Beauty Contests Are Harmful

The old saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. In other words, someone or something that is considered attractive to one person may not necessarily appeal to another. If we lived in a perfect world, maybe everyone would follow the wise words of this old saying and admit that evaluating beauty is a subjective practice. However society that does exist feels some strong compulsion to turn every aspect of people’s lives into a competition. In my opinion, the prize of Beauty Queen in one competition society could live without. Beauty contests are an unnecessary element in society simply because they set unrealistic beauty standards for an audience of easily influenced young girls, they encourage judging on appearance, rather than on a person's character, and mainly because they objectify women. Beauty contests are well promoted by the media, with television and images, which influence young women’s opinions on appearance. The participants of these contests are poor role models for these girls as they set impractical body weight, breast size and clear skin standards. This sets an ideal female body, which only a minority of women can realistically aspire. This adds pressure on all women to conform which can then become incredibly harmful to young women by encouraging dieting, eating disorders and cosmetic surgery, or simply making them feel inadequate and ugly. An article, titled â€Å"Thoughts about Miss Teen USA,† out of a local American magazine was written by a young teen in 2005, who had just watched ‘Miss Teen’ on NBC. Her recap of the contest was; â€Å"White teeth. White teeth. Prom-style dress. Blonde. White teeth. Blonde. Chandelier earings. Tan. Blonde. Tan. Strapless gown. † Followed by â€Å"That’s all you need to know† This certainly does not promote the contest in fact quite the contrary. The statement made by this young teen is not one that is from a minority. She is one of thousands that view this as the â€Å"norm† for a woman of beauty. It is not healthy for a young teen to think there is one type of beauty or one type of accepted body. It is harmful and could lead to both physical and emotional damage. Secondly, beauty contests further the belief that looks are superior to a person’s abilities, feelings and heart. These women are judged solely on the bases of physical appearance. The existence of talent just does not work simply because an â€Å"ugly† person just won’t win! Judging women but not men, primarily on their looks contributes to the subjugation of women because other qualities, such as intelligence, are not seen as part of ideal femininity and therefore not as things to which women should aspire. Miss USA 2002 went to a tall blonde ditzy Ohio woman, who was won over by the crowd when she made her statement that education was important and that you can tell if someone has an education by looking at them. The irony in the statement being that beauty contests are not shallow and are not just based appearance. Beauty being seen as a high priority to men and women all over the world is harmful because it discourages women to be different and to show women are not â€Å"just a pretty face. † Lastly, beauty contests strongly promote the negative aspect that women are seen as objects of sexual interest. These contests fail to challenge harmful political attitudes to women. They do nothing to aid the liberation of women, in fact by promoting looks as the most important feminine quality, they harm women’s liberation in general. On the 17th of February the Campus National Organisation for Women protested the Miss UF Beauty Pageant. They handed out 300 protest flyers which stated their disgust with Florida Blue Key and the University of Florida for holding a sexist pageant where women must be inspected in swimsuits and parade around in evening gowns in order to be awarded scholarship money. This shows how beauty contests encourage women to see themselves as an object (like a car) to be judged by men. Beauty contests hurt women by treating them as objects held up to a strict standard of â€Å"beauty,† a standard that is painful, time-consuming, and expensive for women to try to achieve. In a high percentage of Hollywood films, even those in which the woman should be portrayed as a strong willed, independent heroine, usually feature women being played off solely as sex objects. Though there is nothing wrong with a woman being classified as â€Å"sexy† it should not be the entire package. One made of uniqueness, intelligence and charm is what should be promoted. Movies such as; Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Charlies Angels, send the same message to the young men and woman, that beauty contests do, which is that only one kind of women’s body is acceptable. This is harmful to a majority of women as beauty contests are encouraging men to treat them as an object rather than woman with opinions and uniqueness. Beauty contests are an unnecessary element in society because they set unrealistic beauty standards for an audience. There are contests out there, which attempt to create a judgment of well-balanced people. These sorts of competitions are trying to promote the intelligence mixed with beauty side, which should be heavily commended. However, contests in which beauty is emphasised as a solitary basis for winning, like beauty contests, are dangerous and harmful to society.

A Probation Officer’s View of Effectiveness

This case study is about what a probation officer’s view of effectiveness is and how it can affect his or her view of the job. The local newspaper ran a 3-part article about the probation office and how it was not living up to the expectations of the citizens. The articles discussed how the recidivism rate for the department was high and the department did not utilize social programs in the community. Whose interests were served in the newspaper’s evaluation of the probation office and whose will be served by the proposed evaluation from the department? What theory or theories of effectiveness are represented in the proposed new evaluation format? And what process and outcome measures are included in the evaluation? What domain of activity do these cover? Is the meaning of the variables clear? The newspaper article served the interest of the probationer’s, citizens of the community, social service agencies, and the probation office. If the article had never been published there is a good chance there would not be a change in the operations of the probation office and the citizens of the community and probation officers would not see a change in the recidivism of probationers. The proposed evaluation will serve the probationers due to the fact that he or she will receive more options to break the cycle of crime. It will serve the citizens of the community by breaking the cycle of crime therefore crime rates will decrease. And, it will serve the probation officer’s as he or she can feel better about the options available for their probationers and the programs he or she can refer to them. The process approach and the system resource model are both prevalent in this case study. According to Steers, â€Å"the process approach consists of three related components: goal optimization, a systems perspective, and an emphasis on behavior within organizations† (Stojkovic, Kalinich and Klofas, 2003). In the case study, the officers and the leader discuss how the organization needs to look at how much time the officers are spending with each client, where they are spending this time, and what the probation officer is doing in this time. This type of study is putting the emphasis on behavior within the organization. In the system resource model the effectiveness is based on â€Å"the extent that it can obtain needed resources from its environment† (Stojkovic, Kalinich and Klofas, 2003). An officer in the case study discusses getting his clients in touch with the social agencies in the community to help break the cycle. This is an example of the system resource model. This evaluation will use the gross malfunction analysis. The probation system in the community is considered a failure. The evaluation in which the leader and officers are proposing will examine the reasons for the failure. Another good analysis is the revelatory analysis. This analysis is reflected in the use of social programs by probation officers and his or her client. It will also show how well the probation officers are utilizing inside and outside resources to help eliminate recidivism? The domain of activity these evaluations cover and the studies the probation office wants to utilize are the effectiveness-for-whom and the tendency for effectiveness criteria to influence behavior within organizations. By using the malfunction and revelatory evaluations the probation office and citizens of the community will have a better understanding of the operations and activities of the probation officers. The newspaper article in this study helped to bring about some positive changes for the probation office. The probation officers received a supervisor who included him or her in planning and implementing the type of evaluation needed to decrease the recidivism of all the probation clients. The effectiveness of the probation office became a propriety project not only for the probation supervisor but for the probation officers. The officers were able to feel as if the evaluation was his or her project and therefore he or she would benefit from it. The supervisor brain-storming with the officers gave the officers a sense of ownership over the evaluation and therefore when the results are returned he or she will be more compelled to help find solutions to the problems.

Converse Product Information

Product information 1. the name of all star come from full name:ALL STAR CHUCK TAYLOR Converse 1917 the world's first dual-ALL STAR canvas shoes in production, and the beginning of the twentieth century is known as â€Å"basketball ambassador,† said U. S. asketball star CHUCK TAYLOR (Chuck Taylor) on this new line of canvas shoes, put it down, convinced thatALL STAR shoes make basketball players on the court dash and enjoy the play, so he wherever he always has a pair of ALL STAR canvas shoes, enthusiastically to her friends, basketball players and coaches recommend ALL STAR canvas shoesand basketball on the requirements of the sports shoes and personal experience, personally involved in the ALL STAR canvas shoes, improved design, making it more suitable for basketball.The ALL STAR theoretically canvas as a material, wear. ALL STAR then only one color – – white. 1966, ALL STAR introduced color series, such as leather, rubber, etc. As technology continues to progr ess, more gradually been used as a shoe-making raw materials. 1970s, affected by the wave of fashion began to move closer to the natural, original feeling. ALL STAR at the time seems exceptionally retro, very easy to wear with wear to go freely to make life simplify. 996, ALL STAR launched ALL STAR 2000, the original leather uppers of canvas instead. 2. the publicity of all star ENERGY As the popularity of popular around Asia and sunshine handsome image became CONVERSE's first China brand spokesperson, and take Taiwan as the center of radiation throughout Asia brand operation Stefanie Who speak over converse in time for the 2002 World Cup Soda Green Lead singer Qingfeng said, to rock ‘n' roll. – London recording a new album, of course, to bring back the spirit of the original dense rock â€Å", and his is CONVERSE always demands creative first, subversion of rational, agree without prior without previous consultation. Endorsement and participate in design. 3. the reaso n of choosing all star light wear resistance bending waterproof acid alkali resistance low price 4. the type of all star a)material quality canvas oxhide PU leather b)shoe model low help high help art graffiti c)shoe style Lace-up shoe Loafers 5. how to distinguish the quality goods a)the genuine heavy feeling in his hand )Soles grinding with nail clippers, genuine will be a little scratch marks, rub with fingers, no scratch marks c)genuine shoelaces cotton content is very high, you can authentic shoes untied shoelace, natural straightened can also stretched, pulled the longest time, we have a relaxed, the laces will automatically shrink d)heel behind the logo concavity, and is affixed to the upper of this shoe machine precision workmanship problem e)Soles middle â€Å"CONVERSE ALL STAR† raised LOGO mark, logo next to the security of the Star of David *, the stars beside a registered trademark of R.Bottom for shoe sizes 6. how to take care all star a)After cleaning the shade of natural dry ventilated place, do not put the local baking sun prolonged sun exposure or high temperature, to prevent the back glue or degumming, accelerated aging b)Non professional labor shoes don't and acid, alkali, salt chemical exposure, so as to avoid corrosion degumming deformation c)The sweaty feet heavy friends, put on the shoes before the first shoes in spray a little vinegar, can reduce the odor, the other canvas shoes should be cleaned regularly, in order to prevent mildewy smell

Post-course assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Post-course assignment - Essay Example In the illustrative section of the paper, there would be an analysis and evaluation of the methods, approaches, techniques and resources that will be used to deliver the training. The paper will also narrow down its scope to concentrate on how to incorporate cultural intelligence and cultural awareness into the training programme. This paper will be based on a group of 12 Asian delegation consisting of business executives who are being prepare for an international conference in the United States of America. The paper is therefore being put together to describe the teaching methods and content that will be employed to enable these executives to learn about how to communicate with their American counterparts and integrate culturally into the American society. In attaining this end, the paper will involve the components of Course and Syllabus Design which underline the IBET Certificate training programme. This will mean the application of important ideas and concepts from this aspect of the course to formulate a proper tuition system and design that would help the participants appreciate the course in English Business Communication. In doing this, we assume that the course is going to be held in a five day intensive session which would last for six hours each day with three breaks. This will be held in a conducive environment where all the participants will get the opportunity to interact with me, the tutor or instructor. In general terms, â€Å"a course syllabus provide the blueprint for structured teaching and learning in a training session† (Morrison, 2011 p133). â€Å"A syllabus provide the aims, objectives and targets that a given teaching program is meant to provide to the participants† (Moreno, 2011 p107). In this section of the paper, I will like to indicate how the course would be structured and the kind of syllabus which will be used to teach these

Last Night I Sang to the Monster Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Last Night I Sang to the Monster - Assignment Example In the rehab centre, Zach is placed in Cabin number 9 together with two other older roommates, he is confused and angry. At first Rafael who is 53 years old and a 28 years old drug addict hates Zach. However with time and the help of group therapy sessions and late night talks, Zach manages to create a good relationship with his companions. Despite all the depression, Zack is determined to get over his monsters and lead a normal healthy life. Zach’s voice in the novel is very powerful and represents hope and sadness which makes him a survivor despite being through unbearable pains and abuse. Zack has immense inner strength and the undefined love of others, which portrays him as resilience to the human spirit. Through Zach, teen readers have realized the youth suffer and also go through painful experiences but it is healthy to cry and need love. At times, I have realized that psychological healing is greatly affected by grief and memories. This calls for a lot of support and encouragement from all around for a successful psychological healing to be

Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility Essay - 1

Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example It is therefore no surprise that generations of corporate managers have grown up believing that business ethics consists merely of complying with civil and criminal law and not doing anything that would damage the reputation of the company or its products (Feiser, 2007). Goran Svensson and Greg Wood in their publication â€Å"A Model of Business Ethics† suggested that there is the need to define a new model of business ethics that needs to encompass not just the internal stakeholders but also the external stakeholders. This includes the society at large. They suggested that the society has expectations of each company, it has perceptions and it evaluates each company against those expectations and perceptions. They also pointed that these standards will be continually reviewed and modified and corporate managers have to measure up to these changes (Svensson & Wood, 2008). The trend for companies to measure up to society’s standards of ethics has been further enhanced by the emergence of large institutional investors as significant players in the capital markets from the early 1970s. These large investors have sparked the trend to what is termed Socially Responsible Investment where these large funds would only invest in companies that set â€Å"acceptable† standards of business ethics. ... This trend has strengthened after the 2008 global financial crisis with investors seeking much higher standards of corporate behaviour than had been acceptable in the past. Ethical corporate behaviour is now enforced by the power of the media scrutiny that can force change. A good recent example is Starbucks in the UK being forced to pay additional tax after social boycott of their outlets following media reports of their tax avoidance practices (Hurley, 2012). The access to the internet and the social media by employees, suppliers and other stakeholders of large corporations also makes sure that ethical business practices are not merely professed but also practiced. In recent times, most public corporations have adopted the practice of publicizing their business ethics and corporate social responsibility projects voluntarily to build up the image of their companies in the media and amongst the investor communities. Various organizations have come up to rank companies on their busine ss ethics and these awards are eagerly sought after. 2. The application of business ethics practices at Anglo-American and Primark 2.1 Anglo – American Anglo American is one of the world’s largest mining companies with revenues of ? 22 billion and profits of ? 8 billion (Anglo-American, 2012). Though it has mining operations all around the world, in countries such as Canada, Australia Brazil and Chile, 76% of its employees live and work on the African continent. The mining industry has some major challenges with respect to business ethics and sustainable development. A 2010 survey of stakeholders conducted by the International Council on Mining & Metals listed some of these issues.

Information Technology Investigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Information Technology Investigation - Essay Example It usually doesn't include its own authoring capabilities; instead, it focuses on managing courses created by a variety of other sources." (An E-Learning Glossary, 2008) E-learning has evolved along with the spread of the Internet, and today e-learning is one of the new innovations that are helping educators and administrators reach out to students across boundaries and time zones. E-learning has also ushered a new breed of entrepreneurs who are leveraging web based learning management systems to offer innovative, low cost and customized learning tools to students across the world. I was a part of an educational start up that offered a range of preparation tools for select international tests. I was a part of a small sub-team that analyzed the web based LMS landscaped and identified the most suitable LMS for the firm. Through this software investigation, I aim to identify the present trends in web-based LMS and e-learning. I also aim to identify the future evolution of e-learning. A web based learning management system offers a holistic and all encompassing training and assessment set up that allows tutors and administrators to design, create, manage, deliver, adaptive, interactive and innovative online learning tools. A web based learning management system creates a low cost yet highly effective learning and assessment environment that c... In addition to this, a web based learning management system also offers both the user and the tutor the flexibility to create or access content at their discretion. Most e-learning software applications come with a administrator/admin module that lets the tutor easily create and upload content with a authoring tool and a web browser. A typical web based LMS system also has features that allow the tutor as well as the learner assess and monitor the learning, thereby making the learning process highly interactive and customized. LMSs have evolved to be modular and they can often be integrated with other software applications like student information systems, online libraries and web analytics. This modularity and the ability to be integrated with other applications allows the administrator/decision maker utilize the data captured to design highly focused learning and assessment tools. Despite the fact that e-learning and LMS is a relatively old phenomena, it is yet to mature and stabilize. The LMS landscape does not have a clear leader, and is still rapidly evolving. The future potential of LMSs is highly promising, and the LMS of future should be an open ended learning platform. While the present LMSs use in-house generated content and is primarily a tool to manage and track content usage, the LMS of future should be a flexible, adaptive environment that will be integrated with the greatest content depository- the internet. The truly futuristic LMS should be able to intelligently source content from the web and complement that content with content generated in-house and offer much better learning tools. Business

Identify the specific and unique culture of social networking Annotated Bibliography

Identify the specific and unique culture of social networking - Annotated Bibliography Example The article concludes that there exist distinct differences among those individuals that use various forms of social sites. It was found most of the Facebook users came from a privileged background as compared to MySpace users. Moreover, the academic achievement determined individual preference to any particular social site. The difference was most common among teenagers. The insight on this culture has been through the usage of social sites. By using the sites, I have come to realize that certain social sites are a reflection of groups such as professionals, academics, and celebrities. For example, joining some site that does not fit your group makes it difficult to interact and communicate with those that are well suited in that site. Bode, Leticia, Vraga, Emily, Borah, Porismita and Shah, Dhavan. â€Å"A New Space for Political Behavior: Political Social Networking and its Democratic Consequences.† Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication. Wiley.com. Web 17 February 2013. . The article notes on increased political participation due to social networking sites. Moreover, the authors note that the majority of these sites have received a high concentration of young people. The authors further notes that there is growing political realm on the sites. The authors seek to note what has encouraged people participating in the sites to engage in political discourse. Moreover, they seek to establish what the effects of increased political participation. On the other hand, the author notes that there has been increased use of the sites among the politicians. Further, they note that the sites have been significantly used as a political tool in various parts of the world. The authors conclude that the use of social sites by young people has led to increased relevance in the political arena. Moreover, they note that these sites have increased the level of

Retailing stores Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Retailing stores - Research Proposal Example This understanding remains an essential component in development of services aimed at providing sufficient customer satisfaction. The study comprises of a population of all registered retailing outlets with samples of hundred stores in each country. Stratified sampling shall be utilised in sampling of the selected retailing stores within the population. Data analysis and processing shall be undertaken manually through undertaking close reviewing of the collected data. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 2 1.1.Background 2 1.2.Statement of problem 4 1.3.Objectives 4 1.4.Research questions 5 1.5.Justification 5 1.6.Scope 6 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 6 2.1.Introduction 6 2.2.Research hypothesis 7 2.3.Theoretical framework 7 2.4.Summary 9 2.5.Research gaps 10 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 11 3.1.Research design 11 3.2.Population 11 3.3.Sampling frame 11 3.4.Sample and sampling technique 11 3.5.Data collection procedure 12 3.6.Data processing and analysis 1 2 REFERENCES 12 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background Grocery stores across the world normally manage to market themselves through providing services aimed at satisfying the target market. Before engaging in the business of retailing outlets, business owners must understand the prevailing shopping trends among the target customers. This kind of understanding makes marketing an essential component of successful business operations for retailing stores. The factors affecting shopping trends in retailing stores vary significantly between different states. These variations contribute significantly towards the development of specific shopping trends among individuals residing in certain part of the world. Variations in shopping trends, therefore, become a fundamental element in determining the success of a retailing store located in different states. Increased globalisation of business operations continues to necessitate differentiation of business operations in order to suit the vario us customer requirements. A comparison of Saudi Arabian and British consumers of grocery store products could potentially reveal the existing discrepancies in the shopping trends in different parts of the world. The European and Asian continents remain some of the biggest target markets for retailing outlets seeking global presence. In Saudi Arabia for example, perceived selection risk remains a major determinant of supermarket patronage among many shoppers(Yavas & Tuncalp, 1984). In the European market, the British retailing sector continues to rank among the best based on management and attained annual profits. The emerging competition from international retailing outlets, however, continues to cause competitive threats for existing retailing stores(Steve & Sparks, 1994). The globalisation of retailing store business therefore, requires sufficient understanding of the target market and introduction of new services. This proposal seeks to provide an understanding of the prevail ing issues pertaining to global retailing store business. Clients in different countries have different concerns resulting in patronage with retailing stores. This research seeks to provide an analysis of the existing services resulting in patronage within Europe and the Middle East. As one of the most popular countries in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia becomes the best example to represent the rest of the Middle East. Britain on the other

Research methods for business and management Essay

Research methods for business and management - Essay Example In a good research, the abstract should represent what the research entails. The abstract provides an adequate summery of the research in term of the used literature, the methodology, findings, analysis techniques, and an aspect of conclusion with respect to the research findings. The introduction introduced the entire research and shows what the researcher intends to do through research questions and objectives. The article, â€Å"Factors influencing the transition to university service mathematics: part 2 a qualitative study,† by Miriam Liston and John O’Donoghue, is a research whose abstract is clear as it specifies the type of study as qualitative. It also clarifies what the researchers intended to find out. The study in the article was carried out to establish the influence of effective variables, role of mathematics conceptions, and students’ approaches to learning (COHEN, MANION, and MORRISON 2000). The abstract also indicate the placement of the research study by pointing out that the study was done at the University of Limerick, in the service mathematics transition. The abstract explains further the nature of the study as a follow-up to an earlier study, which was quantitative. It goes further to point out the focus group as part of the methodology (LEEDY and ORMROD 2001). Other sections of the research, which are pointed out in the abstract is the tools used in data collection. The Abstracts points out the major sections but fails to introduce the research findings (Center for Civic Partnerships 2007). The research findings are critical at this section for the readers to follow up how the researchers got into the given conclusion. It only indicates what the findings and the respective consequences would enable the researchers to envisage the possibility of future problems as far as Ireland mathematic education is concerned (LISTON and O’DONOGHUE 2010). The introduction section introduces the research context in an inadequa te way. The introduction connects the abstract by further indicating that the study is a follow-up research to an earlier conducted quantitative study. It repeats some aspects of the abstract such as the location where the study was conducted, the focus group, and time of the study without providing future elaborations on the same research aspects (Crossman 2013). The problem is however elaborated as being the â€Å"The Mathematics Problem,† in which case students fail in mathematics thus facing problems to pursue mathematics courses and careens as their of choices. The introduction lacks the respective research question. This aspect could make the research lost somewhere within the research process. The researchers introduce a case of worrying findings specifically from recent reports, which in contrast should have been placed in the literature review section. The introduction indicates the uniqueness and originality of the research. The thesis statement is also indicated bu t it hardly addresses what the research intends to do adequately. The researchers indicate that the qualitative aspect of the study with respect to the previously conducted quantitative research helps the researchers to determine the strengths as well as the depths of the affected variables’

Manifest Destiny and the Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Manifest Destiny and the Civil War - Essay Example By 1787, slavery was recognized in the Constitution (General History of the United Sates Supreme Court, accessed 2011). Slavery was not regulated within States through Congress. Until 1808, only the movement of slaves into States, or between States up to that date, was taxed and hence regulated (US Constitution: Art. I Sec. 9 Para.1). Slavery was, then, accepted as a fact which existed within States, and the federal Government restricted its involvement in the affairs of individual States. States made their own decisions about whether they were â€Å"Free States†, or whether they would allow slavery, and Congress respected those decisions. This meant that as the United States expanded, new States were declared, and in fact could make their own decisions about whether slavery was to be allowed or not. In 1819, Missouri appealed to be included in the Confederation as a slave-owning State. This appeal was met by much resistance from the Northern States – in which Abolition ism was dominant – and the Midwestern States – where economies without slave labor would struggle against the slave-owning State economies. But Missouri entered the Confederation as a slave-owning State in 1819.

Guide for Ema Essay Example for Free

Guide for Ema Essay Guidance notes The three texts below provide information about the business environment for the Facebook company in May 2012. For this task, imagine you work for Facebook, and you have been tasked with carrying out a SWOT analysis on the company to determine whether this is the right time for the company to grow. Your job is to write a SWOT analysis and a report based on this analysis. You are writing this analysis and report for the senior management team. Your analysis should provide the team with a complete overview of the situation and should end with suggestions for what the company should do based on your analysis. This task requires you to demonstrate your skill in selecting and organising information to produce a company analysis. You should include a SWOT table or grid in your analysis and organise the document according to the SWOT framework. You should focus on the interaction between the Facebook’s internal environment (strengths and weaknesses) on the one hand, and its external environment (opportunities and threats) on the other. Your SWOT analysis should form the basis of the suggestions you make about the company’s future actions. To accomplish this task you will need to draw on the case study analysis skills covered in Book 1 of the module and the report-writing skills covered in Book 3. Remember to use the referencing conventions that have been taught in the module when you refer to the sources of information that you use. You may benefit from writing one or more drafts before you produce a final version of your report. The Influential Document Checklist will be a useful reference in this process (see the Appendix to Book 3). Your answer for Task 2 should be about 1000 words in length. Please note that all tables and diagrams included count towards your word limit. Your reference list does not count, however. Text 1 Facebook (Facebook IPO, May 2012) Facebook is the world’s largest social network, with 845 million active users around the world, and roughly 200 million in the United States, or two-thirds of the population. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg in his dorm room at Harvard, Facebook grew from being a quirky site for college students into a popular platform that is used to sell cars and movies, win over  voters in presidential elections and organize protest movements. It offers advertisers a global platform, with the exception of China, where Facebook does not operate. Facebook took its first step toward becoming a publicly traded company in February 2012, when it filed to sell shares on the stock market. The service is on track to be the largest Internet initial public offering ever — trumping Google’s in 2004 or Netscape’s nearly a decade before that. In its filing, Facebook said it was seeking to raise $5 billion. On May 3, Facebook set the estimated price for its I.P.O. at $28 to $35 a share, according to a revised prospectus. At the midpoint of the range, the social networking company is on track to raise $10.6 billion, in a debut that could value the company at $86 billion. Investors have been eagerly awaiting the Facebook offering, lured by the prospect of strong growth: in the first quarter, Facebook’s daily active users, a measure of engagement, increased by 41 per cent, to 526 million. Still, Facebook is experiencing the growing pains typical of a technology start-up. While revenue continues to rise, profit sputtered in the first three months of the year, falling 12 per cent, to $205 million, as expenses jumped significantly. Seeking to Offer More Disclosure to Users Facebook, unlike any other site, has come to define the social era of the Web. More than a portal, its value lies in its dynamic network of social connections and the massive amount of information shared by its users. Facebook, in many ways, is a data processor, archiving and analyzing every shred of information, from our interests, to our locations, to every article and link that we like. The collection of data is a potential goldmine for advertisers. On the other hand, all that information raises questions about Facebook’s privacy practices. Over the years it has faced intense scrutiny from privacy advocates and regulators worldwide over how it handles the data it collects from its 845 million users. As it prepares to go public, it has been seeking to offer more disclosure to users. In April 2012, it announced it was expanding its downloadable archive feature, called Download Your Information, to provide greater transparency on the types of data on individuals that the compa ny stores. More Advertising, More Dollars Facebook’s hundreds of millions of users could soon be faced with a lot more  advertising — in their newsfeed, on their mobile devices and even when they log off. In early March 2012, the company announced a new suite of advertising products intended to insert more ads into Facebook’s traditionally clean interface and to take more advantage of mobile ads, where the company has struggled. The announcement was made at the company’s first marketing conference, held at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan. For users, the announcement could mean many more ads on Facebook. For advertisers, the effort offers a chance to reach more users in more places. Despite aggressively courting Madison Avenue for the last few years, Facebook has been an anomaly in the world of digital advertising. The ad units offered less creative options for advertisers who want to, say, take over the site’s home page or add moving text to an ad. Rather, the value in Facebook’s ads was in their data and personalization. The potential for more ad dollars was reflected in the company’s first filing for a public offering in February. At the time, analysts said the company was expected to be valued at $75 billion to $100 billion. But according to the filing, Facebook made only $3.7 billion in revenue last year, the bulk of that from advertising. Until now, advertisers were largely limited to a variety of ad spaces that were positioned on the right side of the Facebook home page, in addition to creating their own Facebook pages. The company said a new set of premium ads will run at different points in the site, with a special emphasis on ads running throughout a user’s mobile feed. Facebook’s Biggest Stumbling Block: Privacy Practices Facebook’s biggest stumbling block has been its privacy practices. As the world’s largest social network, Facebook has been under intense scrutiny from consumers, courts and regulators worldwide over how it handles the data it collects from its 845 million users. But as a company preparing to go public, it is under pressure to find new ways to turn that data into profit. The company has repeatedly alienated users over privacy — as in the case of the 2007 controversy over Beacon, a tool that automatically posted on Facebook what its users did or bought on other sites. It has also faced lawsuits over the use of its members’ like endorsements in ads and drawn scrutiny for a facial recognition feature. The scrutiny is at its most intense in Europe, where Facebook’s data collection practices have tested  the boundaries of stringent privacy laws. In the United States, Facebook faces government audits for the next 20 years about how it collects and share s data, along with an assortment of lawsuits that accuse the company of tracking users across the Web. In November 2011, the company announced a settlement agreement with the Federal Trade Commission, which accused Facebook of having deceived its customers about privacy settings. After the F.T.C. order, Mark Zuckerberg conceded in a blog post that the company had made a bunch of mistakes, but he said it had already fixed several of the issues cited by the commission. In August 2011, Facebook made changes that it said were aimed at helping users get a grip on what they shared. When users added pictures, comments or other content to their profile pages, they could specify who could see it: all of their Facebook friends, a specific group of friends or everyone who has access to the Internet. Revamping Its Profile Design In December 2011, Facebook rolled out a revamped profile design called Timeline, which makes a user’s entire history of photos, links and other things shared on the site much more accessible with a single click. That could be when many of Facebook’s 800 million members realized just how many digital breadcrumbs they had been leaving on the site — and on the Web in general. The old Facebook profile page showed the most recent items a user posted, along with things like photos of them posted by others. But Timeline creates a scrapbook-like montage, assembling photos, links and updates for each month and year since they signed up for Facebook. For better or worse, the new format is likely to bring back old memories. Going forward, it could also make it harder to shed past identities — something that people growing up with Facebook might struggle with as they transition from high school to college, and from there to the working world. Analysts said Timeline was a significant evolutionary shift for Facebook. For starters, linking Facebook more closely to memories could make it harder for people to abandon the service for rivals. Buying Instagram for $1 Billion In early April 2012, Facebook said it had agreed to buy Instagram, the popular mobile-centric photo-sharing service, for $1 billion in cash and stock, giving it a stronger foothold in the market for mobile apps. It would  be Facebook’s largest acquisition to date by far. Instagram is a social network built around cellphone photos. It lets people add quirky filters and effects to their snapshots and share them with friends, who can like and comment on them. The service has been something of a rising star in the start-up world. Barely two years old, it has attracted close to 30 million users, even though it worked only on iPhones until early April, when it released an Android version of its app. Text 2 Facebook Cites Google+ With Mobile Shift Among Potential Risks By Brian Womack on February 08, 2012 Feb. 2 (Bloomberg) – Facebook Inc., the social network that filed for an initial public offering yesterday, listed rivalry with Google Inc., regulatory scrutiny, hacker attacks and the shift to mobile technology among the risks it faces. Facebook’s competition with Google, Twitter Inc. and other social-networking providers could impede growth, the company said in the risk-factors section of its filing. Facebook also said it would face competition in China if it manages to gain access to that market, where it’s currently restricted. Certain competitors, including Google, could use strong or dominant positions in one or more markets to gain competitive advantage against us in areas where we operate, Facebook said. Their tactics may include integrating competing social-networking platforms or features into products they control, the company said. Facebook, the world’s biggest social-networking service, has attracted more rivals as its popularity among users a nd advertisers soars. The company said it faces significant competition in almost every aspect of its business. The company also cited concerns about its mobile strategy. Almost all of its revenue comes from ads delivered to computers, not phones and tablets. Facebook’s mobile software currently generates no meaningful revenue, the Menlo Park, California-based company said. Facebook further cautioned that key mobile devices, such as Apple Inc.’s iOS products and gadgets running Google’s Android software, may not feature Facebook in the future. If either of these companies gives preference to another social network – say, if Google promotes its own Google+ more aggressively – Facebook’s growth could be jeopardized. Unforeseen Threats Bigger pitfalls could yet emerge, said Kevin Landis, the portfolio manager for the Firsthand Technology Value Fund, which holds Facebook shares. Google, for instance, couldn’t have foreseen the emergence of Facebook in 2004, when it went public. Let me put it this way: If you go back to Google’s S-1 in their risk factors, there’s no mention of Facebook, Landis said. Facebook was founded in 2004. Facebook also has considered entering China, which would bring its own challenges. The country has censorship laws that have kept Facebook and other social-media companies, including Twitter Inc. and Google’s YouTube, from operating there. We continue to evaluate entering China, Facebook said. China is a large potential market for Facebook, but users are generally restricted from accessing Facebook from China. We do not know if we will be able to find an approach to managing content and information that will be acceptable to us and to the Chinese government. Depend ent on Zynga Another risk: Facebook relies on Zynga Inc. for 12 percent of its revenue, according to the filing. San Francisco-based Zynga is the biggest developer of Facebook games, including CityVille and Texas HoldEm. The revenue comes from Zynga’s sales of virtual goods and from direct advertising purchased by Zynga. In addition, Zynga produces a significant number of pages on which Facebook displays ads. The dependence goes both ways. Zynga gets more than 90 per cent of its revenue from the social network. If we are unable to successfully maintain this relationship, our financial results could be harmed, Facebook said of Zynga. Facebook also said it faces pressure from governmental bodies. It’s possible that a regulatory inquiry might lead to changes to policies or practices, the company said. Regulatory Constraints Violation of existing or future regulatory orders or consent decrees could subject us to substantial monetary fines and other penalties that could negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations, according to the filing. Text 3 As Privacy Concerns Grow, More Social Media Users Are Unfriending FEBRUARY 24, 2012 AT 7:00 AM PT by Lauren Goode As concerns about online privacy grow, users of social media sites are increasingly looking to unfriend other users and prune their personal profiles, according to a new report out today from Pew Research Center. More than 60 per cent of social media users said last year that they deleted people from their friends lists, up from 56 per cent in 2009; and 26 per cent of users who keep their profiles private say they apply additional privacy settings to limit what some friends can see. Profile pruning – deleting comments friends leave and untagging photos – is also on the rise, the report says. Women are significantly more likely to keep their profiles private, and are more likely to unfriend people than men are, with 67 per cent of women saying they’ve removed friends, compared with 58 per cent of men. Young people are more likely to manage their social media presences by deleting comments and untagging photos. The report comes just as the White House has moved to create a privacy bill of rights aimed at governing online data tracking. One of the issues at hand is a do not track tool which Web companies like Google have just agreed to support. Last week, Google was reported to be using deceptive practices to track Web users in certain browsers. As The Wall Street Journal notes, though, a do not track button would allow for some Web data collection – such as the data gathered through Facebook’s Like button. Pew is careful not to point to Facebook directly throughout the report, but notes that Facebook is by far the most popular U.S. social network (in its recent S-1 filing, Facebook showed that its user base has ballooned to more than 845 million). Pew’s report says that the term privacy settings – as well as unfriend – is part and parcel of the Facebook experience. The Pew survey on Internet usages was conducted between April and May of last year, and sampled more than 2,200 U.S. adults 18 and older. The survey found that two-thirds of U.S. Internet users had profiles on social networking sites, up from just 20 per cent in 2006. In terms of who was more likely to post things on social networks that they later admitted they regretted, males were almost twice as likely to do so, with 15 per cent copping to it, than were females, at 8 per cent. Young adults, age 18 to 29, were also more likely to post content that they’d later regret on social networks. Part 3 Task Write a reflective piece on your experience of participating on this module. Consider the questions that follow to guide you with your writing. * What was your overall experience of studying on LB160? * What were the most useful skills you learned on this module? Why? * If you engaged with the online activities on the module, what was your experience of using the Tutor Group Forum (TGF)? What were the strengths and weaknesses of the TGF you participated in? How would you evaluate the process of working collaboratively with other students? What did you learn from them? What skills did you develop through your online participation? * If you did not participate in the online activities, how did you find working on your own on the module? Do you think you would have benefited if you had been able to participate online? How? * Guidance notes * Your reflective piece should not be written in a question and answer format but as continuous text. Be sure to use examples as evidence to support your claims. * For this task we advise you to organise your text as Problem–Solution. Here, Problem implies a ‘gap’ in someone’s skills. You need to demonstrate in your text how such a ‘gap’ (if any) was addressed by LB160. You may also like to see your reflective piece as Claim–Evidence because generally you make a claim that certain skills were improved by presenting some evidence. If you like, you may want to use sub-headings too but they are not essential. * It is important to be honest in your evaluation. Negative experiences of the module are as valid as positive ones and you will not be penalised for reporting negative experiences. For the same reason, you will be assessed on the way you reflect on your learning, not on whether or not you were involved in the online activities. So feel free to use this opportunity to feed back to the module team on what the module experience was like for you. * Your reflective piece for Task 3 should be about 500 words in length.

Perceptions And Attitudes Towards Solar Energy Environmental Sciences Essay

Perceptions And Attitudes Towards Solar Energy Environmental Sciences Essay The scope of this research is on the energy consumption patterns in India and what proportions of the energy needs are met. We will consider the size of the market for the solar power generation as most parts of India focus on the conventional energy rather than the renewable energy. A brief about the power sectors in India is also discussed; the data for this research is collected by interpreting the secondary data and by conducting interviews as in the primary data. A literature review on environmental marketing is made by taking up the existing technology this will help us in making a market plan for the solar power sector that is viable. Power sector in India-A Brief: The power industry is growing rapidly in India as it consumes 3.4% of the global energy. There is an increase in the annual demand by 3.6% over the last 30years. The surging demand is from the industrial and domestic sectors. Domestic sector à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 25.87% (2006-07) Industrial sector à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 35.5% (2006-07) The private and the global firms made their entry ever since they were allowed to participate in the power sector, 1991. But the State Electricity Board (SEBs) is the main source for generation and supply of electricity. Coal remains the dominant source of electricity, though there are many sources of power in India like Gas, Hydroelectric, Wind, and Solar. The installed capacity for power generation in India is 1,49,391.91 MW, and less than 60% of households consume electricity, the Industries followed by Agriculture are the two main sectors that consume power which is why the per capita consumption is very low in India. (India Reports,2009) Solar Energy scope and utilization: Solar energy in the recent times has been proved to be one of the most efficient ways to generate electricity. Usage of Solar-powered equipment in large scale can be beneficial as the carbon dioxide emission would be reduced to a great extent thus leading to a Green environment. The Solar-powered equipment could be used in hotels, hospitals, household purposes and government buildings as these are easily mountable on top of the buildings and requires less space. (Hughes,2009). Source: Central Electricity Authority, Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Frost Sullivan estimates As India receives 3000 hours of sunshine every year which is equivalent to over 5000 trillion kWh and has many solar resources. The daily average solar energy is 4-7 kWh per sq m in different parts of India depending on the location (kotwal,A,2008). India is useful for exploiting the solar power for generating electricity with the technology available as there are about 300 clear sunny days in most parts of the country and the three important ways in harnessing the solar power is with the use of: Photovoltaic Cells- which convert the sunlight into electricity when the light rays are incident on the cells. Active solar heating systems- A collector is kept on the roof which absorbs the sunlight and in return heats the water tank connected to the collector. Passive solar design- Is used to trap more heat during the winter whilst not over heating during summers. Since the solar power is available in abundance it helps in fulfilling the energy needs of humans and with the usage of the solar power, there might as well be a day where the buildings and households need not rely on the external grid for the power (Earthsummit,2002). There has been much advancement made regarding the solar power and with the introduction of nanotechnology which will improve the efficiencies and result in reduced infrastructure cost this can very soon be a very competitive source of energy in a tropical place like India, though there are other sources of energy solar power has its advantages like the there are no trade barriers for the suns energy and this type of equipment can be placed anywhere where there is sunlight and is also eco-friendly which will not hinder the other surrounding factors thus making solar power more affordable (Brito et al,2005), this type of tiny nanotechnology solar cell can be printed on a thin flexible light- retaining material which will reduce the cost of production compared to the silicon cells which requires a clean room for manufacturing with no dust and should be free from airborne microbes, moreover the nano materials are useful in capturing and transmitting the energy. (Carlstrom,2005). The use of plastic materials has brought a change in harnessing the suns rays as half of the suns energy lies in the infrared rays and the other half in the visible spectrum, the plastic materials with the nanotechnology has the tendency to capture the energy from the infrared rays which is five times more efficient than the existing solar cell technology (Lovgren,2005). We will look at the market and the players globally and in India which suits consumer needs. Aim: To undertake a study on public awareness, attitude and perceptions of Solar power as an alternative to sources of power and to suggest a marketing plan for a technology/company that would be viable in India. Objectives: To examine and evaluate power sector in India. Identify and evaluate the alternative power sources in India Study on solar energy sector. To examine and analyze public awareness and perception of solar energy and alternative energy sources Identify solar power generation technology in India and abroad. Identify the technology that consumer needs and would be most viable in India. To carry out a literature review on Environmental marketing. On basis of the complete study a market plan is made to popularize the solar power generation technology in India. Research Questions: What proportions of Indias energy needs are met by solar power? Size of market, players, types of equipment and their effectiveness/efficiency? How are they being marketed? Are domestic households being targeted? What is the level of awareness of domestic usage of solar power amongst Indians? Why has solar power not caught on in a big way in a tropical country like India? Forming a market strategy. Research Methodology: The methodology used in this research is both primary and secondary, as this research deals with the current issues and also the data which is existing in the databases related to the Solar energy. Secondary Data: The data from journals, articles gives us an idea of how things were earlier regarding the usage of solar power equipment and also the data bases like Proquest-ABI Global, EBSCO, and Science Direct helps us to find out about the advancements made in the history of solar power with the help of the available statistics. This type of data is readily available on the internet or in the libraries so the time required to collect is comparatively less and there is a scope to find data in large amounts. The information which is obtained from the secondary data can be re-phrased and cited in the research with proper references and a detailed analysis on various power sectors can be obtained. Primary Data: The data collected from the primary data can be both qualitative and quantitative, as it uses different forms of data collection techniques like: Questionnaires It focuses on the sections of the research which are to be covered and can cover a large number of peoples opinion about a particular area of interest, a wider geographic coverage is obtained. In this research we make a questionnaire to find out about the attitudes and perceptions of Indian consumers regarding the usage of solar powered equipment. We mainly concentrate on the households as these constitute a major part in knowing the demand. The questionnaires once completed could be sent across through an email to various household groups in different locations in India and as well receive the reply through an email or post. The questionnaire could be structured or unstructured with open and closed type questions in it which would help us yield information regarding the perceptions of the Indian consumers regarding the usage of solar power. With the help of resources like the survey monkey the questionnaires can be formed and sent across to people for their views about a particular aspect concerned with the research. Interviews It is a technique that is used to gain an understanding of the underlying reasons for peoples attitudes, preferences or behavior. Interviews can be undertaken on a personal one-to-one basis or in a group. This can be done by calling up people personally or by having a gathering where a conference call could be setup and finding out information on how they feel about the usage of the solar powered equipment and as well make them aware of the advantages they get with the usage of the equipments. We can mainly focus on to what extent people in India are aware of the viability of the solar power. Project plan: Gantt chart representation: S.No. Title. June July August Week2 Week3 Week 4 Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 1 Research proposal completion 2 Sector analysis in India 3 Study of Solar power sector in India and world 4 Preparation of questionnaires and interview planning. 5 Interviewing people and filing responses received and literature review on environmental marketing. 6 Mapping needs to technology: identification of technology/company. 7 Forming a marketing strategy. 8 Coalition of research work.

Highlighting mitchells and butlers strategic

Highlighting mitchells and butlers strategic Executive Summary This report is aimed at highlighting Mitchells and Butlers strategic choices through the analysis of its internal and external environment. A number of measurement tools were used in order to express this. The report firstly looks into the external environment in which the organisation is involved with. The external analysis was split into two different sections: The macro environment and the microenvironment. A PESTLE analysis was used for the macro environment as this captures all the factors that affect Mitchells and Butlers, of which none of them they can control. To analyse the microenvironment Porters five forces model was used as this highlights all the factors that can have a direct effect on an organisation. Following the Internal Analysis the report then looks at the internal logistics of the business. Looking internally into Mitchells and Butler identified many aspects of the business such as its resources and capabilities, competitive advantage, core competencies and the stage the company is at with regards to the life cycle. All these differing aspects will then help to identify the strategic choices available to Mitchells and Butler. The report then looks at the financial side of the organisation using three financial statements: Cash Flow, Balance Sheet and 5 year income statement. These are analysed to review sales trends and profit trends. A SWOT Analysis has been drawn out which helped in the completion of the TOWS matrix. The TOWS matrix combined with the SFA model identify areas where Mitchells and Butler can grow. To conclude the report, all the data was collected and analysed to suggest short, medium and long term plans for Mitchells and Butler. Introduction. This report is the second part of a two part report which will analyse both the internal and external factors that influence the Mitchells and Butlers organisation. A strategic analysis of the company has already been carried, which can be seen in Appendix 1. It involved carrying out analysis on the vision, mission, values and objectives of M+B. This report will focus on the strategies that Mitchells and Butler implement in order to grow. The report will firstly look at the Micro and Macro external environment using tools such as PESTLE, SWOT, Porters five forces model and competitor gap analysis which will combine to give a competitor analysis. Once the external analysis is complete the report will then focus its attention on the internal analysis. This will involve analysing Mitchells and Butlers core competencies by conducting a portfolio analysis. Based upon these analysis the report will then finish with recommendations of the future strategic choice and direction of the company followed by a short, medium and long term plan for Mitchells and Butlers. The business report will use David F (1988) comprehensive strategic management model as a guideline in order to cover all aspects of the strategic report. As mentioned above Vision and mission statements have already been analysed, th erefore this report will start on performing both internal and external audits. 1. External Analysis â€Å"A companys marketing environment consists of the actors and forces outside marketing that affect marketing managements ability to develop and maintain successful relationships with its target customers. Successful companies know the vital importance of constantly watching and adapting to the companies environment†. (Kotler, P et al. 2008) 1.1 Macro Environment Carrying out external analysis allows firms to adapt quickly to the changing environment. The macro environment is the â€Å"complete social context in which the organisation resides†. Carrol, A + Buchholtz, A (2008) Kotler, P et al. (2008) also includes that it is the larger societal forces that affect the whole microenvironment. He states that there are six major forces in a companys macro environment: Political Economic Social Technological Legal Environmental 1.2 PESTLE Analysis PESTEL analysis categorises the factors that effect an organisation externally. Johnson, Scholes and Whittington (2005) note that many of these factors are linked. When one factor changes it can have a knock on effect on other factors. As these factors change they affect the competitive environment in which the organisation operates in, as a result it is crucial that organisations are aware of the changes in the external environment. Political Licensing Laws- Mitchells and Butlers have a minimum requirement to follow all licensing laws lay down by the government. If at any time they come in breach of these licenses they place themselves in serious jeopardy with the federal agencies. Smoking Ban- The smoking ban, introduced in July 2007, had a serious effect on all of Mitchells and Butlers managed pubs and restaurants. The ban meant that no establishment was to allow smoking in any of its premises. Economic Unemployment- With the UK, along with the rest of the world, going further and further into a recession, companies look to try and cut costs by lowering the number of staff, therefore unemployment rises. A report written in the TimesOnline website by Grà ¡inne Gilmore in February 2009 highlights some facts and figures which can affect consumers disposable income. In it he states that unemployment rose close to two million and predictions have been made that the figure could rise to three million by next year, the highest level since 1986. Tax Increase- With taxes expected to rise in January 2010, consumer spending will slow down. Inflation The rise of inflation makes it harder for people to borrow as the banks Social Social Responsibility As the leading operator of managed pubs and pub restaurants in the UK, Mitchells and Butlers has a commitment to give the responsible retailing of alcohol. Mitchells and Butlers established a policy for retailing alcohol in a responsible manner. This ensures that all of their licensed premises are operated responsibly. Under age Drinking Mitchells and Butlers launched the â€Å"Challenge 21† campaign, which was aimed at stopping/ reducing the number of under aged drinkers in their managed premises a. Healthy Eating Due to the increased awareness of healthy eating through government ad campaigns, celebrity chefs etc Mitchells and Butlers has to be aware of the varying attitudes towards healthy eating. As a result they offer a wide variety of dishes on there menus across all their differing brands. They look to offer a good choice of healthy options at the same time as offering more indulgent dishes. Mitchells and Butlers are continually creating fresh dishes with an emphasis on nutritional value. Legal Minimum Wage The National Minimum wage was introduced 10 years ago and has increased 5.5% year. Mitchells and Butler must comply with the minimum pay levels for each age group to comply with the law. Health and Safety at Work act 1974 The Act is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in the United Kingdom. (hse.gov.uk, 2009) Mitchells and Butlers must ensure that they enforce the health and safety of both there workforce and their customers. Environmental Weather Due to the varying weather conditions throughout the whole year, Mitchells and Butlers should be constantly aware of the effects good and bad weather can have on there outlets. Recycling Due to raised awareness of pollution in the environment and the effects of waste Mitchells and Butlers have to show there commitment in creating as little waste as possible, and where possible recycle as much of their waste as possible. They also have a commitment to reducing there carbon footprint which can be done by the recycling of used cooking oil which is then converted into bio-diesel. 1.3 Microenvironment â€Å"The microenvironment consists of the actors close to the company that affect its ability to serve its customers: the company, suppliers, marketing intermediaries,rs and publics†. Kotler, P et al. (2008) It is the environment with components that have specific and immediate implications for managing the organisation. Decisions made involving the microenvironment have a direct effect on the organisation. It can be controlled by the company and analysis at this level is firm specific. Xu, J.(2005) There are many models that can help firms to measure the position they are in within their environment. 1.4 Porters Five Forces The Objective of performing industry analysis is to develop an organisations competitive advantage in order to be more successful than its competitors. The way in which this can be done is by using Porters Five Forces Model. ( Lynch, 2003) In it he identifies the five basic forces that can have an effect on an organisation. Bargaining power Threat of Of suppliers new entrants The report will now go into further detail of each threat, identifying the different aspects of each factor and the affect they could have on Mitchells and Butler. Threat of Entry With Mitchells and Butlers being the leading operator of managed pubs and pub restaurants, they must be aware of any potential threats that may arise from new entries in the market. The industry in which Mitchells and Butlers operates is one where barriers to entry are very low and therefore easy for new organisations to enter the market. However due to the sheer size of the organisation they have an automatic advantage over any new entries. Economies of Scale Mitchells and Butlers are in the position to gain economies of scale due to the number of managed outlets they have. With around 2,000 businesses they have the ability to lower the costs of products because of the amount they will be ordering at one time. Experience Mitchells and Butlers has been operating as an independent division since 2003 but it history dates back to 1898. This unparalleled experience of the pub industry accounts for invaluable knowledge and experience which can help in the development and growth of the organisation. Customer Loyalty With over 2000 outlets built mainly in residential areas Mitchells and Butlers will have built up a high level of customer loyalty. This makes it increasingly difficult for new competitors to establish a loyal customer base for themselves. It is evident however that not everyone is within close proximity to a Mitchells and Butlers unit and therefore consumers will be loyal to a different business. Product Differentiation Mitchells and Butlers understand the importance of product differentiation and aim to deliver products of the highest quality at the lowest possible prices. It also prides itself on customer service, displaying just how important they feel it is. Mitchells and Butlers also drive to promote its own brands in order to create product differentiation. Bargaining Power of Buyers Concentration of buyers With Mitchells and Butlers being in a market with a huge amount of potential buyers then it is in complete power with what price to set. If the buyers are not happy with the price then they simply have to go elsewhere as the market is big enough to attract more customers. However Mitchells and Butlers can not set the price at whatever they choose as the fierce competition in the market drives prices down and they have to compete with there rivals for customers. Product Differentiation With so many other options available for the buyer Mitchells and Butlers has to be able to differentiate itself from the rest of the market. They do this buy offering the highest quality at the lowest possible prices. It also prides itself on customer service, displaying just how important they feel it is. Mitchells and Butlers also drive to promote its own brands in order to create product differentiation. Bargaining Power of Suppliers Mitchells and Butlers is in a very strong position when it comes to its bargaining power with its suppliers. They are the leading operator in managed pubs and pubs restaurants with the largest market share. Suppliers will have to listen to what they are demanding or else they face loosing a huge amount of revenue. Threat of Substitutes Products or services There is a large threat of substitutes that are available from supermarkets. The off trade market that is now available to potential consumers is a huge threat to Mitchells and Butlers. With the constant promotion of alcoholic beverages from the large supermarket chains such as Tescos, Sainsburys and Morrisons means that Mitchells and Butlers have to differentiate themselves from this market and establish themselves as offering an experience and a service rather than just solely a product. The supermarkets also advertise deals such as â€Å" TWO CAN DINE IN FOR  £10†. This such advertisement was ran by MS. Being a differentiated product will entice potential consumers towards it. Threat of Rivalry In a market where growth is slow and competition very high, Mitchells and Butlers have created rivalry by becoming the leading operator in its markets and taking a lot of customers from its competitors. However it does not face rivalry from small independent outlets as they focus their attention away from the big rivals. The way in which Mitchells and Butlers create rivalry is by the pricing policy on drinks. Being the leading operator in managed pubs means that they are able to buy in bulk reducing the costs of products. With relation to food Mitchells and Butlers has a variety of brands that are in varying markets that can capture different customers with the varying levels of quality and price. For example the harvester brand is aimed at the lower end of the market, whereas the Browns brand is at the other end of the spectrum, catering for the higher end customers. 2.0 Internal Analysis The process of performing an internal analysis is similar to that of an external analysis. Representative managers and employees from throughout the firm need to be involved in determining a firms strengths and weaknesses. The internal analysis involves collecting information about the firms management, marketing, finance and operations. The gathering of this information is a great benefit to managers and employees as they get to know how their work affects other areas and activities of the organisation. Performing an internal analysis is an excellent way of improving the process of communication within an organisation. (David, 1999) 2.1Portfolio Analysis Campbell et al (2002 p. 107) defines a portfolio analysis as an â€Å"Underpinning concept that is a need for a business to spread its opportunity and risk. A broad portfolio signifies that a business has a presence in a wide range of product and market sectors. Conversely, a narrow portfolio implies that the organisation operates in only a few or even in one product or market sector. A broad portfolio offers the advantage of robustness in that a downturn in one market will not threaten the whole company† It is essential that Mitchells and Butlers carry out a portfolio analysis as they operate in many different markets resulting in a number of different cashflows from there brands. 2.2 BCG Matrix The Boston consultancy matrix identifies the relationship between market share and growth of a business. It offers a way of examining a companys portfolio of product and market interests. (Campbell et al 2002) Market Share Stars Question Marks Cash Cows Dogs Mitchells and Butler would be classed as a cash cow. Being the leading operator in managed pubs they have the largest share of the market. However the market in which they are positioned is one that is maturing. Growth for Mitchells and Butlers is slow and the condition of the market is stable. Below is a diagram which converts the BCG matrix into the product life cycle. Internet Accessed via: There are many brands associated with Mitchells and Butler which are in varying stages of their life cycle. The next stage of the report is to show an example of brands in there different stages of the life cycle. The use of this is that it allows Mitchells and Butlers to identify which of their brands are in the decline stage and come up with either new strategies/ products in order for it to grow again. 2.3 The Life Cycle Model 2.4GE-McKinsey Matrix An alternative way in which to evaluate the portfolio of an organisation is by a directional policy matrix/ GE-McKinsey matrix. This matrix categorises an organisations business units into those with good prospects and those with less good prospects. The matrix positions units according to how attractive the market is in which they operate and secondly through the competitive strength of the SBU in that market. (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, R. 2009) 2.5 Resource Based view of Mitchells and Butler The resource based view of a firm is a model of an organisations performance that focuses solely on the resources and capabilities controlled by a firm as sources of competitive advantage. (Wernerfelt, B. 1984, cited in Barney, J Hesterley, W. 2006) Resources are defined as the tangible and intangible assets that an organisation controls whereas capabilities are a â€Å"subset of a firms resources and are defined as tangible and intangible assets that enable a firm to take full advantage of other resources it controls†.( Barney, J Hesterley, W. 2006. p.76) Barney Hesterley (2006) also state that there are four main categories in which resources and capabilities can be classified into four main sub categories: Financial resources, Physical resources, Human resources and organisational resources. M B Financial resources and Capabilities Two loans: One of  £2.3 billion which is secured against the assets and cash flow of he business. The second is an unsecured loan of  £550 million from a number of major banks. Cash generated through sales of products and services. M B Physical resources and Capabilities Property, plant and equipment. Computer Software. Leases: Both operating leases and financial leases. Reputation M B Human resources and Capabilities Operated by an experienced senior management team. Committed to training and investing in their employees to enable them to develop their skills and experience. M B Organisational resources and Capabilities Relationships between the different levels of management. Clear communication Importance of team building in each business unit. Experience of senior management. Training programmes at operational level. Mitchells and Butler use their capabilities to turn their resources into products or services. For instance it uses its reputation to increase its financial resources. 2.6 Core Competencies â€Å"Core competencies are the skills and abilities by which resources are deployed through an organisations activities and processes such as to achieve competitive advantage in ways that others cannot imitate or obtain†. (Johnson, Scholes, and Whittington, 2008. p. 97) This is no more important than in a recession, Mitchells and Butlers needs to focus on its core competencies in order to cerate competitor advantage and steal, what is, a diminishing number of, customers. 2.7 The VRIO Framework VRIO is an acronym for 4 questions that can be used in order to assess the competitive advantage that can be gained from resources and capabilities. The VRIO framework allows an organisation to assess its resources and capabilities potential to create a competitive advantage. †( Barney, J Hesterley, W. 2006. p.76) The Question of Value Mitchells and Butlers uses its resources and capabilities in order to create competitive advantage and stay the leading operator in managed pubs and restaurants. Its organisational resources and capabilities has equated to the acquiring of 239 pub restaurants from Whitbread plc in 2006. The financial capabilities plus experience of management team means that they can cope in a period of financial downturn. The Question of Rarity With Mitchells and Butler being in such a saturated market where growth is very slow and product differentiation hard to achieve then its physical resources and capabilities create very little competitive advantage. It is its organisational, human and financial resources that create it. The size, experience, knowledge, training, quality, price create competitive advantage over a long period of time. The Question of Inimitability This question aims at identifying an organisations strength against any competitors trying to imitate their products or services. For Mitchells and Butler although it may be easy to copy its tangible resources, it is certainly not easy to imitate their intangible capabilities. With over 100 years of experience in the pub trade gives them invaluable experience and knowledge of the industry. The senior management team has over 15 years of experience and the board of executive directors have worked on the strategy and development of Mitchells Butlers since 1995. (mbplc.com â€Å"our management†) [Cited 14/12/2009] The Question of Organisation Although Mitchells and Butler may have competitive advantage with its resources and capabilities, in the above three questions, it can not continually create a competitive advantage unless they are an organised company. The senior management team must work together in order to create systems, policies and procedures in which each individual unit runs at its optimum level. This is done by vertical communication between the varying different levels of operation. 2.8Value-Chain Analysis A Value chain â€Å"is the set of business activities in which a firm engages in to develop, produce, and market its product or services†. † (Barney, J Hesterley, W. 2006. p.83) 3.0 Financial Information 3.1 Cash Flow Statement The cash flow statement can be seen in appendix 3. 3.2 Balance Sheet The balance sheet is available in appendix 4. 3.3 5 year Income Statement Available in Appendix 5. From analysing the above financial information, one can draw the major trends from the financial year 2008. Sales Trend Analysing the 5 year review one can see a major difference in the sales trend. Turnover has increased to  £1,908 million over the year which is a 0.7% increase over the financial year. However Profit Trend Although there was an increase in revenue there was a significant decrease in operating profit. From the previous year there is a huge drop from  £309 million to  £131 million a gap of  £178 million. A reason for this could be due to the amount of money they had to repay on a loan they took out to cover the costs of an abandoned joint venture. Mitchells and Butler decided to reduce its level of â€Å"unsecured medium term debt†. (mbplc.com. 2009) Looking at the 5 year report one can see that the dividend pay out was  £18 million, compared to the previous 4 years ,it is on average around  £33 million less. To do this they paid an interim dividend of 4.55p per share which is represented on the income statement. This was paid on the 27th June 2009. The short-term loan of  £550m has to be paid down to  £400m by the end of 2009 and then down to  £300m by the end of 2010. Mitchells and Butler have managed to get the loan amount down to  £475 million. The organisation is aiming to bring capital expenditure down to  £120 million whilst selling some of its pubs along the way. This is a way in which they will pay back the  £550 million loan, however it will have a huge effect on the size of the business and its net profit in the next financial year. (Hall, 2009) Below is a list of further trends that were available from the corporate profile September 2009. Major Trends 2008 Turnover-  £1,908m up 0.7% EBITDA-  £477m up 1.1% Operating profit-  £343m Profit before tax-  £179m down 13.5% Earnings per share- 31.5p down 11.3% Before exceptional terms and IAS 39 movements. Source mbplc.com- corporate profile September 2009 (Appendix 6) 3.4 Balanced Scorecard Financial L4L growth turnover and profit, ROI on investment and acquisition, total capital expended, rent/lease review uplifts, assignment premiums Internal Business Processes Mitchells and Butler have both long and short hold leases. IT systems Mitchells Butlers is reliant on its IT systems to trade efficiently and to ensure that appropriate controls are in place Learning and Growth Graduate Programs are in place for two different areas: The Corporate Graduate Scheme and the Retail Graduate Scheme Training given at all operational levels. Employees must be able to work to the standards set by the Mitchells and Butler legacy. Customer Service Standards Service standards have a huge impact on Mitchells and Butlers success. Service standards are a key element in the choice of consumers pub. Employee satisfaction survey, retailer satisfaction survey, Now to Wow, mystery customer, retailer complaint levels, customer complaint levels Strengths Financial ability Market share Management Team Knowledge and Experience within the industry. Diversity of customers through differentiated markets. Training schemes. Brand name Good understanding of customers needs Weaknesses Massive amounts of cost implications. Hard to differentiate products and services. High level of debt Dire trade outlook Opportunities Smoking ban Increase in the eating out market. Cheap pubs available for acquisition. Increase customer base by going â€Å"green†. Comply with all environmental issues. Threats Smoking ban Regulations Staying in is the new going out Recession Decrease in leisure pound Increase in the off trade market New Legislations Bad press from binge drinking Competition Low barriers of entry. Current disagreements between board members. 3.5SWOT Analysis 4.0 Strategic Choice In order for MB to develop further, they must look at the different strategic options. They need to ask themselves 5 questions: What do we want in life? On WHAT basis are we to compete? WHEN do we implement these? WHICH direction? HOW? Patton, F(2009) 4.1 Porters Generic Strategies Porters two parameters: â€Å"a company can seek to compete† and the market in which a company seeks to compete can be broad or narrow, led him to construct the three generic strategies seen below. (Thomson, 2001) Patton, F (2009) Porters model of generic strategies. Adapted from Porter, M(1985) Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. Mitchells and Butlers uses the Differentiation strategy. It offers a range of differentiated products across a number of markets. The different brands in the organisation ensure that they appeal to the whole market. A way of expressing how MB use the differentiated strategy is to look at the different brands and the markets they operate in. Cost/ Price Focus: Crown Carveries- â€Å"Top quality carvery meals at great prices†¦..† Differentiation Focus Harvester â€Å"Family-friendly restaurants serving freshly-prepared grills, spit-roasts and fish dishes and the famous salad cart, included with every meal†. Cost Leadership Ember Inns â€Å"Quality local pubs providing customers with a relaxed home from home and a great range of cask ales, wines and tempting, traditional pub food favourites with a modern twist†. (Internet accessed via [Cited 14/12/2009] 4.2 Strategy Clock The strategy clock was developed by Cliff Bowman. The clock is based around price and the perceived value the customer will gain from the product or service. Mitchells and Butlers can use the strategic clock to choose where they wish to position a brand or business unit. It represents different positions in a market where potential customers have different requirements in terms of value for money. (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, 2008. p224) Mitchells and Butler are positioned between the hybrid and differentiation stage. They aim to provide products and services that are different to that of their competitors in a range of different markets however in certain brands e.g. harvester their strategy is to offer lower cost meals. For a more in depth explanation of Bowmans strategy clock please see Appendix 6. 4.3 The Ansoff matrix Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, R (2009) state that the Ansoff matrix provides a simple way of showing the four different directions of strategic development. They state that an organisation starts in the top left hand box. It then has a choice between penetrating further within its existing sphere, move to the right and develop new products for its existing markets; moving downwards bringing its existing products into new markets: or move diagonally down, which involves full diversification where the organisation enters new markets with new products. Adapted from Ansoff, H (1988) The diagram above was taken from an internet site: http://strategyiseverywhere. However the model is exactly the same across all literature. Mitchells and Butlers strategic development direction is one which uses market penetration, market development and Product Development. Market Penetration Market penetration involves the organisation taking an increased share of its existing markets with the same product range. It does not involve an organisation having to venture into unfamiliar territory. The advantage of market penetration is that it increases power over both suppliers and buyers. (Johnson, Scholes and Whittington, R 2009) Mitchells and Butlers used market penetration as a growth strategy by building, buying and acquiring more and more pubs. It is now the leader in managed pubs and pub restaurants within the industry with around 2,000 businesses. Market Development Market development involves an organisation offering existing products to new m

Dredd Scott Decision Essay -- Supreme Court Scott v. Sanford

INTRODUCTION United States Supreme Court case Scott v. Sanford (1857), commonly known as the Dred Scott Case, is probably the most famous case of the nineteenth century (with the exception possibly of Marbury v. Madison). It is one of only four cases in U. S. history that has ever been overturned by a Constitutional amendment (overturned by the 13th and 14th Amendments). It is also, along with Marbury, one of only two cases prior to the Civil War that declared a federal law unconstitutional. This case may have also been one of the most, if not the most, controversial case in American history, due simply to the fact that it dealt an explosive opinion on an issue already prepared to erupt - slavery. Thus, many scholars assert that the Dred Scott case may have almost single-handedly ignited the ever growing slavery issue into violence, culminating ultimately into the American Civil War. It effectively brought many abolitionists and anti-slavery proponents, particularly in the North, "ov er the edge". BACKGROUND Dred Scott was a slave born in Virginia who early in life moved with his owner to St. Louis, Missouri. At this time, due to the Missouri Compromise of 1820, Missouri was added as a slave state, but no state may allow slavery if that state falls above the 36 degree 30 minute latitudinal line. Later, in 1854 under the Kansas-Nebraska Act, states were allowed to vote on whether they will allow slavery or not, known commonly as popular sovereignty. In St. Louis, Scott was sold to an army surgeon named Dr. John Emerson in 1833. A year later, Emerson, on a tour of duty, took Scott, his slave, to Illinois, a free state. In 1836, Emerson's military career then took the both of them to the free Wisconsin territory known today as Minnesota. Both of these states, it is important to recognize, where both free states and both above the 36 degree 30 minute line. While Emerson and Scott were in Wisconsin, Scott married Harriet Robinson, another slave, and ownership of her was subsequently transferred to Emerson. Dr. Emerson himself took a bride while on a tour of duty in Louisiana, named Eliza Irene Sanford, whose family happened to live in St. Louis. While the slaves (Dred and Harriet) stayed in St. Louis with Eliza and the rest of the family, Dr. Emerson was posted in Florida in 1842, where the Seminole war was being fought. He returned a year later but died within... ...dment, which abolished slavery altogether, and the 14th Amendment, which pronounced all persons born in the United States to be citizens of the U.S. regardless of color or "previous condition of servitude." Also, this case was the first to employ the substantive due process clause which would be referred to again later in many other cases. AREAS FOR FURTHER STUDY There was one specific issue that puzzled me, and I confess I was unable to find any adequate answer to the query. I am referring to how a slave, in this case Dred Scott, was able to marry another slave, Harriet Robinson, in the free territory of Wisconsin, which was well above the 36 degree 30 minute line. Why was she a slave at all? Hadn't the Missouri Compromise, still constitutional in the 1830's, eliminated slavery there? Or perhaps she was not "technically" a slave at all but a free black living in that territory, then why would she marry a slave? And if she did, why would she then fall under the ownership of Dr. E merson if she had already been freed? This is an area I would suggest further research be employed so that our understanding of the slavery situation in the territories at this time be more fully enhanced.

Macbeth Act 1: Plot :: essays research papers

Act 1 Plot:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the play first opens we hear 3 strange witches standing in a field while it is thunder and lightening. They begin to chant spells and talk about their meeting with Macbeth as they vanish into thin air. Not to far from the field, there is a battle taking place, the King of Scotland is there with some of his followers. The king is much to old to fight for himself, so he sends to hear how his army is doing. A badly injured soldier then returns from battle to tell Duncan how dreadfully bloody it is but how Macbeth saved the day by fighting and killing many of the rebels and their leader. The Thane of Ross soon arrives bringing more news about the Thane of Cawdor; he claims he is a traitor. Once Duncan learns that he has won the battle, he orders that the Thane of Cawdor be executed and killed leaving Macbeth to take over his place. Before Duncan had the time to reach Macbeth with the good news, the three witches approach him and Banquo. The greet Macbeth with three different titles: Thane of Glamis, Thane of Cawdor and King Hereafter, but this confuses Macbeth. Not only do the witches tell Macbeth his future, they also tell Banquo that although he will never be King, his children will be†¦ and then they vanish once again. As Banquo and Macbeth joke about the predictions, Duncan’s messengers interrupt them and tell Macbeth that he is now the Thane of Cawdor, he is no longer laughing about the witches and their predictions. Duncan also announces that his son, Malcolm, will inherit the throne, but his reaction was unexpected. At the same time, Lady Macbeth is at the castle reading a leader from her husband telling her about the witches, she’s willing to do anything to make Macbeth King.

Look again at the three seventeenth century poems, To His Coy Mistress,

Look again at the three seventeenth century poems, To His Coy Mistress, The Flea, and Shall I compare thee. In what ways have the three poets used, or departed from, the conventions of their time and why do you think they have been successful in ... Look again at the three seventeenth century poems, â€Å"To His Coy Mistress†, â€Å"The Flea†, and â€Å"Shall I compare thee†. In what ways have the three poets used, or departed from, the conventions of their time and why do you think they have been successful in entertaining their readers? â€Å"To His Coy Mistress†, â€Å"The Flea† and â€Å"Shall I Compare Thee† are all poems written in the 17th century. Marvell, Donne and Shakespeare who were the authors of the poems, departed from conventions of that time. Marvel and Donne wrote metaphysical poetry and invented a new genre, whereas Shakespeare wrote a sonnet which appeared to be written in the style of that time but with twists. They have achieved these poems by taking a unique approach to writing them and by keeping the readers entertained through amusement, dismay and excitement. â€Å"To His Coy Mistress and â€Å"The Flea† are very similar in context and purpose. They are metaphysical poems which reflect wit, obscure comparisons of objects and the reality of love and sex. The purpose of both poems was to get the speaker’s mistress to sleep with him, using strong imagery in an act of persuasion. The poems were written to entertain and would have been passed round the writer’s friends in order to amuse them. â€Å"Shall I compare thee† however, stood out because the writer chose a convention already in use. The purpose of this sonnet was to flatter his loved one and in an unexpected twist at the end, also himself. â€Å"Had we but world... ...ent awareness to the poet from the loving and affectionate one we once felt. He comes across proud and slightly arrogant about his work, and puts a different slant on what was once a conventional love poem. In conclusion I think the 17th day reaction would have been entertaining and funny and therefore quite different to the reaction I would expect now. People today would find the poetry quite shocking and distasteful and they would not be considered politically correct. â€Å"To His Coy Mistress† is successful because it is entertaining, wheras â€Å"The Flea† is successful because it’s fascinating and slightly confusing at times. â€Å"Shall I compare thee† however is totally different because it has departed from it and the overall result was very successful. The poet went from delighting the audience then to twisting their opinions of him keeping them entertained.

Reflective Leadership Plan

A person with average charisma can be a superior leader. I consider myself to be a leader with average charisma and I am set on changing the world. I am a leader who has an exceptional relationship with my followers and it goes beyond setting goals, using resources, and conducting business (Nahavandi, 2006). My students do not see me as merely an Instructor but as role model and/or hero. One characteristic that defines charismatic leaders is their self-confidence in their own abilities and in the correctness and the moral righteousness of their beliefs and actions (Bass, 1985).Whereas noncharismatic leaders doubt themselves in the face of failure and criticism, charismatic leaders seem to know they are right and project that confidence. My high level of confidence in their actions motivates my students and creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. Along with a high level of self-confidence, I exhibit high energy levels. I am enthusiastic about my ideas and actions, I am highly expressive, and I use my nonverbal cues to lend support to my students’ verbal messages.Charismatic leaders are masterful impression managers (Conger, 1989 House, 1977). They surround themselves with dramatic and mystical symbols that further enhance the image of the leader as a larger-than-life figure. I believe that we are born with the traits to become great leaders. Leadership can come in different forms and from all backgrounds. Having all the right conditions in place will not guarantee leadership. I have come across leaders with all the right conditions who failed by performance when given the opportunity.I have also come across the uneducated with no support system who becomes business owners and community leaders. First, leadership is a group phenomenon; there can be no leaders without followers. Leadership always involves interpersonal influence or persuasion. Second, leadership is goal directed and plays an active role in groups and organizations. Leaders use influence to guid e others through a certain course of action or toward the achievement of certain goals. Third, the presence of leaders assumes some form of hierarchy within a group.As far as my leadership style goes. I am more task oriented, according to the â€Å"What’s my Leadership Style Assessment†. I have little concern for people and more concern for completing the task. My leadership style would not work because I need more balance between the tasks and the people. This is something I would have to work on. My goal is to be a charismatic transformational leader. My current leadership style would create a problem in an organization. Gaining concern for the people would be one way my leadership style would become more effective.Getting more involved in the wants and needs of the people could aid in transforming my leadership style. I would also like to hear suggestions from my followers. As a transformational leader, I would have to bring about change, innovation, and entrepreneu rship. Transformational leaders are social and are capable of being learned and managed. It's a leadership process that is organized. The process consists of meaningful searches for change, orderly analysis, and the ability to move resources from areas of lesser to greater productivity.Strategic transformation of an organization is not something that happens exclusively through the unique behavior of charismatic intellects, it is a discipline with a set of predicted steps. Transforming an organization to make it strategically economical is a multifaceted task. However, the proof that has been gathered shows that transformation can be thought about and acted on within a framework that's easy to understand (Tichy and Devanna, 1990). To help in the development of my leadership style I would like to transform an organization.Though this may be a challenge, I know that it will involve both joys and sorrows. Winning/beating the competition is exciting, but it's painful to lay off workers, sell off businesses, and disrupt traditions. These occurrences are often part of a renewal, for what worked in the past may have become the cause of failure in the present. Transforming an organization also requires new vision, new frames for thinking about strategy, structure, and people. Some entrepreneurs can start with a clean slate, but transformational leaders begin with what is already in place.They are like architects who must redesign outmoded factories for a new use (Tichy and Devanna, 1990). Transformational Leadership Theory states that transformational leaders provide people with support by engaging with them in a way where the leaders and followers raise each other to higher levels of motivation and morality (Burns, 1978). Leaders encourage followers to accept the disappointments without feeling as if they had failed at specific tasks As a future transformational leader, I must identify myself as a change agent.My image, both professional and personal, is to make a di fference in the organization and to transform it. I must be a courageous wise risk taker, who is not afraid to take a stand. I will believe in my people and have sensitivity them but yet powerful which leads to the empowerment of them. My drive is value and I will be able to articulate a set of essential beliefs and show behavior that is quite constant with my positions. I am a lifelong learner with the ability to talk about my mistakes so that I can correct them. I will have a gift to deal with complexity, ambiguity, and uncertainty.I will learn to cope with problems in a tough, altering economy. And have a vision of what I want in my organization and be able to translate those dreams and images so that other people could share them (Tichy and Devanna, 1990). Transformational leaders are supportive of their people by helping them to replace past glories with future opportunities. This will happen only if they are able to acknowledge individual struggle that has come from a sense of loss in the transition. Leaders should encourage employees to accept the failures without feeling as if they had failed.It does not help to treat transitions as if the past did not exist. The past will hold the key to understanding what went wrong as well as what worked and can frequently provide a useful map to the future. Transformational leaders are being asked to address not only economic issues but also moral issues. Transformational leaders must be prepared to deal with a world in which resources are increasingly scarce and change happens more rapidly. All of the traits of a charismatic transformational leader are areas that I need to work on to become my best.This will be overcome by my class teachings and readings. To ensure that I am on the right path, I will implement a survey that will be administered to my followers. This survey will entail all of the key aspects of becoming a charismatic transformational leader. Depending on the results of the survey, I will make adjus tments accordingly. Although competence and cognitive ability might be keys for success when working alone, leadership requires successful interaction with others and the ability to motivate them to accomplish goals. I can be the first to admit that I work better alone.I feel that I can get the job done faster when there are no interruptions. EI/EQ is a central factor in several leadership processes, particularly in the development of charismatic and transformational leadership, where the emotional bond between leaders and followers is imperative. Being able to empathize with followers can further allow me to develop followers and create a consensus. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence contributes to effective leadership because an emotionally intelligent leader focuses on followers, on inspiring them, and on developing enthusiasm (George, 2000). Reflective Leadership Plan A person with average charisma can be a superior leader. I consider myself to be a leader with average charisma and I am set on changing the world. I am a leader who has an exceptional relationship with my followers and it goes beyond setting goals, using resources, and conducting business (Nahavandi, 2006). My students do not see me as merely an Instructor but as role model and/or hero. One characteristic that defines charismatic leaders is their self-confidence in their own abilities and in the correctness and the moral righteousness of their beliefs and actions (Bass, 1985).Whereas noncharismatic leaders doubt themselves in the face of failure and criticism, charismatic leaders seem to know they are right and project that confidence. My high level of confidence in their actions motivates my students and creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. Along with a high level of self-confidence, I exhibit high energy levels. I am enthusiastic about my ideas and actions, I am highly expressive, and I use my nonverbal cues to lend support to my students’ verbal messages.Charismatic leaders are masterful impression managers (Conger, 1989 House, 1977). They surround themselves with dramatic and mystical symbols that further enhance the image of the leader as a larger-than-life figure. I believe that we are born with the traits to become great leaders. Leadership can come in different forms and from all backgrounds. Having all the right conditions in place will not guarantee leadership. I have come across leaders with all the right conditions who failed by performance when given the opportunity.I have also come across the uneducated with no support system who becomes business owners and community leaders. First, leadership is a group phenomenon; there can be no leaders without followers. Leadership always involves interpersonal influence or persuasion. Second, leadership is goal directed and plays an active role in groups and organizations. Leaders use influence to guid e others through a certain course of action or toward the achievement of certain goals. Third, the presence of leaders assumes some form of hierarchy within a group.As far as my leadership style goes. I am more task oriented, according to the â€Å"What’s my Leadership Style Assessment†. I have little concern for people and more concern for completing the task. My leadership style would not work because I need more balance between the tasks and the people. This is something I would have to work on. My goal is to be a charismatic transformational leader. My current leadership style would create a problem in an organization. Gaining concern for the people would be one way my leadership style would become more effective.Getting more involved in the wants and needs of the people could aid in transforming my leadership style. I would also like to hear suggestions from my followers. As a transformational leader, I would have to bring about change, innovation, and entrepreneu rship. Transformational leaders are social and are capable of being learned and managed. It's a leadership process that is organized. The process consists of meaningful searches for change, orderly analysis, and the ability to move resources from areas of lesser to greater productivity.Strategic transformation of an organization is not something that happens exclusively through the unique behavior of charismatic intellects, it is a discipline with a set of predicted steps. Transforming an organization to make it strategically economical is a multifaceted task. However, the proof that has been gathered shows that transformation can be thought about and acted on within a framework that's easy to understand (Tichy and Devanna, 1990). To help in the development of my leadership style I would like to transform an organization.Though this may be a challenge, I know that it will involve both joys and sorrows. Winning/beating the competition is exciting, but it's painful to lay off workers, sell off businesses, and disrupt traditions. These occurrences are often part of a renewal, for what worked in the past may have become the cause of failure in the present. Transforming an organization also requires new vision, new frames for thinking about strategy, structure, and people. Some entrepreneurs can start with a clean slate, but transformational leaders begin with what is already in place.They are like architects who must redesign outmoded factories for a new use (Tichy and Devanna, 1990). Transformational Leadership Theory states that transformational leaders provide people with support by engaging with them in a way where the leaders and followers raise each other to higher levels of motivation and morality (Burns, 1978). Leaders encourage followers to accept the disappointments without feeling as if they had failed at specific tasks As a future transformational leader, I must identify myself as a change agent.My image, both professional and personal, is to make a di fference in the organization and to transform it. I must be a courageous wise risk taker, who is not afraid to take a stand. I will believe in my people and have sensitivity them but yet powerful which leads to the empowerment of them. My drive is value and I will be able to articulate a set of essential beliefs and show behavior that is quite constant with my positions. I am a lifelong learner with the ability to talk about my mistakes so that I can correct them. I will have a gift to deal with complexity, ambiguity, and uncertainty.I will learn to cope with problems in a tough, altering economy. And have a vision of what I want in my organization and be able to translate those dreams and images so that other people could share them (Tichy and Devanna, 1990). Transformational leaders are supportive of their people by helping them to replace past glories with future opportunities. This will happen only if they are able to acknowledge individual struggle that has come from a sense of loss in the transition. Leaders should encourage employees to accept the failures without feeling as if they had failed.It does not help to treat transitions as if the past did not exist. The past will hold the key to understanding what went wrong as well as what worked and can frequently provide a useful map to the future. Transformational leaders are being asked to address not only economic issues but also moral issues. Transformational leaders must be prepared to deal with a world in which resources are increasingly scarce and change happens more rapidly. All of the traits of a charismatic transformational leader are areas that I need to work on to become my best.This will be overcome by my class teachings and readings. To ensure that I am on the right path, I will implement a survey that will be administered to my followers. This survey will entail all of the key aspects of becoming a charismatic transformational leader. Depending on the results of the survey, I will make adjus tments accordingly. Although competence and cognitive ability might be keys for success when working alone, leadership requires successful interaction with others and the ability to motivate them to accomplish goals. I can be the first to admit that I work better alone.I feel that I can get the job done faster when there are no interruptions. EI/EQ is a central factor in several leadership processes, particularly in the development of charismatic and transformational leadership, where the emotional bond between leaders and followers is imperative. Being able to empathize with followers can further allow me to develop followers and create a consensus. Some researchers suggest that emotional intelligence contributes to effective leadership because an emotionally intelligent leader focuses on followers, on inspiring them, and on developing enthusiasm (George, 2000).