Evaluation Report for Peds Kafe

Executive Summary This paper relates to the examination of research findings on Peds Kafe’s application of communication theories. The report found out that there are opportunities for Ped’s Kafe to increase its customer base by using social media as an avenue for communication with its clients.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Evaluation Report for Ped’s Kafe specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The recommendations offered to Ped’s Kafe based on the information integration theory and the uncertainty reduction theory is to determine the appropriate level of involvement in social media either as a predictive practitioner, a creative experimenter or as a social media champion. These options have an increasing commitment to social media participation Introduction Framework for the Report The need to integrate day-to-day experiences into learning is becoming more important with the rapid chang es affecting the world of information. More and more, people find it impossible to take time to reflect on the information they get simply because of the rate at which research reports reach end users. The internet is working to remove all barriers of information exchange.1 It is possible to deliver a book to all parts of the world in a matter of seconds. The basis of this report is to provide the opportunity to give a greater amount of reflection on the issues uncovered in a previous research on the application of communication theories. The research focused on the theories of communication and sought to uncover the application of these theories at Ped’s Kafe in Australia. The cafe is a not a large establishment. Is has a small number of staff members. The application of the theories focused on the interaction among the staff, and the interaction between the staff and the cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s clients. It is the objective of this report to investigate the findings of the report f urther to derive both academic and practical conclusions. This report will also use external sources to illustrate any assertions, and to confirm any of the conclusions it develops. Context Analysis The report that this work evaluates focused on communication theories and their use in the workplace. The report looked at various theories relating to communication, which fell within the broader framework of the research question. While more than seventy theories relating to communication appeared in the course of research, only a handful of the theories were relevant and significant enough for inclusion in the final report.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The theories included the information theory, the attribution theory, groupthink theory, information integration theory, and the uncertainty reduction theory.2 These theories formed a consistent body of theories for use in t he evaluation of the communication processes at Ped’s Kafe. This report will focus more on how to actualize the potential benefits that accrue from the insights gleaned from the theories. Studying theories apart from real life application at best makes the process an academic venture. Industry requires people who have both the theoretical understanding of their profession, but also the skill to translate it to practical applications. Ped’s Kafe will once more provide the basis over which to apply the theories. Methodology In order to determine the benefits that the theories can bring to Ped’s Kafe, it will be important to start the exercise by examining the research findings of the paper under review. The focus of the exercise will be the identification of critical theoretical findings and practical implications of these findings for Ped’s Kafe. This process will give way to an analysis of those findings to clarify further the benefits identified in the f irst report. The result of this exercise will be to clarify the findings of the report for Peds Kafe. Appropriate evidence from other scholars will come in handy to support the findings. There will be an attempt to develop a prioritized method of implementing the recommendations. The final process will be identifying relevant examples of the operation of strategies based on the theories discussed. This should provide Ped’s Kafe with operational models of the theories at work. The objective of the exercise will be to clarify that the theories have value and that their application in real life situations can yield certain benefits.3 Discussion Research Findings The major findings made from the research carried out earlier included the identification of five interrelated communication theories. The information theory deals with the fact that all types of communication suffer from noise. Noise is anything that affects the effectiveness of the communication process by reducing the clarity of the message.4 The attribution theory postulates that people tend to draw inferences relating to other peoples character based on how their communication style. It explains the numerous instances of people developing attitudes towards other people based on their communication style.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Evaluation Report for Ped’s Kafe specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The third theory, groupthink, explains the tendency of closed groups to look at problems from the same direction and to have a high degree of agreement over issues.5 The group members tend to look at disagreement as dissent, hence the high level of agreement. Last two theories are the information integration theory and the uncertainty reduction theory. Information integration theory came from observations that people tend to make decisions based on the sum total of the information they receive about an issue. This mean s that decision-making is not necessarily an objective process, but is the result of exposure to evidence. Whichever evidence occurs more often tends to win the day. Uncertainty reduction theory states that people seek to reduce uncertainty during decision making by gathering more information about the issue. There is a certain amount of information required to break the uncertainty threshold. The findings related to Ped’s Kafe included the fact that Ped’s Kafe uses the telephone and the internet as the main means of external communication with suppliers and for social media interaction. The main recipients of communication from Ped’s Kafe are target clients via social media platforms, and business suppliers via email and telephone. Internal communication processes at Ped’s Kafe involve the staff, supervisors, and the restaurant manager. Arguably, the most critical communication occurs at the cafà ©Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s floor when the waiters interact with the clien ts. The opportunities for improvement at Ped’s Kafe identified in the report included the need to encourage staff to speak up regardless of how well their views conform with the rest to avoid the dangers associated to groupthink. Secondly, Ped’s Kafe has the opportunity to strengthen its marketing efforts by utilizing social media and internet marketing opportunities. The thinking behind this proposal came from the realization that if there is sufficient positive press on Ped’s Kafe on appropriate online platforms, then Ped’s Kafe can improve its market share. Based on attribution theory, it is important for the staff at Ped’s Kafe to treat all customers equally based on a polite disposition because of the risk of making character judgments on customers that may influence service provision negatively.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Analysis of Findings The goal of this paper is to examine the findings more closely to determine the workability of the theories in the areas identified in the previous research. In particular, there is need to examine the need for the application of the information integration theory and the uncertainty reduction theory in the context of social media and electronic communication to improve the customer base of Ped’s Kafe. Ped’s Kafe positions itself as a middle class restaurant aiming to serve professionals from nearby commercial facilities affordably in order to retain them as long-term clients. Serving the target market calls for the preparation of good quality yet affordable food. The clientele is sensitive to hygiene and service standards, and while they cannot afford to pay premium prices on a regular basis, they still would like access to such services occasionally. Young professionals in the area, like the rest of the country, are avid social media users.6 They use social media to communicate ideas, to share jokes, to plan events and even for personal messaging. They find messages on social media platforms light and informal hence it is a welcome relief from the rigidity and official aura of email. Ped’s Kafe needs a communication strategy that will take into account these demographic characteristics. The design of the message should portray Ped’s Kafe as a professional yet informal establishment. The target market should perceive Ped’s Kafe as a place to relax and eat. Since young professionals are sensitive to price, appropriate pricing must be part of the message. The use of social media in this case refers to the use of Facebook and Tweeter. They are the most popular social media outlets used by young professionals who form part of the target market. Peds Kafe will need to open and maintain the content of the social media pages current. The relevant information includes choice menus, special price offers, and hous e specials among others. The objective of the social media strategy will be to ensure that there is good press about Ped’s Kafe. The other reason for it is that social media will allow the clients to respond to any offers made there, and there is a good chance that they will leave a review of the services offered at the cafà ©. On the other hand, there is need to ensure that the communication that goes out to clients and suppliers remains official in tone, and that it remains brief. The reason for this is that people get too many messages on any single day hence if Ped’s cafà © sends very long messages, then the recipients will ignore the messages. Examples of Application of Communication Theories in Social Media The use of social media to place appropriate information about an organization is quite widespread. Many businesses, non-profits, and charitable organizations use social media outlets to reach their stakeholders in a relaxed atmosphere that allows for unfilt ered feedback.7 We will consider three organizations that Peds Kafe can benefit from. Three types of organizations use social media strategies to market the products. The classification includes, â€Å"predictive practitioners†, â€Å"creative experimenters†, and â€Å"social media champions†.8 Predictive experimenters limit the use of social media to specific aspects of their business. Those who fall under this category tend to be businesses that are new to social media hence are not ready for full-blown social media campaigns. Others in this category are organizations that want to limit their risk exposure in the social media scene due to historical reasons, or simply because of the perception clients may have if the organization becomes too active in the social media. Clorox is an example of a company that falls under the predictive practitioner category.9 The strategy that Clorox used was to post specific question on its social media platforms stating that t hey were developing a particular product, hence what type of features were the clients interested in seeing in the finished product? The company also gave points to people who responded to the queries hence creating some competitive value in its postings. The lesson for Peds Kafe from this example is that if it feels it risks negative exposure if it develops a comprehensive social media campaign, them it should use a predictive practitioners approach. It can give freebies such as free lunch or subsidized lunch to the most prolific participants. Creative experimenters use social media to conduct different types of tests to uncover the needs of their clients before engaging in fully-fledged social media outlays. The thinking that guides creative experimenters is that there is a need to identify the strategies that will work for them by experimenting with different approaches before settling for one long-term solution. On the other hand, some use it for creative experiments to keep the image of an innovative company in order to retain clients who value that aspect. A good example of a creative experimenter is EMC. The company developed an internal platform for its forty thousand employees to use social media to locate skills they needed within the company. The experimental platform led to savings in excess of forty million in its first year or operation. The experiment is now a permanent feature of the company’s collaboration strategy. The lesson for Ped’s kafe is that it can develop experiments in social media among its clients to generate the feeling that it is innovative and that it listens to its clients. For instance, it can have a competition for recipes and share proceeds with the owner for a month. This will increase the interest of those who take pride in developing recipes, and those that enjoy trying out new dishes. The last category of social media users is the social media champion. The main feature of a social media champion is that th e social media strategy comes from a deliberate design with very predictable results. It is often very large in scope and may include huge offline investments. The Ford Fiesta Movement of 2009 was such an outlay. The idea Ford developed for its reintroduction of the Ford Fiesta was to give away one hundred Fiestas for half a year to people that would relate their experiences in social media platforms. Within that time, the drivers posted more than sixty thousand items on social media platforms and the related YouTube videos had more than four million views.10 If Ped’s Kafe wants to be a social media champion, then it needs to identify its purpose for participating in social media and then develop the requisite following to conduct such large-scale marketing efforts. Ped’s Kafe can create a special group of clients, say fifty of them, who should undertake to make predefined social media postings on Ped’s Kafe’s social media platforms. The incentives that P ed’s Kafe can use include charging them half price for their meals, or giving them a free meal once a week of a certain value. The options for this are many. Ideally, it should be something that encourages them to eat and review the meals and services at Ped’s Kafe. Conclusions and Evaluation Summary of Findings Ped’s Kafe needs to develop a consistent communication strategy that takes into account its target market.11 It is clear that the target market for Ped’s Kafe includes the young professionals that work near the restaurant. Their needs include having a place to eat that does not carry a very formal feel. However, they also require an establishment run professionally. This clientele is very active on social media hence there is potential benefit in reaching them using social media platforms. There are many opportunities for Ped’s Kafe to improve its market by using the uncertainty reduction theory and the information integration theories. Soc ial media provides an inexpensive platform for Ped’s Kafe to apply the uncertainty reduction theory and the information reduction theory. It can use the social media to reduce the level of uncertainty about its service online thereby increasing the confidence the customers have with the services offered at the cafà ©. The theory points out that people try to find information to reduce their degree of uncertainty to increase their level of confidence by researching. On the Information Integration theory, if Ped’s Kafe does not endeavor to develop positive press for its services in online platforms, then it risks losing clients who will make their judgment based on the information available to them. If the information is negative, then it will be very costly for the cafà ©. Ped’s Kafe can use a variety of approaches in its social media efforts aiming at increasing its client base. There are three options available for Ped’s Kafe to engage in social media strategies to engage its clientele. It can do so as a predictive practitioner, a creative experimenter or as a social media champion. Using social media as a predictive practitioners will some from the need to keep social media interaction minimal and within highly defined boundaries. An approach in this sense is marketing of a daily special. Using social media as a creative experimenter will mean that the cafà © uses social media for experimental purposes, or as a means of maintaining the image of an innovative company. This can take the form of creative recipe competitions for the reward of a free or subsidized meal. In the case of using a social media champion approach, the cafà © will develop an elaborate marketing plan that will include a group of clients it can offer free or subsidized meals in exchange of reviews and other postings on social media platforms. It will be important to keep the information publicly available to reduce chances of accusation of unethical business practices.12 Evaluation of the Research Process The research process involved in the development of the recommendations that Ped’s Kafe can use to increase its customer base has been useful in the development of several viable options that the cafà © can use to increase its market share. It shows that there is real value in pursuing theoretical research to develop practical leads to answer business concerns. The comparison of strategies used by companies in different sectors provided a wider horizon for looking the potential approaches and benefits that an organization can derive from using social media as a platform. Reference List Braunack-Mayer, AJ, â€Å"What Makes a Problem an Ethical Problem? An Emperical Perspective on the Nature of Ethical Problems in General Practice,† Journal of Medical Ethics, vol. 27, 2001. Corson D, RL Heath, J Bryant, Human Communication Theory and Research: Concepts, Context, and Challenges, 2nd ed. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associ ates, Inc, 2000. Dube L, C Berner, V Roy, â€Å"Taking on the Challenge of IT Management in a Global Business Context: The Alcan Case – Part A,† International Journal of Case Studies in Management, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 1-13, 2009. Forsyth DR, Group Dynamics. New York: Cengage Learning, 2009. Froeb L BT McCann, Managerial Economics: A Problem Solving Approach. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2009. Griffin E, A First Look at Communication Theory, 8th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc, 1997. Holmes D, Communication Theory: Media, Technology, and Society. London, UK: SAGE, 2005. Iliescu DC, â€Å"Customer Based Time-to-Event Models for Cancellation Behaviour: A Revenue Management Intergrated Approach,† Georgia Institute of Technology, Gorgia, Dissertation 2008. Peppers D M Rogers, Managing Customer Relationships: A Strategic Framework. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, 2004. Wilson HJ, PJ Guinan, S Parise, BD Weinberg, â€Å"What is your Social Media Strate gy,† Havard Business Review, July 2011. Footnotes 1 L Dube, C Berner, V Roy, â€Å"Taking on the Challenge of IT Management in a Global Business Context: The Alcan Case – Part A,† International Journal of Case Studies in Management, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 1-13, 2009. 2 D Corson, RL Heath, J Bryant, Human Communication Theory and Research: Concepts, Context, and Challenges, 2nd ed. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc, 2000. 3 L Froeb BT McCann, Managerial Economics: A Problem Solving Approach. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning, 2009. 4 E, Griffin, A First Look at Communication Theory, 8th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc, 1997. 5 Holmes D, Communication Theory: Media, Technology, and Society. London, UK: SAGE, 2005. 6 DR, Forsyth, Group Dynamics. New York: Cengage Learning, 2009 7 DC, Iliescu, â€Å"Customer Based Time-to-Event Models for Cancellation Behaviour: A Revenue Management Intergrated Approach,† Georgia Institute of Technology, Gorgia , Dissertation 2008. 8 HJ Wilson, PJ Guinan, S Parise, BD Weinberg, â€Å"What is your Social Media Strategy,† Havard Business Review, July 2011. 9 HJ Wilson, PJ Guinan, S Parise, BD Weinberg, â€Å"What is your Social Media Strategy,† Havard Business Review, July 2011. 10 HJ Wilson, PJ Guinan, S Parise, BD Weinberg, â€Å"What is your Social Media Strategy,† Havard Business Review, July 2011. 11 D Peppers M Rogers, Managing Customer Relationships: A Strategic Framework. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons, 2004. 12 AJ, Braunack-Mayer, â€Å"What Makes a Problem an Ethical Problem? An Emperical Perspective on the Nature of Ethical Problems in General Practice,† Journal of Medical Ethics, vol. 27, 2001. This report on Evaluation Report for Ped’s Kafe was written and submitted by user Darryl S. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

PhD proposal - The human rights in the middle east before and after Arab revolutions The WritePass Journal

PhD proposal - The human rights in the middle east before and after Arab revolutions Executive Summary PhD proposal The human rights in the middle east before and after Arab revolutions , written by the Human Rights Watch organisation, looked specifically at the uprisings in the Middle East and raised questions as to how this would potentially impact on human rights, within the region[6]. According to the report, it was recognised that the Arab Spring was hugely influential in the development of human rights, in the region; however, it was also stated that creating a democratic, self-respecting state was not something that would happen in a matter of a few months, despite the revolutionary nature of the changes. It was noted in this report that a region which has previously been subject to a dictatorial regime, when left to behave independently, does not necessarily mean that there will be an automatic improvement in human rights; therefore, the difficulty for the path from the current situation to creating a democratic and fair society should not be underestimated[7]. Other research in this area has suggested that the dramatic events which took place in 2009 and 2011 actually arose over a prolonged period of time and did not suddenly arise from nowhere, as the media reports may have suggested, at the time. By looking at instances of human rights’ violations prior to the uprisings and the way in which various different third-party organisations were becoming increasingly involved in providing security within the region, it could be argued that the events which took place, in December 2010, were merely the final step towards liberalisation and were not actually as dramatic as originally suggested[8]. The issues that have arisen in the Middle East will be considered in the context of wider theoretical perspectives of human rights and how these rights emerge within modern society as well as how they should be protected. For example in the case of Marx it was argued that the only reason that human rights needed to be established at all was to support the capitalist developments and this reliance on natural rights should be viewed as paramount[9]. Other appropriate theories that will be drawn on in the wider discussion is that of the socialist concept which suggests that basic human rights area   duty of society and basic levels should be established as a matter of political urgency[10]. When looking towards the future, there is considerable uncertainty from academics and practitioners as to how this revolutionary period is likely to play out, in the future and whether or not these dramatic changes in the region are going to create a suitable framework for the protection of human rights, or whether there is a danger that the situation will become worse, before it gets better. This presents the argument that whilst dictatorial rule can be damaging to human rights, creating such a high level of uncertainty within the region can also create similar problems[11]. Proposed Time Frame It is anticipated that the research will take place over a period of three years, with the timeframe being necessary, in order to explore the potential changes and to observe how the region develops, in the coming months, which may be hugely influential to the ultimate findings of this research. The main period of the research will be spent analysing the existing position, drawing on all current literature in this area, before identifying how the situation is now developing and whether or not the suggested theories associated with the development of human rights in the region are being experienced or not, in practice, as time goes on. Due to the transient nature of this research, it is anticipated that several aspects will need to be revisited, on an ongoing basis, and it is therefore a relatively time-consuming project, albeit crucially important, at this dynamic period of time. Ethical Issues and Potential Problems Dealing with issues such as human rights, particularly in a volatile political arena, has substantial ethical issues and care must be taken to ensure anonymity, particularly when collecting any primary research that may be available. Gathering data in this area is likely to be emotive and personal; therefore, ensuring sufficient balance of research will be a critical aspect of presenting the most balanced viewpoint possible, as regards to future options[12]. Indicative References The references identified here are the starting point of the research and it is likely that this will be extended substantially, as the research is undertaken. Arthur, Paige. 2009. How transitions Reshaped Human Rights: A Conceptual History of Transitional Justice. In Human Rights Quarterly, 31:2, May, pp. 321- 46. Bentham, Jeremy 1987 Anarchical Fallacies; being an examination of the Declaration of Rights issues during the French Revolution, in Jeremy Waldron (ed.),Nonsense Upon Stilts: Bentham, Burke and Marx on the Rights of Man, New York: Methuen, p.69. Berger, Lars. 2011. The Missing Link? US Policy and the International dimensions of Failed Democratic Transitions in the Arab World. In Political Studies, 59:1, March, pp. 38-55 Bevernage, Berber. 2010. Writing the Past out of the Present: History and the Politics of time in Transitional Justice. In History Workshop Journal, 69, Spring. Blackbum, Robin. 2011. Reclaiming Human Rights. In New Left Review, 69, May-June. Dembour, Marie-Benedicte. 2010. What Are Human Rights? Four Schools of Thought. In Human Rights Quarterly, 32:1, February, pp.1-20. Fletcher, L., Weinstein, H. Rowen, J. 2009. Context, Timing and the Dynamics of Transitional Justice: A Historical perspective. In Human Rights Quarterly, 31, pp. 163-220. Human Rights Watch (2013) Annual Report 2013 Available at: hrw.org/news/2013/01/31/world-report-2013-challenges-rights-after-arab-spring Husak, Douglas 1985 The Motivation for Human Rights, 11  Social Theory and Practice, 249-255 Langlois, Anthony J. 2003. Human Rights without Democracy? A Critique of the Separationist Thesis. In Human Rights Quarterly, Vol 25: 4, November. MacQueen, Benjamin. 2009. Democracy Promotion and Arab Autocracies. In Global Change, Peace and Security, 21:2, June, pp. 165-178. Meister, Robert. 2011. After Evil: A Politics of Human Rights. New York: Columbia University Press.

Literary analysis on A Good Man Is Hard To Find by Flannery O'Conner Research Paper

Literary analysis on A Good Man Is Hard To Find by Flannery O'Conner - Research Paper Example But a modicum of insight into the interests and craftsmanship of Flannery O’Connor makes her writing commendable on both literary and religious grounds. â€Å"Cathartic bitterness, a belief in grace as something devastating to the recipient, a gelid concept of salvation, and violence as a force for good† (Galloway) characterize her work. She was well aware of her dual role as a Catholic writer and a fiction writer. She only tried to homogenize both. Thus where the religious dimension was never far away from her writing she was also influenced by Martin Heidegger’s concept of dasein: the moment of death makes a man’s existence replete with meaning. She blends characterization with the setting and works out the meaning of the story. In the following analysis let us look at the dynamics of characterization, theme, and setting in Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find. Good characters inspire strong feelings. Characterization should not begin and end midway but should be continued till the end as the characters evolve. Extraneous characters should be avoided and all the characters should contribute in varying degrees to the progress of the plot and depth of the story. A Good Man Is Hard to Find is a reasonable example for good characterization. The action in the story unfolds through the grandmother. She is the volatile person in the story with a glib tongue. The old lady is however a Christian only by appearances. Her moral platitude is her reality. When that is stripped by her confrontation with the killer there is no future for the character of the grandmother. "Why youre one of my babies. Youre one of my own children!" (O’Connor 132). These words are definitely not to influence the killer against shooting her but it is her saving moment of grace where she realizes the hollowness of her hitherto existence and recognizes the Misfit as the medium of the grace. O’Connor was compassionate to her

Problems of philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Problems of philosophy - Essay Example Therefore, it can be deduced that philosophical problems do not exist far from the mere lay sense. These serious philosophical problems are compounded together and assigned either questions or names in line with the reasoning behind every method. This synthesis has afforded, the would be untenable, categories of philosophy to be managed easily and vividly in their respective assigned topics. These topics, among others, are; logic, epistemology, metaphysics, theology, aesthetics and ethics and in this paper I am going to shown how each of the readings of units 8 though unit 12 has dealt with at least each of these problems. Unit 8A is Interview with Spinoza/ David Brahinsky In this interview we get the opportunity to list to an interview between David Brahinsky and Spinoza. Baruch Benedictus Spinoza is counted among the greatest rationalists of the west. The discussion starts by Spinoza being given an opportunity to talk about his religion and he is categorical in stating that he beca me non-religious when such an idea was rare in the society. Although later in the discussion we see him stating that reasoning can be boosted by the understanding of the divine itself and for that case the divinity of God. His rationalism as a topic of philosophy is expounded by his strong belief in the power of reason, thought and logic. According to Spinoza reason can impact our thinking and lives and these include also our emotions and spirituality. This is where his metaphysics meets with his rationalism and we see even his interviewer being interested in the way Spinoza’s ideas have been incorporated in the constitution of the current United States. What also strikes is his disbelieve in duality and he holds hat there is nothing like body and mind, just like there is no superior mind which watches over us. In this speech the writer tries to expose all what Spinoza held dear in his philosophy although there is a leading voice in the way he conducts the conversation and mo st of the ideas discussed are in line with the writer’s right wing in philosophy. Unit 8 Dialogues Of Philonous and Hylas Readings: Gill, 257-275 In this dialogue, Berkeley launched a discussion through a dialogue between two men; Hylas and Philonous. The idea of epistemology kicks off the dialogue with both men discussing critically their nature of experiences on how things come to be known. The argument is hinged on metaphysics, specifically seeking to explain the ultimate nature of reality; immaterial and material. As a branch of philosophy, metaphysics seeks to examine the world and the basic tenets of being and in its rudimentary form; it seeks to answer two fundamental questions: what is there and what is it like. Therefore, the way we define object is the import and subject matter of this problematic branch of philosophy. Back to our conversation between Philonous and Hylas, another problematic topic is deployed as a means of justifying metaphysics. This is none other than epistemology which seeks to define knowledge, the way it is acquired and the way we know that we possess such knowledge. Both men in this dialogue, therefore, attempted to justify their metaphysics epistemologically, an approach which could be the easiest for these two intertwined topics. This use of epistemology becomes therefore an approach to trying to solve the problem of answering the questions; what is there and what it is like. It is agreeable that Philonous represents a wise philosopher and teacher because of his clear reasoning and authoritative assertions. Hylas is as if being treated to a lecture which is evident in the way his questions are being responded to by Philonous and the way he is taken through a logical

Critical discussion of paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Critical discussion of paper - Essay Example rmly available legitimate professional identity in massage therapy, efforts to desexualize the profession only serve to promote heteronormativity, discrimination and sexual harassment. In this context, desexualization is in reference to efforts aimed at removing gender and sexual qualities and characteristics of men and women at work. However, it must also be noted that at the workplace, sexuality takes on multiple forms with multiple meanings and consequences. For example, markers such as gender, education and training levels, sexuality, class and race will have different implications of sexuality and affect workers and work differently. Sullivan (2014, p. 360) has given her position on desexualization and its consequences in massage therapy. This paper will critically discuss her arguments and give the writer’s own view on the issue of sexuality at the workplace. This will be done with the consideration that although many organizations have attempted to monitor and control t heir workers’ sexual behavior, workers have also been known to show resistance to the control and tried negotiating the constraints. It cannot be denied that so long as men and women work together, sexual feelings and relations at the workplace will always exist (Erickson 2007, p. 79). However, this is not to mean that when they enjoy sexualized interactions, the possibility of damaging outcomes is eliminated. More specifically, massage therapists need to have legitimate professional identities since female and male therapists manage their marginalized identities differently. However, the efforts to desexualize the workplace and afford massage therapists a legitimate identity maintain heteronormativity, discrimination and sexual harassment (Sullivan 2014, p. 348). Sullivan (2014, p. 348) also correctly points out that organizational sexuality predominantly stem from organizational bureaucracy and feminist communications that support its eradication openly. This opinion is true because the

How You Are Using Reflective Practice Nursing Essay

How You Are Using Reflective Practice Nursing Essay The aim of this assignment is to discuss how I am using reflective practice and codes of conduct in my journey to becoming a health professional. Through this discussion, the relationship between reflection, codes of conduct, and professional development will be demonstrated. For the purposes of this assignment, references to a reflection on an aspect of my clinical practice; namely maintaining patient confidentiality, will be made (see appendix). This reflection is guided by Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1988) (cited in Jasper, 2003, p. 77). I selected this framework as it allows one to reflect in a systematic manner on positive aspects of the experience as well as areas for improvement. Indeed, this aspect of my clinical practice will form the context of this assignment, as well as other relevant standards of conduct (Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC), 2008). The following paragraphs will discuss codes of conduct and the process of reflection with reference to my professional development. Nursing practice is underpinned by clear regulatory principles (the NMC code of conduct, 2008). The code provides standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives and is a tool in safeguarding the wellbeing of the public. As Goldsmith (2011, p. 12) states, the code should be used to guide daily practice. However, Sutcliffe (2011) argues that the code can be difficult to implement in practice. Sutcliffes argument is supported by first-hand experience during my placement. The following excerpt summarises the experience on which I reflected: During visiting hours on the ward a gentleman approached me to ask for the whereabouts of a patient (this patient had recently gone to theatre). In a helpful manner, I proceeded to inform the gentleman of the patients location. However, the conversation was interrupted by a member of staff who correctly established the identity of the visitor. In these circumstances, I did not uphold a key principle of the code: to respect peoples right to confidentiality (NMC, 2008, p.3); in spite of the fact that I had learnt about this principle prior to going on placement. This key standard of conduct is reiterated in the guidance published by the Department of Health (DH, 2003) and by the Caldicott report (1997) (cited in Crook, 2003). Whilst reflecting-on-action following this experience, the code offered a benchmark against which I evaluated my professional conduct. As a developing health professional I learnt that I must respect a persons right to confidentiality and I must act as an advocate for those who I am helping to care for. My reflective process highlighted the importance of regularly referring to the code and other supporting guidance so as to develop my professional practice in this area. In my reflection, I propose an action plan for managing subsequent situations. This action plan applies other pertinent aspects of the code, for example, to work effectively as part of a team, to share information with your colleagues (NMC, 2008, p.5) and to keep clear and accurate records (NMC, 2008, p. 6). With reference to applying these principles to my practice hereafter, I would consult the patients notes to confirm next of kin and patients location (i.e. theatre) and effectively communicate with colleagues about this situation. Furthermore, confidentiality is underpinned by trust (Pattison Wainwright, 2010). Gibbs action plan (1988) functioned as an aid to my learning and development. Throughout my career I plan to consider and reflect on the fundamentals of the code whenever I am thinking of my learning obje ctives and professional development (Goldsmith, 2011). Johns (2004, p. 1) proposes that the reflective process is a way of being within everyday practice. To illustrate this further, the technique allows the practitioner to become mindful of self within the context of a particular experience. The intention is to resolve incongruity between a practitioners own vision and actual experience (Johns, 2004). Schà ¶n (1987) (cited in Johns, 2004, p.1) distinguishes between reflection-on-action (as shown by my reflection) and reflection-in-action. For example, reflection-in-action refers to occasions when a practitioner takes a momentary pause during a particular experience in order to make sense of it and to consider how best to proceed. Consequently, as we become accustomed to thoughtfully analysing our practice following an event (on-action), the ability to reflect-in-action becomes a part of everyday practice (Johns, 2004). Mention should be made here of an absence of conventional research to support this argument; although anecdotal eviden ce has been found (Johns, 2004). These two layers of reflection; namely in-action and on-action, are the cornerstone of professional development. For me, reflection as a learning process will facilitate the move from a novice learner to an intuitive expert, by means of developing implicit knowledge accumulated from past experiences (ORegan Fawcett, 2006). As I reflect on subsequent experiences in the remit of patient confidentiality, I will develop practical and professional knowledge. The benefits of using reflective practice have been well documented. ORegan Fawcett (2006) explains that the process reduces the gap between theoretical knowledge and nursing practice and fosters the development wisdom and implicit knowledge. Fawcetts argument has been illustrated by my reflective process. It is important to discuss what it means to be a professional nurse in order to evaluate its significance to the reflective process and codes of conduct. A registered nurse acquires a body of specialist knowledge from the educational and practical setting. However, the idea of holding a body of knowledge is arguably less important than the ability to draw on intuitive knowledge, tuned through previous practical experimentation and reflection (Schà ¶n, 1987 Stevenson, 1990). My personal experience of the reflective process is that it facilitates the move from reflection-on-action to reflection-in-action. Similarly, this sophisticated skill reduces the perceived theory-practice gap. ( To summarise this discussion, I have used Gibbs reflective cycle to reflect on an aspect of my clinical practice; namely patient confidentiality. The code (NMC, 2008) has functioned as a benchmark against which I have evaluated my professional knowledge and behaviour. Indeed, the NMC advocates the use of reflective practice for professional growth. I can conclude that an improved skill in reflective thinking will drive my professional growth. Similarly, the values highlighted by the code are equally essential for the development of my professional accountability. It is important to note that the mutual function of reflective practice, codes of conduct and professional development is to ultimately deliver excellent nursing care to our patients. References Crook, M. A. (2003) The Caldicott report and patient confidentiality. Journal of Clinical Pathology, 56 (6): 426-428. Department of Health (DH). (2003) Confidentiality: NHS code of practice. Leeds: DH. Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: Further Education Unit, Oxford Brookes University. Goldsmith, J. (2011) The NMC code: conduct, performance and ethics. Nursing Times, 107 (37): 12-14. Institute of Health Records and Information Management. (1997) The Caldicott Report. London: IHRIM. Jasper, M. (eds.) (2003) Beginning reflective practice. Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes. Johns, C. (2004) Becoming a reflective practitioner. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC). (2008) The code: standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives [online]. Available from: http://www.nmc-uk.org/Documents/Standards/The-code-A4-20100406.pdf [Accessed 25 February 2013]. ORegan, H. Fawcett, T. (2006) Learning to nurse: reflections on bathing a patient. Nursing Standard, 20 (46): 60-64. Pattison, S. Wainwright, P. (2010) Is the 2008 NMC code ethical? Nursing Ethics, 17 (1): 9-18. Schà ¶n, D. (1987) Educating the Reflective Practitioner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Stevenson, J. S. (1990) The development of nursing knowledge: accelerating the pace. In Chaska, N. I. (ed.) The nursing profession: turning points. St Louis: The C.V. Mosby Company. pp. 597-607. Sutcliffe, H. (2011) Understanding the NMC code of conduct: a student perspective. Nursing Standard, 25 (52): 35-39.

The Film O brother, where art thou? Essay -- Film Movies Movie Art T

The Film "O brother, where art thou?" The film O brother, where art thou? is set in the Great Depression of the 1930’s and emphasizes the struggle between the upper and lower classes by using a variety of cinematic devices. Through the use of these cinematic devices and comedic relief the realities of the Depression are viewed without creating a stark, melancholy, documentary-styled film. Examples in this film of these cinematic devices used to show these realities include: bleak colors, contrasting of light and dark colors, long shots, high-angle shots, and spherical camera lenses. These particular devices provide a glimpse at the realities of the oppression, poverty and despair of many of the American people during this time. From the start of the film it is apparent what time frame it is taking place in and the differences in the social stratification through the lack of colors. One of the most obvious portrayals of the bleakness and desperation of the era is the overall faded and washed-out look of the whole film, due to manipulation of the film saturation; the heaviness of it almost cries out to the audience. Though the film was shot during the summer, cinematographer Roger Deakins and Cinesite colorist Julias Friede were able to use digital technology to change the appearance of the colors. â€Å"Together, they worked on manipulating the [digital] saturation of the images, and in particular selecting the greens of the trees and grass and turning them into dry browns and yellows† (Escaping, 2). These dry brown and yellows enhance the audience’s impression of the desperation of the characters and the time period. Brown is a prominent color shown not only in the overall appearance but in the sp... ...ts was very distinguishable. This film captures this class distinction without subduing the atmosphere through the use of a variety of cinematic devices, â€Å" A good film is not a bag of cinematic devices but the embodiment, through devices, of a vision, an underlying theme† (Barnett, 274). The audience can see this theme of the realities of the oppression, poverty and despair of this time period through the use of the things mentioned, but also through the character development that is driven by the character’s hopelessness. Each of the characters associated with the lower class is motivated by the conditions, which are viewed through the cinematic devices mentioned above: color, spherical lenses, long shots, and high angle shots. Sources Cited: â€Å"Escaping From the Chain Gang.† October 2000. 25 July 2002 <http://www.theasc.com/magazine/oct00/brother/pg1.htm>.

Nogo Railroad

Case Summary: NoGo Railroad Dave Keller a chief dispatcher with limited managerial experience has gotten a major promotion, making him the communication manager of the division. However this promotion has come with numerous problems. Because of NoGo Railroads unique operations it has had little to no competition and no compelling reason to modernize operations, but that is about to change as Dave has been given the mandate to observe different job functions, eliminate obsolete practices and modernize wherever possible.With rumors running rampant through the organization of layoffs and job function changes, as well as previous failed attempts to implement other job changes similar to what management is again trying to implement, Dave realizes that he has a few problems ahead of him. With key problems being cutting employee costs and morale problems brought about by blatant nepotism and feather bedding, Dave believes that by eliminating these issues it would prevent major layoff for cl erks and telegraph operators.Both groups however would have to accept changes that would result in reduced compensation and possibly additional responsibilities for them all. With a firm backing from a Union that is known to be rigid against concessions in these areas Dave needs help from upper management that seems to not be forth coming. Coupled with his uncertainty about resistance action that may be taken by the group Dave is feeling vulnerable and apprehensive about his new job and is questioning the intent behind his promotion. Questions and Task Assignment 1.Identify and explain the changes you would make to the current employment arrangement? Sean Murray & Kemoy Miller 2. What strategies would you put in place to effectively manage the change? Explain the relationship between these strategies and the possible resistance to the changes. – Racheal Callaghan & Aundre Hamilton 3. Using the case as a reference point, explain the importance of change/change management, and discuss its relationship to effective organization management and performance. – Asha-Gaye Graham & David Rogers.Question 1: Changes to the Employment Arrangement (Insert answer here) Question 2: Resistance to Change and Management Strategies The inability of people to adapt to change is not new. Employees are not always receptive to change due to a combination of factors. Management may mitigate against high levels of change resistance by taking these factors into consideration and designing and implementing strategies to deal with issues that may arise. Some factors to consider are as follows: 1. Self Interest- Employees tend to resist a change they believe conflicts with their self-interests.A proposed change in job design, structure or technology may increase an employee’s workload, for example, or cause a real or perceived loss of power, prestige, pay or benefits. (Daft, 2012) This factor seems evident in the case of NoGo Railroads as a key source of disgruntlemen t for employees was the rumor that they may have to assume responsibilities outside of their job descriptions without an increase in compensation, as well as a general reduction of benefits with the changes in the contractual pay agreement. . Lack of Understanding or Trust- Employees often distrust the intentions behind a change or do not understand the intended purpose of a change. (Daft, 2012) Information about the changes that were to be implemented was far from free flowing and easily accessible. Instead rumors, whether true or untrue took main precedent and resulted in increased levels of distrust as employees were not fully aware of the reasons for the need for change and the actions that were to take place at NoGo. 3.Uncertainty- Uncertainty is a lack of information about future events and represents a fear of the unknown. It is especially threatening for employees who have a low tolerance for change and a fear of anything outside of the ordinary. They do not know how a chang e will affect them and worry about whether they will be able to meet the demands of a new procedure or technology. (Daft, 2012) Poor access to good information lead to low trust levels of trust and also uncertainty which only increased NoGo’s employees’ resistance to change. . Different Assessment and Goals- Another reason for resistance in change is that people who will be affected by a change or innovation may access the situation differently from an idea champion i. e. in individual or group leading the change movement. (Daft, 2012) In response to these factors one may choose to either conduct a force field analysis of the situation, which involves â€Å"weighing† the driving forces (problems or motivations that provide motivation for change) against the restraining forces (various barriers to change).Another approach would be to adopt specific tactics to overcome resistance depending on the main factors causing the resistance. Some strategies include: * Comm unication and education, which essentially is the attempt to overcome uncertainty and lack of understanding by providing free flowing access to accurate and clear information about the change and its results. * Participation, which involves including stakeholders of the change into the change process in order to have them understand and commit to the change. Negotiation, or the use of formal bargaining to win acceptance and approval for a desired change * Coercion, and the use of formal powers by managers to force the change on employees * And finally, top management support, that sees top executives reinforcing the importance of innovation both verbally and symbolically which signals to employees that the changes is important for the entire organization. In the case of NoGo the most effective strategies would be a combination of four of the specific tactics, namely Communication and education, participation, negotiation and top management support.Communication and education would b e used to tackle the issues of distrust and uncertainty. By clearly informing employees of the objectives of the exercise, outlining the actions that are to take place and the benefits of these actions, all employees will be on the same page and dialogue that would ensue between management and the employees could be used to provide clarification and reassurance to employees where necessary, reducing the chances of conflict. After educating employees on the change that is to take place having them participate in the change would be the next step. By including them in the ecision making where necessary would mean they would be more vested in the project and less likely to reject something they helped build. Because of the role of the unions in employee affairs negotiations would be a must as a part of NoGo’s change implementation process, especially in regards to the pay contract. By coming to a mutually acceptable decision, conflicts are exceedingly avoidable. Finally after wo rking to get employees vested in the change process it is important to now reinforce the importance of the drive for this change by top management showing their support for the initiative.This would assure employees that this process is indeed an organizational wide one, and everyone is vested in the effort and its challenges and successes. Question 3: Change Management and Effective Organizational Management NOGO Railroad has experienced little to no competition over the years. A need for change was identified by Dave Keller the Communications. Change Management will modify and transform the organization so as to facilitate efficiency and performance.Change is crucial to an organization’s survival, as it allows the organization to survive in a dynamic environment. Change is important as it allows an organization to able to be flexible and develop/maintain an organic structure. To achieve this NOGO Railroad will need to conduct an Organizational Development intervention. This intervention will include activities such as: team building, inter-group educational and training, structural, interpersonal, coaching and career planning and organizational transformation.With these activities the culture and structure of the organization will change in such a way, which will improve the productivity of the organization, lower absenteeism, increase loyalty, lower human resource cost with the added implementation and enforcement of proper human resource policies. Reference Daft, R. (2012). New Era of Management. 10th Edition. South- Western: Cengage Learning. Hayes. J,(2002) The Theory and Practice of Change Management. MacMillian Holbeche. L,(2006) Understanding Change: Theory, Implementation and Success. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

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Vasco Núñez de Balboa, Conquistador and Explorer

Vasco Nà ºÃƒ ±ez de Balboa, Conquistador and Explorer Vasco Nà ºÃƒ ±ez de Balboa (1475–1519) was a Spanish conquistador, explorer, and administrator. He is best known for leading the first European expedition to sight the Pacific Ocean, or the South Sea as he referred to it. He is still remembered and venerated in Panama as a heroic explorer. Fast Facts: Vasco Nà ºÃƒ ±ez de Balboa Known For: First European sighting of the Pacific Ocean and colonial governance in what is now PanamaBorn: 1475 in Jerà ©z de los Caballeros, Extremadura province, CastileParents: Differing historical accounts of parents names: his family was noble but no longer wealthySpouse: Marà ­a de Peà ±alosaDied: January 1519 in Acla, near present-day Darià ©n, Panama Early Life Nuà ±ez de Balboa was born into a noble family that was no longer wealthy. His father and mother were both of noble blood in Badajoz, Spain and Vasco was born in Jerà ©z de los Caballeros in 1475. Although noble, Balboa could not hope for much in the way of even a meager inheritance, as he was the third of four sons. All titles and lands were passed to the eldest; younger sons generally went into the military or clergy. Balboa opted for the military, spending time as a page and squire at the local court. America By 1500, word had spread all over Spain and Europe of the wonders of the New World and the fortunes being made there. Young and ambitious, Balboa joined the expedition of Rodrigo de Bastidas in 1500. The expedition was mildly successful in raiding the northeastern coast of South America. In 1502, Balboa landed in Hispaniola with enough money to set himself up with a small pig farm. He was not a very good farmer, however, and by 1509 he was forced to flee his creditors in Santo Domingo. Back to the Darien Balboa stowed away (with his dog) on a ship commanded by Martà ­n Fernndez de Enciso, who was heading to the recently-founded town of San Sebastin de Urab with supplies. He was quickly discovered and Enciso threatened to maroon him, but the charismatic Balboa talked him out of it. When they reached San Sebastin they found that natives had destroyed it. Balboa convinced Enciso and the survivors of San Sebastin (led by Francisco Pizarro) to try again and establish a town, this time in the Darià ©n- a region of dense jungle between present-day Colombia and Panama. Santa Marà ­a la Antigua del Darià ©n The Spaniards landed in the Darià ©n and were quickly beset by a large force of natives under the command of Cà ©maco, a local chieftain. Despite the overwhelming odds, the Spanish prevailed and founded the city of Santa Marà ­a la Antigua de Darià ©n on the site of Cà ©macos old village. Enciso, as ranking officer, was put in charge but the men detested him. Clever and charismatic, Balboa rallied the men behind him and removed Enciso by arguing that the region was not part of the royal charter of Alonso de Ojeda, Encisos master. Balboa was one of two men quickly elected to serve as mayors of the city. Veragua Balboas stratagem of removing Enciso backfired in 1511. It was true that Alonso de Ojeda (and therefore, Enciso) had no legal authority over Santa Marà ­a, which had been founded in an area referred to as Veragua. Veragua was the domain of Diego de Nicuesa, a somewhat unstable Spanish nobleman who had not been heard from in some time. Nicuesa was discovered in the north with a handful of bedraggled survivors from an earlier expedition, and he decided to claim Santa Marà ­a for his own. The colonists preferred Balboa, however, and Nicuesa was not even allowed to go ashore: Indignant, he set sail for Hispaniola but was never heard from again. Governor Balboa was effectively in charge of Veragua at this point and the crown reluctantly decided to simply recognize him as governor. Once his position was official, Balboa quickly began organizing expeditions to explore the region. The local tribes of indigenous natives were not united and were powerless to resist the Spanish, who were better armed and disciplined. The colonizers collected much gold and pearls through their military power, which in turn drew more men to the settlement. They began hearing rumors of a great sea and a rich kingdom to the south. Expedition to the South The narrow strip of land which is Panama and the northern tip of Colombia runs east to west, not north to south as some might suppose. Therefore, when Balboa, along with about 190 Spaniards and a handful of natives, decided to search for this sea in 1513, they headed mostly south, not west. They fought their way through the isthmus, leaving many wounded behind with friendly or conquered chieftains. On September 25, Balboa and a handful of battered Spaniards (Francisco Pizarro was among them) first saw the Pacific Ocean, which they named the â€Å"South Sea.† Balboa waded into the water and claimed the sea for Spain. Pedrarà ­as Dvila The Spanish crown, still with some lingering doubt over whether or not Balboa had correctly handled Enciso, sent a massive fleet to Veragua (now named Castilla de Oro) under the command of veteran soldier Pedrarà ­as Dvila. Fifteen hundred men and women flooded the tiny settlement. Dvila had been named governor to replace Balboa, who accepted the change with good humor, although the colonists still preferred him to Dvila. Dvila proved to be a poor administrator and hundreds of settlers died, mostly those who had sailed with him from Spain. Balboa tried to recruit some men to explore the South Sea without Dvila knowing, but he was found out and arrested. Vasco and Pedrarà ­as Santa Marà ­a had two leaders: officially, Dvila was governor, but Balboa was more popular. They continued to clash until 1517 when it was arranged for Balboa to marry one of Dvila’s daughters. Balboa married Marà ­a de Peà ±alosa despite an obstacle: she was in a convent in Spain at the time and they had to marry by proxy. In fact, she never left the convent. Before long, the rivalry flared up again. Balboa left Santa Marà ­a for the small town of Aclo with 300 of those who still preferred his leadership to that of Dvila. He was successful in establishing a settlement and building some ships. Death Fearing the charismatic Balboa as a potential rival, Dvila decided to get rid of him once and for all. Balboa was arrested by a squad of soldiers led by Francisco Pizarro as he made preparations to explore the Pacific coast of northern South America. He was hauled back to Aclo in chains and quickly tried for treason against the crown: The charge was that he had tried to establish his own independent fiefdom of the South Sea, independent from that of Dvila. Enraged, Balboa shouted out that he was a loyal servant of the crown, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. He was beheaded in January of 1519 along with four of his companions (there are conflicting accounts of the exact date of the execution). Without Balboa, the colony of Santa Marà ­a quickly failed. Where he had cultivated positive ties with local natives for trade, Dvila enslaved them, resulting in short-term economic profit but long-term disaster for the colony. In 1519, Dvila forcibly moved all of the settlers to the Pacific side of the isthmus, founding Panama City, and by 1524 Santa Marà ­a had been razed by angry natives. Legacy The legacy of Vasco Nuà ±ez de Balboa is brighter than that of many of his contemporaries. While many  conquistadors, such as  Pedro de Alvarado,  Hernn Cortà ©s,  and  Pnfilo de Narvaez  are today remembered for cruelty, exploitation, and inhuman treatment of natives, Balboa is remembered as an explorer, fair administrator, and popular governor who made his settlements work. As for relations with natives, Balboa was guilty of his share of atrocities, including enslavement and setting his dogs on homosexual men in one village. In general, however, he is thought to have dealt with his native allies well, treating them with respect and friendship which translated into beneficial trade and food for his settlements. Although he and his men were the first to see the Pacific Ocean while heading west from the New World, it would be  Ferdinand Magellan  who would get the credit for naming it when he rounded the southern tip of South America in 1520. Balboa is best remembered in  Panama, where many streets, businesses, and parks bear his name. There is a stately monument in his honor in Panama City (a district of which bears his name) and the national currency is called the Balboa. There is even a lunar crater named after him. Sources Editors, History.com. â€Å"Vasco Nà ºÃƒ ±ez De Balboa.†Ã‚  History.com, AE Television Networks, 18 Dec. 2009.Thomas, Hugh.  Rivers of Gold: The Rise of the Spanish Empire, from Columbus to Magellan.  Random House, 2005.

What are the strategies of Apple Incorporated Essay

What are the strategies of Apple Incorporated - Essay Example Center of discussion in this paper is Apple as a very unique company because it dominated a market segment which is not its core business. Apple was launched in 1976 in a garage with Steve Wozniak and was able to revolutionize the computing industry with the introduction of its product line Macintosh (Mac) that â€Å"dramatically changed personal computing through its user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI), which allowed users to interact with screen images rather than merely typing text commands†. Apple’s success is not solely attributed to the creativity and functionality of its product line but also to its pricing strategy which has been a big change from the 1990s when consumers regarded Apple as a producer of overpriced tech baubles that cannot effectively compete against the far cheaper Windows PCs. This change was a result of a succesful implementation of its value chain activities that has significantly lowered its price. It became very pronounced with the launching of Ipad which price was far lower than what they expected. Its introductory price last year of $499 stunned everyone, which led John Gallaugher, an associate professor of information systems at Boston College to comment â€Å"It was a very competitively priced device†. The same is true in the notebook product line. When Macbook Air was introduced in 2008, it was priced at an exorbitant $1,799. This became possible by the briliant management of Apple’s supply chain due to capitalizing its organizational capability of having huge cash reserves. It made its supply chain a strategic weapon to lower price in order to capture the market. It tapped into its huge war chest of $82 billion in cash and marketable securities to lock up supplies of parts for years to enable it push down cost by the scale of its purchase (Wingfield, 2011). It also bought manufacturing capacity ahead of its time and made its components scarce that, in turn, made its competitors scrambling for any parts that are left and drove the cost of its products up while Apple had lowered its own (Wingfield, 2011). To date, Apple has been recorded as the biggest buyer of flash memory chips in the world according to the research firm iSuppli (Wingfield, 2011). The effect of using value chain management as a strategic weapon proved to be a nemesis among its competitors. When this effective value chain management was reflected in retail prices, competitors had to slash their prices where Motorola’s Xoom tablet was pushed to lower its price at $379 at Best Buy (for a limited time) and virtually won the competition with Hewlett-Packard’s TouchPad line of tablets which were pushed to be sold at $99 to clean the inventories. III. What is the core of Apple from a product point of view? The core product of Apple was its desktop computer Macintosh. Its main revenue source however comes from its other product line such as Ipad, Iphone and Ipod. IV. Are all products and servic es equal to Apple? If not what are the key pieces? Use your entire toolkit, especially the financials, to support your decision.   Apple Incorporated made itself distinct by making its hardware and software work in synergy that enabled its products and services unequalled by its competitors. The best example that we can show for this is the synergy that its operating system iOS5 that provide synergy among the different product lines of Apple. It powers the iPad, iPod and iPod touch which allows the three products to interact and complement each other. Its new computer operating system Lion also has an Air-drop feature that has made sharing of information between Mac computers very convenient. Air-drops peer

Competitive Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Competitive Strategy - Essay Example South African Breweries had acquired Miller Brewing Company in 2002 and had become SABMiller. The third task is to explain the implications of its current strategic position for the future of SABMiller. Finally the paper will recommend the strategies that South African Breweries (and SABMiller) should follow in the coming years. South African Breweries was started in 1895 mainly to cater to the growing mining population in Johannesburg, what is now South Africa. Throughout the existence of the company, it has recorded consistent growth through entry into new markets and acquisitions. The company could also survive the turbulent period of the two World Wars and the eventual abolition of apartheid. In 1962, the company found a new domestic market segment when the government lifted a long lasting prohibition of alcohol consumption by blacks. The company had also entered into other diverse fields such as safety matches, glass making, hospitality, gaming, and textiles. The company also followed its strategic plans by rapidly expanding into Eastern Europe and other developing economies in Asia like China and India. It has presence in markets located in Africa, Asia, Latin America, North America and Europe. SABMiller has more than 200 types or brands of beer and employees nearly 60,000 by the parent company alone. Its breakup of revenue according to markets and type of business is given below. Competitive Strategy: According to the famous management theorist and author, Michael Porter every large organization will have two sets of strategies. One is for expansion of its business referred to as competitive strategy and the other for the survival and growth of the organization as a whole referred to as corporate strategy. (Porter 1998, 117). Competitive strategy is easy to conceive in the mind but difficult to define, because of the sheer diversity in different forms of businesses, markets and the type of leadership or