The Walt Disney Company Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Walt Disney Company - Research Paper Example The company was later reincorporated in 1929 as Walt Disney Productions, Ltd, and it became a publicly-traded company in 1938. The company became a leading American animation industry before it was diversified into live-action film production, television, and travel. The Walt Disney Company is well known for its Walt Disney Pictures Group and presently it is one of the leading studios in Hollywood. The Walt Disney has formed a $7 billion agreement with Pixar Animation Studios where Steve Jobs is the Chief Executive Officer and 50.6% owner. On the strength of this deal, Jobs will become the largest shareholder at Disney and acquire a major position in its director board. This alliance ensures the collaborated business operation of both Pixar and Disney animation studios. Management experts opine that this acquisition would assist the Disney to continue its dominance in American animation industry. Presently, both the Disney and Pixar possess considerable managerial strengths which off er prosperous future for the integrated operations. This paper will evaluate the scope of the Disney-Pixar alliance by focusing more on different aspects of this acquisition strategy. Steve Jobs’ influence on Walt Disney Steve Jobs who is blessed with an innovative brain is the co-founder of Apple Inc; whereas, the Disney has already gained a good stature among its customers across the globe. The case study indicates that the Disney’s long run success can be mainly attributed to its value creation through diversification. The company’s three dimensional corporate strategies include horizontal and geographic expansion as well as vertical integration. When the Disney takes advantages of all available expansional opportunities or choices of businesses, Steve Jobs tries to develop new products in accordance with changing market interests. Hence, Disney’s repute and Jobs’ technical expertise together would assist the Walt Disney to achieve infinite heig hts in market. On the strength of Job’s long years’ experience in technological innovation, the Disney can minimize its research and development costs to a large extent. In addition, this strategic alliance would assist the Disney to reduce the intensity of market competition and the situation may add value to the company’s future vision and strategies. As Mungenast (2007) points out, the Pixar Animation Studios also possess a series of competitive strengths including CGI-animate feature films developed with PhotoRealistic RenderMan that generates high quality images (p.9). Therefore, the planned acquisition may assist the Disney to increase the number of its potential customer groups. It is known to everyone that Jobs’ relentless effort was the only factor that lifted Pixar and Apple sky-high. If he can bring his innovativeness to this new venture, he will uplift the staid company to a leading laboratory for media convergence. Management of Digital Age C orporation After his astounding success in Apple and Pixar, Steve Jobs sets a new bar for how to manage a Digital Age corporation. As music, movies, and photography go digital, customer interests have switched from complex product structures to elegant simple devices. From the case study, it is clear that Jobs in an obsessive perfectionist who demands total control over each and every aspect of product, from hardware and software to its applications. Jobs’ efficient leadership also contributes to the effective management of a

MANAGING CHANGE AND CREATIVITY IN ORGANIZATIONS Assignment

MANAGING CHANGE AND CREATIVITY IN ORGANIZATIONS - Assignment Example Human resource management plays a critical role in defining business performance and productivity. It has a direct impact on the organizational success and market positioning within a highly competitive environment. People are the key assets instrumental in stimulating business growth and development. Human resource management has assumed increased significance in devising corporate strategies and enhancing organizational efficiency. The present economic environment has exposed the organizations to a number of challenges that includes structuring business processes to adapt to rapidly changing market dynamics and operating environment. Successful organizations are founded on principles of creativity and innovation within the work environment that provides the companies with the competitive edge to win strategic battles for market share and positioning. Organizations in today’s world operate in a dynamic environment that is driven by the globalization of economies, increased technology innovations and consumer demands. The changing demographics of the markets are responsible for large scale adaptations in product design, delivery and business processes. Most organizations today face the challenge of leading change management process. It is widely accepted that competent change management can help businesses transform their operational procedures, outlook and approach towards more effective and efficient means of delivering goods and services. A company in order to harness its strengths and core competencies to gain competitive edge must be able to identify them. One of the primary challenges facing the recruiter is to identify the key skills and competencies required by the organization to execute its tasks and objectives. A vital aspect of core competency development within organizations relates to training and development of

Epidemiology and Public Health Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Epidemiology and Public Health - Research Paper Example The monarch lives in Buckingham Palace. Parliament meets in Westminster Palace. The borough has an important railroad terminal (Paddington). In Westminster are the administrative offices of the British Broadcasting Corp.; London's chief shopping district; Harley St., a center of medical practice; and a clothing industry. Westminster School is a leading public school, founded in the 14th cent and reestablished by Queen Elizabeth I in 1560(Encyclopedia). Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Saint James's Palace, the National Gallery, the Tate Gallery, the imposing Central Mosque, the Imperial College of Science and Technology, St. James's Park, Hyde Park, parts of Regent's Park and Kensington Gardens, Mme Tussaud's waxworks, and Kensal Green Cemetery, resting place of several literary figures are other notable features of the borough of Westminster (Encyclopedia) . The data on population other demographic variables of the borough of Westminster have been collected from the office for National Statistics. For the purpose of the course work these data have been rearranged and presented by means of a pyramid (Figure 1.1). The data belong to the period of 2006 and it mainly exhibits the data relating to male and female and their age group. The following table (Table 1.1) and the pyramid (Figure 1.1) exhibits the entire data in a more comprehensible way. Table 1.1- Sex-wise Demographic Data Age Group Male Female Total 0-4 5900 5800 11700 5-9 4600 4500 9100 9-14 4000 3800 7800 15-19 5300 5100 10400 20-24 10800 12600 23400 25-29 15400 16800 32200 30-34 15700 13700 29400 35-39 12200 9500 21700 40-44 8900 7800 16700 45-49 6700 6400 13100 50-54 5000 5400 10400 55-59 5600 5900 11500 60-64 4300 4800 9100 65-69 3300 3600 6900 70-74 2800 3400 6200 75-79 2400 2800 5200 80-84 1600 2200 3800 85 + 1200 2000 3200 Table no.1.2 Population for Westminster, 2006 Age Group Males Females 0-4 5900 5800 5-9 4600 4500 10-14 4000 3800 15-19 5300 5100 20-24 10800 12600 25-29 15400 16800 30-34 15700 13700 35-39 12200 9500 40-44 8900 7800 45-49 6700 6400 50-54 5000 5400 55-59 5600 5900 60-64 4300 4800 65-69 3300 3600 70-74 2800 3400 75-79 2400 2800 80-84 1600 2200 85+ 1200 2000 Total 115900 116000 Total Population 231900 Table 1.3: Resident Population Estimates by Age Group and Sex Westminster Borough MALE FEMALE Age Group Population Total Percentage Age Group Population Total Percentage 0-4 5900 115900 5 0-4 5800 116000 5 5-9 4600 115900 3.96 5-9 4500 116000 3.87 9-14 4000 115900 3.45 9-14 3800 116000 3.27 15-19 5300 115900 4.57 15-19 5100 116000 4.39 20-24 10800 115900 9.31 20-24 12600 116000 10.86 25-29 15400 115900 13.28 25-29 16800 116000 14.48 30-34 15700 115900 13.54 30-34 13700 116000 11.81 35-39 12200 115900 10.52 35-39 9500 116000 8.18 40-44 8900 115900 7.67 40-44 7800 116000 6.72 45-49 6700 115900 5.78 45-49 6400 116000 5.51 50-54 5000 115900 4.31 50-54 5400 116000 4.65 55-59 5600 115900 4.83 55-59 5900 116000 5.08 60-64 4300 115900 3.71 60-64 4800 116000 4.13 65-69 3300 115900 2.84 65-69 3600 116000 3.10 70-74 2800 115900 2.41 70-74 3400 116000 2.93 75-79 2400 115900 2.07 75-79 2800 116000 2.41 80-84 1600 115900 1.38 80-84 2200 116000 1.89 85

The Saga of Erik the Red Essay Example for Free

The Saga of Erik the Red Essay The real name of Eric the Red was â€Å"Eirikr Thorvaldsson† (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). He was a Viking and Norse chieftain born in Jaeder district of south-west Norway (Ingrid Shumway, 2005) in 950 AD (Tiffany Kaylor, 1976). His father name was Thorvald Asvaldsson (Duncan Thompson, 2006). Eric is given the name of Eric the Red because he had red beard, red hairs (Jan Furst, 2004) and florid complexion (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). His father was exiled from Norway in 960 AD because he murdered a person there (Ingrid Shumway, 2005). The family moved to Iceland and settled in a Norse colony on the coast of Iceland (Jan Furst, 2004). After some years his father dead and Eric married a woman Thorhild (Duncan Thompson, 2006). After some years Eric the Red was exiled for three years from the country because he got involved in the murder of some people (Tiffany Kaylor, 1976). He then decided to explore the land which was at a distance of about 500 miles west of Iceland (Jan Furst, 2004). Eric heard about the land from different people. Later on Eric gave this land a name that was Greenland (Tiffany Kaylor, 1976). It is believed that Gunnjborn Ulf-Krakuson (Tiffany Kaylor, 1976) was the first person who reached Greenland when he was accidentally pushed by the harsh winds towards the land (Ingrid Shumway, 2005). Eric made his voyage towards the land in 982 (Jan Furst, 2004) and spent three years in exploring different parts and coasts of the land (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). He established the first Nordic settlement in Greenland (Jan Furst, 2004) and he is called the founder of Greenland (Tiffany Kaylor, 1976). After three years of banishment he returned to Iceland (Jan Furst, 2004) and told people about new land and gave it a name of Greenland to attract people towards it (Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, 2007). He then made another journey with a group of people towards Greenland in 985. These people were settled in Greenland and established their colonies there. The land grew prosper and soon there were 3000 people living there (Ingrid Shumway, 2005). Eric was also one of the early Viking explorers of North America (Tiffany Kaylor, 1976). He was willing to explore more lands along with his children however he was injured after falling from horse (Jan Furst, 2004) and didn’t managed to go with them. He lived in his farm in the Greenland till his death in 1003 (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). Eric Exiled from Iceland Eric came to Iceland as a child as his father was exiled from Norway when he murdered a person there (Tiffany Kaylor, 1976). Eric the Red was settled down in Iceland along with his family. He got married with Thorhild (Tiffany Kaylor, 1976) who was the daughter of Jorund Atlisson (Ingrid Shumway, 2005). He received some land at Eriksstadir in Haukadale from Jorund Atlisson as a dowry (Ingrid Shumway, 2005). He built his farm on the land (Jan Furst, 2004). He didn’t get any lesson from the mistake of his father and in 982 following the footprints of his father, Eric also murdered some people. Thorgest was the neighbor of Eric who borrowed few wooden bench boards from him (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). Thorgest refused to return the bench boards and Eric went to his home enquiring about them and tried to steal them. They started fighting and eventually Eric murdered two sons of Thorgest (Ingrid Shumway, 2005). Some historians have also stated that the wooden bench marks were not the matter of dispute among them but there were some â€Å"diasposts† (UXL Newsmakers, 2005) that Eric leave with Thorgest for some time and when Eric ask to give them back, Thorgest refused. These diasposts were symbols of Vikings authority and possess great religious significance for Eric that why he was much concerned about getting them back from Thorgest. The second incident was the murder of Valthjof (Tiffany Kaylor, 1976). Some slaves of Eric started landslides on the farm of Valthjof, in return he murdered the slaves as punishment. Eric took the revenge of his slaves’ deaths (Duncan Thompson, 2006) and killed Valthjof (Ingrid Shumway, 2005). These murders became the basis for the Eric banishment from the Iceland. Thorgest went to the court and complained about the murder of his sons (Ingrid Shumway, 2005). Eric was found offender and the judge Thorness Thing (Chuck Ayoub, 2004) exiled him from Norway and Iceland. He then decided to explore the land which was about 500 miles west from Iceland. The Voyage towards Greenland After exiled from Iceland and Norway, Eric had no other way to go and live. He decided to explore a new land which was situated at the western side of Iceland at a distance of about 500 miles. It could be seen from the peaks of the mountains standing in the western island (Ingrid Shumway, 2005). Eric has also heard about the land from different people. The land was already explored accidentally by Gunnjborn Ulf-Krakuson (Tiffany Kaylor, 1976) who was pushed towards the land by the harsh winds. After him another sailor Sn? bjorn Galti reached the land. Galti was the first Norseman who attempted to establish a colony in Greenland however he failed to do so after facing severe disasters (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). Finally Eric decided to explore the land. He arranges a boat called â€Å"Knorrs† (Duncan Thompson, 2006) that could be helpful throughout his journey. The Vikings used to travel in long boats (Tiffany Kaylor, 1976) and Eric also selected a 100 foots long boat for him and started his voyage. Exploring Greenland The journey was very tough however they managed to reach the southern part of the island. He then moved towards the west coast and settle in that part of the island Ingrid Shumway, 2005). When he reached the land, he found it bit warmer then Iceland. He saw that there were fertile meadowlands that could be best place for farming and keeping the animals. There were many wild animals present in the island but there were no signs of human life (Jan Furst, 2004). Eric decided to establish a colony in the land. Eric the Red passed three years of banishment in the island. He kept on exploring different parts of Island during these three years. He spend his first winter in Eiriksey, the second winter he moved towards Eiriksholmar and in the third summer he explored the northern part of the island and stayed at Snaefell and Hrafnsfjord (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). Back to Iceland After spending three years of exile, Eric returned to Iceland (Ingrid Shumway, 2005) where he told people stories of the new land that he discovered during the last three years. He gave name of â€Å"Greenland† to the island in order to attract the people towards it (Tiffany Kaylor, 1976). Iceland was getting over populated and people were looking for some place where they could have more land for farming and houses (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). The Eric’s portrayal of Greenland attracts many people and they took it as a great opportunity to move towards a land that seems more fertile and favorable for them Ingrid Shumway, 2005). Many Icelanders showed their intentions for traveling towards the new island Greenland. Second Voyage towards Greenland Eric spent a winter in the Iceland and then in 985 (Duncan Thompson, 2006) finally he began his second trip to the Greenland. At this time many people were following him (Ingrid Shumway, 2005). They prepare themselves for the tough journey. People keep their gears and livestock with them in the long boats and then they started their voyage on 25 boats Ingrid Shumway, 2005). The journey was very tough and just 14 boats out of 25 succeeded to reach the destination safely along with their livestock and other luggage. Out of the rest 11 boats some were destroyed in the sea and some people also go back when they find it difficult to reach the new island. Among the 350 survivors (Duncan Thompson, 2006) some became sick and some got injuries also. However the team reached the island and became the first European group to reach this destination (Tiffany Kaylor, 1976). Settlement in Greenland These people started their lives in Greenland. In the beginning there were two colonies established on the west coast of the island. One was eastern settlement and another was western settlement. Eric gave new colonies the names of Eystribygg? nd Vestribygg? respectively (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). Both of these two colonies were established in western coast of the island because only that land was suitable for farming (Duncan Thompson, 2006). The other parts were not fertile and suitable for farming or livelihood. Very soon Middle settlement was also established. Eric choose suitable place for his home and farm and start lining at their like lords along with his family. Eric was also given the title of â€Å"paramount chieftain of Greenland† (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). Eric the Red not only got lot of respect from the people but also become wealthy. He lived with his wife and four children. He had three sons Leif, Thorvald, and Thorstein and a daughter named Freydis (Duncan Thompson, 2006). Eric belonged to pagan religion (Tiffany Kaylor, 1976). His con Leif become a follower of Christianity and spread the religion among the people settles in Greenland (Ingrid Shumway, 2005). He was considered as the person who brings Christianity in Greenland. The wife of Erik also turned to Christianity and she was the one who build this first Christian church of the America along with his son Leif on their farm (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). Why â€Å"Greenland†? When Eric the Red came back Iceland and told people about the new land that he explored he gave the land a name â€Å"Greenland† because he want to attract people towards the new land. He made the new island appealing for the people of Iceland who were suffering from overpopulation and food shortage (Ingrid Shumway, 2005). Eric the Red believed that name of a land could have great impact on the mind of people that’s why he selected a name that express the quality of island and make people to think about it. He explained his logic that â€Å"people would be attracted to go there if it had a favorable name (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). There were many reasons behind his thought of attracting people towards Greenland. Eric was exiled from Iceland after committing murders of some people so he doesn’t have good reputation among the Icelanders. Eric want to restore his good will that’s why he talk about new land and show sympathy for the people who were facing difficulties in surviving in Iceland (Duncan Thompson, 2006). He was also aware of the fact that in order to make a successful settlement in Greenland it is necessary that he should have cooperation of many people. That’s why he attracted and encouraged people so that they join him in his second voyage. Eric possessed good qualities of salesmanship and he utilized these skills very (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). He made people to decide for migration and many people were among him in his second voyage (Ingrid Shumway, 2005). Eric show people wrong picture of the new island so that they went with him. While living in Greenland, Eric choose that best part of land for himself and made his house in the eastern settlement which was the most fertile and green part of the island. (Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, 2007). He did all that just because he wanted more people to move towards Greenland. Iceland was already overpopulated. Eric the Red had already realized that it would be difficult for him to have more land area for farming and living in Iceland whereas in Greenland there was a great opportunity for him to build his home and farm at place of his own choice. When Eric the Red and his followers reached and settled in Greenland, Eric also decided to live there and he spend the rest of his life staying at the same island. He was also dead at the same place that he gave a name â€Å"Greenland† (Duncan Thompson, 2006). Was Greenland really Green? Greenland was actually not a lush green land even in those days (Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, 2007). There were some areas that were suitable for the farming and inhabitation but over the entire island possessed harsh climate. The reality was different from what Eric showed the people. In reality Greenland is icier then Iceland and Iceland is more green then the Greenland (Tan Wee Cheng, 2001). Most of the area of Greenland is covered with ice and there is not much greenery and fertility in the land. The island remained blocked due to ice in many months of the year and activities of people are also badly suffered during these months. From July to September people restored their activities and make arrangements for their survival through out the year (Tan Wee Cheng, 2001). The act of Eric to insist people towards Greenland by portraying a wrong picture in front of them is considered by some people as a â€Å"greatest fraud in the history of the world property† (Tan Wee Cheng, 2001). Because many people leave Iceland and go with him towards Greenland by imagining greenery of Greenland but in real there was a â€Å"desolate coldness and hostile environment† in the island (Tan Wee Cheng, 2001). Though the colony grew but the people soon died due to unfavorable climatic conditions. Difficulties of the Settlers The livelihood was not very charming at Greenland (Ingrid Shumway, 2005) especially in winters traveling and hunting became very difficult. However in the season of summer the traveling and farming conditions of the land became much better and favorable to the colonists. Each of the settlement form a group of people who went to the bays of the island and hunt there for food and other essential living commodities like ropes beached whales and tusks etc (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). Eric and his fellow settlers of the Greenland faced several problems in the island. First of all they have to maintain a balance between population level and food supply otherwise there would always a chance of food shortage. They managed to get enough food that they hardly keep their bodies and soul together (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). Many historians believe that the settlers were facing certain problems while living at new place because they failed to blend themselves in the new surroundings. They were familiar to a different life style but in the new place the situation demanded something else. Many of them could not change themselves according to the requirement of the situation and faced many difficulties in their lives. Many people missed their fellows and relatives who were left in the Iceland and they feel depressed and lonely without them (Chuck Ayoub, 2004). They faced many problems but succeeded to establish a colony in Greenland that properly grew with time and the colony became â€Å"one of the great stepping stones in Norse expansion and exploration† (Chuck Ayoub, 2004).

Native Son, A Critical Review :: essays research papers

Bigger, Crime, and Society In the heated trial that determines whether Bigger Thomas will live or die, his supportive defense attorney exclaims, â€Å"You cannot kill this man, your Honor, for we have made it plain that we do not recognize that he lives!† Living in the Chicago slums as a poor, uneducated young black man whose only confidence can come from acts of violence, Bigger Thomas of Richard Wright’s novel Native Son is destined to meet a poor fate. Anger and hopelessness are a daily reality for him as he realizes that his life has no real meaning. When he accidentally murders a young, rich, white woman, however, his actions begin to have meaning as he accepts the crime as his own, even while he lies to the authorities. Bigger is, of course, taken down by a society who takes offense at the remarks of his supporters and seeks to justify itself. Bigger himself is doomed, but his emotions, his actions, and his motivations all help to give the reader a window into the mind of a criminal and a r epressed inner city African American. Fear, flight, fate. These are the three simple and meaningful words chosen by Wright to mark Bigger’s sad existence. Growing up angry at the white world, he is forced into working as a chauffeur for a rich white family, the Daltons, to support his struggling family. He is frightened and angered by the attempts of Mary Dalton and her Communist friend Jan to be friendly to him and interprets their actions as condescending. As he tries to stifle a drunken Mary to avoid detection after carrying her upstairs, he accidentally kills her. In a time of panic, he burns the body in the furnace and concocts an elaborate lie imputing the Communist Party. He lies, dodges questions, and even tries to demand ransom, but this can only last for so long before Bigger is named as chief suspect. He brings with him in flight his girlfriend Bessie and later kills her, as she cannot continue with him nor return home. After being caught and brought to trial he is supported by attorney Boris Max who de fends him intensely with his own eloquence and conviction. Bigger discovers that the man, though white, feels genuinely for him, but in the end, as dictated by fate, he is sentenced to death and is granted no clemency by a society refusing to take any responsibility for a member for whom it has failed to care.

Rewards and Challenges Essay

I know that in today’s society there will be many challenges one will face when choosing to become a teacher. I believe that learning how to maintain a classroom’s balance might prove to be difficult to a first year teacher. I know it will take a lot of patience and critique from peers to get into a â€Å"flow†. Teachers make literally hundreds of decisions every day, and many of them must be made with nearly spilt-second timing. There may be an issue of an electronic failure that prevents a teacher from following a prepared lesson plan. He/she will have to decide on how to teach the curriculum without the use of that aid. There may be an instance where behavior is an issue and the teacher needs to decide if the entire classroom should be effected or just a few students. Another challenge for a first year teacher might be how to identify bullying. I’m sure that as students gather on the playground or in the lunchroom where there is limited supervision in all areas, there may be some bullying happening that may appear to the teacher as play. It is proven that people who bully take advantage of imbalances in power, such as greater size or strength, higher status, or the support of a peer group. I feel it is vital that a teacher needs to get to know her students early in the year to recognize behaviors that might lead to bullying or those who may become targets. The student’s socioeconomic status will strongly affect learning. Some students may have parents with well paying jobs and are able to travel and perhaps wear more expensive clothing. Other students may barely have enough to eat and live in less than  adequate housing. I also feel that due to this status, some students may not have a strong support system at home to assist in their daily learning making it difficult for a student to be successful. As there will be many challenges, there are many rewards as well. The rewards in teaching can either be intrinsic or extrinsic. Many people decide on the teaching profession due to the intrinsic rewards. I feel for myself, the most rewarding aspect would be seeing a student grow throughout the  year. They may begin with little knowledge on a subject and as the year progresses, a teacher may witness the day when â€Å"the light bulb goes on.† When I was in school, I found it very difficult to maintain an interest in my History courses. I found the information very boring and felt at the time had no impact on my current life. I can’t remember one single teacher that I had in this subject that was able to teach the curriculum in a way that I could maintain it. As I got older and became interested in the History channels on television and watching documentaries, I became extremely interested in this area, especially on the Civil War. I feel that if given the opportunity, I would teach in a way that would capture student’s interest. This would be a great reward to know that I was known a teacher that helped a student understand and appreciate our nation’s background. Another reward would be on the extrinsic side. I have a large family, so as the mother of four children, I look forward to summer vacations. Also, when there are snow days, I’m not trying to find daycare. I am able to have the same hours as my children so that we  may have plenty of family time together. This is very important to me personally. Also, other economic factors have influenced my attractiveness to teach. The annual salaries have been virtually guaranteed to increase. The benefits such as medical, dental and retirement are usually provided and the job is secure. In today’s economy, knowing that one has a profession that has this type of security is vital to families. If given the opportunity, I would love to be able to make a difference in the life of a child. I would take the kind of personal interest on an individual basis to ensure the success of all students that give an honest effort. I feel that with proper home support and a teacher that is committed to their position, every student has an opportunity for a successful future. APA Citations Teachers make literally hundreds of decisions every day and many of them must be made with split-second timing. ( Kennedy 2006) â€Å"Introduction to Teaching† (2011) p.10 People who bully take advantage of imbalances in power, such as greater size or strength, higher status, or the support of a peer group. (2011) â€Å"Introduction to Teaching† (p. 86) Introduction to Teaching (2011 Kauchak and Eggan) â€Å"Diversity: The Changing face of American Classrooms† (p. 20) Introduction to Teaching (2011) â€Å"Rewards and Challenges in Teaching† (p. 5) Introduction to Teaching (2011) â€Å"Extrinsic Rewards† (p. 8)

Marketing Strategy of Tung Lok Essay

Mode of entry: In international marketing, modes of entry indicate the risk of foreign market represents, the amount of resources required and how the company can enter the market. Political risk and financial risk are the two major factor that Tung Lok will assess to understand deeper the United Kingdom markets before investing in. The purpose of the political risk assessment is to evaluate the political stability of UK. The changes in a country’s political structure and policies can cause the loss of the investment or business. There are 3 main types of political risks here: Ownership risk Operation risk Transfer risk Naturally, UK government will favor the local companies than the foreign companies in order to encourage the domestic economic development. So the foreign companies will counter many policies which can lead to the end of their business such as Expropriation and Confiscation. The company’s assets will be seized and an amount of compensation will be paid to the owners, which is a form of expropriation. Confiscation is a transfer of the ownership from the foreign company to a host company without any compensation. The foreign company cannot be operated by entirely foreigners as the foreign worker quota is limited. The government will demand a partial transfer of ownership and management to the local and implant regulations so that a large share of the product is locally produced and the main profit remains in the country. This process is domestication. While shifting funds between countries, many companies running overseas are facing common problems, for example, shortage of foreign currency in the local bank. Government officials drag on the negotiation as foreign company requires more approval letters and documents. High tax and government price control of the import affect the competitiveness of the company as the input price increases. To deal with these problems, long term contracts should be formed with the potential and essential partner companies to ensure sustainable resources. In order to penetrate the UK’s market, Tung Lok can approach in an direct way like franchising. A local restaurant or company will cooperate  with Tung Lok and the name of the restaurant will be Tung Lok too. Facilities, decoration and operation will be in Tung Lok’s control and adjustment, however, the staffs, crew members or the food supply will be recruited locally. This method makes sure that Tung Lok holds a stable business ground even though 30% of the profit stays back in UK. Target market Tung Lok restaurants are famous about their Cantonese–cooking style which offers exclusive collections of refined dinners and continually attract the loyal followings. Each of the restaurants offers various courses of dining concept targeted at different market segments, from budget individuals to high-income customers. The primary market is the British who earn a middle or upper income. Chinese food can be popular and the intensity is raising but Britain is the largest market in the world and the land of opportunity. The main menu consists of many traditional Chinese dishes at an average or slightly above average price. The restaurant will be located further to the center of London to cut cost of the rental, however, near to some business and office district like Canary Wharf in Tower Hamlets, London with high concentration of shops and businesses. Officers can prefer a quick bite at the Asian restaurant with a warm and relaxing atmosphere. The secondary target market is the British Asian in UK, which consists of 8% of the total UK population, 63 million people in 2013. The British Asian is highly brand loyalty and favorite the Chinese cuisine. Tung Lok restaurants commit to bring the finest and freshest of the food to the customers with the upmost care in the most authentic Cantonese style. The group not only brings a Asian kitchen to UK but also the entire culture and tradition to experience here in Tung Lok. Marketing positioning As a newly launched restaurant in the region, Tung Lok aims to establish and stabilize the business in the first 4 months instead of maximize the profit generator. This period of time is crucial to Tung Lok as the initial image and reputation will position in the customers’ minds and slowly but steady build up the brand loyalty. Certainly, the prices in the menu are final and, best, kept constant throughout the business. Since the priority is quality over price for the starting period, promotion and advertisement can be  published in the newspaper and around the area. The restaurant is not confident that the first month will have any profit due to the intensive investment and slow business, however, a possible goal to strive for. Deals and happy hours are common to attract new customers’ attention with family deal combo and crowded group of officers. Saving cost does not mean treating the staffs poorly as outstanding food must come with good services. Staffs must be provided uniforms and chef must be equipped with sufficient kitchen tools and raw materials. Trainings are provided to all the crew and facilities must be maintained to the upmost level of cleanness and tidiness. Safety and standardization must be set as the foundation despite the costly price. Fierce competition from local shops will snatch the customers away and customers can unconsciously deny Chinese food. So the taste of the food will be edited slightly to suit the local’s appetite closer but not removing the authenticity of the dish. Marketing objective: A detailed schedule shall be prepared and filed in Singapore to propose to UK authority for approval to launch our restaurant at the end of 2013. From January 2014 to June 2014, 1 team needs to research and study the local trends of food favor and appetite to create most suitable dishes in Cantonese style but suitable for the British. Another team will investigate and liaise with a Britain company to find a location for the restaurant. The restaurant will be in operation in latest October 2014 and till the end of 2014, the restaurant will set a goal to create 10% of customers’ awareness through any means like advertising and promotions. Executive Summary  Tung Lok Group is a chain of Chinese restaurants paved the modern Chinese cuisine in Singapore. The first restaurant was opened in October 1980 at Corthorne Orchid Singapore. The dishes here are served in Cantonese-cooking style and attract a lot of diners’ attention. Currently, Tung Lok Group consists of 40 restaurants in Singapore, Indonesia, and China bearing the famous hallmark reputation of high-quality food, exceptional service and outstanding design. Andrew Tjoe is the executive chairman and the very founder of Tung Lok. In 2012, due to many external factors such as economic crisis, raising completion and internal factors like closure of 6 Tung Lok  restaurants, the revenue decline to S$86.6 million from 94.3 million from past years. However, Tung Lok still has a higher gross margin of 71.6% from 69.9%, meaning Tung Lok’s business is operating profitably. The Asia market has become saturated of Chinese cuisine. A raising need for a new market to invest in is very necessary. So a faraway land decided to place the Group’s future in is London, England. Locally the Chinese cuisine restaurants have appeared for a long time but the intensiveness is low, moreover, their category and nature are totally different from Tung Lok. Cantonese-cooking style is not properly introduced in London and most of the restaurants serve non-authentic or similar recipe. A fresh and enormous market like United Kingdom is very potential and promising for Tung Lok to bloom.

Computer Integrated Surgery essays

Computer Integrated Surgery essays The ever-increasing requirement for intricate, meticulous, and minimally invasive surgery is driving the hunt for ways to use computers for linking preoperative plans and human tools. Computer-Integrated Surgery (CIS) systems transform preoperative images and other information into models of individual patients. Through the aid of CIS systems, clinicians are able to develop an optimized patient intervention plan, register preoperative data to the actual patient in the operating room, and then use a variety of means, such as robots and image overlay displays, to assist in the accurate execution of the planned interventions. CIS systems also perform complex postoperative analysis of these interventions. CIS systems are not designed to replace healthcare professionals, but to enhance surgeons dexterity, visual feedback, and information integration. In some cases, surgeons can supervise CIS systems that carry our specific treatment steps, such as inserting a needle or machining bone . In other cases, CIS will provide information to help surgeons execute tasks manually, such as using computer graphic overlays on a surgeons field of view. In the usual course of events, CIS systems are able to provide new capabilities that transcend human limitations in surgery. This paper will focus on the robotics technology and imaging involved with orthopedic procedures (eg. total hip replacement). The growing demand for intricate, exact, and modestly invasive surgery is driving the search for ways to use computers for linking preoperative plans and human tools. Computers, used in conjunction with advance surgical-assist devices, will fundamentally alter the procedures carried out in the future. Computer-Integrated Surgery systems log and track all relevant data, which lead to new levels of quantitative patient outcomes. CIS transcend human motor skills; enable less invasive procedures with real-time image feedback, and they s...

Free Essays on Litter

Litter just doesn’t appear- it is the result of careless attitudes and improper waste handling. Is there anything you can do? Knowing more about litter and where it comes from is a good place to start. Why People Litter Research by Keep America Beautiful, Inc., has found that people litter because: They feel no sense of ownership, even though areas such as parks and beaches are public property. They believe someone else- a park maintenance or highway worker- will pick up after them. Litter already has accumulated. â€Å"Litter-Known† Facts Motorists and pedestrians are often blamed for litter. There are actually seven primary sources: Household trash handling and its placement at the curb for collection. Dumpsters used by businesses. Loading docks. Construction and demolition sites. Trucks with uncovered loads. Pedestrians. Motorists. Litter is blown about by wind and traffic or carried by water. It moves until trapped by a curb, building or fence. Once litter has accumulated, it invites people to thoughtlessly add more. What Can I Do? Set an example for others, especially children, by NOT littering. Carry a litterbag in your car. Make sure trash cans have lids that can be securely fastened. If you have curbside trash collection, don’t put out loose trash in boxes. Tie papers in a bundle before placing them in a curbside recycling bin. If you own a business, check dumpsters daily to see that top and side doors are closed. If you or a member of your family is involved in a civic group, scouting, or recreational sports program, encourage the group to â€Å"adopt† a spot in your town or neighborhood and maintain it on a regular basis. Report areas where people have illegally dumped garbage and debris to your local highway, public works, sanitation or conservation office, and ask that the material be removed. Volunteer to help organize a cleanup of the area. ... Free Essays on Litter Free Essays on Litter Litter just doesn’t appear- it is the result of careless attitudes and improper waste handling. Is there anything you can do? Knowing more about litter and where it comes from is a good place to start. Why People Litter Research by Keep America Beautiful, Inc., has found that people litter because: They feel no sense of ownership, even though areas such as parks and beaches are public property. They believe someone else- a park maintenance or highway worker- will pick up after them. Litter already has accumulated. â€Å"Litter-Known† Facts Motorists and pedestrians are often blamed for litter. There are actually seven primary sources: Household trash handling and its placement at the curb for collection. Dumpsters used by businesses. Loading docks. Construction and demolition sites. Trucks with uncovered loads. Pedestrians. Motorists. Litter is blown about by wind and traffic or carried by water. It moves until trapped by a curb, building or fence. Once litter has accumulated, it invites people to thoughtlessly add more. What Can I Do? Set an example for others, especially children, by NOT littering. Carry a litterbag in your car. Make sure trash cans have lids that can be securely fastened. If you have curbside trash collection, don’t put out loose trash in boxes. Tie papers in a bundle before placing them in a curbside recycling bin. If you own a business, check dumpsters daily to see that top and side doors are closed. If you or a member of your family is involved in a civic group, scouting, or recreational sports program, encourage the group to â€Å"adopt† a spot in your town or neighborhood and maintain it on a regular basis. Report areas where people have illegally dumped garbage and debris to your local highway, public works, sanitation or conservation office, and ask that the material be removed. Volunteer to help organize a cleanup of the area. ...

Classic Quotes From Stand-Up Comic Jim Gaffigan

Classic Quotes From Stand-Up Comic Jim Gaffigan Jim Gaffigans comic timing is impeccable. He knows how to tickle your funny bone. Self-deprecating humor never fails to elicit laughs, and  Gaffigans a master at it.   This Indiana native who got a big lift from late-night host David Letterman in 1993 has several trademarks. Besides his self-deprecation, he also regularly voices the internal monologue of his audience and makes constant jokes about food and strawberry blond hair. Hes one funny guy. Here are some samples. Food Pie can’t compete with cake. Put candles in a cake, it’s a birthday cake. Put candles in a pie, and somebody’s drunk in the kitchen. We’re never satisfied when it comes to food. You know what’d be good on this burger? A ham sandwich. Instead of a bun, let’s use two doughnuts. That way we can have it for breakfast. Look out McGriddle. Here comes the doughnut-ham-hamburger! There is the vegetarian Hot Pocket for those of us who dont want to eat meat  but would still like diarrhea. Im a big eater. I mean, a lot of my stand-up is about food, and you write about what you know, and thats the only thing I know. I dont know anything else. Whenever Im out of town for at least a week, I feel like I should write a postcard or something, but you can be a genius, you try and write a postcard you come across like a moron anyway: This citys got big buildings. I like food. Bye. Self-Deprecation Actually, the reason I look like this is because my father was from Sweden and my mother was  Elton John. The only advantage to wearing glasses is that you can do that dramatic removal. But in  Indiana, its not like New York where everyones like, Were from New York and were the best or Were from Texas and we like things big; its more like Were from Indiana and were gonna move. I love how New York is so multicultural. I wish I was ethnic. Im nothing. Because if youre Hispanic and you get angry, people are like, Hes got a Latin temper! If youre a white guy and you get angry, people are like, That guys a jerk. My whole comic persona is that of a guy who explores the id: I romanticize gluttony, I romanticize laziness, and people identify with that. Everything Else I come from a very big family ... nine parents. Ever wonder what people got Jesus for Christmas? Its like, Oh great, socks. You know Im dying for your sins, right? Yeah, but thanks for the socks! Theyll go great with my sandals. What am I, German? I was watching the Animal Planet. Did you know that the male seahorse has the baby? Why dont they just call that one the female? Whenever you are single, all you see are couples, but whenever you are a couple, all you see are hookers.

Organizational Structures Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organizational Structures - Research Paper Example The Metadata servers today enable the organizations to opt for a centralized storage, retrieval and sharing of data, which are more in tandem with the flat and lean organizational structures. Flat and lean organizational structures supported by Metadata servers do allow the organizations to lower costs, simplify systems support and to respect data integrity. Any operating organization needs to affiliate to a specific organizational structure in order to fulfill its organizational goals. The basic purpose of organizational structures is to support organizational hierarchy aimed at a systematic allocation and accomplishment of organizational functions (Dalton, Lawrence & Lorsch, 1991, p. 1). Hence, mostly it is possible to deduct the essential character of any organization and the values it adheres to by simply having a look at its organizational structure (Dalton, Lawrence & Lorsch, 1991, p. 1). Just a couple of decades ago, the organizations focused around a manufacturing mindset wer e affiliated to primarily hierarchical organizational structures which were strictly regimented with regards to facilitating access to information and allocating organizational functions. ... As already said, the bureaucratic structures happened to be strictly hierarchical when it came to managing people. Hence, even in post bureaucratic structures, though the organizations showed a concern for new trends and ideas, still these organizational structures happened to be hierarchical in their approach. The Divisional organizational structures tended to segment the varied functional areas of organizations into divisions (Salaman, 2001). Each division functioned independently and had access to its own resources so as to fulfill the organizational goals allocated to it (Salaman, 2001). Though the divisional organizational structures allowed the organizations to meet the specific needs of each division more systematically, still such structures hampered the sharing and processing of information as the employees in each specific division worked independently (Salaman, 2001). Besides, the inability to benefit from the information retrieved from Metadata servers made the divisional organizational structures utterly unwieldy and costly to operate. Many organizations, especially the large organizations do prefer to opt for functional organizational structures where the organizations are segmented as per the respective functions (Salaman, 2001). Functional organizational structures do have their advantages in the sense that they enhance the efficiency of varied functional groups within organizations, thereby allowing for easy and rapid management of organizational issues and challenges. Yet, functional organizational structures failed to eliminate one serious flaw that was common to divisional structures, which was making way for a free and unhampered sharing of information and data. The modern organizations tried to get over this hurdle by

222 # 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

222 # 4 - Essay Example Once embraced fully in numerous states, death penalty is an effective tool to ensure crimes rates have declined contrary to life’s imprisonment. This is because many criminals prefer the latter than facing extermination. Yes. I think numerous states have realized costs involved in undertaking death penalty and its implications compared to other forms. This is as per Death Penalty Information Center recent report, which showed more than half of the respondents (54%) preferred any other type of life sentences compared to capital (DPIC). For instance, arguments based on costs referred to particular three cases, which before that conclusion cost the approximately 350 million, which is quite expensive than if it chose to give them a life sentence (DPIC). In addition, citizens including diverse activists are emerging with claims this punishment approach is not even fair for long seems to favor certain races. I think due to the complexity involved with lethal injections whereby those undertaking it might not have the necessary expertise, it should be obsolete but justice authorities uphold other executions. For instance, in my view I propose electric execution whose undertaking is more practical and does not encompass numerous complex technicalities to the executioner. In addition, its durations is quite short compared to legal whereby with the appropriate voltage of 40 seconds is enough then let the body cool down. â€Å"Whats New: Public Opinion: Majority of Pennsylvanians Prefer Life Sentences, Support Moratorium on Death Penalty.† Death Penalty Information Center – DPIC. 25Th March 2015. Web. 26Th March 2015.

Corporation with cash and the economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Corporation with cash and the economy - Essay Example We created a crisis in our minds that no fiscal and monetary tools of lowering interest rates and pumping more money can solve this economic woe. Even if there is enough money, people will adopt a conservative stance and will not spend it thus contracting the economy making government intervention pointless. This is truer with big business which was able to generate that much savings because it did not spend the money it earned from lowering its cost from downsizing its manpower and other cost-cutting measures and contributing significantly to the situation that we are in. This could be the worst form of an economic crisis-crisis of confidence. This crisis is horrible because it is psychological in nature that the traditional Keynesian solution will not work. If this situation will continue, it will not be far fetch that our economy will suffer a double dip crisis of which we may not be able to recover. It is easier said than done that had we had faith in our economy, we could have recovered already. There is available money that is enough to create jobs that will encourage domestic consumption to rehabilitate the economy. The government does not have to pump in precious taxpayers’ money in the system anymore for it to recover. We just created a fear that is debilitating us that sends a spiral of economic contagion which contracts our economy into an impending crisis. Savings may be good but when we are not using it out of fear to the effect that it contracts our economy, the effect is more catastrophic. So what is to be done? First, our policy makers must get their acts together to inspire confidence that our economy will be going somewhere. The recent debacle over the debt ceiling fueled that conservatism which is hampering our recovery. Second, we must do our part as citizens of this great country. That includes big business and us,

Mobile phone uses & gratification Literature review

Mobile phone uses & gratification - Literature review Example Exploring how to manage the distractions by creating an application for the mobile that moderately controls the media. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) reported in 2002 that there were already about one billion mobile phone users around the world.The popularity of mobile phones, however, was attributed to wireless technology as telephone applications empower peoples from all walks of lives to use it anywhere and anytime (Bates et al., 2002). Aside from mobility and accessibility, mobile phones are preferred by many due to enlarged scope of information content via the Personal Communication Systems or PCS. Services include delivery of weather updates, news headlines, traffic, locations, internet access, among many others that consumers require. It has rapidly changed the way people live, work, and interacts with one another more than the landlines before them (Wei & Lo, 2006). Socio-Psychological Impact Wei & Lo (2006) explored the role of the mobile phone in individua l’s family ties and social connectedness and suggested that phones which were considered a commodity of the past has come a long way. The wireless phones today have several purposes aside from instant verbal communication between users – the caller and the receiver. Designers provided many components and collaborations in order to produce the finished product with various features. The Qualcomm noted that â€Å"†¦enormous strides have been made in the delivery of data to mobile devices. In particular, cellular telephony networks have matured into robust delivery mechanisms for Internet data, and a rich variety of services are being offered around the world,† (Qualcomm, 2006, P) Wireless phone hardware and software evolved in parallel with internet capabilities and graphic art media so that it has become inevitable for many groups of businesses, engineers, artists and even the consumers cooperating with one another (Kaye, 2006). The Smartphone from IBM has b een cited as an â€Å"information appliance† that has a phone and a personal digital assistant or PDA. The features include a calendar, an address book, world clock, calculator, note-pad, e-mail, and games. This should not be surprising because such features were in mobile phones for more than a decade now as progression continues towards maximizing capabilities. The Operating Systems used are Symbian, Palm OS, Windows, BREW, Linux, and other new generations of programs that are capable of integration with current systems. Similar applications are developed with variations of games; access of internet and memory capabilities for various media downloads and uploads. Kaye (2006) has noted that mobile phone entertainment has been used by gaming companies to demonstrate new games to attract users in purchasing the full software. Games together with ringtones, and wallpapers were seen to generate more revenue. â€Å"In Europe and other regions, ringtones are a billion-dollar busi ness, yet sales were only in the low millions in the United States during 2003,† (Kaye, 2006). Recent developments in mobile phones include cameras and MP3 players as companies collaborate on the product â€Å"to deliver a worthy product to consumers.† Apple company with subsidiary iTunes were cited to cooperate with Motorola the phone hardware and Cingular, a U.S. wireless phone carrier, to deliver quality downloads on phone music player. Clutter is reduced on the part of the consumer as MP3 player and mobile phone become one (Kaye, 2006). Likewise, images can now be sent, downloaded, captured or uploaded on the internet and elsewhere through the mobile phone (Kaye, 2006). Mobile phones have a basic photographic quality of up to 2 mega pixels per image and even video capture and sharing fit for tiny screens of mobile phones. Nokia released the mobile phone with camcorder capabilities for amateur film-maker or for those who can and will afford it, and others soon follow ed suit (Kaye, 2006). More

Biochemistry - How BSE Occurs at a Molecular Level Coursework

Biochemistry - How BSE Occurs at a Molecular Level - Coursework Example Toxicity: Large amounts of phenylalanine taken in the form of nutritional supplements elevate blood pressure. Symptoms such as headaches, heartburn and nausea may be experienced. In addition, the nervous system is usually affected by the toxicity of phenylalanine. Reactivity: Phenylalanine is a hydrophobic amino acid with an aromatic side chain. Therefore, it is fairly unreactive and mostly takes place in substitution reactions where it is interchanged with amino acids of a similar nature. Consequently, it plays a key role in substrate recognition rather than in protein function. Hydrogen bonds: Hydrogen atoms from the amine groups are pulled towards the electronegative carboxyl groups leading to sharing of electrons. The repetitive nature of such attractions within the protein structure confers stability. Van der Waals forces: Interactions among induced dipoles that form from the changes in charge density that occur in adjacent atoms that do not necessarily form a bond constitute attractive van der Waals forces. Repulsive forces, on the other hand, entail interactions between atoms that come close to each other but do not form dipoles. The huge numbers of such forces within the structure of proteins affect the stability of proteins. When certain proteins fail to fold in the required way, they begin to cluster and form aggregates. These aggregates contain certain polymeric structures such as beta sheets. In BSE, these aggregates are in the form of prions, which get into the brain and cause disease. Prions are proteinaceous infectious particles that comprise aggregates of misfolded proteins. Prions alter the structure of the brain by stimulating the formation of ‘holes’ in the brain, which ultimately give the brain a spongy architecture. Consequently, the nervous system is affected making the cow behave abnormally.  Ingestion of prions present in contaminated food causes them to be taken up into the body.  Ã‚  

Mobile phone uses & gratification Literature review

Mobile phone uses & gratification - Literature review Example Exploring how to manage the distractions by creating an application for the mobile that moderately controls the media. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) reported in 2002 that there were already about one billion mobile phone users around the world.The popularity of mobile phones, however, was attributed to wireless technology as telephone applications empower peoples from all walks of lives to use it anywhere and anytime (Bates et al., 2002). Aside from mobility and accessibility, mobile phones are preferred by many due to enlarged scope of information content via the Personal Communication Systems or PCS. Services include delivery of weather updates, news headlines, traffic, locations, internet access, among many others that consumers require. It has rapidly changed the way people live, work, and interacts with one another more than the landlines before them (Wei & Lo, 2006). Socio-Psychological Impact Wei & Lo (2006) explored the role of the mobile phone in individua l’s family ties and social connectedness and suggested that phones which were considered a commodity of the past has come a long way. The wireless phones today have several purposes aside from instant verbal communication between users – the caller and the receiver. Designers provided many components and collaborations in order to produce the finished product with various features. The Qualcomm noted that â€Å"†¦enormous strides have been made in the delivery of data to mobile devices. In particular, cellular telephony networks have matured into robust delivery mechanisms for Internet data, and a rich variety of services are being offered around the world,† (Qualcomm, 2006, P) Wireless phone hardware and software evolved in parallel with internet capabilities and graphic art media so that it has become inevitable for many groups of businesses, engineers, artists and even the consumers cooperating with one another (Kaye, 2006). The Smartphone from IBM has b een cited as an â€Å"information appliance† that has a phone and a personal digital assistant or PDA. The features include a calendar, an address book, world clock, calculator, note-pad, e-mail, and games. This should not be surprising because such features were in mobile phones for more than a decade now as progression continues towards maximizing capabilities. The Operating Systems used are Symbian, Palm OS, Windows, BREW, Linux, and other new generations of programs that are capable of integration with current systems. Similar applications are developed with variations of games; access of internet and memory capabilities for various media downloads and uploads. Kaye (2006) has noted that mobile phone entertainment has been used by gaming companies to demonstrate new games to attract users in purchasing the full software. Games together with ringtones, and wallpapers were seen to generate more revenue. â€Å"In Europe and other regions, ringtones are a billion-dollar busi ness, yet sales were only in the low millions in the United States during 2003,† (Kaye, 2006). Recent developments in mobile phones include cameras and MP3 players as companies collaborate on the product â€Å"to deliver a worthy product to consumers.† Apple company with subsidiary iTunes were cited to cooperate with Motorola the phone hardware and Cingular, a U.S. wireless phone carrier, to deliver quality downloads on phone music player. Clutter is reduced on the part of the consumer as MP3 player and mobile phone become one (Kaye, 2006). Likewise, images can now be sent, downloaded, captured or uploaded on the internet and elsewhere through the mobile phone (Kaye, 2006). Mobile phones have a basic photographic quality of up to 2 mega pixels per image and even video capture and sharing fit for tiny screens of mobile phones. Nokia released the mobile phone with camcorder capabilities for amateur film-maker or for those who can and will afford it, and others soon follow ed suit (Kaye, 2006). More

To what age should parents support children Research Paper

To what age should parents support children - Research Paper Example In order to effectively deal with the aim of the study stated above, a research question will be asked and effectively interrogated through data collection procedures. The research question and its sub questions are presented below. From a more academic perspective, there continues to be discussions and debates on the place of law on termination age. That is, the academic relevance of the study has to do with the legal implications for parents in supporting or taking care of their children. This means that there are two general themes or aspects of the research problem that the current study seeks to unify. The first theme forms of the basis of academic discussion where the important place of parenting in the development of children is emphasised. On this theme of the research problem, Buehler et al. (2014) noted that as social beings, all children are born in to a social setup, where they are expected to be nurtured and brought up in a way that can be considered as consolidating with acceptable social standards. Meanwhile, as parents assume parenthood, they are legally obliged as the people responsible for giving children the necessary social guideline into becoming responsible adults. Whiles doing this, there are different roles that parents play for their children, including financial support, emotional support, social support, moral support, and educational nurturing (Cohen & Wills, 2005). However, it has often been the case that some parents have out of ignorance and in some cases, deliberate intentions disregarded their roles to children, causing children to be stranded and frustrated in the course of their natural development (Buehler & Welsh, 2009). With this problem reported in sections public media, it has become an area of concern to legitimise an age to which all parents of sound mind will be expected to support their children to. From a more socially

Comparison of Little Red Riding Hood from Different Countries Essay Example for Free

Comparison of Little Red Riding Hood from Different Countries Essay Every so often, there comes a story so popular that it survives many decades and is common in many cultures. Growing up here in America, I was always told the story of Little Red Riding Hood. Because of the way American structure is set up, the story in this culture teaches the people told the story a lesson as well as has a happy ending. The American story of â€Å"Little Red Riding Hood† isn’t the only version of this story. As previously mentioned, there are stories that survive many decades and last through many cultures; this is one of them. However, they all have different names. There are also: Little Red Cap, Little Red Hood, The Grandmother, The True History of Little Golden Hood, Grandmother’s Nose, and Little Red Hat. These stories come from many different areas such as Germany, Poland, Italy, Austria, and France, and they have many different authors. There are two things that do stay the same throughout every retelling of this story, the characters and idea. There is always a little girl, her grandmother, her mother, and the wolf. Additionally, in every retelling, it involves the little girl having to go to her grandmother’s house to deliver something to her. However, the actions taken by the characters and their personalities change in every telling of the story. Although every version of Little Red Riding Hood has a similar idea, the characterization and moral of the story alters based upon what time period and location it was written in because of the influences of the country of origin’s stereotypes, ideals, and events.

Analysis of Theory Z of Management

Analysis of Theory Z of Management THEORY Z Definition It is a management theory developed by William Ouchi, describing the Japanese system of management characterized by the workers deep involvement in management, higher productivity than the U.S. Management model, and a highly developed system of organizational and sociological rewards. Ouchi contends that this management system can be used anywhere with equal success. Theory Z is an approach to management based upon a combination of American and Japanese management philosophies and characterized by, among other things, long-term job security, consensual decision making, slow evaluation and promotion procedures, and individual responsibility within a group context. Proponents of Theory Z suggest that it leads to improvements in organizational performance. The following sections highlight the development of Theory Z, Theory Z as an approach to management including each of the characteristics noted above, and an evaluation of Theory Z. Realizing the historical context in which Theory Z emerged is helpful in understanding its underlying principles. The following section provides this context. DEVELOPMENT OF THEORY Z Knowing the historical context in which Theory Z emerged is helpful in understanding its underlying principles. Theory Z has been called a sociological description of the humanistic organizations advocated by management pioneers such as Elton Mayo, Chris Argyris, Rensis Likert, and Douglas McGregor. In fact, the descriptive phrase, Theory Z. can be traced to the work of Douglas McGregor in the 1950s and 1960s. McGregor, a psychologist and college president, identified a negative set of assumptions about human nature, which he called Theory X, while those he categorised in Theory Y were more positive about human nature as it relates to employees. In McGregors view, managers who adopted Theory Y beliefs would exhibit different, more humanistic, and ultimately more effective management styles. McGregors work was read widely, and Theory Y became a well-known prescription for improving management practices. But in the 1970s and 1980s, many United States industries lost market share to international competitors, particularly Japanese companies. Concerns about the competitiveness of U. S. companies led some to examine Japanese management practices for clues to the success enjoyed by many of their industries. This led to many articles and books purporting to explain the success of Japanese companies. It was in this atmosphere that Theory Z was introduced into the management lexicon. This theory was presented by William Ouchi in his 1981 book, à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¹Ã…“Theory Z: How American Management can meet Japanese Challenge. Ouchi is Professor of Management at UCLA, Los Angeles, and a board member of several large US organisations. Theory Z was first identified as a unique management approach by William Ouchi. Ouchi contrasted American types of organizations (Type A) that were rooted in the United States tradition of individualism with Japanese organizations (Type J) that drew upon the Japanese heritage of collectivism. He argued that an emerging management philosophy, which came to be called Theory Z, would allow organizations to enjoy many of the advantages of both systems. Professor Ouchi advocated a modified American approach to management that would capitalize on the best characteristics of Japanese organizations while retaining aspects of management that are deeply rooted in U.S. traditions of individualism. Ouchi cited several companies as examples of Type Z organizations and proposed that a Theory Z management approach could lead to greater employee job satisfaction, lower rates of absenteeism and turnover, higher quality products, and better overall financial performance for U.S. firms adapting Theory Z management practices. THEORY Z AS AN APPROACH TO MANAGEMENT Theory Z represents a humanistic approach to management. Although it is based on Japanese management principles, it is not a pure form of Japanese management. Instead, Theory Z is a hybrid management approach combining Japanese management philosophies with U.S. culture. In addition, Theory Z breaks away from McGregors Theory Y. Theory Y is a largely psychological perspective focusing on individual dyads of employer-employee relationships while Theory Z changes the level of analysis to the entire organization. According to Professor Ouchi, Theory Z organizations exhibit a strong, homogeneous set of cultural values that are similar to clan cultures. The clan culture is characterized by homogeneity of values, beliefs, and objectives. Clan cultures emphasize complete socialization of members to achieve congruence of individual and group goals. Although Theory Z organizations exhibit characteristics of clan cultures, they retain some elements of bureaucratic hierarchies, such as formal authority relationships, performance evaluation, and some work specialization. Proponents of Theory Z suggest that the common cultural values should promote greater organizational commitment among employees. EVALUATION OF THEORY Z Research into whether Theory Z organizations outperform others has yielded mixed results. Some studies suggest that Type Z organizations achieve benefits both in terms of employee satisfaction, motivation, and commitment as well as in terms of financial performance. Other studies conclude that Type Z organizations do not outperform other organizations. Difficulties in the Japanese economy in the 1990s led some researchers to suggest that the widespread admiration of Japanese management practices in the 1970s and 1980s might have been misplaced. As a result, Theory Z has also received considerable criticism. It is unclear whether Theory Z will have a lasting impact on management practices in the U. S. and around the world into the twenty-first century, but by positioning target research at the organizational level rather then the individual level, Ouchi will surely leave his mark on management practice for years to come. Management Concepts Motivation: Believes that people are innately self motivated to not only do their work, but also are loyal towards the company, and want to make the company succeed. Leadership: Theory Z managers would have to have a great deal of trust that their workers could make sound decisions. Therefore, this type of leader is more likely to act as coach, and let the workers make most of the decisions. Power and Authority: The managers ability to exercise power and authority comes from the workers trusting management to take care of them, and allow them to do their jobs. The workers have a great deal of input and weight in the decision making process. Conflict: Conflict in the Theory Z arena would involve a great deal of discussion, collaboration, and negotiation. The workers would be the ones solving the conflicts, while the managers would play more of a third party arbitrator role. Performance Appraisals: Theory Z emphasises more frequent performance appraisals, but slower promotions. THE PRIMARY FEATURES OF THEORY Z 1. Long-Term Employment Traditional U.S. organizations are plagued with short-term commitments by employees, but employers using more traditional management perspective may inadvertently encourage this by treating employees simply as replaceable cogs in the profit-making machinery. In the United States, employment at will, which essentially means the employer or the employee can terminate the employment relationship at any time, has been among the dominant forms of employment relationships. Conversely, Type J organizations generally make life-long commitments to their employees and expect loyalty in return, but Type J organizations set the conditions to encourage this. This promotes stability in the organization and job security among employees. 2. Consensual Decision Making The Type Z organization emphasizes communication, collaboration, and consensus in decision making. This marks a contrast from the traditional Type A organization that emphasizes individual decision-making. 3. Individual Responsibility Type A organizations emphasize individual accountability and performance appraisal. Traditionally, performance measures in Type J companies have been oriented to the group. Thus, Type Z organizations retain the emphasis on individual contributions that are characteristic of most American firms by recognizing individual achievements, albeit within the context of the wider group. 4. Slow Evaluation And Promotion The Type A organization has generally been characterized by short-term evaluations of performance and rapid promotion of high achievers. The Type J organization, conversely, adopts the Japanese model of slow evaluation and promotion. 5. Informal Control With Formalized Measures The Type Z organization relies on informal methods of control, but does measure performance through formal mechanisms. This is an attempt to combine elements of both the Type A and Type J organizations. 6. Moderately Specialized Career Path Type A organizations have generally had quite specialized career paths, with employees avoiding jumps from functional area to another. Conversely, the Type J organization has generally had quite non-specialized career paths. The Type Z organization adopts a middle-of-the-road posture, with career paths that are less specialized than the traditional U.S. model but more specialized than the traditional Japanese model. 7. Holistic Concern The Type Z organization is characterized by concern for employees that goes beyond the workplace. This philosophy is more consistent with the Japanese model than the U.S. model. Overview Theory Z is basically the combination of best aspects of Japanese and American theories. The three theories bring forth three types of firms, which is Type J Firms, Type A firms and Type Z firms. To clearly understand the features of theory z an understanding of the theory J and Theory A is necessary. Features of theory J: Lifetime Employment Collective decision making Collective responsibility Slow promotion Implied control mechanisms Non specialised career Paths Holistic concern of employees. Features of Theory A: Short term employment Individual decision making Individual Responsibility Rapid promotion Explicit Control mechanism Specialized career paths Segmented concern for employees Theory Z picks the best feature from each and either incorporates it as it is, or slightly modifies the feature. The end result is the Theory Z which is referred to as Best choice for American firms. Features of Theory Z: Long-term employment Collective decision making Individual responsibility Slow promotion Informal Control Moderately specialized career paths Holistic concern for employees CONCLUSION According to Ouchi, Theory Z management tends to promote stable employment, high productivity, and high employee morale and satisfaction. Theory Z is focused on increasing employee loyalty to the company by providing a job for life with a strong focus on the well-being of the employee, both on and off the job.

Coping with Change, Managing Uncertainty Essay -- essays research pape

Coping with Change, Managing Uncertainty Introduction 'Thirty years ago most people thought that change would mean more of the same, only better. That was incremental change and to be welcomed. Today we know that in many areas of life we cannot guarantee more of the same...[we] cannot even predict with confidence what will be happening in our own lives.' (Handy, 1991) He differentiates between incremental and 'discontinuous' change, suggesting that the combination of economics and technology form a potent blend in this. We can see that Higher Education (HE) Library and Information Services (LIS), are part of an environment which is subject to both incremental and discontinuous change: Political - increased control from central government Sociological - the information age Educational - the mass HE system Technological - networking, computing and telecommunications Organisational - new structures Economic - increased demand for value for money Cultural - changed norms and values In LIS the move from holdings of information sources in-house to electronic access to remote sources, along with the pressure to provide more services with fewer human and financial resources brings its own kind of change: New structures such as team-working Collaboration with a range of different groups and individuals Additional skills for staff and users Increased management and decision-making Heavier workloads LIS managers and their staff need to adopt positive strategies to cope with these changes: 'Library administrators must become facilitators. They must understand how the world is changing and how the library must change. And they must also learn to be masters at persuasion, since wherever there is change there will be resistance.' (Moore, 1995) Coping with change rests on two struts: understanding change and managing change. Coping with change: understanding Practical steps can be taken to increase knowledge and understanding: SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis TQM (Total Quality Management) exercises Group planning exercises Programmes of visiting speakers Training needs analysis Environmental scanning Electronic discussion lists User surveys Internal staff surveys Away days External seminars, conferences and workshops Shared experience sessions Understanding uncertainty 'Information technology is ve... .... Mowat (eds). Networking and the future of libraries: managing the intellectual record. UKOLN and LA. Corrall, S. (1995 b) Academic libraries in the information society. New Library World, 96 (1120), 35-42. Garvin, D.A. (1994) Building a learning organisation. Business Credit New York, 96 (1), 19. Handy, C. (1991) The Age of Unreason. In: Henry, Jane (ed) Creative Management. Sage Publications, 269-282. Majaro, S. (1988) The Creative Gap. London, Longman. Moore, M. (1995) Impact of the changing environment on academic library administration: conflicts, incongruities, contradictions and dichotomies. Journal of Library Administration, 22 (1), 13-36. Morgan, G. (1991) Emerging waves and challenges. In: Henry, Jane (ed). Creative Management. Sage Publications, 283-293. Riggs, D. (1997) What's in store for academic libraries? Leadership and management issues. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 23 (1). 3-8. Walton, G. and Edwards, C. (1997) Strategic management of the electronic library in the UK higher education sector: implications of eLib's IMPEL2 project at the University of Northumbria at Newcastle. In: Raitt, D. (ed) Libraries for the New Millennium, 169-198.

Adidas Is One of the Largest Companies in the Sporting

ADIDAS MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS EFFECTIENESS ADIDAS MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS EFFECTIVENESS TABLE OF CONTENT 1. Executive summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 2. Introduction 2. 1 Adidas Overview†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 3 2. 2 Europe sports equipment market overview†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 4, 5, 6 3. Situtational Analysis 3. 1 PESTEL Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7, 8 3. 2 Porter’s Five Forces Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 9 3. 3 SWOT Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢ € ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10, 11 4. Consumer Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12, 13 5. Marketing Objectives†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 14 6. Communications Mix 6. 1 Sports sponsorship†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 15, 16 . 2 Celebrity endorsement†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 16, 17 6. 3 Product placements†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 17 7. Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 18 8. Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 18 9. Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦19 1. Executive summary| This report will measure the effectiveness of Adidas’s advertising campaign. To achieve this goal this report will go through the French market analyse and the target consumers. Moreover, SWOT, PESTEL and Porter’s Five Forces analysis demonstrate the different opportunities in future for Adidas and the multiple factors influencing the sports equipment industry.Adidas is one the leading company in the sports equipment industry (with Nike, Reebok†¦), recognizable with its three bands, and since few years he is launching very effective campaigns. This effectiveness it’s due to the celebrity endorsement. This report will be introduced by the introduction of the overview of Adidas’s market and secondly the sport equipment market in general. 2. Introduction| 2. 1 Adidas Overview Adidas is one of the largest companies in the sporting goods industry. The group has divided its operating activities by major brand into three divisions: Adidas, Reebok and TaylorMade-Adidas Golf.The group operates through more than 170 subsidiaries in Europe, the US and Asia, each focusing on a particular market or part of the manufacturing process. After the financial crisis of 2008 and economic difficulties of 2009, Adidas came back strongly in 2010 and can show an excellent year. The Group generated a record â‚ ¬ 12 billion in sales, a growth of 9%, clearly outpacing his major competitors. 2. 2 Europe sports equipment market overview Adidas offers sports equipment for all sports. It provides footwear and apparel for each sport (cricket, football, running etc)England cricket team, sponsor Adidas R. Madrid football team, sponsor Adidas As we can see in the table 1, in Europe the sports equipment market grew by 2. 1% in 2011 to reach a value of â‚ ¬13. 9 billion (Marketline 2012). And according to recent figures this growth will continue to increase, for more than 10% between 2011 and 2016 (Marketline, 2012). Table 1: EUROPE SPORT EQUIPMENT MARKET FIGURES| Year| â‚ ¬ Billion| % Growth| 2007| 12. 7| | 2008| 13. 1| 3. 1| 2009| 13. 3| 1. 9| 2010| 13. 6| 2. 0| 2012| 13. 9| 2. 1| Source: MarketlineThe graph above clearly demonstrates that the French market is the most important as far as the sport equipment market is concerned, with a total value of â‚ ¬3. 7 billion in 2011. The German and UK market, with respectively 18% (â‚ ¬3. 5 billion) and 18. 3% (â‚ ¬ 3. 5 billion) of the market share, follow it. And then comes the Italian and Spanish market (Marketline, 2012). These five markets cover more than 72% of the European sports equipment market. Source: Marketline The most valuable segment in this industry it’s clearly the ball sport equipment segment.Adidas is well presen t, as they make footballs for the World Cup, UEFA Euro and the Champions League. These three competitions are the most watched all around the world (715 millions people watched the 2006 World Cup Final). FIFA World Cup 2010 UEFA Euro 2012 Champions League 12/13 According to the graph the less valuables segments are racket sport equipment (9. 5%) and golf equipment (13. 6%). By adding both figures they are still inferior comparing to the ball sport equipment (25. 5%). 3. Situtational Analysis|As mentioned above this report will analyse the leading sports equipment market, in this case the French market. 3. 1 PESTEL Analysis Through this PESTEL analysis we will analyse which factors any company has to consider, while entering the French sports industry. POLITICAL: France is a highly centralized country; an elite group is dominating in the state and the corporation sectors. This situation persists despite attempts to decentralize power in last few years. Furthermore, according to the r ecent report â€Å"corruption is perceived to be widespread in French politics†. Datamonitor, 2011) ECONOMICAL: From 1999 to 2007 France’s exports share in eurozone felled by 16%, and French exports were of a value of $595 billion in 2010 (declined by 4. 6%). This will affect the prospects of the French economy in the near future. (Datamonitor, 2011) For a company like Adidas, which exports a lot to Asia with a total market of â‚ ¬2, 972 million in China and other Asian markets, it can effects their sales. (Marketline, 2012) SOCIAL: The French population is becoming aged. Indeed, more than 17% of the population have more than 65 years (Insee, 2012).The Government is expecting to allow 4% of the GDP to healthcare, pensions and dependency care related to the aged people. (Datamonitor, 2011) TECHNOLOGICAL: After the industrial age France is moving towards technological age. Indeed, we can see it by the number of patents deposited at the US Patent and Trademark Office ( USPTO), the figure reached 124,723 in 2010. (Datamonitor, 2011) In the other hand, the Government will withdraw the concept of Young Innovative Company, it will have is impact on the industrial growth and may reduce investments in the country. (Datamonitor, 2011) ENVIRONMENTAL:France was very active to prepare agreements on environmental protection and sustainable development and in the strengthening of international governance. In addition, with Norway, France initiated the Global Forest Partnership in 2010. (Datamonitor, 2011) But as the technological factors, the country is not encouraging and fulfilling his agreements. Indeed, last year France was assigned to the EU Court of Justice by the European Commission for its lack of attention in the industrial emissions regulations. The European Commission was telling that France has more than 60 factories that have not got environmental authorization of the EU. Datamonitor, 2011) LEGAL: Foreign investments increased by more than 20% co uple of years ago, 782 projects lead to nearly 32,000 job. Most of these projects were related to the renewable energy sector. In 2010, non-national companies based in France created two million jobs. Many of the government’s tax and labour reforms have been met with cynicism and public protests. The government may increase weekly working hours from 35 to 39 and abolish the wealth tax l'impot de solidarite sur la fortune. However, these moves will face public outrage and demonstration. 3. 2 Porter’s Five Forces AnalysisWe aim to measure an industry’s attractiveness and long-term profitability through Porter’s Five Forces analysis. Adidas and his competitor, as Nike, have reach to branch out in to retail after the industry of sports equipment has seen in recent years a great development of forward integration (as sportswear manufacturers). Despite the presence of major groups, in the French market of sports equipment, the market is still fragmented. Buyer power is becoming very strong, as there is a wide range of products available, and the existence of numbers of retailers and also the fact that some large firms have integrated forwards into retail.The expenses in sports equipment and apparel vary following the emergence of trends for particular sports. Another factor that influence purchases is the weather. It’s still possible to enter the French market by producing for example small quantities of custom-made golf and to have some economies of scales such as bulk buying. But, as seen in recent years the uninspiring revenue growth makes entry a less attractive for new entrants. The reliance on sales of sports equipment is reduced as many firms sell sports footwear and apparel in the French market. Rivalry is weakened as many large companies outsource their manufacturing. Marketline, 2012) Source: Marketline 3. 3 SWOT Analysis SWOT ANALYSIS| Strengths| Weaknesses| * Strong portfolio * Continuous research and development * Stro ng performance after 2010 FIFA World Cup * Worldwide presence | * Dependence on third party manufacturing * Unfunded postretirement obligations will impact cash flows adversely| Opportunities| Threats| * Reorganization to improve efficiency * Sponsoring major sports events * Global footwear market is growing| * Counterfeit products * Competition * Fluctuations of foreign currencies |Adidas has in his portfolio three brands, as follows: Adidas, Reebok and TaylorMade-adidas Golf. Adidas is well present all around the world, Reebok is improving day by day (for instance Thierry Henry is sponsored by Reebok), and TaylorMade-adidas Golf is the less known brand of his portfolio. Because of their policy to encourage research and development allows Adidas to come out with new and better products to face competition of Nike. As mentioned above Adidas makes football for major football competition and it benefits of the success of these competitions.After the establishment in the European and A merican markets, Adidas is targeting Asian market (total market of â‚ ¬2, 972 million in China and other Asian markets). (Marketline, 2012) As Adidas outsource 95% of his production to Asian country (32% of his suppliers are Chinese) it cannot control the quality of his product. Indeed, several products made in China have been recall by many US companies after the publication of the Consumer Product Safety Commission report. The company cannot tolerate a lack of quality in front of Nike, in order to keep market shares.The company provides retirements benefits to most of their employees. According to a recent report, the company planned pensions of â‚ ¬67 million but they reached â‚ ¬74 million, so an unfunded status of â‚ ¬7 million. (Marketline, 2012) In order to enhance its efficiency Adidas undertook reorganization. Indeed, the company moved to a function-related structure from a vertically integrated brand structure. Adidas has many agreements for sports events: * Au stralia Olympic Committee until 2016 * Japan Football Association until 2015 * Spanish Football Federation until 2018 * Argentine Football Association until 2022 FIFA World Cup 2014 * UEFA EURO 2016 * UEFA Champions League * 11 year global agreements with the NBA (official sponsor NBA, Women’s NBA and the NBA Development League) These events will help the company to en enhance its brand image and awareness among customers and also to strength its profitability. The global footwear market, not only the European market, has shown a growth in recent years. According to Datamonitor, the global footwear market grew by 2. 6% in 2009 to reach a value of $196. 3 billion. Footwear, clothing, accessories and sportswear are the largest segments, accounting for 67. % of the market's total value. Market’s forecast will reach the value of $230. 8 billion by 2014, representing an increase of 17. 6% from 2009. (Marketline, 2012) With the development of Asian countries, and the outsour cing of manufacturing of western companies in these countries, the counterfeit has increased and it’s a reel threat for companies. Adidas his facing competition of big companies, we identify as Adidas main competitors Nike, Puma, Callaway Golf Company and New Balance. As last threat we see the fluctuations of foreign currencies.For instance, in India a brand like Adidas is for the high-class society otherwise they cannot afford a football shirt, which cost about 60?. (Marketline, 2012) 4. Consumer Analysis| CONSUMER SEGMENTATION BASES| Behavioural| Demographic| * User status * Usage rate * Usage occasion * Brand loyalty * Benefits sought | * Income * Age * Sex * Race * Family| Psychographic| Geographic | * Values * Opinions * Attitudes Activities * Lifestyle| * International * Regional| This table shows the consumer segmentation bases that any company can use.They are usually the same regardless of the sector. Companies use segmentation in order to divid into groups’ c onsumers that have some characteristics and needs in common (Doole et al. , 2005). Hence, the company can attract easily those groups with specifics products. As his main competitor, Nike, Adidas target particularly young and middle age that practice sport. Another category of Adidas’s consumers has made by teams’ supporters (Real Madrid sold 1. 4 million shirts, Goal. com). Furthermore, there is a turnover of â‚ ¬1. 2 billion in goods related to football (Reuters 2012).Because of is large portfolio the company attract different customer markets with each brand, for instance golf interested consumers with TaylorMade-adidas Golf. The following perceptual map shows the positioning of Adidas as a company offering high quality products for a High price. Foot Locker and K-Swiss try to attract people with a lower income, whereas Nike and Puma apply the same price-quality strategy than Adidas. The competitive advantage of Adidas in comparison to those two companies, howeve r, is its positive brand image. At least, in the decision-making units (D. M.U) we may be influence by friends, the press or by the company’s advertising. The person who buys, decides and uses is usually the same. 5. Marketing Objectives| As any company, which is not the leader in his sector, Adidas has as objective to try to extend his market shares and in long terms strategy to be the leader by a continuous research and development of innovation. Through these innovations steps Adidas can provide comprehensive solutions to his customers (Kotlet and Keller, 2009). One of the reasons of Adidas’s campaigns effectiveness is his brand awareness with his three bands logo.And also is slogan â€Å"Impossible is nothing†, outpace our limits; make the impossible possible. In a survey reported by SportsOne (2010), 98. 8% of the respondent pool aged 13 and up that purchased athletic footwear or apparel could associate at each one of the brand elements to the company name. And another key factor is the role of celebrity endorsement. Through this marketing tool fans can associate themselves to the celebrity and to the brand. 6. Communications Mix| In order to target a wide audience and to build its brand equity, Adidas uses several marketing communications tools.According to Duncan and Moriarty the brand delivers impressions, that can strengthen or weaken customers views of a company, on each contact it has with his customers. Kotler and Keller reinforce this as they said the shape and colour of the package, the product’s style and price, the store decor, the salesperson’s (dress and manner) communicates to buyers. 6. 1 Sports sponsorship Because they benefits of a large coverage, sports activities are more attractive to sponsors (Fill, 2011). Indeed, sport events are the most sponsored because: * They attract large audience * Simplistic measure of segmentation Events duration permits to be more visible As shown above Adidas’s mai n segment is football with a market share of 34% (Chazouilleres, 2010). Therefore, Adidas’s sponsorship with major football teams has been motivated because of â€Å"the attraction of large and specific target audiences with whom a degree of fit is considered to exist† (Fill, 2011). Amongst football teams we can mention clubs like Real Madrid (2nd largest fans group in world), Chelsea (6th); national teams as Argentina, Spain; and of course the sponsorships of major football competition for years (FIFA World Cup, Olympics†¦). |Sponsorship is one of the important parts of the communications mix because it allows companies to communicate without the clutter of advertising. Of all types of sponsorship sport has captioned most attention and money (Fill, 2011). 6. 2 Celebrity endorsement In particular, a celebrity endorser should have a high level of visibility and a rich set of potentially useful associations, judgements and feelings (McCracken, 1989). Therefore, cele brities can play a more strategic role for their brands, not only by endorsing a product but also helping to design, position and sell merchandise and services.In these last years Adidas has sponsored many famous football players as Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham. Nowadays the main celebrity endorsed by Adidas is definitely Lionel Messi. They aim to attract football fans, and Adidas launched couple of weeks ago special football shoes for Lionel Messi (AdiZero F50, with a computer chip inside). 6. 3 Product placements Another tool of the communications mix is the product placement. This tool consists of putting his products, usually, in movies. Adidas uses this media because it’s a â€Å"billion dollar market† (Scevak, 2001).But since a decade product placement is not only made in movies but in all types of TV shows (Steinberg and Vranica, 2004). Since the release of â€Å"Blades of Glory†, we know that figure skating without Adidas is simply not the truth. The m ain characters guide you through the whole movie. In 2007 Adidas was already present in â€Å"Norbit,† â€Å"Stomp the Yard† and â€Å"The Messengers†. 7. Recommendations| For the future Adidas should be more aware about his brand image. Outsourcing 98% of his production in Asian country can affect his brand image because of the poor quality these manufacturers offer.By outsourcing his production can damage is research and development, which cost a lot. These two things, innovation and lack of quality, don’t match. Adidas should handle it as soon as possible in order to extend his market shares and face the competition. The company should continue to sign celebrities as they currently do. The celebrity endorsement is the main key of the marketing campaigns. But Adidas should not only focus on football market (even if is reliable market). It shows that company depends a lot on it. If in the future the market goes down, Adidas can be heavily affects by this .An ultimate recommendation can be to reinforce his presence on social networks as its use is growing amongst the youth market. 8. Conclusion| In this report we gave an overview of Adidas and the European sports equipment market. And we remarked that Adidas is the leading group in football industry, and the 2nd in sports equipment industry (after Nike). Then the report focused on the French sports equipment market. We analysed the market through two analyses, as follows: PESTEL, Porter’s five forces; and we made the SWOT analysis for Adidas. Targeted consumer are analysed nd marketing objectives are given to know how Adidas approach these consumers. We choose three different tools – sports sponsorship, celebrity endorsement and product placement – in order to explain the communication strategy used by Adidas. Finally, recommendations are done on how, in future, Adidas can maintain his leading position in the football industry and how to extend market shares and how face the competition. 9. Bibliography| Marketline (2012) Industry Profile – Europe Sports Equipment Marketline (2012) Industry Profile – France Sports Equipment Datamonitor (2011) Country Analysis Report FranceDatamonitor (2011) Company Profile adidas AG Institut national de la statistique et des etudes economiques –Insee (2012) Bilan demographique SportsOne (2010) Doole, I. , Lancaster, P. and Lowe, R. (2005) Understanding and managing customers, Essex: FT Prentice Hall Kotler, P. and Keller, K. L. (2009) Marketing Management, 13th Edition, Pearson International Edition Duncan, T. and Moriarty, S. (2006) â€Å"How Integrated Marketing Communication’s ‘Touch Points’ can operationalize the service-dominant logic†, The Service-Dominant Logic of Marketing: Dialog, Debate, and DirectionsFill, C. (2011) Essentials of marketing communications, 1st Edition, Prentice Hall Steinberg, B. and Vranica, S. (2004) â€Å"Prime-Time TV’s N ew Guest Stars: Products†, Wall Street Journal, January 13, 2004 McCracken, G. (1989) â€Å"Who is the celebrity endorser? Cultural foundations of the endorsement process†, Journal of Consumer Research, December 1989, 16 Scevak, N. (2001) â€Å"The Evolution of Product Placement† Available URL: http://www. internetnews. com/bus-news/article. php/785431/The+Evolution+of +Product+Placement. htm