Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Ansoff versus Three Generic Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Ansoff versus Three Generic Strategies - Essay Example What is also important to understand that Porter also suggested three important strategies which can be used in order to successfully deal with five forces. Though Porter’s Generic strategies as well as the Five Forces model is considered effective however, there are also other alternative models outlining as to how a firm can successfully deal with the competition and make strategic decisions. One such model is the Ansoff’s Matrix which is also called the Product Market Expansion Grid. Developed in 1975, this matrix largely depends upon the product as well as the industry in which a firm operates and resultantly offers different choices to a firm in order to deal with different strategic challenges. Ansoff’s Matrix suggests four important strategic alternatives available to a firm to successfully operate under a given competitive scenario. These strategies include market penetration, product development, Market Development as well as diversification. This paper will attempt to first explain and explore Five Forces Model along with three generic strategies as suggested by Porter to successfully outperform other firms in the industry. Finally a comparison will be made between three strategies and the Ansoff’s Matrix to strategic development.... These are some of the key factors which need to be looked at in order to critically assess as to how the suppliers may have an impact on the firm. This is also critical owing to the fact that reliance on one supplier or few suppliers may geoperadize the overall position of a firm within an industry and therefore it is critical for a firm to assess this power in more critical manner. Buyers’ Power Buyers’ Power is also critical in the sense that it directly defines as to how the demand dynamics of the firm will behave if buyers have relatively superior bargaining power. This factor becomes more critical if the firm is involved in the B2B type of business with large buyers forming stronger clout. Factors such as brand identity, sensitivity towards price changes, threat of backward integration as well as the availability of substitutes can really define as to how buyers may have an impact on the firm. Threat of New Entrants When an industry is profitable and the prospects of earning profitability are sizeable, new firms tend to enter into the market in order to share the gains. Thus the overall threat of new entrants is considered as significant for any firm working in any industry. Factors such as barriers to entry, cost advantages as well as economies of scale and stronger brands are some of the factors which can allow a firm to successfully meet the threat of new entrants in the market. It is also important for a firm to critically assess this possibility and develop its competitive advantage and core competencies so that it can successfully withstand the challenges posed by the new firms. Threat of Substitutes Threat of substitutes can also be an important force which can result into significant strategic challenges for a firm. Threat of substitutes

Monday, October 28, 2019

Readers response to The Last Library Essay Example for Free

Readers response to The Last Library Essay The narrative ‘The Last Library’, by A. K. Benedict is a collision between real life and fantasy where meaningful past treasures can often be forgotten and disregarded in a fast paced world. In a way it invokes thought about a current issue in North American society today, the progression of new technologies and how we have become dependent on these new technologies as a source of entertainment. Modern day culture has been immersed in a craze of technology allowing immediate access to information and entertainment. Smart phones, tablets, social media sites, and all the vast  information of the internet that is only clicks of a mouse away has caused people to forget the wonders that a library can hold. Much of Society has forgotten how to entertain itself through imagination by reading stories. The text is slightly ambiguous I feel, as though the author wants us to create our own meaningful interpretation of the story. ‘The Last Library’ is a narrative that critiques the idea of how modern day North American culture has seemed to have forgotten about the many wonders of past treasures. The story does this by focusing on the exaggerated view of a young girl, using fiction entwined with real life problems to help us as readers to reflect on the magic places your imagination can take you when reading a book. Interpretation of the written word is shaped by the reader’s own experiences and steers each reader, ambiguously at times, towards a meaning which will differ for each reader as his or her mind interprets specific moments. The author puts forth clues in helping the reader to determine the implied reader of this text; I would consider myself to be closer to the implied reader. The implied reader can be defined as the reader imagined by the text (Grinnell 21). I have lived in a time where libraries were the primary and often times the sole source for knowledge and entertainment, as am I part of modern society entrenched in our current time of modern technology. The Guide’s (Maggie) comment referring to the last library being â€Å"Old exhibit. It’s not interactive† (Benedict 217) makes me reflect on how libraries have become obsolete in our current technological age because they are not interactive in the way  smart phones and tablets allow a person to be. This quote demonstrates a specific feeling I can sympathize with where technology, because it is so interactive, has become the dominant source of information and entertainment. A reader’s own experiences shape the interpretation of the written word. In the story the young girl thinks to herself, â€Å"Her mind is always full of stories, and now there are more outside her† (Benedict 220). This makes me ponder my own childhood and all the wonderful books such as Harry Potter or  old favorite The Saggy Baggy Elephant and all the magical stories from childhood that are treasures I will always hold inside and have helped shape who I became. The meaning of this story can seem vague at moments as the story is more fable than real life, but it does incorporate real life issues. We live in a fast paced world where progress dominates. Simple treasures are often passed over or forgotten for the sake of progress and money, and libraries are an endangered treasure. The Guide’s comment â€Å"It’s a rare event for the museum but they have to  make way for other last things. That’s progress† (Benedict 221) when the books are to be destroyed enforces this thought of â€Å"Out with the old in with the new†, which is the meaning I would take from this story. This narrative â€Å"The Last Library† creates as sense of how North American culture tends to forget the past when seeking new and exciting things. The story focused on the library but also made mention of other past things such as the Dodo or Cuckoo clock; both things we now only see in a  museum or archival instances as their time and place in history have passed. â€Å"The last museum in itself† mentioned in this short story grips the imagination and conjures up wonder if one day â€Å"will anyone care about the past? † Works Cited Benedict, A. K. The Last Library. Paraxis 2011. Rpt. in Custom Course Materials: ENGL 153. Ed. George C. Grinnell. Kelowna: U of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, 2014. 217-224. Print. Grinnell, George C. Critical Practice: Critical Approaches to Narratives English 153.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Integrating Democracy with Tibetan Buddhism :: Politics Political

Integrating Democracy with Tibetan Buddhism The combination of a religion and a political philosophy do not automatically allow for the most congruous applications. Tibetan Buddhism has been the main stay of a country that has been ruled by a monarchy, through a religious figurehead, and by a socialist republic, all of which seem to have their political frustrations in preserving the Tibetan society. The political spectrum now questions how well the Buddhist tradition integrates the values of democratic theory. The previous applications of Buddhism in a role of government are necessary to analyze in order to properly investigate the application of the Buddhist tradition into a political framework. The structure of the Tibetan government before the invasion of the Chinese in 1950 was a mixture of the monastic influence and the nobles. The authority of the Dalai Lama reigned over the monasteries and religious order as well as over the administrative obligations of the Country. The search for the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama ensures not only leadership of the country from the Buddha of Compassion but also implies that the reign of government is not hereditary, but based on wisdom and guidance for the people and much less on political situations, although these would still much be a factor in ruling. The hierarchical establishment of this division remained partially mixed so that the monks in office balanced the nobles and the monks were checked by the nobles, however the mona stic influence remained the dominant of the two. The legacy of the aristocracy was more an element of the older reign of Tibet from a monarchy and class distinction and the religious influence was more dominant with the newer establishment and really established until the fourteenth century with the teacher Tsong Khapa. This checks and balances involved in the government may only be the confluence of an older tradition mixing in with the new in order to maintain a smooth transition, but it may also exhibit the balance necessary to a government lead by Buddhist thought. Buddhism is not merely a doctrine that is automatically to be accepted and instilled as the truth, rather it has to be taught and allow the people to come to it.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Educational Administration and leadership

These are the most salient problems that the superintendent faces in her new job. (i) Complacency This is the general contentment with the state of affairs in the district system. In my opinion this is most salient of the problems since it presents a culture that has taken time to develop. Its effects are that the stakeholders fail to see their vulnerabilities and do not see the need to change. This culture is deeply ingrained in Harmony district such that any effort to bring change will definitely be resisted and this is not something that’s going to be resolved easily. As it is a mind that has learnt to think in a certain pattern will not easily be taught otherwise. The areas of complacency include: Non-compliance with the teaching evaluation program – The school district management team, teachers and parents have gotten used to not complying with these rules and it will take firm action to ensure compliance. (ii) Inequities – racial and poverty segregation This presents a special problem to the improvement of the district school system. This is a major obstacle not just to the school system but to the development of the entire region. The effects segregation are deep rooted and not easily resolved. Segregation is a social evil that requires diligent and patient campaign. It adversely affects the education system because when a school is economically segregated and under funded it affects the spending and consequently the quality of a school. This in turn affects the performance. (iii) Personnel This is a countrywide problem. The majority of teachers are old and waiting for the age to retire. This means that they are not so keen on utilizing the modern methods of teaching. Their teaching style is out-dated and is not relevant to today’s changing world. They do not prepare their students to be adequately prepared for the challenges of today’s world. The superintendent has to ensure that the state mandate is followed and that teaching models used prepare students adequately. This problem is not very easy to resolve since the superintendent cannot hire or retire teachers. However one of the actions will be to ensure that the state mandate is complied with and all teachers evaluated regularly. The teaching models have to be up to date and should take into account the changing role of education in today’s world. iv) Financial mismanagement This is a form of corruption and the problem with any form of corruption is that those who practice it will always fight back any efforts to stop them. However this problem is put as the fourth priority because it’s slightly easier to resolve. These are always laid down procedures in all financial undertakings and the superintendent will have to ensure transparency and accountability by for instance putting in place an independent audit committee that will look into the books of accounts and ensure that no funds are misappropriated. The superintendent will ensure that financial regulations that concern the school system are followed. An audit committee will also be formed to examine all the books of accounts. Another strategy is will be ensuring that the responsibility of overseeing the budgeting and appropriation of funds does not lie on an individual/person but on a board to take care of this important responsibility. (v) Lack of support from assistants The 3 associates’ superintendents have openly disclosed their diverted interests. The fact that they didn’t get the coveted position makes them not be the best working mates. Their support willingly given would go a long way in ensuring the success of the changes that need to be made. Without it the superintendent’s job becomes more challenging. (vi) Low level of education among parents Parents who have not attended college are less likely to encourage their children to seek further education in colleges. This has led to the small number of students furthering their education after high school and to some extent the low population of students attending high school in the district. (vii) Indiscipline Scholl indiscipline is reported in the schools closest to the metropolitan centre. This is a thorny issue that needs to be urgently addressed since the potential of disrupting learning and aversely affected performance. Solutions Complacency This problem will take a lot of firmness and strength of will on the part of the superintendent. It is not going to be easy to inspire change to the people especially with the three associate superintendents not promising any support. However it can be done through the following steps: – †¢ Laying down the problem of pointing the vision for the future. †¢ Ensuring proper and effective communication with the stakeholders. This will ensure that people own the process or at least understanding why the changes must be made. †¢ Taking firm action in areas of complacency. Ensure that areas are non-compliance with the state mandate and so forth. Personnel This is a countrywide problem. The majority of teachers are old and waiting for the age to retire. This means that they are not so keen on utilizing the modern methods of teaching. Their teaching style is out-dated and is not relevant to today’s changing world. They do not prepare their students to be adequately prepared for the challenges of today’s world. The superintendent has to ensure that the state mandate is followed and that teaching models used prepare students adequately. This problem is not very easy to resolve since the superintendent cannot hire or retire teachers. However one of the actions will be to ensure that the state mandate is complied with and all teachers evaluated regularly. The teaching models have to be up to date and should take into account the changing role of education in today’s world. Financial mismanagement This is a form of corruption and the problem with any form of corruption is that those who practice it will always fight back any efforts to stop them. However this problem is put as the fourth priority because it’s slightly easier to resolve. These are always laid down procedures in all financial undertakings and the superintendent will have to ensure transparency and accountability by for instance putting in place an independent audit committee that will look into the books of accounts and ensure that no funds are misappropriated. The superintendent will ensure that financial regulations that concern the school system are followed. An audit committee will also be formed to examine all the books of accounts. Another strategy is will be ensuring that the responsibility of overseeing the budgeting and appropriation of funds doesn’t lie on an individual/ person but forms are board to take care of this important responsibility. QUESTION 2 (i) One of the first personnel decisions the superintendent will make will be to increase the number of staff at the professional development office. This is from understanding that this office plays a crucial role in the district. It is the office charged with the responsibility of managing the school district’s teacher evaluation system. Currently teacher evaluation has not been happening in accordance to the state mandate. One staff member is not able to accomplish all that needs to be done. This office is also charged with the responsibility of giving assistance and support to new teachers. The fact that this office has not been functional in the last many years has affected the orientation process for the new teachers in the district. Having nowhere to turn to they now seek help from principals and other experienced teachers within their schools. These principals and teachers may be too busy or may not be objective in their giving of assistance. This has led to new teachers not being properly oriented. This will in turn affect their future work. Again this department will make it possible to motivate and boost the morale of the new teachers. (ii) Initiate comprehensive staff development program This program will be designed with the view of training teachers and will incorporate improvement plans. The time for planning will be set out in the program and the teachers being trained will be exempted from their normal responsibilities. The superintendent will recommend to the district board the adoption of performance pay policy for school principals who show remarkable performance. This will serve to encourage principals to spur the teacher within their schools to work even harder with their students so that they may improve their performance. This is in accordance to the human resource concept of giving incentives to outstanding performance in order to motivate them. Question 3. A curriculum philosophy refers to a set of values, beliefs and ideologies that guide educational administrators in the execution of their day to day duties. The numerous challenges facing Harmony District School system calls for a superintendent with a focused mind, one who is able to dissect through the problems of the school system and thereafter offer long lasting solutions to the inequities rampant in the area, the lax educational administrators , the dysfunctional teacher support services as well as the dismal performance of the schools , the increasingly agitated parents, the ignorant the ignorant and unsupportive parents all require a superintendent with a strong philosophy. A strong and reproducible curriculum philosophy is not only a guide to the superintendent but also serves as guidance to the whole district school system in dealing with the existing challenges and issues. The superintendent will have to borrow from similar cases in other systems especially from where they are transferring from. Additionally, the superintendent will rely heavily on the almost 30years field experience to deal with the staff as well as the parent body which clearly are not functioning in a manner likely to yield into a synergetic effect. Performance is the greatest challenge for the incoming superintendent. The statistics clearly point to a scenario whereby only very few students make it to the grade level. A comparative. As the new superintendent, the following curriculum if followed would result in the school system regaining new strengths and therefore uplifting the school performance. By emphasizing on non-compromise to quality, the superintendent will ensure that through better management staff, and especially then 253 veterans will use traditional instructional methods and have gone un-inspected for 5 years are inspected and such incidences do not recur in future. Usually such occurrences are caused by laxity on the part of the associate superintendents as well as the superintendent. If such a problem occurs at the superintendent’s office, this can only mean that matters are worse off in the schools. This has a bearing on the motivation of teachers as well as of the students and therefore performance is affected. Specifically, to bring the poor performing schools in the north area feeder system would simply require; adherence to state mandate on inspection and evaluation, addressing the inequality issues such as resources, enough teachers and enough administrators. Integration as a curriculum philosophy calls for amalgamation of the school system into the needs of the students and parents with an aim of ensuring that the schools provide and impart self sustaining education. By achieving the above, the superintendent is able to save the whole school system. The involvement of the local community in all of the above measures is of core importance in that the community is a big stake holder of the school and therefore all measures must get the approval of the community in the sense that it is the community that naturally should benefit from the school system. Currently that is not the case because the school system has ceased to adhere to state mandate rules and regulations. 4) You are to assume that Harmony School District is in a state with precisely the same laws as yours. You are concerned that the student performance data is evidence of inequities in the system and you are concerned that the school district has become complacent with these inequities. What problems presented in this case are related to issues of power and domination? Harmony school district must be made to deal with the rampant cases of inequities. The worst thing is the fact that this inequities currently happening do happen under the watch of the law enforcers. The superintendent is mandated to oversee the whole school system in the district. The law has to some degree protected the marginalized communities from discrimination and unfair treatment but at the same time it has failed to freely address the problem which studies have shown as a major contributor to poor performance in some schools in the Harmony school district. The above mentioned problems can only be addressed through the implementation of the state laws regarding education and which calls for and guarantees equal opportunities in the school system regardless of ones racial background. Although the law has been in place for decades it is evident that, it has not dealt and addresses the problems conclusively and effectively. Therefore there is a need for a more concerted effort towards the protection of the minority groups especially in the African-American community whose entry to grade – level is pathetic and wanting. The other legislation which needs urgent review is the school administration Act which calls for all education officials to be vigilant in making sure that the laxity observed in the school system for the past 5 years is done away with. Specifically, the following issues need urgent attention from the superintendent; Resource allocation is another issue, the fact that there is only one professional development staff is an indicator of neglected and dysfunctional school system. This can only be referred to as lack o human resource and it is a pointer to inequality in the resource distribution in the Harmony schools districts. The fact that, the schools have not had, their classroom buildings repaired for the past 5 years is a further testimony that the system is fully mismanaged and there is inequity in resource allocation. There is a need for equitable resource allocation from the state education department with an aim of ensuring that all schools no matter their locations or the social class have access to equal and adequate learning facilities including all necessary resources such as teachers, staff and materials. Without equitable resource distribution the pertinent issues of poor performance as well as other challenges facing the school system shall continue to haunt the school system and the superintendent in charge. Therefore the funding of the schools in the country need to be looked at afresh with an aim of helping out places like Harmony schools districts which is facing unprecedented challenges. The numerous sit-ins by parents is something which the superintendent needs to be wary about mainly because the trend may lead to general disturbances in the schools further affecting performance. This becomes a reality due to the fact that, if the parents are taking part in sit-ins or strikes then the children may take after them and the situation may further complicates an already complicated situation. The issue of power and domination is evident in the school system. The fact that, the white students perform better than others from other backgrounds is a pointer of power wars in the schools which may imply a dominance by children from well to do parents. Dominance is also evident in the way the parents who work in the nearby town in professional jobs are more active in the affairs of the school and even have seconded representatives to board meetings. This is an indicator that, the above are advantages as compared to their colleagues who do blue-color jobs who do not actively participate in the day to day running o the schools. Finally this is reflected in the performance of students therefore resulting into inequities.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Business Context And Strategic Environment Essay

In the modern business arena, stiff competition has made many companies to diversify their product line in order to retain the existing customers and attract new ones. In addition, firms have established strong ties with their customers through effective fulfillment of ethical and social obligations. This has not only resulted to high profits for such companies but it has also enhanced strong customers’ loyalty and good image to both the government and the general public. This paper keenly discusses the ways in which Easy Jet, an airline company based in London fulfils its ethical and social obligations. Easy Jet Company is a major airline company in Britain which is known for its large number of routes and high number of passengers. With more than 500 routes the company is able to effectively carry its passengers to different regions including North Africa, West Asian and in European countries. One of the major reason as to why Easy Jet Company has been performing well in the market is due to the application of the acquisition strategy. By acquiring other smaller companies, Easy Jet Company has been able to widen its customer’s base leading to higher profits. Ethically the company has been in the fore front in ensuring that passengers have been provided with quality services. In order to ensure that passengers are attracted towards the company services, the management team led by Carolyn McCall, the CEO has reduced the prices of its services. This in turn has created a strong positive relationship between the customers and the company (Dunn and Graham, 2007). Environment conservation strategies are other social aspects which Easy Jet Company has effectively established. This is based on the fact that due to its high number of routes, the company aircrafts emits high amount of carbon which is a major cause of global warming. In order to address noise pollution which is also a major challenge facing the company Easy Jet has adopted ICAO which is a strategy aiming at improving their aircrafts and reducing noise. In the same way, the company has undertaken some major strategies in collaboration with other companies in order to reduce environmental pollution. The first strategy is that the company has reduced unnecessary flights. This has been achieved through introduction of point to point technique. This implies that aircrafts will minimize extra routes in order to reduce the level of carbon emitted in the air. In addition, the company has adopted the policy of taking the shortest distance between any two destinations. As a result, the amount of carbon emitted by the Easy Jet aircrafts has drastically reduced leading to environmental benefits. Secondly, the company effectively utilizes its resources and aircrafts. This entails maintaining an average flight time of 1. 9 hours and 20 minutes turn around time. Thirdly, Easy Jet uses the services of new aircrafts in its operations. By retiring old aircrafts and adopting modern ones the company has been able to maintain environmental friendly policies. This has also been achieved through replacement of the aircrafts after every 10 years of operations. Similarly Easy Jet has adopted modern technology which aims at reducing the amount of fuel used and giving information to the cabin crew about the rate of fuel consumption by the aircrafts. Through the introduction of a modern aircraft referred to as A319, the company has been able to reduce the consumption of fuel by 2%. As a way of showing its commitment in conserving environment, Easy Jet greatly contributed in the formation of European Single Sky regulations which are geared towards reduction of negativities brought about by flight delays. The company has also participated in various meeting with other European based companies in order to ensure that air pollution is effectively addressed. Use of modern technology is another factor which has made Easy Jet maintains a high level of professionalism. This involves adoption of paperless office. Through the use of computers and scanners, the hard copy documents are scanned and then disposed. The company has a well maintained recycling facility which ensures that all the papers used are reused and sensitive company information effectively is properly secured. In the same way the company packaging policies ensures that the materials used in packing its products can be easily recycled. In order to ensure that waste materials from the company are at minimal level, the company has emulated products which are not perishable. Easy Jet Corporations has taken various measures in order to fulfill its social obligations. Open office policy is one of the major aspects which have been adopted by the company in order to create an effective interaction between the employees and the senior managers. In turn, this has enhanced high level of motivation among the employees leading to a rise in their level of productivity. Another significant social aspect adopted by Easy Jet is the use of intranet. This has improved the operations of the company in that the employees and other stakeholders have been able to contribute in the decision making process in the company (Jones and Lois 2007). In addition, the use of intranet has enabled the employees and the customers to be informed about the daily and long term operations of the company. In order to make the employees be part of the company, senior managers have provided opportunities through which employees can publish various issue which affects them during their duties. Such issues include technical, costs of operations and employment aspects. Through regular updates via intranet, customers are able to arrange with the company regarding their journeys. Easy Jet social obligations have also been achieved through the use of online chart forum which is initiated monthly in order to create a strong connection between the directors and the employees. In order to supplement the benefits of the intranet within the company, directors have also introduced magazines which have wide range of information regarding the company. Examples of such magazines are Plane times, Cabin fever and The stable approach. Extrinsic motivation of the employees is also an imperative social issue that Easy Jet Company has initiated. This has been achieved by adopting GoMAD rewards scheme whose aim is to recognize and reward the hard working employees (Brignall and Miles, 2006). This has reduced the rate of employees’ turnover leading to more profits and reduced costs of training new employees. In order to ensure that there is no racial segregation within the company, Easy Jet is an equal opportunity employer. This is based on the fact that anyone can apply for a job in the company regardless of the age, disability or sex. As a result the company employees’ fraternity is comprised of people from different backgrounds. Provision of efficient and safe working environment is another fundamental social issue that Easy Jet has initiated. This has produced positive results in the form of increased productivity by the employees and high level of profits for the company. In addition, the interrelationship between the senior managers and other employees has been positive due to the involvement of all the stakeholders in the decision making process. Conclusion Based on the above analysis, it is clear that Easy Jet Company has successfully achieved its ethical and social obligations. The directors have come up with rules which are geared towards maintaining high level of ethics among the employees. These rules includes keeping accurate and full records, keeping all dealing legitimate and refusing bribes from suppliers or customer. The strict following of these rules and environmental conservation policies has made the company attain a competitive edge in the air transport industry.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Health system administration Essays

Health system administration Essays Health system administration Paper Health system administration Paper There have been increased linkages among health care organizations in the US to ensure that there is proper provision of efficient, equitable and reliable basic health care to the ever increasing world’s population, (Scot 2000). These organizations are linked by unique and strategic alliances where strategic alliance refers to loosely coupled interoganizational relationships between different organizations that are related in ways in which they offer health care, each preserving its legal identity and functional autonomies. These linkages are always voluntary and all members must be sharing common interests concerning basic health care to individuals regardless of their incomes and positions in the society. In the US statistics reveals that there have been very few public organizations created over the past few years to deliver health care services to the otherwise large population. More so there have been alarming rates of decline in the value and reliability of the services they provide as compared to the private non-governmental health care organizations. However the National Patient Safety Foundation of the US was founded among other organizations like National Center for Patient Safety and The Commonwealth Fund; to reduce the rates of patients’ death in any health sector. The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) was founded in 1996 by a group of medical and educational organizations like the American Medical Association (AMA), 3M, CAN Health program and other contributors from the Schenny plough corporation. Initially NPSF was an independent educational and non-profit oriented research organization which was concerned with educating patients on basic health care. It gradually developed to be unprecedented partnership of institutional providers, health product manufacturers, health care practitioners, health care products providers, legal advisors, researchers and policy makers committed to making health care services safe to all patients from all walks of life. Through well structured leadership, research support team and an educational team the NPSF is committed to one major objective of making patients safety a national priority in the USA. NPSF is having the mission of improving and maintaining an excellent and measurably quality patient’s safety when it comes to the delivery of basic health care. To achieve this following efforts have bee put to practice by the NPSF team: identification and creation of core health care body of knowledge, identification of all the available pathways to apply the created knowledge, development and enhancement of the culture of receptivity to patients safety in all the health institutions, raising public awareness and fostering communication about importance of patients safety and finally improving the status of the foundation and its general ability to meet the specified goals. NPSF is run by three distinct bodies with each body having well spelled out role to play for the organization; they are the Board of Directors, Board of Governors and the Lucian Leape Institute. The Board of Directors is a team of 15 people chaired by Paul A Gluck MD Miami institute. The Directors are entitled to the responsibility of providing strategic and good operational skills and the maintenance of the foundations fiduciary responsibilities. The Board of Governors is a 31 member team chaired by Carol A Ley. The Governors are supposed to focus on the program direction so as to keep up the foundations mission and initiate fundraising to support any new initiatives within the foundation. The Lucian Leape Institute is acting as the think tank of the foundation and it defines most of the strategic means and ways to be followed. It is also supposed to call for action when it comes to regarding the field of patients’ safety. Further on its supposed to provide a clear vision and contextual framework for the numerous efforts that are being undertaken within the health care system. Through the institutes developed round tables it is in apposition to issue reports that aimed at guiding of the field and ensuring that the whole system addresses the critical issues that puts NPSF safe. The success of NPSF have been seen in the ways the have been striving to reduce the number of incidents related to medical errors, this has been the task set aside specifically to the Board of Directors. According to Richards (2002) medical errors have been killing tens of thousand of people in the US hospitals more than the deaths caused by AIDS, breast cancer and highway accidents combined together. Recent health care studies have revealed that there are deaths from 44,000 to 98,000 people annually in the hospitals but the number could go a notch higher if the number of people who die due to errors on daily-surgery, retail pharmacies, out patient clinics and nursing homes from medical errors are not watched carefully (Kotler 2001).

Monday, October 21, 2019

Platos Crito Guide and Synopsis

Plato's 'Crito' Guide and Synopsis Platos dialogue Crito is a composition originating in 360 B.C.E. that depicts a conversation between Socrates and his rich friend Crito in a prison cell in Athens in the year 399 B.C.E. The dialogue covers the topic of justice, injustice and the appropriate response to both. By setting forth an argument appealing to rational reflection rather than emotional response, the character of Socrates explains the ramifications and justifications of a prison escape for the two friends. Plot Synopsis The setting for Platos dialog Crito  is Socrates prison cell in Athens in 399 B.C.E. A few weeks earlier Socrates had been found guilty of corrupting the youth with irreligion and sentenced to death.  He received the sentence with his usual equanimity, but his friends are desperate to save him. Socrates has been spared so far because Athens does not carry out executions while the annual mission it sends to Delos to commemorate Theseus legendary victory over the minotaur is still away. However, the mission is expected back in the next day or so. Knowing this, Crito has come to urge Socrates to escape while there is still time. To Socrates, escape is certainly a viable option. Crito is rich; the guards can be bribed; and if Socrates were to escape and flee to another city, his prosecutors wouldnt mind.  In effect, he would have gone into exile, and that would probably be good enough for them. Crito lays out several reasons for why he should escape including that their enemies would think his friends were too cheap or timid to arrange for him to escape, that he would be giving his enemies what they want by dying and that he has a responsibility to his children to not leave them fatherless. Socrates responds by saying, first of all, that how one acts should be decided by rational reflection, not by appeals to emotion. This has always been his approach, and he is not going to abandon it just because his circumstances have changed. He dismisses out of hand Critos anxiety about what other people will think. Moral questions should not be referred to the opinion of the majority; the only opinions that matter are the opinions of those who possess moral wisdom and really understand the nature of virtue and justice. In the same way, he pushes aside such considerations as how much escaping would cost, or how likely it is that the plan would succeed. Such questions are all utterly irrelevant.  The only question that matters is: would trying to escape be morally right or morally wrong? Argument For Morality Socrates, therefore, constructs an argument for the morality of escaping by saying that first, one is never justified in doing what is morally wrong, even in self-defense or in retaliation for an injury or injustice suffered. Further, it is always wrong to break an agreement one has made. In this, Socrates posits that he has made an implicit agreement with Athens and its laws because he has enjoyed seventy years of all the good things they provide including security, social stability, education, and culture.  Before his arrest, he further posits he never found fault with any of the laws or tried to change them, nor has he left the city to go and live somewhere else. Instead, he has chosen to spend his whole life living in Athens and enjoying the protection of its laws. Escaping would, therefore, be a breach of his agreement to the laws of Athens and it would, in fact, be worse: it would be an act that threatens to destroy the authority of the laws. Therefore, Socrates states that to try to avoid his sentence by escaping from prison would be morally wrong. Respect for the Law The crux of the argument is made memorable by being put into the mouth of the Laws of Athens who Socrates imagines personified and coming to question him about the idea of escaping. Furthermore, subsidiary arguments are embedded in the main arguments outlined above. For instance, the Laws claim that citizens owe them the same sort of obedience and respect that children owe their parents. They also paint a picture of how things would appear if Socrates, the great moral philosopher who has spent his life talking so earnestly about virtue, to don a ridiculous disguise and run away to another city just to secure a few more years of life. The argument that those who benefit from the state and its laws have a duty to respect those laws even when doing so seems against their immediate self-interest is cogent, easy to grasp and is probably still accepted by most people today. The idea that the citizens of a state, by living there, make an implicit covenant with the state, has also been tremendously influential and is a central tenet of social contract theory as well as popular immigration policies with respect to freedom of religion. Running through the whole dialog, though, one hears the same argument that Socrates gave to the jurors at his trial. He is who he is: a philosopher engaged in the pursuit of truth and the cultivation of virtue. He is not going to change, regardless of what other people think of him or threaten to do to him. His whole life exhibits a distinctive integrity, and he is determined that it will stay that way to the very end, even if it means staying in prison until his death

Sunday, October 20, 2019

The Nile River and Nile Delta in Egypt

The Nile River and Nile Delta in Egypt The Nile River in Egypt is among the longest rivers in the world, running for a length of 6,690 kilometers (4,150 miles), and it drains an area of roughly 2.9 million square kilometers, about 1.1  million square miles. No other region in our world is so dependent on a single water system, especially as it is located in one of our worlds most extensive and severe deserts. More than 90% of the population of Egypt today lives adjacent to and relies directly on the Nile and its delta. Because of ancient Egypts dependence on the Nile, the rivers paleo-climatic history, particularly the changes in the hydro-climate, helped shape the growth of dynastic Egypt and led to the decline of numerous complex societies. Physical Attributes There are three tributaries to the Nile, feeding into the main channel which flows generally northward to empty into the Mediterranean Sea. The Blue and the White Nile join together at Khartoum to create the main Nile channel, and the Atbara River joins the main Nile channel in northern Sudan. The Blue Niles source is Lake Tana; the White Nile is sourced at equatorial Lake Victoria, famously confirmed in the 1870s by David Livingston and Henry Morton Stanley. The Blue and Atbara rivers bring most of the sediment into the river channel and are fed by summer monsoon rains, while the White Nile drains the larger Central African Kenyan Plateau. The Nile Delta is roughly 500 km (310 mi) wide and 800 km (500 mi) long; the coastline as it meets the Mediterranean is 225 km (140 mi) long. The delta is made up mainly of alternating layers of silt and sand, laid down by the Nile over the past 10 thousand years or so. The elevation of the delta ranges from about 18 m (60 ft) above mean sea level at Cairo to around 1 m (3.3 ft) thick or less at the coast. Using the Nile in Antiquity The ancient Egyptians relied on the Nile as their source for reliable or at least predictable water supplies to allow their agricultural and then commercial settlements to develop. In ancient Egypt, the flooding of the Nile was predictable enough for the Egyptians to plan their yearly crops around it. The delta region flooded annually from June to September, as a result of monsoons in Ethiopia. A famine resulted when there was inadequate or surplus flooding. The ancient Egyptians learned partial control of the flood waters of the Nile by means of irrigation. They also wrote hymns to Hapy, the Nile flood god. In addition to being a source of water for their crops, the Nile River was a source of fish and waterfowl, and a major transportation artery linking all of the parts of Egypt, as well as linking Egypt to its neighbors. But the Nile does fluctuate from year to year. From one ancient period to the next, the course of the Nile, the amount of water in its channel, and the amount of silt deposited in the delta varied, bringing abundant harvest or devastating drought. This process continues. Technology and the Nile Egypt was first occupied by humans during the Paleolithic period, and they were undoubtedly affected by the Niles fluctuations. The earliest evidence for technological adaptations of the Nile occurred in the delta region at the end of the Predynastic Period, between about 4000 and 3100 B.C.E., when farmers began building canals. Other innovations include: Predynastic (1st Dynasty 3000–2686 B.C.E.)- Sluice gate construction allowed deliberate flooding and draining of farm fieldsOld Kingdom (3rd Dynasty 2667–2648 B.C.E.)- 2/3 of the delta was affected by irrigation worksOld Kingdom (3rd–8th Dynasties 2648–2160 B.C.E.)- Increasing aridification of the region leads to the progressively advanced technology including the building of artificial levees and enlarging and dredging of natural overflow channelsOld Kingdom (6th–8th Dynasties)- Despite the new technologies developed during the Old Kingdom, aridification increased such that there was a 30 year period in which flooding of the delta did not occur, contributing to the end of the Old Kingdom.New Kingdom (18th dynasty, 1550–1292 B.C.E.)- Shadoof technology (so-called Archimedes Screw invented long before Archimedes) first introduced, allowing farmers to plant several crops a yearPtolemaic period (332–30 B.C.E.)- Agricultural intensificatio n increased as population moved into the delta regionArab Conquest (1200–1203 C.E.)- Severe drought conditions led to famine and cannibalism as reported by the Arabic historian Abd al-Latif al-Baghdadi (1162–1231 C.E.) Ancient Descriptions of the Nile From Herodotus, Book II of The Histories: [F]or it was evident to me that the space between the aforesaid mountain-ranges, which lie above the city of Memphis, once was a gulf of the sea,... if it be permitted to compare small things with great; and small these are in comparison, for of the rivers which heaped up the soil in those regions none is worthy to be compared to volume with a single one of the mouths of the Nile, which has five mouths. Also from Herodotus, Book II: If then the stream of the Nile should turn aside into this Arabian gulf, what would hinder that gulf from being filled up with silt as the river continued to flow, at all events within a period of twenty thousand years? From Lucans Pharsalia: Egypt on the west Girt by the trackless Syrtes forces back By sevenfold stream the ocean; rich in glebe And gold and merchandise; and proud of Nile Asks for no rain from heaven. Sources: Castaà ±eda IS, Schouten S, Ptzold J, Lucassen F, Kasemann S, Kuhlmann H, and Schefuß E. 2016. Hydroclimate variability in the Nile River Basin during the past 28,000 years. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 438:47-56.Krom MD, Stanley JD, Cliff RA, and Woodward JC. 2002. Nile River sediment fluctuations over the past 7000 yr and their key role in sapropel development. Geology 30(1):71-74.Santoro MM, Hassan FA, Wahab MA, Cerveny RS, and Robert C Balling J. 2015. An aggregated climate teleconnection index linked to historical Egyptian famines of the last thousand years. The Holocene 25(5):872-879.Stanley DJ. 1998. Nile Delta in its destruction phase. Journal of Coastal Research 14(3):794-825.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Challenging behavior Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Challenging behavior - Literature review Example A child may develop different behaviors at different ages but the challenging behavior is most vital since it needs to be controlled as early as possible. Most people believe that the success of a child will depend on his ability to respond to prevention of challenging behaviors. Children who Challenging behavior is an abnormal behavior whose frequency, occurrence and duration greatly jeopardize the physical safety of the victim and that of other around him. This behavior in most cases denies the person access to ordinary social and communal facilities .Challenging behavior could be demonstrated by any person, but is mostly experienced in people with developmental disabilities, dementia, and psychosis and most often by children (Kaiser, 2007, p.13) Types of challenging behaviors Challenging behavior can manifest itself in different ways depending on the nature of the child. Calm children will react very different from violent children even under the same circumstances. The most impor tant thing is that the children will react negatively to those people who cause their problems. A common characteristic is self injuring behavior especially when a child is angry. This involves engaging in behaviors that cause physical harm or injuries to oneself. Most children will do this immediately they are offended in order to seek for attention. For example hitting oneself, biting oneself or even head butting. Most children develop aggressive behavior towards those people who influence them to develop a challenging behavior. This involves all behavior that harms others physically. They include hitting others, biting others, spitting on others, screaming, punching and kicking others among others (Emerson, 1995, p.24) Some children engage in early sexual behavior to express their feelings about some things. This includes all acts of abnormal behavior involving sexual acts. For example public masturbation, rape, and watching pornographic materials. Property directed behavior theo ry. In this theory, the behavior of the child is believed to cause destruction to property around the person. The reaction of the child is linked to the It includes throwing of objects, physical destruction and even stealing (Emerson, 2011, p.32) Theories of challenging behaviors Challenging behavior has various causes, most of which are beyond the control of the individual exhibiting the behavior. These could be social, biological, environmental or psychological among others. Social cause theory: this theory holds that the behavior of a child is attributed by the society in which he is brought up. These are the social interactions with other people, friends and relatives. This is based on the theory that behaviors are enhanced and influenced by observation on others actions and behaviors. Boredom, social interaction and social norms could trigger certain type of behaviors in people. Peer groups could also influence one to develop certain abnormal behaviors. The children will adopt the behaviors that are common in a certain society. A society that does not condemn a challenging behavior will encourage the children to be unruly. (David, 1974, p.53) Biological causes theory. This theory is based on the theory that behavior results from biological and biochemical processes. Conditions such as pain and certain medication may cause challenging behaviors. Certain inherited characteristics from parents also influence behavior. The child learns most of the behaviors from their parents. The parents should avoid acting in a manner that predisposes the children to a challenging beh

Friday, October 18, 2019

Analyzing Black Historical Sites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Analyzing Black Historical Sites - Essay Example The aftermath of the end of slavery raised the need for various reforms. Racial discriminations still went on in the US, and minor cases of slavery were still prevalent. The African American society held talks and rallies to empower each other and fight for their rights. The bay area in California was a place where radical changes within the African American society that revolutionized the fight against racism. The freeing of prisoners through the underground railroads was prevalent in the bay area. Economic development amongst the African American took root in the bay area leading to the establishment of estates by both men and women. Perhaps the most influential woman of this era was Mary Ellen Pleasant who raked a total sum of US $30,000,000 in the stock market that she used in the fight for equality. She has been christened â€Å"the mother of human and civil rights in California†. Her contribution to black history remains phenomenal as she had a massive amount of wealth t hat she did not hesitate to contribute to the struggle for equality. The Mary Ellen Pleasant Memorial at 1661 Octavia, San Francisco, California, was setup in memory of her dedication to the liberation of the black people in California. Her incessant effort to aid the African American society has ranked among the outspoken women of her era of slavery, segregation and violation of numerous civil and human rights of African Americans. Mary Ellen Pleasant Memorial Park and its Background The Mary Ellen Memorial Park is the smallest park within San Francisco preserved in honor of the abolitionist Mary Ellen Pleasant and her work in the era. The park is adorned with six gigantic eucalyptus blue gum trees that run down along Octavia Street. The six trees the only surviving ones out of the 20 that Ms. Pleasant herself had planted along the street. The City of San Francisco landmarked these trees to protect them from human interference. This street was once filled with the property of Mary Ellen Pleasant along its full length from Bush to Sutter. Her house once occupied this street, boasting 30 rooms and an entertainment avenue for several people back in the day. It was famous for cards, liquor and beautiful women. To others, this boarding house provided jobs for the African Americans. However, this house burnt down in 1925, and in its place Green Eye’s hospital built the Healing Arts Building1. A plaque adorns the front of her former 30-room home in her honor at the intersection of Bush and Octavia Streets. The disc-shaped plaque within the southwest corner of this intersection has a brief history of life and works of Mary Ellen Pleasant written on its cement structure2. The park remains a historical site for African Americans as it stands for the appreciation of the work of Mary Ellen Pleasant, whose philanthropy led to the efficacy of the black struggle in the freeing of slaves and the Civil War. Mary Ellen Pleasant was born at around 1814 as a slave in the East Coast, but she fled by boat in 1852 to San Francisco to establish herself in the bay area. She legally identified herself as white in the society to avoid being bound to slavery again and to empower herself financially. The Fugitive Slave Act would have led to her recapture in California so she developed a new identity with freedom papers, Mrs. Ellen Smith. She mixed with the top crop of the society

The Country Overview of The Iceland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Country Overview of The Iceland - Essay Example Transportation: Railways: 0 km. Highways: total: 13,004 km paved: 4,331 km unpaved: 8,673 km (2004). Ports and harbors: Grundartangi, Hafnarfjordur, Reykjavik, Seydhisfjordhur. Airports: 98 (2004 est.) Vegetation: 23,805km (9,191mi) Lakes: 2,757km (1,065mi) Glaciers: 11,922km (4,603mi) Wasteland: 64,538km (24,918mi) Weather: Despite its name and latitude, warm Gulf Streams keep southern Iceland snugger than many central European countries. Summers are pleasant with average July temperatures around 12C (53F). Winters, however, are significantly blunted and while fresh enough to put some rose in the cheeks, it will not be freezing them solid. The higher altitudes and northern coast face early year Arctic winds so are naturally colder. Snow turns to rain around spring but is never too heavy. Climate is cool, temperate and oceanic, influenced by the country's location where the polar front separates air currents of polar and tropical origin. Fluctuations in average annual temperature are more pronounced in Iceland than most other places. In Reykjavik, the average temperature is 11C (52F) in July and -1C (30F) in January. For two to three months in summer there is continuous daylight in Iceland, and early spring and late autumn enjoy long twilights. The really dark period that is three to four hours of daylight lasts from about mid-November until the end of January. Iceland is located on both a geological hot spot caused by a mantle plume, and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This combined location means that the island is extremely geologically active, having many volcanoes, notably Hekla, Eldgja, and Eldfell. There are also geysers a word derived from the name of one in Iceland, Geysir. Glaciers: The most distinctive features of... Iceland is located on both a geological hot spot caused by a mantle plume and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This combined location means that the island is extremely geologically active, having many volcanoes, notably Hekla, Eldgja, and Eldfell. There are also geysers a word derived from the name of one in Iceland, Geysir. The most distinctive features of Iceland are its glaciers, which cover over 4,500 square miles (11,800 km ²) or 11.5% of the total area of the country. The largest of the glacier caps is Vatna glacier in southeast Iceland with an area of 3,240 square miles (8,400 km ²), equal in size to all the glaciers on the European mainland put together. Avalanches are common in the northwest, north and east, where the steep mountain slopes, covered with deep snow.Iceland is richer in hot springs and high-temperature activity than any other country in the world. Steam vents, mud pools and precipitation of sulfur characterize high-temperature activity. The main high-temperature ar eas are Torfa glacier east of Hekla and Grim's lakes in the Vatna glacier. Hengill near Reykjavik is utilized to provide hot water for space heating in the capital. The widespread availability of geothermal power because of the numerous rivers and waterfalls are harnessed for hydropower. The total power output of the Torfa glacier area is estimated to be equivalent to 1,500 megawatts. Hot springs are found all over Iceland. There are about 250 low-temperature geothermal areas with a total of about 800 hot springs.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Below the line marketing activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Below the line marketing activities - Essay Example Below the line, efforts should â€Å"aspire to establish targeted relationships between marketers and individual consumers, and offer comparable ease in measurability (V12 Group, 2006: 2). The key term in this definition is measurability, which is something that below the line efforts provide. However, a below the line activity such as the distribution of target customer promotional cards would indicate the volume of promotional literature returned, offering a specific return ratio based on percentages sent and volume returned. When using this type of below the line marketing, it is clear to see that a significant advantage lies in measurability for the sake of strategic or operational planning. Carter (2006) offers a wider variety of activities associated with below the line marketing, including text message promotions, sales catalogs, trade shows and public relations events. Unlike above the line efforts which are generally variable in cost, below the line efforts are usually fixe d fees associated with the promotion. The development of various keychains or other logo-inspired products used for promotion would be common items of the below the line marketing activity. Flack (2008) offers the importance of below the line promotion by suggesting that the consumer population has evolved far beyond the traditional, promotional writing pen, thus companies need to come up with a more brand-focused and innovative series of promotional materials in order to capture the sophisticated consumer attention.

Time and Temporality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Time and Temporality - Essay Example In fact, the mind evolved to understand the world, beginning with recognition, where one fixes perception element into the object itself. Spatial location follows where a spatial map of the neighborhood is constructed, and space becomes the point of reference. The object varies in a fixed space in time. Thus, time is an important scientific element of interpreting the universe. Psychological understanding of change also influences the mathematical and scientific spaces with coordinate systems of reference. Objects could be spatial or temporal; objects in space are assessed regarding space and their variations in space and time. Scientifically, time and space remain distinct. The duality of object-space is, therefore, not validated. Time is not physical, therefore only psychologically measurable. Metaphysics provides the answer why time is non-physical, non-linear. Spatial variations can then be used to explain events such as oscillations, reverberations and cosmic wave patterns. On t he other hand, temporality is a parallel idea. No one understands the idea of temporality. Time does flow with a direction; that the past exists, the present is here, and there is a possible future. Like time, the idea of temporality is crafted in the mind. Objective existence does not exist. The mind constructs the present, the past, and the future; the present is the reference point. A distinction between temporality and time is that whereas interpretation of time depends on cognitive functions.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Below the line marketing activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Below the line marketing activities - Essay Example Below the line, efforts should â€Å"aspire to establish targeted relationships between marketers and individual consumers, and offer comparable ease in measurability (V12 Group, 2006: 2). The key term in this definition is measurability, which is something that below the line efforts provide. However, a below the line activity such as the distribution of target customer promotional cards would indicate the volume of promotional literature returned, offering a specific return ratio based on percentages sent and volume returned. When using this type of below the line marketing, it is clear to see that a significant advantage lies in measurability for the sake of strategic or operational planning. Carter (2006) offers a wider variety of activities associated with below the line marketing, including text message promotions, sales catalogs, trade shows and public relations events. Unlike above the line efforts which are generally variable in cost, below the line efforts are usually fixe d fees associated with the promotion. The development of various keychains or other logo-inspired products used for promotion would be common items of the below the line marketing activity. Flack (2008) offers the importance of below the line promotion by suggesting that the consumer population has evolved far beyond the traditional, promotional writing pen, thus companies need to come up with a more brand-focused and innovative series of promotional materials in order to capture the sophisticated consumer attention.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Questions and answers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Questions and answers - Assignment Example This time the Americans won the battle. On May 1945, the US dropped an atomic bomb at Hiroshima which claimed 78000 lives. The second atomic bomb which took place at Nagasaki led to Japanese to seek for peace. 1. Braceros program is series of diplomatic agreements and laws which were in introduced in August 1942 by an interchange of notes among diplomats from Mexico and United States, with the agenda of introducing temporal contract laborers from United States and Mexico. 2. Manhattan project it was the first atomic bomb research and development project that was done during the Second World War. United States was the leader in these research and development project though with assistance from Canada and United Kingdom. The purpose of these project was to produce atomic bombs and in collection of intelligence on another project for Germans on nuclear energy. 2. Taft-Hartley act which is also known as labor management Relations Act of 1947 is a law in United States that inhibits power and activities of labor unions. The significance of Taft-Hartley is to protect people’s welfare and their rights in relation to labor organization. 3. The relevance of Trauma Lewis confrontation was that he changed the nation from war to peace yet he was also maintaining a prosperous and a stable economy. Though most of this significance attained was not predictable by the time he took on the government. 4. National Security Act of 1947 was the base for reformation of the United States governments intelligence and military agencies due to the second world war. The Act became effective on 18th September 1947. This was exactly one day after confirmation of the first secretary of defense, James Forrestal. 5. Containment was the foreign policy announced at the beginning of the Second World War by the United States. It was aimed at

Management of technology Essay Example for Free

Management of technology Essay Explain the term â€Å"Technofact. † How can it be used to define Technology, and Management of Technology? Explain the value and advantage of the term Technofact, compared to other definitions and common agreement about technology. Explain the weaknesses, missing elements, and contradictions in this term. Technofact is a reproducible object created by humans. By reproducible I refer to any product (tangible or virtual) of which the intention of its human creator was to make more of exactly the same, using the same methodology. Once weve defined technofact, we are able to focus the term technology around this entity, and to define it as the capability of creating technofacts (or the human capability of creating reproducible objects). Technology is not the technical object itself but rather the capability of creating it over on over again. Other fields of science concentrate on understanding and gathering knowledge around the entity that is in the center of the science in question while the technology â€Å"science† is a capability, which is more than merely an understanding. On top of the knowledge gathered, the term encapsulates the creation itself, the know-how. The different aspects of the means to establish that capability ought to be coordinated and managed, thus, management of technology can only be defined if we separate the term technology from the objects, the technofacts, as one can not manage objects. Most of the traditional definitions of the term technology are either inaccurate or too broad. Inaccurate when the definition refer to objects (tools, products) as the technology itself. Too broad when the definition refer to any human activity (van Wyk), which might include forms of art that can not be considered as a technology. Another broad approach can be found in definitions that consider any nature manipulation as a technology (is navigation by stars a technology? ). There are three cases in which I find difficulty with the term technofact as the central entity that technology deals with: 1. When the product has an inherited random element: Consider a computer program that creates random melodies (or drawings) pleasant to the human ear (or eye), based on some mathematical rules. The program itself is obviously a virtual technofact, but are the new melodies or drawings created by it can also be considered technofacts? Obviously, they are being created over and over again using the same technology, but each time the program produces something different. 2. When the product is a natural object or resource: For example in agriculture. Carrots cannot be considered technofacts, but there is obviously a technology to grow carrots. The tools which are used in the process (a plow or a combine) are technofacts, which farmers use to produce the crop itself, but they are not the reproducible product the technology deals with. Another examples can be mining technologies. The end product is the extracted material, which can not be considered a technofact. 3. When the product is an action: For example, the capability to lift heavy weights. A crane is a technofact, but it is not the reproducible object this specific technology enable to reproduce. The reproducible object in this case is not an object but rather an action. What is a â€Å"Technology-Based Organization†? Give an example for a TBO and non-TBO. Can a company be a TBO for a limited time? Explain and give an example. A technology based organization is an organization that uses technology to create economic value or to create a competitive business advantage over other competing organizations. The organization can be continuously pursuing technological improvements, manufacturing technofacts or both. This kind of an organization will be perpetually considered a TBO. On the other hand a non-TBO organization can become one for a limited time, if it incorporates a new technology to improve its processes, thus creating an advantage over its competitors. During the process of assimilating the technology and the time that takes other players to use the same technology, a non-TBO organization can be considered a TBO, as it creates economic value using technology. Consider an imaginary traditional dairy that used to produce milk in the old milking fashion, using the farmers hands and a big nice bucket. At some point the farmer decided to acquire a milking machine from his engineer friend that had recently established a milking equipment factory using his own inventions. The farmer installed the machine in his farm and taught his kid how to use it, so he can peacefully retire. During the next couple of years, the farmers kid gained an advantage over his neighbor farmers, bought more cows, made a small fortune and established a new dairy company (which he called after his dad). Few years later, after all the other farmers had done the same, the farmers kid decided to install digital thermometers in the dairy (acquired from the very same milking equipment factory), and became the leading milk provider to the entire region, with the reputation of having the freshest milk around. Again, achieving an economic advantage using new technology. This dairy had become a TBO for short periods of time during its existence, while the milking equipment factory that had invented and manufactured the machinery was a TBO throughout the years. Explain the term â€Å"White Spaces† in the context of technological innovation. How could this term be used in an organization to help planning and decision making about innovation? White spaces are the two optional gaps between technologies and applications. The first gap exists when there is a need in the market but no solution to match it. The second gap takes place when there is a technology out there that has the capability to produce a technofact that no one knows what to do with. A technofact that did not yet find the â€Å"ultimate product† it enables (where theres a way but there is no â€Å"will†). Innovative organization can either fill up the first gap by pursuing new technologies to match the unanswered market needs, or they can focus their efforts around understanding the potential of existing technologies and to use them to develop new groundbreaking applications. Outlines the dangers and risks associated with rapid technological development to society and individuals. Are you pessimistic or optimistic about it? What can and should we do as a society and as individuals to benefit from technology and avoid the risks. The dangers and risks that rapid emerging technologies incorporate can come in many ways, shapes and forms according to the technology domain. From the lose of privacy through health jeopardizing, moral issues and mass destruction weapons, they all have one thing in common – the rate of the technology adoption and development has become faster than the rate of the ability to comprehensively understanding its implications. Successful technologies are spreading swiftly, acquiring life of their own and â€Å"forcing† people to use them in order to survive in the modern society. Even if a certain individual decides to rebel and not to use a specific technology directly, it still might change the environment this person lives in, to affect and endanger im just the same (e. g. cellular phones). The lose of freedom inflicted by some technologies is a big price of its own that society and individuals have to pay. History tells us that panic from new technologies had always existed, and we are probably experiencing the same unjustified fear of the unknown that the car inflicted on society a hundred years ago. But the problem with history is that it can only explain the past, while the present is unlike anything humanity imagined before. I dont believe that governmental regulations aiming to restrain technology can work in the long run, but in order to control at least some of the risks, governments should cooperate globally on some issues to regulate technologies similar to the way new medicines and drugs are treated. As individuals, we must take responsibility for our health and moral values, to deal with it at all times among ourselves, to be aware of the risks we are taking and not to become blind addicts for anything new. Still, Im pessimistic as for the capability of mankind to do that and overcome its basic selfish nature.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Market audit and competitive analysis

Market audit and competitive analysis play a vital role in to any business. When consider about the market in Malaysia; they are mainly import electrical and electronic products from America,Singapore,Europe,china and Japan and also they import some products as machinery,iron,steel and also chemical. It shows that they are well developed country and also very dynamic. Because above countries are famous for the quality branded products. Since this is a very energetic country, lifestyle changes could lead to boost the demand for the readymade foods and health foods and always they are rich with tropical and agricultural possessions. Diverse cultures in Malaysian society would be another reason. There are 94 different types of cultures. Mainly there is Malay, Chinese, and Indian has intriguing range of processed food with an Asian bend. Since today people improve their awareness towards the nutrition foods in view of the fact that healthcare processed by cereals, fresh foods and other sea foods Malaysian also do the same. According to the details provided by Ministry of International Trade and Industry Malaysia, Manufacture of snacks getting decreased by 7.5% and rice milling increased by 7.7% and Manufacture of condensed, powdered, evaporated milk increased by 11.9%.that shows that how people connected with easy foods.(Appendix _1) But according to the sales of selected processed food and beverage products table published by Ministry of International Trade and Industry Malaysia, shows purchasing frequent of snacks improved by 38.6% and it shows that how they are prefer fast foods. (Appendix_2) According to the appendix_1 appendix_2 tables show production has gone down and purchasing has got increased, there is a gap which has occurred due to this reason. Accordingly there is a greater chance to set up our product line; Munchees Nutriplus in Malaysian market. Because the demand for snacks in Malaysia has increased while the supply decreasing. So that would be an opportunity for us. Our product could able to fill the gap in the market. Through this market audit we will illustrate the food market of Malaysia. The geographical location how the free market economy effect to the food products in Malaysia. http://sundaytimes.lk/090927/FinancialTimes/ft15.html http://www.muncheelk.com/home.php http://sundaytimes.lk/090927/FinancialTimes/ft15.html http://www.muncheelk.com/home.php Describe the market (s) in which the product is to be sold According to our research we have found that Malaysia also engaged in international trade. Because of this free trade concept Malaysia also globalized; there are many number of competitive products which are come from all over the world. Since our main target market is highly busy working crowd we better prepare to export our product to urban areas such as Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Penang Selangor. (City population; n.d.) 1. GEOGRAPHICAL REGION (S) Geographical characteristics would be another concern by the marketer since it helps to evaluate countrys market potential. Malaysia is a one biggest country in the world an area of 329758 sq km. Land size is 328,558 sq km.and water 1200 sq km.malaysia is a country which is located in south eastern asia in between 2Â °-7Â ° degrees and in the north part of the equator, peninsula is a separate part and Sabah, Sarawak states are situated on the Boneo Island. Thailand is northern neighbor while southern neighbor is Singapore. Its area geographically 230Â ° N and 11230Â ° E. the capital city of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur.It is a multi ethnic country and population is over 22 million. http://www.123independenceday.com/malaysia/geography.html CLIMATE: malaysia is a country which is verymuch close to the equator,because of that all over the year it has Tropical weather with warm climate. Temperature of the malaysia is in between 21 Â °C 32Â °C.it is an average temperature of 27Â ° C. Rainfall vary from 2000mm to 2500mm in annually with thunder and lightning.all the time there are cloudy climate in most of the cities. http://www.123independenceday.com/malaysia/geography.html CULTURE: In malaysia there is a very friendly,warm and hospitable culture of its people.it has a combined population of over 22 million ;they are Malay 59%,other indigenous 32% chinese Indian 9%.because of this cultural multiplicity many external parties interact towards the Malaysia.malaysia is located in between the middle of the indian ocean and south china.therfore it has been considered as a meeting point for traders and travellers and at the same time as multicultural and multinational country.that would be the reson for the main evolution of the socio cultural activities,traditions,dressings,languages and foods. Since our product is vege product,we dont much consider about it.That would be a greater opportunity for our product since Muslims prefer Halal foods and malaysian prefer fast foods. LANGUAGES: When consider about the languages Malay is the official language and more than 59% used to talk by Malay. Since English is an international language Malaysian people widely spoken English in business arena and English subject is compulsory in all schools too. And there are many languages such as Chinese, Tamil, mandarin, Cantonese, Hakka, and several tribal lingoes. So in the product packaging we should use both Malay and English languages when we put instructions. Because Malay is the official language and English is an international and widely spoken language in Malaysia. RELIGION: Once reflect on religion; all primary Malays are Muslims. So Islam is considered as the official religious conviction but anybody can accomplish any other religion generously. And also there are religions like Buddism, Hindu, Christianity, Confucianism, Taoism and tribal religions. When launch the new product to the market religion affects a lot more, especially for the Muslims they are using Halal foods. But since this product contents cereals it wont be an issue. MAJOR HOLIDAYS: Knowing major holidays is another important subject when company goes to launch a product to the new country.because those holidays could be effect to the business since if we unable to manage them;according to the market audit followings are the major holidays in malaysia. New Years Day January 1 National Holiday Chinese New Year January 24 25 -National Holiday Federal Territory Day February 1 KL Labuan only Labour Day May 1 National holidays Wesak Day -May National holidays Kings Birthday June 2 National Day August 31 National holidays Deepavali November 14 Except Sarawak Labuan Hari Raya Aidil Fitri December 16 17 National holidays Christmas -December 25 National holidays It is very much vital for us to knowing about these holidays;because when we aware about the holidays we can have power over the issues which could be happened.especially since this is a food product we have to much more aware about this since it could be expire.and also another chance which could occur on behalf of is;we can offer special promotions such as budget packets,gifts and many more for the special occasions such as New year,chinese new year,deepavali and christmas. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: regulatory inventory CURRENCY: Malaysian currency is known as Ringgit and it indicated as RM BANKINGHOURS: Most states: Mon-Fri: 9.30am-4.00pm Sat: 9.30am-11.30am Sun: closed Kedah, Kelantan Terengganu: Sat-Wed: 9.30am-4.00pm Thur: 9.30am 11.30am Fri: closed. POST OFFICES: Open from 8.00am to 5.00pm daily except Sundays and public holidays. In Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu post offices are closed on Fridays and public holidays. TIME : Eight hours ahead of GMT and 16 hours ahead of U.S. Pacific Standard Time. ELECTRICITY: Voltage is 220 240 volts A C at 50 cycles per second. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES: Malaysia follows the metric system in weights and measures. TELEPHONES: Local calls can be made from public phones using coins or pre-paid cards. International calls can be made from public phones with card phone facilities or at any Telekom offices. http://www.123independenceday.com/malaysia/geography.html LAND TOPOGRAPHY: (shan) Malaysia is a country of spectacular beauty to show off with staggering sights of hills, lush greens forests, and rhythmic rivers. The peninsula is divided into Eastern and western parts by the Banjaran Titiwangsa or the Main Range goes through Malaysia-Thai border in the north to the southern state of Negeri Sembilan. Tallest mountain in state of Pahang is Gunung Tahan which has a height of 2,187m. There are many other mountains in Malaysia, such as Mount Gunung Jerai in Kedah, Bukit Larut in Perak and the fabled Gunung Ledang (Mount Ophir) which is located in the Melaka-Johor border. Crocker Range is considered as one of main highlands of Sabah which has a height of 457- 914m and it holds three top highest mountains of Malaysia, namely; Mount Kinabalu (4,101m), Gunung Trus Madi (2,597m) and Gunung Tambuyukon (2,579m). Sarawaks tallest mountains are Gunung Murud (2,425m) and Gunung Mulu (2,371m) and it also encompasses the worlds largest natural cave system. In addition, Sungai Rejang (563km) finds its way through Sarawak and it is the longest river. The river can be used to transportation up to Kapit, 100km upstream with small coastal steamers. Malaysia proudly placed as one of the prominent countries to have forest-covered hills in the Asia Pacific region. Malaysian geography presents a terrain which is highly enriched with resources and biological diversity. http://www.123independenceday.com/malaysia/geography.html DOS DONTS: When we select Malaysia for our market development program we should scrutinize local customs and practices. Especially we should be concerned about the common courtesies and customs to be close to them and make them feel that this is our product and matching with our cultural practices. Because culture is helps to peoples heart touching. Thats the most viable manner which helps to lucrative of the business.malaysia has a low-contest culture; so they are much more consider about the personal associations beyond the business.malaysians are highly diversified from religion as well as ethnically.malaysians are more lean to wear professionally and yellow color is considered as a royal color. Bribery is consider as a critical crime by foreign public officials. http://www.2malaysia.com/info.htm NATURAL HAZARDS: The Most of the times Malaysians are faced by the many natural disasters such as floods, landslides, earthquakes, typhoons and forest fires. So since we decided to launch our product to Malaysia we should aware about this kind of natural calamities which could happen since it effects to the business and also for the distribution channels, packaging, exporting and all those kind of steps. http://www.123independenceday.com/malaysia/geography.html 2. Forms of transportation and communication available in that region TRANSPORTATION: RANSPORTATION As a well developed country Malaysia is provided by an admirable transport system. There is transport accessible even remote areas .Kuala Lumpur, its capital is considered as the main transportation hub. It is powerfully established for buses, taxis, trains, electronic trains, which served as public transportation. And also there are many ferry and boat services all around the country. Our product deliveries to the respective local markets can be transported through the boat services. Malaysia has its own career; Malaysian airlines. Every flights arrive and depart at Kuala Lumpur international airport located at Sepang also there are flights connecting with most major cities and also to Sabah Sarawak. There are old international airport in Subang namely the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah airport now it caters just for the domestic air services. Other major international airports are Penang, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Langkawi. Buses are economical way to travel in Malaysia. There are air-conditioned buses as well as non air conditioned buses. So when we distribute our product to the rural areas we can get support from this interstate bus service. Malaysian railways attach with all main cities in the peninsular There are many numbers of ports of entry in to Malaysia. Ports are located in Penang, Port Klang, Kuantan, and Kuching Koto Kinebalu.Since there are many number of ports available we suppose to export our products through shipping lines. Since it is the easiest way to And also there are sea Cruises available from Ports in between Selanger Kuantan and Sabah Sarawak. When delivering our products to Malaysia; there are two possible modes of transportation that can be utilized. Air transportation is fast but expensive. Maritime transportation is relatively slow however cost effective. For normal product deliveries maritime transportation is the best transportation solution existing the market. However air transportation can be an efficient means of getting product deliveries to manage emergency stock-outs and unexpected demand teaks. http://www.2malaysia.com/transport.htm COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS: Malaysian communication is enhanced with advanced technology.therefore we can have this opportunity to make the consumer of our product by using this advantage in malaysian market. 3. Consumer buying habits http://www.pwc.com/en_GX/gx/retail-consumer/pdf/malaysia.pdf Product use patterns In our inspection towards the Munchees Nutri-plus product line in the Malaysian market; we are find some information about that how the product like Snack use in Malaysian market? What are the potential markets for our product? And also what are the product use patterns in this specific country? As we got to know because of this busy life style Malaysian people have increased the consumption of fast foods. Especially they prefer nutria-snacks since they are highly concerned about their health. It is a golden opportunity for us to been their because their demand is increasing for this kind of products. According to the surveys it found that Malaysian people have spent more on fresh foods and fruits. So again it is a greater chance for us since we have many different favors with our product. Since those people are highly busy with their work they can immediately consumed our product as refreshment or as a breakfast and also with milk or without milk. The Malaysian consumer eating pattern consist more fat and cholesterol since they prefer to eat rice and meat. Our products are nutritional and healthy with low elements of cholesterol and fats therefore a successful penetration in to the middle income market segmentation will enable us to export our market potential. Further Malaysian consumers are shifting to buy organic and healthy product.Therefor e our product which contain the said elements will have a considerable period of product life cycle. 2005/2006 from Beijing to Budapest winning brands Product feature preferences Product feature preferences may vary from market to market. Since this is a small packet it would be preferred by everyone; since it wont be a price matter a lot. In 2007 onwards it was a major trend in Malaysia to focus on the health conscious products. So when they purchasing a product they mainly concern about the quality and the healthier products. So it is another identified opportunity for our product; munchee nutri-plus product line. It is manufactured by using cereals such as soya beens, rice and etc which helps to increase the nutritious. And also Malaysian people have a great desire for new flavours. Again it could be an opportunity. Since our munchee nutri-plus have different flavours. Because of this innovative people in Malaysian food market; our snack would be able to match with Malaysians products preferences. It has a unique milky taste as well as it looks delitious.because of this taste not only the working crowd but also children would prefer this product. Not only that Malaysian consumer becoming more knowledgeable. When they are purchasing a product they mainly price conscious and brand and quality sensitive. Because of this we would be able to market our quality product at a competitive price. They are not easily influenced by the advertisements. And also they consider about the service they receive before the purchasing as well as after sales. According to the findings it does not consists any social or investment risk since this is a nutritional food. As ACNielsen said, 90% of consumers take purchase decisions by considering strong brands name and also 75% retain with the same brands because of the customers loyalty. 2005/2006 from Beijing to Budapest winning brands Shopping habits An understanding of the shopping habits of Malaysians is important to determine the market viability for our products. The economic growth of the country has vastly increased the purchased power of the Malaysian customers. The standard of living and per capita income of Malaysians are high our targeted customer will mainly do their shopping in retail stores, super markets and shopping malls though still village side people purchase from traditional groceries and mini-marts .because of the globalization Malaysians are becoming more complicated. This could be occurring because of the education levels and changing lifestyles of the Malaysian consumers. Because of this multi ethnicity Malaysians have demand towards the foreign products as well. Though this is an Asian country rather than other Asian countries Malaysian males as well as females both of them are do the buying. Since consumers always waiting at the queue near the cashier to paying bills it is common manner to tackle the customers by keeping those products near to the cashier. 4. Distribution of the product We intended to undertake a distribution in a limited area since our products are in the initial stages of the product life cycle. Our market research activities have revealed that most Malaysians prefer to buy their requirements in super markets. Because they want to save time which will spend here and there by having wide range of goods is available under one roof. We decided to distribute our product to retail outlets through middlemen in Malaysia. Because they know about country, customs, values, and other regulatory which need when doing a business? And also he would be able to make close relationships with the country people as well. Typical Retail Outlets Therefore our main distribution channel will be through the major super markets,speciality stores and drug stores in the cities of Malaysia; specially in Kuala lumpur,Putrajaya,Penang,Selangor other main cities because Malaysian people used to purchase this kind of products from these places. Sales of these Munchee Nutri-plus cereal snack bars at super markets will help us to maintain competitive stance and also it will help us to stop share losses as well. In super markets for sales people there are sales target; when they achieve those sales targets they will receive some fridge benefits. So that would be a opportunity for our product when we do our sales through super markets. Because those sale s targets will drives increased our product sales as well. We have chosen drug stores to sell this product is because they can recommend our product to the consumers as a healthy and wellness product and again it will help to increase the sales. Product sales by other middlemen We can utilise a distribution channel as a middleman before we settle down in the Malaysian food market. Middleman is a very strongest character when it comes to here, because they can make very strong relationships with their retailers as well as they are know everything about the country as well as the business arena and also social and business etiquettes as well. And also our company would able to keep knowing everything about the market, competitor brands, specialities of them and also such kind of things through the middleman. 5. Advertising promotion Our target market consists of mainly middle income earners, children and adults. Advertising media usually used to reach your target markets we have selected TVs and news papers as best form of advertising RIM and TV1 which telecast their programs in Malay language and TV2 which telecast in Malay, Chinese, English and Tamil.TV advertising is more convenience since our products can be displayed and the product awareness will be increased and could be reached on large number of potential customers at low cost. News paper advertisements will also be undertaken in Malay, English and Tamil languages. Our sales promotion activities will include .exhibitions shopping centre of sports events. We suppose to advertise our product through accurate and honest promotions; as a energy boost snacks for targeting sportive kids who wants to grown up fast, and also wish to stress on the taste appeal which would match with both kids and adults. And also we wish to motivate the people who are interesting with healthy eating and to the people who are overweight. And also we decided to set some bill boards in Kuala Lumpur; capital since their accessibility is high. Sales promotions customarily used (sampling, coupons etc) There is considerable competition for our products in malasia.Therefore we have to use both the pull and push promotional strategies to stabilize the market. Pull strategy is implemented to attract customers towards purchasing our products through advertising companies. Push strategy is carried out to encourage the retailers to buy and distribute our products to the ultimate customers. This is done through offering trade discounts to the retails. Internet marketing would be another major opportunity since their technology is high and people are educated. 6. Pricing strategy The prices of our products should be reasonable and affordable for the Malaysian consumers to buy. The present consumers are highly price concerned. They expect value from the product for the price they pay. The prime motive of our pricing strategies is to achieve the following. To attract the target market at the correct time. This will increase the stock turnover rate and the profitability in our Malaysian market expansion. To have justifiable return on capital employed to continue our business activities in Malaysia. Our products are new to the Malaysian food market. Therefore we will implement a penetrating pricing strategy at the initial stages. Once the market is stabilized we will introduce premium pricing. This is important to position our products amongst the Malaysian customers as quality products. Customary mark-ups We should consider the import control regulations in Malaysia before a final mark up for our products. The Malaysian international market is liberalized tax system on food products. We will take these into consideration before fixing a final markup for our products in Malaysia. Types of discounts available Malaysian retails sell food items from many producers. So we will offer bulk purchasing discounts to retailers who buy our products in large quantities to attract them. At a rate of 2% .In addition we will offer at 2% cash discounts for the retailers who settle their dues to us within 14 days. Compare and contrast Nutri snacks from Ceylon biscuits manufactures LTD and the competitor products. B.Compare contrast munchees nutriplus product with the competitors products Competitors products A. Brand name There are many competitors for our products in Malaysia but the main competitor is the nestle PlC.This is a large multinational farm which sustain competition in U.S.A and other European and Asian food Market. b.features The nestle nutri product provide nutrition and flavors tastes to the consumers. They have already established brand loyalty in Malaysia especially amongst the school going children and the youth. Therefore we should take steps to penetrate into the competitive Malaysian food market .Further the cost of production for Nestle will be low due to economies of scale. Therefore we will be highly concerned and minimize our cost of production in order to have competitive pricing for our products in Malaysia. c.package We should clearly differentiate our products from those of the competitors in the Malaysian market. It should be easy for the customers to identify our products. We will use alternative colors in our packaging, especial Red since most Malaysian consider red as a symbol of strength. The names of Ceylon biscuits manufacture will be printed in bold letters in pink and blue. The word Halal will be pointed in large bold letters our packages will include the brand name on Malay basher, English, Chinese and Tamil.