analysis. Also the Porter’s Five Forces Model on Microsoft relating to competitions among the operators in the same industry and the approach this company adopted on its corporate social responsibility (CSR) and how the approach has been of competitive advantage to the organization. 2.0STAKEHOLDERS A stakeholder is anybody or group that has interest in a project or enterprise who could directly be affected by business operations or its outcomes. They can either be internal or external stakeholders as listed below (Johnson, Scholes Whittington, 2011):- (A).Those that are mostly affected by the business operations and outcomes are the investors, the customers, employees, suppliers and communities at large. According to (R. Edward Freeman, 1984) (B).Those who guide and influence the organization in carrying out the business specifically the government, regulatory authorities, non-governmental organizations and civil societies and the industry organization. According to (Archie B.Carroll, 1991). FIG.1: MICROSOFT CITIZENSHIP REPORT 2013 PG. 7 Microsoft recognizes its bigger responsibility in developing and sustaining relationships with diverse stakeholder groups, both internal and external to the organization. According to Microsoft Citizenship report 2013, stakeholders are categorized into two groups: those who are directly affected by the business operations and outcomes (namely, investors, customers, employees, suppliers, and the community at large) and those who guide and influence us in carrying out our business (specifically, government and regulatory agencies, non-government and civil society groups and industry organization). Investors Pursuant to the Corporate Governance (CG) Manual, it is the duty of the Board to promote and uphold stockholders’ rights such as the right to vote, pre-emptive right, right to timely receive relevant information, right to dividends and the appraisal right. The Board shall ensure that the company remains faithful to its undertaking to make timely disclosures of material information and transactions that could potentially affect the market price of the company’s shares. Customers Customers are important stakeholders at Microsoft Corporation because they are driven force of sales and revenue generation. Organization must provide products that are of high quality and at affordable price. Microsoft continually strives to satisfy its customers’ expectations and concerns regarding quality of service. They commit us to continually improve the way they do things to better serve their customers. Employees Microsoft is committed to the development and welfare of its employees. As the Company sustains its efforts in building a high performance culture to fully respond to the requirements of the new business environment, employees are continuously trained and developed to enable them to achieve excellent performance founded on our Corporate Mission. All employees are required to attend a 5-day training a year which is monitored on a monthly basis. Career development programs are implemented to ensure professional growth through skills and job enrichment opportunities, learning and development programs, performance management and promotion systems. Yearly employees are mandated to go for a 5-day mandatory training requirement. The training of employees are based on the competencies which are analyzed and evaluated every year to ensure that employees are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle the job. Each employee has its yearly Training Plan to address the gap on the competencies. Employees are compensated based on performance and over-all qualifications. Adequate provisions for medical, health and other essential benefits; and workplace safety are provided to promote employee welfare and well-being. Uprightness and impartiality are observed in conflict resolution. Human Resource (HR) Programs for the employees are continuously reviewed and enhanced to ensure their overall effectiveness and responsiveness. The Company is further committed in sustaining and/or further enhancing the high level of engagement of employees. Guided by the results of an employee engagement survey conducted, focused and deliberate initiatives are undertaken to help ensure employee job satisfaction and motivation. Employee communication is strengthened to keep employees well-informed on significant developments. Employees are likewise encouraged to give feedback and suggestions to Management to further improve on the yearly corporate governance, corporate and operational performance, thereby promoting employee accountability and empowerment. Commendations are given to employees who show exemplary customer service through published emails and the President’s Awards which go with a cash prize to employees who meet the criteria of Customer Service Award, Great Idea Award and Quality Award. Communities Beyond the confines of our boardroom and corporate walls, Microsoft embarks on initiatives to help improve the lives of people in the communities. They do this by embedding corporate social responsibility in its business and engaging her employees through volunteerism initiatives. As a responsible corporate citizen, they contribute to building a sustainable society in partnership with non-government organizations, government institutions, and other civic organizations on projects that promote entrepreneurship, education and the environment. In line with this, Microsoft continued to build on the employee-driven volunteer program, â€Å"Save a Soul for Better Tomorrow: The Boys Town Orphanage in Pasay is one of the most successful Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) endeavors of Microsoft. In December 2012, Microsoft instituted a donation drive among its employees and business partners in support of the relief efforts for Typhoon Pablo victims in Eastern Mindanao. Suppliers Microsoft aspires to maintain mutually beneficial relationships only with suppliers that uphold fairness, accountability, integrity and transparency in their own businesses. Microsoft is using the list of accredited suppliers of Microsoft which serve the requirements of Microsoft, from capital expenditures to operating expenditure items, as well as service requirements. Suppliers are required to undergo stringent accreditation process before they are authorized to do business with Microsoft. Among the criteria used for accreditation are legitimacy of operations, capacity for continuous business operations, quality and prices for goods and services, track record, compliance with regulatory bodies and transparency in relationship. Microsoft purchases, as a general rule, are made on the basis of competitive bidding through accredited and qualified suppliers. Environment As for the environmental responsibility starts from within Microsoft by adopting policies, standards and practices to make our workplace, not just a conducive environment for work, but a place that works toward the betterment of the environment as well. FIG. 2: THE MICROSOFT STAKEHOLDER MAPPING This is a tool of analysis that is use to analyze the level of interest of different types of stakeholders in an organization or in a project. It helps manager to prioritize various opinions, influences and interest to go into any project or business. It will display each stakeholder group interest in a particular project that can influence it either positively or negatively. Different stakeholder groups have different commitment and expectation from the organization, in which the manager has to meet and any conflict should be resolved amicably or diplomatically for the smooth running of the organization and if their opinion is the same, the better for the organization. 3.0 POTER’S FIVE FORCES MODEL ON MICROSOFT CORPORATION fig. 3: PORTER’S FIVE FORCES MODEL ON MICROSOFT CORPORATION (www.doughtycentre.info adapted from core values for the practice of public participation by the international association for public participation – pg.12) This model consists of five threats, which will be outlined and applied to Microsoft’s current situation below: 3.1.THREAT OF NEW ENTRY The threat of entry for Microsoft is relatively low for all of their divisions. In the personal computing business, they have a strong hold of the majority share of operating systems that are used by consumers. Currently, there is really only one main competitor with any real market share, which would be Apple and the Max OS Open source projects such as Linux do not currently pose much of a threat because it is much more of a tech niche market. Creating an OS can take years and requires expansive knowledge of computing. Microsoft has been building off of their knowledge from old versions of their OS’s for years. In this company, all voiced consumer interests and demands are being filled. There would be very little that a new firm could do to differentiate a new gaming console from anything this company currently do or will do with the next generation. It has also been producing these systems long enough to understand how to minimize its costs with the components they choose, leaving little chance for cost advantage. 3.2.THREAT OF RIVALRY The threat of rivalry is relatively low for Microsoft. From an operating system standpoint, there are not many competitors who make operating systems. Because of this, Microsoft does not feel that they need to constantly be surveying a large amount of companies to see what price or sales trends are occurring. Prices are rather static because of this. The only type of differentiation created between operating systems is what software it can run. However, the numbers of software packages that are only available on one platform are getting smaller every year. One thing to mention would be that Windows can be installed on Apple hardware, while Mac OS X cannot be installed on a large majority of non-Apple products (with the exception of building a Mackintosh which would require more knowledge than most casual computer users have.)However, the gaming division of Microsoft is under a high threat of rivalry from Nintendo and Sony. It is standard practice to make large price cuts to game consoles every six to twelve months as production costs decrease, and there is a constant â€Å"console war† going on. As soon as a console is released, a new one begins RD. 3.3.THREAT OF SUBSTITUTES Microsoft’s gaming division has a moderately high threat of substitute. I say this because there are two gaming audiences: casual and hardcore. A hardcore gamer will likely own multiple consoles to make sure they get to play every game they want to due to exclusive titles on separate consoles. This group would likely not contribute to a threat of substitute. However, casual gamers will easily substitute for a Nintendo or Sony console, or even just buy a few games on their smart phone. While Microsoft’s Xbox 360 offers many other services (Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Last.fm, etc.) these services could be found elsewhere if someone is not interested in the games available on the console. 3.4.THREAT OF POWERFUL SUPPLIERS For both Windows and the Xbox 360, there is a relatively low threat of powerful suppliers. All of the resources that would need to be supplied to Microsoft by outside suppliers are available from a large number of firms. Blank media, circuit boards, processors, etc. are not in short supply in any way. Given the size and brand recognition that Microsoft has and the number of other suppliers available, many suppliers know they would have to offer a good price in order to work with them. None of the items supplied are necessarily unique, and the very few times that a supplier has tried to enter a videogame market through forward vertical integration, it has not gone very well. The only threat a supplier could hold is that the physical items needed by Microsoft are used in a wide variety of electronics. Memory chips, processors, hard drives, DVDs, capacitors, circuit boards, etc. are all used in everything now. However, a large number of game consoles have been sold by Microsoft (66 million units as of 1/9/2012.).This would suggest that the components inside each console would pass as a decent side of a supplier’s business. 3.5.THREAT OF POWERFUL BUYERS Microsoft has had deals with almost every major PC company (buyers in this instance) to include a copy of the latest Windows version as part of the cost of a pre-built PC. This has become expected from people buying non-Apple computers and if a buyer was to decide not to include this, it would probably lead to negative repercussions. There is room for tablets and some netbooks to run versions of IOS or Android OSs, but when some laptop manufacturers tried to switch from Windows being preinstalled to Linux, it did not fare well. The cost of having Windows included is also not a large amount of the cost of the computer, so it does not carry that much weight for the company building the machine. These attributes lead to a low threat from buyers.From a game console standpoint, the threat from buyers is low as well. The console gaming market is a multi-billion dollar industry and there are a large number of retailers who stock Xbox 360s. There is enough of an economic profit from consoles and associated merchandise to validate whole stores dedicated to just selling these items. The possibility of a retailer attempting to develop and distribute their own console is incredibly unlikely due to the cost and barriers. 4.0MICROSOFT – CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY {CSR} FIG.4: MICROSOFT – CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY {CSR} (http://www.businessrespect.net/definition.php by Mallen Baker) Compared to just a decade ago, it is now common for business people to talk about social responsibility and the importance of being good corporate citizens. Many business leaders today consider it critical to engage with shareholders, the communities in which their companies operate, and others affected by and interested in what they do. The diverse activities needed to respond to these expanded duties are widely referred to by the catchall phrase corporate social responsibility. It incorporates a host of concepts and practices, including the necessity for adequate corporate governance structures, the implementation of workplace safety standards, the adoption of environmentally sustainable procedures, and philanthropy. Take Microsoft CSR for example: -According to Microsoft 2013 Citizen Report,the company embarked on various CSR programs some of which are listed below: 4.1.GOVERNMENTS: Microsoft Corporation is working with community-based organizations and NGOs in China to increase employment opportunities for unskilled migrant workers, partnering with law enforcement officials in Canada to develop a customized system that helps police fight computer-facilitated crimes against children, collaborating in Latin America with the Organization of American States and its affiliate The Trust for the Americas to help people with disabilities gain the skills they need to start their own businesses and find employment, or working with leading companies and community organizations in Europe on a grants program to help small and medium sized enterprises improve productivity through technology, their commitment is the same: to make it possible for people to use technology to improve their lives. â€Å"Partnership and collaboration are at the center of how we do business, and that’s also how we work with governments and NGOs. It’s central to our commitment to provide leadership in our industry, to create a safe and secure computing environment, and to advance a worldwide knowledge economy that creates possibilities for hundreds of millions of people previously underserved by technology.† (Steven A. Ballmer Chief Executive Officer in the Microsoft 2013 citizen report). 4.2.CUSTOMERS: As an industry leader, Microsoft recognizes its responsibility to help make the Internet safer and computing more secure. Their ultimate goal is to help create an environment in which adults, children, businesses, and other organizations can enjoy the full benefits of the Internet without concerns about their safety, privacy, or security. Meanwhile, they continue to work toward that goal with the help of government, industry, and law enforcement partners worldwide, and to help consumers and their customers understand what they can do to protect themselves and their systems. Microsoft has done a lot to improve product quality and engineering excellence over the last few years. Every year, 15,000 Microsoft developers, testers, and program managers attend mandatory training on how to write more secure code. They have also integrated security into their software development process. The results have been a significant decrease in the number of security bulletins issued for products like Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 and a significant increase in the security of their esteemed customers’ systems. 4.3.LOCALCOMMUNITIES: Microsoft Local Language Program: This provides people access to technology in a familiar language while respecting linguistic and cultural distinctions. The program aims to empower individuals in local communities to create economic opportunities, build IT skills, enhance education outcomes, and sustain their local language and culture. 4.4.EMPLOYEES: Microsoft is widely recognized as a leading company for offering one of the strongest and most comprehensive compensation and benefits packages in the US. They start with competitive pay, bonuses, and stock awards to eligible employees based on individual performance. Then they add on unique offerings that might surprise you. Here’s a bird’s-eye view: Leading health wellness care: Medical hospitalization: Industry-leading health coverage, more than many other companies offer. Vision care: one annual eye exam and reimbursement for one pair of glasses or contacts per calendar year. 24 – hours health line: receive useful, easy – to –understand information and so much more, including life insurance, disability insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, group legal coverage, dependent and healthcare flexible spending accounts, office ergonomics’ support etc. You can notice that the company is trying to create a good environment at the office by providing all the staff with good conditions to work and develop themselves. I now recall the word of Jack Welch that says: â€Å"The recognition of the contribution of each employee, recognition for each employee the right to have a voice and a role in the success of the company – is the source of true performance. The source from which it can improve not gradually, but significantly† CONCLUSION In conclusion, Microsoft being the foremost organization in the information and technology industry worked at its humble beginning in 1975 by Mr. Bill Gates and his youth mate Mr. Paul Allen which has a rapid growth history and finally became a public quoted company in 1986 and have since remained dominant in the IT industry and is affecting people’s life all over the world positively with business partners globally and also providing aids and rescue services on emergencies through its corporate social responsibility programs and can be regarded as employer of first choice REFERENCES CSR Report. (2012). Microsoft Release 2012 Citizenship Report. Retrieved on February 9, 2012 from http://www.csrwire.com/report/1272/-Microsoft-Release-2012-Citizenship-Report.html Andrews, K.R. (1971), the Concept of Corporate Strategy, Dow-Jones Irwin, Homewood, IL. Blomback, A. Wigren, C. (2009), Challenging the importance of Size as determinant for CSR activities; Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal Vol. 20 No. 3 PP. 255-270; Carlisle, Y.M. and Faulkner, D.O. (2004), Corporate social responsibility: a stages framework, European Business Journal, Vol. 16 No. 4, pp. 143-52. Carroll, A.B. (1991), The pyramid of corporate social responsibility: toward the moral management of organizational stakeholders, Business Horizons, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 39-48. http://www.businessrespect.net/definition.php by Mallen Baker http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/en-us/reporting/ Carroll, A.B. (1999), Corporate social responsibility Garriga, E. and Mele, D. (2004), Corporate social responsibility theories: mapping the territory, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 53, pp. 51-71. Gyves, S. OHiggins, E. (2008), Corporate Social Responsibility: An avenue for sustainable benefit for society and the firm? Society Business Review Vol. 3, No. 3, pp. 207-223; Henderson, D. (2005), The role of business in the world today, Journal of Corporate Citizenship, Vol. 17, pp. 30-2. Hirschland, M. (2005), Taking the Temperature of CSR Leaders, Business for Social Responsibility, San Francisco, CA. http://www.codeproject.com Karnani, A. (2010). The case Against Corporate Social Responsibility. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on February 9, 2013 from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100.html www.doughtycentre .info – adapted from core values for the practice of public participation by the international associationfor public participation – pg.12 David Thompson. Help employees achieve a work/life balance//URL: http://goo.gl/4Fdh3.28.01.2013. 1

Erik Erikson’s Stages of Child Development Essay -- Human Developmental

Erik Erikson presented eight stages of human development, which last throughout an entire life-span. Throughout each developmental stage, each developmental task presents a catastrophe for the individual. Erikson defined catastrophe as â€Å"a turning point of increased vulnerability and enhanced potential† (Santrock 73). Each of Erikson’s developmental stages is presented in such a way that the negatives and positives are clearly defined. Although there are eight developmental stages, five pertain to a child’s development. The first stage, which occurs during the first year of life, is labeled as trust versus mistrust. Trust is developed when the caregiver is nurturing which gives the child a feel of comfort. When a child receives positive care giving, the child will then trust his or her caregiver, providing beneficial development. However, when a child does not receive positive care giving then mistrust develops. When a child reaches the ages of one to three years old, the stage the child experiences is autonomy versus shame and doubt. When a child or infant gains trust in his or her caregiver, they realize that their behavior is their own (cccc73). At this stage, infants are discovering and learning new concepts and tasks daily. Since learning and independence is important at this age, restraint by the parents can hinder development and cause the child to feel a sense of shame or doubt. As a child enters her or his preschool years, Erikson’s third stage becomes present which is initiative ve rsus guilt. During this stage, children are developing socially and â€Å"need to engage in active, purposeful behavior that involves initiative† (Santrock 74). With a greater social world comes greater responsibility especially behavior ... ...roblems with independence and self-control. Children raised in a neglectful setting are not motivated by achievement so academically they may suffer. Indulgent parenting is the final type of parenting, in which parents are extremely involved in a child’s life but few limitations are set into place. Due to very little limitation and great amounts of parental involvement a child is more apt to be creative and independent but suffers socially and lacks the ability to maintain self-control (78). The types of parenting commonly used, influence students greatly in both positive and negative ways. Each parenting style has its drawbacks however a happy balance of involvement and control leads to a child that is socially competent and well-rounded. Works Cited Santrock, John W. Life-span Development. Twelve ed. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2009. Print.

eligion In United States Public Schools Essay

The answer of the question is that students should be allowed to express any religion in United States Public Schools. I based my answer on the fundamental principles of the state with respect to the right to practice religion as well as my personal opinion. Therefore, I would like to submit that students in the United States should be allowed to practice any religion based on the separation of the church and state principle coined by the First Amendment of the Constitution. Other relevant instances and facts will also be used to explain this proposal like opposition of students of the mandatory prayer in school as well as the personal choice to express one’s religion through prayer. One reason that the students must be allowed to practice their own religion in schools is that it was the intention of the state that there will be a separation between the church and the state. All About History mentioned that the separation of the church and the state has been considered as part ad parcel of the legitimate, historical and political structure of the government and protects our freedom to practice religion (â€Å"Separation of Church and State†). In addition, it was also opined by Tripod that the separation of the church and state is considered a metaphor that well-known all over the world (â€Å"The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State†). This is stated this way because there is really no exact provision of the Constitution that mentioned separation of the church and the state. The idea was impliedly yet strongly mentioned in the Bill of Rights in order to ensure that freedom of religion can be served to the people. The phrase existed because of Thomas Jefferson who wrote the Danbury Baptists that they should not worry because an imaginary wall between the church and the state will be established (â€Å"The Constitutional Principle: Separation of Church and State†). Second argument, the First Amendment of the Constitution clearly mentioned the basic ideals of the state concerning the freedom of religious practice. Volkomer (2001) wrote that, and I quote: â€Å"The First Amendment provides that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances† (425). It is then regarded by the government as a very important right since it was stated in the First Amendment of the Constitution. There is a clear prohibition that the legislature should not enact laws that favors any sectarian groups such that freedom of religion is thereby settled as a rule. If this rule will not be implemented, the very essence of liberty could not be exercised by the people. Imagine how scary on the part of the government to participate in matters those talks about religion when its very goal is to govern the people and not to make them godly. Besides, any governmental intervention on matters of religion would create chaos since we have different religious sects in the society. Political power may be seized by means of religion and everybody will use the name of God. Every religious sect will do everything in its power to influence policy-making in order to serve its interests to the disadvantage of the general welfare. Hence, students should be allowed in school to express their own way of worship and religious homage. Another argument to support the answer that students should be allowed to practice nay religion in public schools is that schools were not built to teach religious doctrines but to teach academic knowledge. It may be true that public schools are under the direction of the government yet the latter has no reason to direct it with regards to the incorporation of religious favor in schools. The mandatory school prayers made or required in some schools raked opposing views by students in public schools. The existence of public schools rests on education and not to basically proselyte. Kids in public schools are enslaved spectators. They are required to perform religious duties that they are not supposed to do either because they belong to other faith and or they have the right to practice their own beliefs. Therefore, the requirement that prayer should become an official element of the school day is improper and insidious (â€Å"Separation of Church and State†). In addition, religion must be treated as a private matter. It should be trifled upon by students in schools. Students in public schools must be given a chance to at least pray on their own decision and not because they were asked to do so. What is the purpose of faith when they should be forced to pray against their beliefs? There is none for that matter. The scheme that religious requirements in public schools be given would result to divisive attitudes of the students. It would create and build walls between students thereby giving them the opportunity to oppress the minority in terms of religious groups. It would disrupt the learning processes of the students in public schools. It must not be disregarded that public schools in America is for all students and not only for a particular group of students. It would be unfair if there were groups of religious believers who are given favorable situations on account of religious domination.

Advance Effects On Eearly Relationship Against Tinagers Essay

The biggest threat about teenage dating is their inability to maintain a relationship. Teenagers mostly, do not understand the necessity of sustaining a relationship over a period of time. Therefore, frequent break ups and fights lead to attempts of suicide, teenage pregnancy or mental instability in extreme cases. This happens due to lack of experience and a broader understanding of what relationships are. Teenage relationship deals more with exploring their new-found youthfulness than exploring the extent of love. This makes them reduce a relationship to the concept of possessing a boyfriend or a girlfriend making them lose sight of what is important. This is why we have more cases of teenage dating than cases of everlasting friendship. Most teenagers lack the proper understanding of balancing friendship and dating causing even best friends to grow apart. This also implies increasing isolation with their new found boyfriends or girlfriends making them further unavailable and unexposed to potential friends in their immediate circle. The most visible negative impact of teenage dating is the school grades. Teenagers lose interest in studies and this is emblematic of their shifting priorities in life. This involves a double failure when teenagers lose their marks in class followed by problems in a relationship on the personal front. FURTHERMORE As teens develop emotionally, they are heavily influenced by their relationship experiences. Healthy relationship behaviors can have a positive effect on a teen’s emotional development. Unhealthy, abusive, or violent relationships may contribute to negative consequences. Research focused on the consequences of teen dating violence have similar limitations as those focused on identifying risk factors for teen dating violence making it difficult to make causal connections between teen dating violence and  certain outcomes. DESPITE LIMITATIONS, CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT VICTIMS OF TEEN DATING VIOLENCE ARE MORE LIKELY TO: Do poorly in school or not attend school due to feeling unsafe. Report binge drinking, smoking, using drugs, or engaging in unhealthy diet behaviors, including taking diet pills or laxatives and vomiting to lose weight. Become pregnant or have an STD. Attempt suicide and report feelings of hopelessness and sadness. Develop a negative body image and become uncomfortable with their sexuality be overly dependent on others and not achieving independence Ending up into violent adult relationships. VICTIMS OF TEEN DATING VIOLENCE MAY ALSO FIND IT VERY CHALLENGING TO Establish intimacy with a partner; Become a positive member of society; Develop a personal value system; And establish an adult identity. Abusers involved in teen dating violence create a pattern of behavior for themselves, which puts them at risk for ruining future relationships. In addition, perpetrators of teen dating violence may be more likely to bully and perpetrate violence against their peers. The earlier a problem is recognized, the sooner it can be addressed.

Free Essays on Aztec

The Start Goods were exported and traded in many other parts of the Aztec Empire.The Aztecs are also known as the Mexicas or the Tenochas. They are originaly from Aztlan. The Aztec legend says that their god, Huitzilopochtli, told them to leave Aztlan. The god also said to stop when they saw an eagle eating a snake while sitting on a cactus. That was a sign to show them where to build their village. They called it Tenochtitlan, which means "Place of the Cactus". They settled there in about 1325.The Aztecs were late arrivals to the Lake Texcoco area. They were surrounded by very strong neighbors, so they were forced to live on the swampy, western side of the lake. As the Aztecs grew in number they made excellent military and civil organizations. By 1325, they founded the city of Tenochtitlan. The city was located on present day Mexico City. It was very hard to build Tenochtitlan because the Aztecs only had a small piece of land in the surrounding marshes. The Aztecs made the swampy, shallow lak e into chinampas. In this case the islands were made by piling up mud from the lake bottom. They used them as their city foundations. Then they built causeways and bridges to connect the city to the mainland. To easily move people and goods, canals were dug and lined with stone. All this made it easy to defent the city from attack. Because of Tenochtitlan's location and high organization, the city grew rapidly. By 1519 there were about 60,000 people in the city every day. Occupation Most Aztecs were farmersTheir main crop is maize{indian corn}. They used it to make tortillas, tamales, and atol. The Aztecs made terraces, which were steps descending down a hill to control the flow of water. This kept their crops from flooding. Like the Olmec civilization, the Aztecs also used a slash and burn method of farming. Chinampas, artificial islands made by weacing giant reed mats and covering them with muded and plants, were used to extend crops into ... Free Essays on Aztec Free Essays on Aztec The Start Goods were exported and traded in many other parts of the Aztec Empire.The Aztecs are also known as the Mexicas or the Tenochas. They are originaly from Aztlan. The Aztec legend says that their god, Huitzilopochtli, told them to leave Aztlan. The god also said to stop when they saw an eagle eating a snake while sitting on a cactus. That was a sign to show them where to build their village. They called it Tenochtitlan, which means "Place of the Cactus". They settled there in about 1325.The Aztecs were late arrivals to the Lake Texcoco area. They were surrounded by very strong neighbors, so they were forced to live on the swampy, western side of the lake. As the Aztecs grew in number they made excellent military and civil organizations. By 1325, they founded the city of Tenochtitlan. The city was located on present day Mexico City. It was very hard to build Tenochtitlan because the Aztecs only had a small piece of land in the surrounding marshes. The Aztecs made the swampy, shallow lak e into chinampas. In this case the islands were made by piling up mud from the lake bottom. They used them as their city foundations. Then they built causeways and bridges to connect the city to the mainland. To easily move people and goods, canals were dug and lined with stone. All this made it easy to defent the city from attack. Because of Tenochtitlan's location and high organization, the city grew rapidly. By 1519 there were about 60,000 people in the city every day. Occupation Most Aztecs were farmersTheir main crop is maize{indian corn}. They used it to make tortillas, tamales, and atol. The Aztecs made terraces, which were steps descending down a hill to control the flow of water. This kept their crops from flooding. Like the Olmec civilization, the Aztecs also used a slash and burn method of farming. Chinampas, artificial islands made by weacing giant reed mats and covering them with muded and plants, were used to extend crops into ...

The Principal Legacies of Imperialism for the Contemporary World Economy The WritePass Journal

The Principal Legacies of Imperialism for the Contemporary World Economy Abstract The Principal Legacies of Imperialism for the Contemporary World Economy AbstractIntroduction Principal Legacies of Imperialism on the Contemporary World Economy Conclusion ReferencesRelated Abstract This study explores the principal legacies of imperialism for the contemporary world economy. The findings indicate that although colonialism ended many years ago, its effects and policies still remain in the global economy and it is being aided by globalisation. The developed economies use foreign aid and multinationals to control the economies of the developing countries. Introduction The modern world economy has been influenced by both imperialism and the experience of colonialism. Western imperialism dominated the global history in the last 200 years and it transformed both the third world and western nations in terms of culture, economy, politics and socialisation (Dutt, 2006). The term imperialism was derived from a Latin word imperator meaning autocratic power and centralised government (Smith Dawson Books, 2008). As such imperialism involves one country dominating another country or other countries in ways that benefit it and not the latter. The impact of Europe on the world economy is significant because it has shaped the economic sphere. The legacy of imperialism exists in the form of communication networks, economic structures and ties to metropolitan economies typifying former colonies. Principal Legacies of Imperialism on the Contemporary World Economy Imperialism was the precursor of globalisation that characterises the contemporary world economy (Chattopadhyaya Das, 2007).   This legacy is not entirely benign and the effects of the restructuring of economies of the former colonies have led to dependency on the metropole’s economies. Colonialism had to be stopped because it was exploitative, displaced people from their natural status and transferred wealth from one country to the other. However, globalisation came up to replace imperialism by achieving the same results but this time legitimately and in a manner that is politically correct (Ramana Observer Research Foundation, 2008). The World Trade Organisation and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade legitimised this legacy of imperialism through putting in place trade agreements to eliminate trade barriers. This ensures that countries participate in their own subjugation and in the process transform themselves into neo-colonial states (Hont, 2005). Globalisation has not led to economic equality and interdependence as it is often claimed. It has instead made the lesser developed countries dependent on the developed countries (Dunning Lundan, 2008). In addition to this, it has also led to indebtedness to the International Financial Institutions owned by the west. In some cases it has also led to unfair competition, greater debt and increased poverty. Although globalisation has created wealth for some countries, it has also increased poverty for others. Dutt (2006) adds that it is a more efficient way of exploiting other nations with the help of established international institutions and mechanisms designed to entrap the lesser developed countries through creating economic dependency, debt, and increasing poverty. However unlike colonialism these countries cannot revolt against the loss of their sovereignty. This is because any attempts to revolt could make them lose economic aid that would result in economic and human crisis. Th is is a huge risk that these countries are never willing to risk. All these are consequences of the structuring of the economies of the former colonies making them dependent on exports, monoculture and fluctuations in the global market. Imperialism created a political economic reality of dependency and exploitation because most of the lesser developed economies do not have full control of their economic affairs (Hont, 2005).   There are counterarguments that political economies have lives of their own which make them not fully controllable or that globalisation has taken away such control from all countries. However this perception does not take into account the fact that there is a huge difference in the extent of control. The northern nation states have a relatively strong position because of the financial institutions and multinationals which give them higher control over their political economies (Tester, 2010). The southern nation states on the other hand are impoverished, indebted and dependent on foreign investment and foreign aid. Therefore neo-colonialism steps in because these nation states have reduced control. The contemporary world economy is organised around capitalist imperialism characterised by systematic accumulation of capital through organised labour exploitation and penetrating overseas markets. The capital imperialists make investments in the other countries, transforms and then dominates their economies. Additionally, they integrate their productive and financial structures into the international system of capital accumulation (Chattopadhyaya Das, 2007). Expansion is the central imperative of capitalism because investors only pursue business ventures when they see opportunities for extracting more than they invest. These firms only increase their earnings when their enterprises grow. As such the capitalists keep searching for ways of generating more money. They have to invest in order to generate profits and gather strengths to be able to beat off competition and unpredictable markets. Owing to its expansionary nature, capitalism has to keep exploring other opportunities away f rom home. It is this expansion that ends up destroying whole societies as people are forced to transform into disfranchised wage employees (Smith Dawson Books, 2008). Consumer societies, mass market and mass media replace folk cultures and indigenous societies. Agribusiness factory farms supplant cooperative lands, centralised autocracies supplant autonomous regions and desolate shanty towns replace villages. European and North American corporations have acquired and now control over 75% of mineral resources in Africa, Asia and Latin America (Dunning Lundan, 2008). However, the pursuit for natural resources is not the only reason for expanding operations overseas. They also need to lower the cost of production and maximise profits through investing in economies with cheaper labour markets. They make over 50% profits in the lesser developed countries compared to their home countries because of factors like low wages, weak labour unions, low taxes, weak or non-existent environmental and occupational protections and non-existent work benefits (Guo Guo, 2010). For instance Citibank which is one of the largest US firms makes about approximately 75% of its profits from its operations overseas (Ramana Observer Research Foundation, 2008). Imperialism has made it possible for the multinational firms to continue growing even at a time when their home markets are sluggish because of the dramatic growth in the foreign markets which still remain unexploited. Currently some 400 transnational companies control approximately 80% capital assets in the free global market (Hobson, 2005). These companies have developed global production lines across the lesser developed countries. Multiple sourcing allows these transnational companies to overcome strikes in one country by increasing production in the other countries.   By playing the workers of different countries against each other, they discourage them from making demands on wage and benefit increments which undermine the strategies of labour unions. These firms find cheap labour, natural resources and other profitable conditions in the less developed countries. This is what enables them to generate huge profits which they then repatriate back to their home countries. Both national and local governments often compete in attracting multinational companies with huge expectations in terms of employment provision, tax revenues and economic activity (Sharp, 2009). These governments offer the companies incentives in terms of lax labour or environmental regulations, pledges of government assistance, tax breaks and other subsidies. Other than offering these governments a promise of economic growth, these companies exert power over government through their technical and intellectual property. For instance Microsoft has software patents and Adidas has patents on shoe designs. The patents allow these corporations to exercise their monopolistic powers in the local economy and in the process inhibit the growth of the local enterprises. Additionally, this monopoly helps them maintain low costs of labour and at times even exploitative. Owing to the size of these corporations, they often influence government policies using threats of withdrawal from the market (L ouis, 2006). This forces the governments of the lesser developed states to make polices that benefit the corporations rather than protecting the rights of the citizens. Therefore these corporations exploit the local labour force and funnel the important resources away from these countries into their home countries. In this way globalisation has made the lesser developed economies to be dependent on the developed countries. The multinational companies also cause uneven distribution of benefits because the resources are diverted from the local people into foreign markets (Louis, 2006).   For instance land that could have been used to produce food for the local populations is used by these corporations to grow cash crops for their operations. This leads to high costs of food for the local populations as they are at times forced to import what they could produce locally if their natural resources were effectively utilised. In addition to this, fresh produce are packaged for the international markets where they will fetch more money rather than feeding the local populations. This is the reason why foreign dependency has led to widespread malnutrition in many lesser developed economies (Tester, 2010). Conclusion In conclusion, this study has explored the principles legacies of imperialism on the contemporary world economy. The findings indicate that the developed economies still manage the economies of former colonies and the developing economies using different mechanisms like aid and multinational companies with the aid of globalisation. Economic globalisation has also led to unequal economic relations between the developed and the developing economies. The governments of the lesser developed economies act more in the interests of the multinationals and other economies that provide them with aid instead of acting independently on behalf of the citizens. This creates a feeling of economic connection with the lesser developed economies feeling that they cannot survive on their own.   Therefore the dependent relations that were established under colonialism still continue to dominate the world economy through economic imperialism or neo-colonialism. References Chattopadhyaya, D. P., Das, G. J. B. (2007)  Science, technology, imperialism and war. New Delhi: Pearson Longman. Dunning, J. H., Lundan, S. M. (2008)  Multinational enterprises and the global economy. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. Dutt, S. (2006).  India in a Globalized World. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Guo, S., Guo, B. (2010).  Greater China in an era of globalization. Lanham, Md: Rowman Littlefield. Hobson, J. A. (2005).  Imperialism: A study. New York: Cosimo. Hont, I. (2005).  Jealousy of trade: International competition and the nation state in historical perspective. Cambridge, Mass: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. Louis, W. R. (2006).  Ends of British imperialism: The scramble for empire, Suez and decolonization : collected essays. London: I.B. Tauris. Ramana, P. V., Observer Research Foundation. (2008).  The Naxal challenge: Causes, linkages, and policy options. New Delhi: Pearson Education. Sharp, J. P. (2009).  Geographies of post-colonialism. London: SAGE. Smith, D., Dawson Books. (2008).  The dragon and the elephant: China, India and the new world order. London: Profile. Tester, K. (2010).  Humanitarianism and modern culture. University Park, Pa: The Pennsylvania State University Press.

There is More to Amir than Being a Decorated Marine Veteran

There is More to Amir than Being a Decorated Marine Veteran Hashtag: #FreeAmirNow Imprisoned for Bravery and Intellectual Capacity There is more to Amir Hekmati’s arrest and imprisonment in Iran than being a decorated United States Marine veteran. In fact, the main reason for Amir’s 2011 arrest, imprisonment, and death sentence in early 2012 was his intellect and participation in the development of Kuma Reality Games as culture and language consultant. Amir Hekmati completed his high school studies in 2001 and since then participated in several educational and training programs offered by the U.S. military. He participated in the Naval Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps in 2001 and later attends the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton, California. His intelligence, bravery, good conduct, and participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom earned him several awards and decorations, opportunity to study Arabic at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, and later honorably discharged as a sergeant in 2005. In 2006, Amir’s experience as a translator in Iraq allowed him to establish Lucid Linguistic LLC and acquire Arabic and Persian translation contracts from U.S. military. He later got involved in different translation projects for DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) and language-learning video game (Kuma Reality Games) for the U.S. Department of Defense. Amir was about to start an economics degree at the University of Michigan when he was arrested and detained for espionage. You may be interested in: Moral Failure in Academic Institutions Yasar Kemal Is a Master of Word Torture Is Never Justified The Misdemeanors of Well-Educated People in Public Office Who and What Deserve Respect? Why Iran Think Amir Is Spying for CIA There is nothing special about Amir’s enthusiasm for education and specialist training including his seemingly extraordinary intelligence, courage, and integrity. The reason is that Amir’s father (Ali Hekmati), before brain cancer diagnosis, was a college professor at Mott Community College, Flint, Michigan. His sister remembered Amir as an energetic young man who loves sports  and was curious about culture and languages. Despite being a natural born American with Iranian descent, Amir is fluent in Arabic and spent most of his military service as a linguist and translator. Iran’s Revolutionary Court labeled Amir as â€Å"Corrupt on Earth† and â€Å"An Enemy of God† for allegedly spying and helping the United States undermine Iran’s integrity. The basis for such claim is Amir’s alleged intelligence training in 2001, direct participation in the development of MITRE Corporation’s two-way translation system and design of the language–learning aspects of Kuma Reality Games that are sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense. The first one is certainly baseless but the rest are facts that are enough to convince Iranian authorities of espionage. Iran is historically hostile to insulting and malevolent activities such as Salman Rushdie’s â€Å"Satanic Verses†, American government’s arrogance and consistent insulting remarks on Iran such as â€Å"terrorist allies†, â€Å"an axis of evil†, and â€Å"sponsor of global terror†, and death sentence for a 30-year old man who posted a religiously offensive remarks on Facebook. Amir did nothing similar, but being an Iranian-American, a Middle Eastern culture, and language expert, and a favored contractor of U.S. military projects visiting relatives in Iran made him a credible spy in the imaginations of Iranian authorities. Amir’s education, military experience and recognitions, expertise, and chosen line of work are difficult to ignore particularly to people who are exceedingly sensitive and hostile to change and spread of democratic values.

My Management Philosophy Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

My Management Philosophy - Term Paper Example In this paper, I will analyze my management philosophy and how it has been influenced by my skills, experience, and knowledge of other theories. The first philosophy that I consider significant is the principle of efficient planning. Managers may accomplish very little or no realizations at all if they fail to plan. This is because the lack of a plan means that a person may do anything at anytime. Planning begins with the determination of desired goals because they guide managers in choosing strategies that help them realize these objectives (Covey, 2013). After determining the desirable aims, managers then carry out research to help them choose the best approaches to realize them; the investigation may be carried out through extensive reading to find out how other organizations perform their tasks or it may be through testing and analyzing of past experiences. The next step after choosing the strategy to apply is implementation that involves putting the strategies into practice to achieve the goals. Evaluation then helps leaders to determine the goals that they have achieved and those that they have failed to accomplish so that they may develop techniques of improving the results. My experience as a human resource manager has made me to value this philosophy because whenever the department fails to plan, it ends up achieving results that are below its capacity. Also the fact that human resource division deals with recruitment means that the department has to plan to determine the type of employees to hire and those that need to be fired (Drucker, 2008). The second philosophy is that efficient communication is vital for the success of managers in their career and also for organizations that aim at realizing high sales and returns (Drucker, 2008). Communication involves exchanging information with other managers, employees, and subordinate staff members. Charismatic leadership style advocates for both verbal and non-verbal communication. This

The Concept of Self Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Concept of Self - Essay Example Since the first day of life children begin to intensively acquire information about their selves trying to understand the system of relationships between them and the environment. This accumulated knowledge or, as Rogers terms it, ‘field of experience’ includes all experiences available at the given moment, both conscious and unconscious. During the process of development, one portion of this field separates and becomes the persons ‘self’. This separated self develops through interactions with environmental and involves awareness of being and functioning and can be defined as-concept is "the organized set of characteristics that the individual perceives as peculiar to himself/herself" (Ryckman, 1993, p.106). Theoretically, an individual may develop optimally and avoid the influence of negative experiences. The needs for positive regard from others and positive self-regard would match persons evaluation and there would be congruence between self and experience, with full psychological adjustment as a result (Rogers, 1959). This ideal human condition is embodied in the fully functioning person who is open to experience able to live existentially, expresses feelings freely, acts independently, is creative and lives a richer life. By contrast, the maladjusted person is the polar opposite of the fully functioning individual. The maladjusted individual is defensive, maintains rather than enhances his life, lives according to a preconceived plan, feels manipulated rather than free, and is conforming rather than creative. The fully functioning person, on the contrary, is completely defense-free, open to experience, creative and able to live "the good life". Empirical support for the fully functioning person is somewhat mixed (Rogers, 1959). The person possessing positive self-concept treats the reality differently from the person

Hills like White Elephants Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hills like White Elephants - Coursework Example The setting is in Spain, and the fact that the man speaks Spanish puts him in a decidedly advantageous position compared to the girl. Jig has to rely on the American while they are in Spain; or, it is likely, she had to rely on him in all the places they visited. Their relationship is one of imbalance and inequality. Jig is dependent on the American, and obviously she feels compelled to abide by his decision to abort their child, even though the man places the moral responsibility upon the woman (he pushes insistently on the operation being simple, but purports to go through the operation only if she wished). Hemingway meant for the setting to contribute to the central theme, which is Jig’s dilemma of undergoing the abortion. The symbolism is clear that the setting contrasted the barrenness of â€Å"this side† with the fruitfulness of â€Å"the other side.† The station is midway between the two. These are evident in the lines: â€Å"Across, on the other side, were fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains. The shadow of a cloud moved across the field of grain and she saw the river through the trees.† The setting is a symbolism for Jig being midway in deciding whether to have the abortion (barrenness) or having her child (fruitfulness). The shadow of the cloud moving across the field of grain shows that she may have considered that deciding to keep her child has become a dim prospect, in the face of the American’s insistence that the abortion is â€Å"an awfully simple operation.† The hills appearing like white elephants symbolizes the child they would have, which is now far off in the distance. The white elephant in Thailand is both blessing and curse – blessing because it is rare and considered valuable, curse because it may not be put to work and thus is fed and cared for

Final Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 15

Final Exam - Essay Example Moreover, the organisms that are best suited to live in their underlying specific conditions possess relatively greater chance of passing their desirable traits to the corresponding next generation. Nevertheless, organisms that poorly adapt die and extinct in the environment. The reproduction and the survival is massive numbers than other kind of animals mainly ensures perpetuation of the favorable traits in regard to succeeding generations. Natural selection demands heritable variation within a particular trait and corresponding differential survival and reproduction related with the possession of the desired traits. Both domestic selection and natural selection entails choosing of desirable traits and passing them to the next generations. An undesirable trait which cannot survive competition is eliminated from the environment thus becoming extinct. Conversely, natural selection results from corresponding natural factors that mainly favor particular variations whilst domestic selection mainly entails the probability of particular naturalistic mechanisms that pertains to the evolutionary alterations (Darwin & Charles, 112-279). Moreover, domestic selection purely utilized as an analogy for the underlying natural systems that concern untargeted changes. Natural selection and domestic selection does not link into similar theory that normally cause need to contribute intensely new to science. Struggle for existence is mainly due competition of scarce resources and over production that results to the ecological pressure. Members of every species contest repeatedly in order to obtain food, living space and other supplementary requirements of life. It mainly emanates from the overproduction by the organisms thus making the available resources to be insufficient to sustain the larger population. This subsequently results to emergence of competition of limited resources to keep themselves alive (Darwin & Charles,

Competition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Competition - Essay Example The regulations are put in place to help reduce the conflicts in the commercial; procedures like those of maximizing profits. The entities may require raising the profits and the only way they find to do this is to raise the prices of their products where the burden ends up with the people. The government, therefore, comes in and regulates this to avoid conflicts as well as to ensure that the functioning of the business is taken care of. These regulations come with laws like the minimum wage laws which act in the same way as minimum price laws. When this is implemented, workers who produce less than the minimum wages are laid off leading to unnecessary unemployment. The market efficiency and transparency reduces due to these regulations especially if they work against insider trading. The result of this is that the share price becomes higher than that which would have been if the insiders were allowed to use their information. Inadvertently, the outsiders who were to be protected end s up paying higher prices for the same shares and loses more than they would actually have lost. These regulations have led to market imbalance in some cases. If the amount demanded and supplied is the same and the regulations bring about a fall in the prices, then the supply will reduce and the demand will increase. To solve these imbalances, there have arisen cases of black markets and other dubious means of avoiding the effects of the regulations. Monopoly market structures are the most affected by these regulations as they work independently. The government advocates for the customers to have access to their information, set the price controls and also regulate their operations in the countries of operations. The effect of these is that new markets are opened that bring about competition and thereby increased efficiency and quality services. There is liberalization which is promoted that leads to the mobility of labor, financial capital, goods and services. These bring about new businesses into the industry and intensify competition. [Djankov, Simeon et al, 2002] The competitive market structures are effected through the laws that govern their operations and competitive strategies. Certain acts are prohibited like setting very low prices to accrue short term losses at the expense of the other competitors so that they may even end up closing down. The regulations also govern the number of similar businesses in a certain area. The monopolistically competitive markets have been forced to provide enough information regarding their products. In these markets the consumers have relied on the advertisements which sometimes have given a super perspective of the products. The government regulation has had to control the prices in these firms because in the long run, these firms set prices that are very low to kick out their rivals from the market through their slightly differentiated products which is prohibited. Sometimes these firms set high prices especially bec ause the marginal cost is less than the price in the long run. In a monopsony, the government works together with a monopsonist consumer to ensure that the partial regulations are in place to work at the right time. The government analyses how the consumer is to be protected and also when there should be the intervention from other sources. The second market structure that also faces regulation is an oligopoly market structure. This market structure involves a situation which falls in between perfect competition and monopoly. It refers to few firms

Civil Right Act of 1964 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Civil Right Act of 1964 - Research Paper Example 1. The first reason is the employer changing the terms of employment contract like the cases of deliberate cuts in payment, status or working hours 2. The second ground of a constructive discharge claim requires the breaching of contract by the employer in the form of bullying or ignoring complaints. 3. The third ground is the breaching of such rules which results to inequitable industrial practice. According to the constructive discharge act an individual is a prospective claimant of constructive discharge if the individual gives notice to the employer due to the reason of insufferable stressful and unpleasant work situation or due to the inequitable treatment met to the individual by the superiors or a co worker. When an employee resigns under such circumstances it is not considered by the law as a free will resignation but it is considered that the employer forcibly coerced the employee into resigning from the job. Here the employee files a case for constructive discharge because there is disagreement and clash of opinions. The conclusion that is reached by the erstwhile employee and complainant is that he/she has been forced to work on religious holy days, ans the working days have changed from former 5 day week to seven day week that working under this kind of environment is a type of harassment meted out by the company’s owners. According to the UK Equal Pay act of 1970 the law states that it is unlawful if discrimination in an organization occurs on the basis of remuneration or benefits that are provided to men and women employees. The act of Equal Pay of 1970 comes under the Act of Equal Opportunities Mr CEO Sir, in this case scenario it is seen that during third week as the elementary division manager, the company attorney notifies that a former employee has filed a case against the company under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, constructive discharge, after changes have been instituted in the work schedule. The employee, who quit afte r the policy change took effect, is alleging that the enforcement of the company’s new policy on shift work is discriminatory because the policy requires employees to work on a religious holy day. In the past, production employees worked Monday through Friday. As a result of company growth, the production schedule was changed at the beginning of the New Year, requiring employees to work 12-hour shifts with four days at work and then after working four days is given our days off. Now, the four work days can occur any day of the week, Mondays through Sundays. The entire production staff is required to work this rotating shift. However, office staff members, work between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. This changed work schedule does not meet the approval of the said complainant as now he/she would even have to work on Sundays if part of 4 day working schedule. She claims this new policy as discriminatory and intending to place curbs or restrictions on employee holiday on a Sunday. . â€Å"

Competition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Competition - Essay Example The regulations are put in place to help reduce the conflicts in the commercial; procedures like those of maximizing profits. The entities may require raising the profits and the only way they find to do this is to raise the prices of their products where the burden ends up with the people. The government, therefore, comes in and regulates this to avoid conflicts as well as to ensure that the functioning of the business is taken care of. These regulations come with laws like the minimum wage laws which act in the same way as minimum price laws. When this is implemented, workers who produce less than the minimum wages are laid off leading to unnecessary unemployment. The market efficiency and transparency reduces due to these regulations especially if they work against insider trading. The result of this is that the share price becomes higher than that which would have been if the insiders were allowed to use their information. Inadvertently, the outsiders who were to be protected end s up paying higher prices for the same shares and loses more than they would actually have lost. These regulations have led to market imbalance in some cases. If the amount demanded and supplied is the same and the regulations bring about a fall in the prices, then the supply will reduce and the demand will increase. To solve these imbalances, there have arisen cases of black markets and other dubious means of avoiding the effects of the regulations. Monopoly market structures are the most affected by these regulations as they work independently. The government advocates for the customers to have access to their information, set the price controls and also regulate their operations in the countries of operations. The effect of these is that new markets are opened that bring about competition and thereby increased efficiency and quality services. There is liberalization which is promoted that leads to the mobility of labor, financial capital, goods and services. These bring about new businesses into the industry and intensify competition. [Djankov, Simeon et al, 2002] The competitive market structures are effected through the laws that govern their operations and competitive strategies. Certain acts are prohibited like setting very low prices to accrue short term losses at the expense of the other competitors so that they may even end up closing down. The regulations also govern the number of similar businesses in a certain area. The monopolistically competitive markets have been forced to provide enough information regarding their products. In these markets the consumers have relied on the advertisements which sometimes have given a super perspective of the products. The government regulation has had to control the prices in these firms because in the long run, these firms set prices that are very low to kick out their rivals from the market through their slightly differentiated products which is prohibited. Sometimes these firms set high prices especially bec ause the marginal cost is less than the price in the long run. In a monopsony, the government works together with a monopsonist consumer to ensure that the partial regulations are in place to work at the right time. The government analyses how the consumer is to be protected and also when there should be the intervention from other sources. The second market structure that also faces regulation is an oligopoly market structure. This market structure involves a situation which falls in between perfect competition and monopoly. It refers to few firms

Biology Module Study Guide Essay Example for Free

Biology Module Study Guide Essay Biology Study Guide Uses of Sponges-possess no symmetry and take on a variety of shapes. Theyve got 2 layers of cells that are separated by a thin, Jellylike substance. Outer layer-epidermis, and Jellylike substance-mesenchyme. Morphology of Molluscs-they have a soft body they are more fragile. They also have more difficulty to support their bodies in terrestrial environments or to fixate to substrates in aquatic habitats. Many species solve these problems by secreting a calcareous carapace, or shell, an exoskeleton to upport and protect them and to prevent dehydration. Platy Hemises- commonly called flatworm. have no body cavity other than the gut, same pharyngeal opening both takes in food and expels waste. Lack of a cavity also constrains flatworms to be flat. Earthworm-segmented worm. they inhabit every bit of moist soil in the world. they possess bilateral symmetry and are made up of segments that look like little rings stacked next to each other. Earthworm Reproduction-simultaneous hermaphrodites, meaning worms have both male and female reproductive organs. Planaria Reproduction-hermaphroditic-possess both male and female sex glands. planarian cannot fertilize its own eggs; eggs must be fertilized by sperm of another planarian. In another method of reproduction, a planarian constricts behind the pharynx and separates itself into two pieces ; then, both pieces grow back their missing parts and become two new planarians. Vocab: 1) Budding-form of sexual reproduction. Its when a yeast buds, the nucleus of the cell reproduces inside a single cell. A section of the cell wall and plasma membrane then well to form a pouch into which the nucleus and some cytoplasm flow. 5) Gizzard- the hind part of the stomach, especially modified for grinding food. (mostly on birds) 6) Nephridia-small organs. they function like your kidneys, are in every segment of the earthworms body except the 1st 3 and the very last one. 8) Pharynx-it ingests soil through it mouth by using it as a vacuum to suck. Diagrams: The Life Cycle of a Jellyfish Basic Anatomy of a Common Earthworm Structure of a Sponge Biology Module 2: Study Guide By morgannf95

Role of Strategic Management in Planning

Role of Strategic Management in Planning INTRODUCTION While some firms adopt strategic opportunism as a strategic planning method used mainly by senior managers who use it to assess their firms capacity to recognize and respond to identified windows of opportunity (or threat) that may require strategic changes as it would be pointless identifying strategic opportunities that the firm lacks in the competencies and resources to take advantage of them, others firms use human judgment in making operational decision making, this could involve situation assessment, actions taken to gather additional information, generating plausible hypotheses and other alternatives which either depicts Strategy as science or art. This paper aims at analyzing certain terms and elements in strategic management that explain business strategy as an art or science, terms like design, rational, hypothesis, culture or creativity etc. It also explains situations where organisations are presented with either luck or opportunity and how to what extent judgment is exhibited in the strategic decision making. ANALYSIS Role of Strategic Management Elements in planning and decision making According to Constable (1980) Strategic Management addresses the management processes and decisions which determine the long-term structure and activities of the organisation. This further explains that strategy incorporates planning activities on Management Processes which encompasses both the formal structured process (prescriptive approach) and the informal structured processes (emergent strategy change). This provides the Managers the ability to spot opportunities for and threats to the organisation in its future plans and the changing environment in which it operates. As information is seen as input into an organisation process which produces decisions as the output, the strategy of an organisation e.g. avoiding a threat or exploiting an opportunity determines the Management Decisions that need to be taken that is expected to be a solution of apparent problems, the feasibility and the requisite resources for implementation. Beck (1987) argued that many British companies lack strategic clarity, this comprises of mainly three reasons: Thompson (1993) explains, The difficulties of forecasting in todays business environment; the lack of managerial competence in many companies; and above all, the frequent absence of strong leadership from the top. Other reason maybe the distinction between established views incompatible with the formal and elaborate strategic planning systems present in the 1960s and 1970s, however failed to work in most cases. Strategic Planning helps organizations answer series of questions about how well the company is doing and why, where it should seek to develop in the future. Thompson (1993) further argued that, Most successful companies strategically are likely to be those that are aware of where they are and of what lies ahead, those that understand their environment and those that seek to achieve and maintain competitive advantage. Also, Thompson (1993) asserted that whatever strategy exist in an organisation, organisations ace in strategic thinking are more distinguished from their less successful competitors by a common pattern of management which are highlighted below: Key success factors inherent in the economics of the business are effectively identified than their competitors. Markets are segmented to gain critical competitive advantage. The segmentation is based on competitive analysis conducted on the markets, thus, segments are separated according to its strengths and weaknesses of different competitors Successful companies base their strategies on the measurement and analysis of competitive advantage. Good strategic thinking implies an understanding of how situations will change over time, thus companies can anticipate their competitors responses. Companies are able to give investment priorities that promise competitive advantage While one may be agreeable that business strategy initiatives depend on a mixture of luck and judgment, opportunism and design to succeed, different views need to be analyzed as business strategy itself can be a combination of the aforementioned features. This is because a good business strategy will succeed irrespective of the factor of luck but a good business strategy has to be able to take advantage of opportunities, be planned with great insight and judgment without relying on the good wind of luck to see it through. Companies with superior business strategies who dominate their various industries are there because of their unique insights and capabilities in the formation and execution of their strategy. However luck seems to plays a role in performance of a companys strategy. Three broad scholastic perspectives exist for explaining the relationship between luck and business strategy; Kovenklioglu and Greenhaus, (1978) held the view that luck plays little or no role in the performance of a strategy, this is articulated by Day and Maltby, (2003) who held the view that a belief in luck is irrational. The last perspective believes that luck plays a substantial role in the long run by creating short-term success which then positively positions a company for superior performance in the long run or that luck may create a lasting success via a combination of lucky efforts. This is synonymous with Mintzbergs positioning school of thought which places a company within the context of its industry and tries to devise ways to improve its strategic position within that industry. A typical case study is the position of Microsoft in the software industry; which came about when by a stroke of luck, Paul Allen, saw a magazine in a grocery store with a picture of the new microcomputer , the Altair made by a company called MITS and decided to write a BASIC interpreter for it. This led to the formation of Microsoft which grew to become the biggest software company in the world. This position has enabled them to implement successfully their business strategy of copying the products of their competitors and making it better using the vast resources available to them, then bundling it with windows to force it down the throat of consumers in order to kill off the competition. Another illustration is the browser wars between Microsoft and Netscape in 1997, when incumbent king of browser, Netscape Navigator faced an unprecedented challenge from software king, Microsoft. Netscape navigator had the dominant market share (about 80%) which Microsoft wanted; it devised a business strategy which involved licensing Mosaic an existing browser as the platform for its internet explorer. Then it decided to give away internet explorer by bundling it with the Windows 95 plus. This was effective in stealing Netscapes market share because Netscape charged for its browser. It would have been impossible for Microsoft to keep its rigorous monopoly in the software industry if it werent for its strategic position which it had already attained through windows at a time when microcomputers was just been born. It has been said that the reason Microsoft became the biggest software company was bill gates being at the right place at the right time. Legend has it that it was Digital Researchs Gary kildall that was first contacted to supply the software for the new IBM PC but as matter of luck he turned it down preferring to fly in his airplane. This made IBM to contact bill gates who went on to supply PC DOS which was developed into windows. The table below represents the attributes of Strategy as design and Strategy Judgment, each of which exhibits the characteristics of Strategy as Science and Strategy as art respectively. STRATEGY AS ART OR SCIENCE..The concept of Strategic Thinking The term Problem Solving is most often scientific related which is an activity of finding the solution to a problem; this could also be defined with respect to strategic problems where the problem solving activity is finding a solution. Hitt explained, the concept of strategic thinking where Mintzberg also argued that Strategic Planning is an analytical process aimed at programming already identified strategies which exhibits strategy as a science, however, strategic thinking is believed to be a synthesizing process, utilizing intuition and creativity, whose outcome is an integrated perspective of the enterprise, this sees strategy as an art. Strategic Thinking denotes all thinking about strategy with specific characteristics. According to Nasi (1999) Strategic Thinking extends both to the formulation and execution of strategies by business leaders and to the strategic performance of the total enterprise and for Mintzberg (1994) who is one of the foremost advocates of strategic thinking, argued that, the term is not merely alternative nomenclature for everything falling under the umbrella of strategic management; rather it is a particular way of thinking with specific characteristics. On both two issues discussed on whether strategy is seen as a Science or an Art, a whole spectrum of views exists most of which are highlighted in the table below on the aforementioned two schools of thought on strategy. Business strategies are usually developed from a companys mission statement which is basically a statement of a companys dream and aspiration for its future based on its plans. The success of any strategy however depends on its implementation this is because strategy is more an art than a science. Science test for facts using established laws of physics whereas art deals with expressions of concepts, thoughts and ideas. In this way it mostly mimics the use of business strategies not as a way to test for the success or failure of a companys goals but rather a way to express the desire of its management for the future of the company. However, there are aspects of science in the way strategies are formed, planned and executed. The entrepreneurial school of thought sees strategy as a visionary process, it stresses the use of a cocktail of insight, judgment and intuition in the formation of strategies and this articulates the importance of judgment in business strategy For example in the decisive battle of the ball-point pen between Bic, Parker, Sheaffer and Waterman, Bics strategy that eventually won the battle was based on a very important judgment of the market need in devising a cheaper and better version of the biro pen. Bic realized that the cost of a Parker Pen which dominated the market at the time was exorbitant and it devised a strategy to reengineer its design to produce cheaper pens which could be sold for a few cents and this meant they were disposable and as such were widely adopted. Burnes (2004) wrote, Mintzberg views approach to strategy as a virtue, he compared art of strategic making to pottery and managers to potters who mould the clay with the shape of the object evolving in the hands, this can be reflected in Emergent Strategy, strategy that evolves according to need which is constantly adjusted and adapted and Crafting Strategy, developing strategy according to the needs of the organisation and environment, thus seeing strategy as an art. 205. Contrarily, Burnes further argued through the works of Hoskin (1990) who claimed Pennsylvannia Railwayss executives, Herman Haupt should be given credit for initiating a business strategy which made use of full interactive play of grammatocentrism and calculability, thus implying strategy to be a quantitatively-oriented discipline which focuses on numerical analysis for market forecast , thus portraying strategy as a science Mintzberg et al, (1998) developed in the early 1960s two schools of thought for strategy; Planning school and Design school. The Planning school was pioneered by Igor Ansoff (1965) which was based on formal procedures, formal training, formal analysis and quantification this was based more on abstract thinking. The Design school, pioneered by Chandler (1962) placed more emphasis on appraisal of organisations opportunities and threat. Mintzberg also laid out the five main interrelated definitions of strategy The Strategy as a perspective mentioned above sees strategy as an abstract concept, mainly existing in peoples mind, which characterizes strategy as an art. In addition, Mintzberg et al, Johnson (1987) further argued strategy as a social science through three views of business strategy JOHNSONS VIEWS OF STRATEGY Rationalistic view: sees strategy as an outcome of series of preplanned actions designed to achieve goals. Emphasizes strategy as a science i.e. systematic and rational attributes Adaptive or incremental view: sees strategy evolving through an accumulation of relatively small changes over time. Emphasizes strategy as art i.e. dynamic and creativity Interpretive view: sees strategy as product of individual and collective attempts to make sense of. Emphasizes strategy as a science i.e. interpreting, evidence, past events etc. Burnes (2004) continued the argument between strategy being an analytical stream (formulating strategy rather than prescribing) or prescriptive (controlled, prescriptive process on strategy based on rational model of decision making) through Mintzberg et al, Johnson work on whether strategy is a process or an a rational phenomenon but the classifications of various approach to strategy was absent which Whittongton emphasized in his four generic approaches to strategy. WHITTINGTONS GENERIC APPROACH TO LONDON Classical Approach: portrays strategy as a rational process based on analysis and quantification (strategy as science) Evolutionary approaches: uses analogy of biological evolution to describe strategy development through prediction. (Strategy as a science) Processual Approach: concentrates on nature of organisational and market processes (Strategy as art) Systemic Approach: sees strategy as a link to dominant features of the local systems, involving deliberate process, planning and predictability. (Strategy as science) An effective business strategy may include both strategic thinking and the essential elements of a strategic planning process, thus, strategic planning can drive out strategic thinking. Harrison (2003) mentioned that, Henry Mintzberg, a famous strategist defined strategic planning as an analytical process aimed at carrying out strategies that have already been identified and strategic thinking involves intuition and creativity, i.e. it is so rigid that it tend to drive-out the creative-thinking processes which accentuates strategy as an art, its way of synthesizing stimuli from the internal and external environments in creating and integrated perspective of an organisation, this displays the scientific base of strategy. Strategic thinking is seen as crafting strategic architecture thus characterized by essential elements highlighted in the below by Harrison (2003), Intent Focused: Built on managerial vision of where the firm is going and what it is trying to become. This is called strategic intent Comprehensive: A system perspective which envisions the firm as a part of a larger system of value creation. It, understands the linkages between the firm and the other parts of the system. Opportunistic: Seizes unanticipated opportunities presented to the firm Long-Term Oriented: Goes beyond the here and now. Looks several years into the future at what the firm will become, based on its strategic intent. Built on Past and Present: It doesnt ignore the past or present but instead, learns from the past and further builds on a foundation of realities of the present. Hypothesis Driven: A sequential process in which creative ideas are then critically evaluated. Is willing to take a risk STRATEGIC LUCK While some firms hope to yield above expected normal returns from implementing business strategies, they must however be consistently conversant with the future value of those strategies than other firms playing in the same market. Other firms gain advantage in strategy implementation which is either a manifestation of these special insights into the future value of strategies, or a manifestation of a firms good fortune and luck, as sometimes, the price of the strategic resource acquired may be based on expectations on the return potential of that strategy However, unexpected greater organisational profits can simply be unexpected, a surprise, and a manifestation of a firms good luck and possibly not its ability to accurately anticipate the future value of a strategy. Even well-informed firms can be lucky in this manner. Some organizations actual returns on strategies could be greater than the expected returns; this resulting difference is often regarded to be manifestation of a firms unexpected good fortune. Although most of the success of the company has been deliberate and designed, luck has also been part of it. Luck can also play a role in the formation of business strategy as was the case of the battle of the ball-point pen, when Chicago businessman Milton Reynolds, stumbled upon a new product on a business trip to Argentina, he then bought a few samples knowing that another company Eversharp had bought the patents for a million dollars and widely publicised it, devised a strategy to be first to market in order to take opportunity of the publicity already gained in the US. Reynolds then sold the Pens for hefty prices to anxiously waiting customers thereby making millions of profit. Strategic luck can be demonstrated in the success of the POST-IT Notes originally developed the firm 3M. The idea of Post -it notes came from Dr Spencer in 1968 but didnt emerge until 6 years later when it appears to be a solution for a problem of Art Fry (a colleague of Dr Spencer at 3M) in finding songs quickly in his Hymnal book. Even though Dr Spencer was talking to colleagues and anyone ready to listen about his discovery, no one really knew how to use it until Art Fry came up with the idea of using the post it note to retrieve quickly what he needed from his hymnal book. As a result post it notes became really popular and was used in almost every office. Had it not been the problem Art Fry that require a solution post it notes may not have known the success they had and still have. (Big success) The more accurate an organisations expectations about a potential strategys return are, the less luck plays in generating above normal returns but when the organisation has less than perfect expectations, luck can play a role in determining an organisations returns to implementing its strategies. Consequently, strategies yielding above normal returns may be as a result of a firms ability to uniquely implement a strategy which either reflects the competence of the firm to make accurate expectations, underestimating the true value of the strategy or it had no special expectations but the strategy still yielded above normal returns, these are real reflections of a firms good fortune and luck. Exxon recorded its fourth-straight year profits, enduring wild swings in oil prices and a worldwide drop in demand in 2008. Falling oil prices in the latter half of 2008 hurt its oil production arm (CNN Money.com, 2009). Thus, Barney (1985) explained, because luck is, by definition, out of a firms control, an important question for managers becomes, How can firms become consistently better informed about the value of strategies they are implementing than any other firms? Firms that are successful at doing this can, over time, expect to obtain higher returns from implementing strategies than less well-informed firms, although, as always, firms can be lucky. Another perspective of luck is that it only affects performance of strategy in a few instances but which when averaged out over a lengthy period of time appears to be insignificant. These two views are consistent with scientific inquirys assumption of causality. This perspective is most evident in sports, whereby a team like Manchester united may perform poorly in a few games due to some bad luck but will generally do better than the other teams over the course of the season due to their superior football strategy. STRATEGY AS DESIGN Johnson, Scholes, Whittington (2005) introduced the idea of strategic lenses[1] which design lens is part of, they explained the design lens as a strategy idea formulated through objective and careful analysis and planning which is implemented down throughout the organisation by the top management. Johnson et al stated, Strategy as design views strategy development as the deliberate positioning of the organisation through a rational, analytic, structured and direct process. Johnson et al (2008), argues that strategic design basically builds on two main principles; Managers are, or should be, rational decision makers. Managers should be taking decisions about how to optimise economic performance of their organisations. Although most strategies are by design or deliberate, some of them are however emergent. Porter (1990) was one of the proponents of deliberate strategy which argue for the creation of detailed plans on which a business can exert its full influence because market conditions will be relatively stable for the strategic planning period. Mintzberg, a Proponent of the emergent school of thought argued for the creation of objectives or goals for the future of the company but leaving the implementation to the flexibility of market forces. In order words Mintzberg advocates leaving the strategy open to changes in market conditions. These schools of thought make it inappropriate for me to agree with the statement that strategy is a mixture of design as this is not always the case. The success of Amazon can be attributed to the design of its strategy. Following the effervescence of online shopping, Amazon has successfully designed its strategy to meet customers requirements and needs in a way. It has allowed customers to shop from their homes, offices or any other locations without having to physically go in the shop. Amazon also appears to offer a wide range of products and services, and gives the chance to post any comments, rate the products their bought and offer review for products as well which helps buyers in their choice. Amazon has grown from strength to strength over the years as a result of this well design strategy. (Bokardo) Rational choice is being based on the consideration of the decision making consequences and thus be the anticipations of the future effects of possible actions. Invariably by implication, considerations would be given to the diverse benefits and limitations of different strategic options on the basis of evidence that informs on the likely outcomes of decisions made. As Johnson et al (2008) stated, the assumptions typically underpinning a design view of strategy are in two forms which are as follows: In terms of how strategic decisions are made: Systematic Analysis Strategic positioning, an analysis that provides basis for the comparing organisational strengths and resources with changes in its environment in order to be able to take full advantage of opportunities and circumvent threats. Analytic thinking precedes and governs action Objectives are clear and explicit and basis upon which options are evaluated. Making assumptions about the form and nature of organisations Organizations are hierarchies. Organisations are rational systems Organizations are mechanisms by which strategy can be put into effect. STRATEGIC OPPORTUNISM Just as in science field, strategic planning demonstrates the importance of the use of rigorous flexible methods, results and theories in order to take advantage of strategic opportunities with an impact by improving the direction of the knowledge thats been produced. The above expresses the term strategic opportunism an ability to remain focused on long-term objectives while staying flexible enough to solve day-to-day problems and recognize new opportunities. A managers most important role is to plan a long-term, strategic course for the company, keeping the company geared towards that direction. Given that goals are often static contrary to the business environment, success in this role could however elude managers as each day brings an incessant stream of surprises, new information and opportunities. It can be said that the difference between successful and failing companies is in their ability to sense and respond to opportunism in their business environments. Mintzberg Environmental school of thought sees strategy formation as a reactive process, in effect a response to the external environment. The importance of opportunism to the overall strategy of a company cannot be over emphasized be it technological or financial opportunism. Bernand stated, the challenge for managers, then, is to maintain both flexibility and direction. While no magic formula exists for balancing todays plan against a five-year plan, strategic opportunism can be an effective way to respond to immediate concerns while setting and pursuing long-term goals. This can be illustrated in the case of the Snapple Beverage Corporation, a drink company that was founded in 1972. Having known a good success in the 1990s in the cold channel dominated by small independent drinks distributors, Snapple was bought in 1992 for $143 million by a private firm (Thomas H. Lee) that sold it a year a later after taking in public for the $1.7 billion to a successful firm, Quaker Oats. However under the ownership of Quaker, Snapple was deficient, thus it was later sold in 1997 for the modest sum of $300 million to the Triarc Company. Triarc took this opportunity (of getting a company for a small price) and put back Snapple on track, using the niche market they were previously in, instead of following the mistakes of other firms that wanted Snapple to compete with big brand names. Triarc used the failure Quaker oats as an opportunity and made it as they sold Snapple in 2000 for the staggering sum of $1.4 billion to Cadbury Schweppes. Strategic opportunism focuses mainly on identifying and exploiting the immediate market opportunities at hand with a view to leverage the companys existing strategic assets and competencies and avoids commitment.Harrison (2003) argued that, although strategic thinking is based on strategic intent, it does exhibit a certain level of intelligent opportunism, which he defined as the ability of managers to take advantage of unanticipated opportunities to further intended strategy or redirect a strategy. Therefore, it can be concluded that Strategic Opportunism is characterized by the following according to Aaker (2004): Driven by a focus on the present. Premise that environment is so dynamic and uncertain that it is not feasible to aim at a future target. Strategic flexibility and willingness to respond to opportunities is necessary. Change is the norm. Minimizes risk of missing emerging opportunities. Reduces risk of strategic stubbornness. Requires decentralized structure. Needs entrepreneurial personnel. STRATEGIC JUDGMENT Judgement is usually what the decision makers add to uncertainties or ambiguities in any business strategy. Arguably, its believed that managers gain judgment through past experience and its the experience of specific situations and activities that gives specific types of judgment. Pettigrew (1973) argue that experience is the most important source of what managers call their personal development. Mumford (1980) and Stuart (1986) stated that, the process of acquiring the experience which shapes managerial judgment can also be facilitated by working with those who have already demonstrated ownership of the desired qualities of judgment. Conclusively, since strategic judgment has been attributed to experience acquired, thus, can be related to Strategy as experience which is one of the strategy lenses. According Johnson et al (2005), The Strategy experience lens views strategy development as the outcome of individual and collective experience of individuals and their taken-for-granted assumptions most often represented by cultural influences. Thus, an apparently coherent strategy of an organisation may develop on the basis of a series of strategic moves of which make sense in terms of previous moves. Its being discussed that strategic judgment most often influenced by experience, which can be further broken down into various forms. Managerial judgment in strategy planning or formulation could be as a result of certain circumstances, development and experience. Furthermore, Johnson et al (2005) discussed the elements that act as influence on judgment: Individual Experience and Bias Individual experience could be in terms of the mental (cognitive) models people build over time to help make sense of their situation. It exhibits certain characteristics; Cognitive bias is inevitable The future is dependent and related to in terms of the past experience Bargaining and negotiation between high-ranking individuals in terms of how issues are being understood Collective experience and organisational culture Johnson et al (2005) defined Organisational culture as, the basic assumptions and beliefs that are shared by members of an organisation, that operate unconsciously and define in a basic taken-for-granted fashion an organisations view of itself and its environment. Its also depicted in these characteristics; Managers understanding of the strategic position of their organisation Likelihood of strategic drift[2] Innovation requiring the questioning and challenge of basic assumptions The taken-for-grantedness of a firm may include its strengths which may provide bases for competitive advantage. CONCLUSION In summary, Strategy as design describes the strategic management process which is really the steps and sub-processes of an organisations strategy needed to maintain or improve the organisations performance. Its also been argued that business strategy requires judgment. Though, judgment is most often a personal evaluation and analysis which each individual is committed to, firms and managers captured by their past have higher resistance to change and low in innovation. Conclusively, some innovative business strategies are determined by culture of managers and organisations with their personal judgment, expectations and adequate design methodologies planning, others are simply a variation of luck owning to the fact that some firms just happened to be in the right place at the right time, by taking full advantage of some opportunities that may arise in the global market place, thus, realising it and then developing it into a successful strategy. REFERENCES Aaker, D (2004) Strategic Market Management (7th Edition) England: John Wiley Sons, Inc Burnes, B (2004), Managing Change (4th Edition) England: Pearson Education De Wit, B Meyer, R (1998) STRATEGY: Process, Content, Context (2nd Edition) London: Thompson Learning Fifield P. (1998), Marketing Strategy, 2nd Edition Butterworth: Heinemann. Harrison, J (2003), Strategic Management of Resources and Relationships: Concepts and Cases USA: John Wiley Sons Hitt, M.A; Freeman, R.E and Harrison, J.S (2001), The Blackwell Handbook of Strategic Management, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers