Nokia Case Study

Advancement in technology has facilitated the growth of mobile and telecommunication industry. The sector is dominated by leading world producers who depend on their operational management decision to remain afloat in the competitive industry; some of international companies in the industry include Samsung, Nokia, Sony-Ericson, Apples, and Google Android-powered phones.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Nokia Case Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nokia has been a leader in the industry in innovation, sales, and market share, however the increased competition has triggered for strategic decisions to be made by the company. Decisions are the driving force in any organization. The quality of decision that managers make give their organization direction and focus. The growth and competitiveness of an organization is influenced by the quality as well as acceptability of decisions made by managers at all levels (Z i-Lin, Kwanghui and Pho-Kam, 2006). This paper analysis the strategic direction taken by Nokia Phone Company, will also undertake a strength and weakness analysis of the company. Brief history of the company Nokia is an international phone company, with its headquarters in Finland; according to the company’s website, the company currently enjoys a market share of about 37% and aims at increasing the market share to over 40% by the end of 2011. It has a strong brand all over the world, the companies positioning statement is â€Å"technology connecting people†. The company’s headquarters are located in Keilaniemi, Espoo. Currently it has a total number of employees over 123,000 distributed in various countries. It has it presence as a selling point of full branch in over 120 countries. In the year 2009, the company was able to make a profit of â‚ ¬1.2 billion this was over 10% than what it had recorded the previous year. The idea of the company was started in 1 865 however; it became a telecommunication company in 1960’s (Nokia Official website, 2010). Nokia Vision, Mission, Purpose and value of its marketing materials Nokia is one international company that has a simple and straightforward mission statement as â€Å"Connecting People†. Its vision statement is â€Å"Our strategic intent is to build great mobile products† (Nokia Official website, 2010), this vision statement has more focus on the phone section of the company as the main business segment that the company has. The main purpose of the company is â€Å"Our job is to enable billions of people everywhere to get more of life’s opportunities through mobile† (Nokia Official website, 2010). To ensure that the company fulfils its vision, mission and purpose, it operates under marketing values and principles; they include innovation, products development, respect for the people and respect for research and development projects (Nokia Official website, 2010).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The current electronic market is fiancà © and competitive, there are number of players in the industry that calls for Nokia to keep changing its operating policies and strategies. It has to keep changing its approach to ensure that it remains competitive. The main competitors of the company include Samsung, Apple, and Sony-Ericson. To fight the competition, Nokia has engaged in a number of collaborations with other likeminded companies to ensure that it remains competitive. One of the recent strategic alliances that the company has made is strategic partnership with Microsoft   to offer the company with the right software to compete effectively. The drive to remain competitive and offer high returns to the company has made the management to develop new strategies that will see it succeed   (Reid, Plank and Richard, 2004). Review marketing performance Nokia has been a leader in the electronic industry however current innovations and venture of other international companies have hindered the companies continued leadership; the companies strength and innovativeness has made it world’s largest manufacturer of  mobile phones. In the first three quarter of 2010, the company enjoyed a market share of approximately 31% on average; however, the market share reduced to 30% in the last quarter of the year. The drop of the market share can be attributed to aggressive marketing and selling approaches adopted by its competitors mostly Apple Inc and Google Android-powered phones. The company is also diversifying rapidly in laptops, IPods and I phone to enable it share a large market in the electronic industry. The results of 2010, were lower to those recorded in 2009 of 35% in the fourth quarter; so far, the marketing approach that the company has adopted is doing well in the markets however, the trend is alarmin g and calling for something extra to be done if the company has to remain in the forefront of the market. Nokia has a positioning statement as â€Å"connecting people†, the statement is deeply rooted in the people who’s the company aims at serving through its products. The positioning statement with a single grasp describes what the company is up to and what it aims at offering. One of the major weaknesses that the companies marketing campaigns have had is that they have been only inclined to advertising and selling of phones; however, the company has more products that it can use to increase its market, revenue as well as sales.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Nokia Case Study specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another problem that can be seen with its structure is the presence of its research and development plants; the last quarter of 2010 say the company have research and development outlets in only 16 countries from its present countries of about 120. The representation of the research and development team is thus not a representative of the company’s total presence (John and Mowen, 2004). S.W.O.T Nokia strength is ventured in its strong brand name that is internationally recognized. There is a wide recognition of these products in all parts of the world. The strength of the company is undoubtedly be engineered by its internal managerial mechanisms. In order to have a competitive edge in selling its product and services, it will be advisable for the company to take advantage of its ability to compete favorably with equal players in the market. The company’s products are fitted with different features and yet they are sold at an affordable cost   (Sadler, 2003). One weakness that Nokia is having is having a slow rate of products development; in the near past, the company has been producing products after other companies have invented them. It has become a c ompany of copying technology instead of being a leader in developing the technologies (Ketels, 2006). With globalization, the company has the chance of targeting international markets, it can expand its market share in other countries and improve its products to attain customer loyalty and retain it as well. The major threat facing the company is competition from other companies in the industry who seem to be more aggressive and are having consumer-targeted products. This has made the company shed some markets to these competitors   (Peter, 2006). Scope marketing opportunities Opportunities are positives that a company can utilize for its benefits, one of the most outstanding opportunities that the company has is growth in globalization. Opportunities for the company are dependent on both the internal and external assessment criteria of the company’s profile of operation   (Kotler Armstrong, 2001). Some of the underlying opportunities for this company about the macro env ironment are the diversification of its activities. When operating in more than one country, the company should ensure it well understands the marketing approach that it should implement for its success. Different countries call for different marketing approach depending with the people living in the area. There are some green markets or some markets that have not been fully utilized that the company should think of diversifying to, some of these are in developing countries who may be in need of basic phones   Ã‚  (Hooley and Saunders, 1993). With changes in markets and economic situation, different people are having different tastes; the company should aim at establishing niche markets with the available markets. For instance, the growth of the youthful population can have a niche to have highly integrated phones that can perform different tasks; this should be in the areas that the company should be going. It should not shy off to take challenge from its competitors like Apple a nd Androids who are driving the market through innovations   (Michael 1997).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More When the above opportunities have been seen and well ventured, the company is likely to have a growing profit gain as sales are likely to grow; on the other hand, when the company develops new products with times and aim at fulfilling consumer needs, it will likely win consumer confidence that grows loyalty with the company’s products. The viability of a new venture is dependent on how well the opportunity has been seen, tapped, and structures to venture in it have been developed (Earl, 1996). Other products that Nokia should consider Although the market is saturated with customer-focused products, Nokia still can come up with other innovative products to grow its portfolio. An area that seems green and still not ventured in is solar charged laptops: many people today are using laptops in their day-to-day activities, however they are limited by the life of their batteries. Laptops are electronic gadget, which must depend with a reliable source of electricity to be recharged. The company should think of coming up with policies and develop the products. The innovation of solar-based laptops should target countries with high potential in laptop markets and they experience large spells of solar energy. They should be fitted with photoelectric cells that allow self-charging when exposed to solar energy. When such products are developed, the company is likely to remain competitive in the electronic gadgets industry. Caribbean and African countries have not been fully utilized, the company can still venture in the markets and dominate them; in most of these countries, the company should look into low income earners thus it should provide phones and other electronic gadgets that fit these markets. Diversification to solar laptops and venturing more aggressively in Caribbean and African countries is in line with the company’s mission, vision, purpose, objective as well as positioning statement. It will lead to an increased sales, increased profits , as we ll as customer base; the net result is dominance in the electronic industry. References Earl, P. ,1996. Management, Marketing and the Competitive Process. Williston: American International Distribution Corporation. Hooley J., Saunders, J. ,1993. Competitive Strategy: the Key to Marketing Strategy. New York: Prentice Hall. John, C. and Mowen, M., 2004. Consumer Behavior-A Framework. Beijing: Tsinghua University Press. Ketels, C.,2006. Michael Porter’s Competitiveness Framework: Recent Learnings and New Research Priorities. Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade. 6(2),pp. 115-136. Kotler, P. and Armstrong, G.,2001. Principles of marketing, 9th edn., Prentice Hall, London. Michael P. ,1997. Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance. Beijing: Hua Xia Press. Nokia Official website., 2011. Nokia [online]. Peter, D.,2006. Marketing Management and Strategy. London: Post Telecom Press. Reid, A. Plank, R. and Richard, E. ,2004. Fundamentals of Business Ma rketing Research. New York: Best Business Books. Sadler, P., 2003. Strategic Management. Binghamton: New Down Press. Zi-Lin, L. , Kwanghui and Pho-Kam, W., 2006. Entry and Competitive Dynamics in the Mobile Telecommunications Market. Research Policy. 35(8), pp. 1147-1165. This report on Nokia Case Study was written and submitted by user Natasha Cochran to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Perfect Blackjack Strategy 15 Charts to Help You Master the Game

Perfect Blackjack Strategy 15 Charts to Help You Master the Game SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Blackjack is the most popular casino table game in the United States, and it's one of the most popular casino games in the world. You probably know how to play blackjack, but do you know how to play blackjack well? Do you want to win more money at the casino by learning blackjack strategy? If you play your cards right, you may be able to make enough money to see Cirque Du Soleil. Blackjack strategy lets you know the right play to make to maximize your winnings. It tells you what to do based on your hand and the card that the dealer is showing. If you perfectly follow the strategies outlined in this guide, you can reduce the casino’s advantage to less than .5%, making blackjack the most advantageous game to the player in a casino. Perfect blackjack strategy has been determined using probability theory and computer simulations which have figured out the best play in each situation. In this article, I'll explain perfect blackjack strategy and how to use it to your advantage. I've focused on playing at a casino, but the same strategies apply if you're playing online or at a home game. The Basic Rules of Blackjack The goal of blackjack is to beat the dealer’s hand without going over 21. Before cards are dealt, players place their bets. Each player starts with two cards that are face up. Face cards are worth 10. Aces are worth 1 or 11; whichever makes a better hand. One of the dealer’s two cards is face down until the very end after every player completes his hand. You can ask for another card (hit) or stick with your current hand (stand). You have the option to keep hitting until you’re satisfied with your hand, or you go over 21 (bust). If you bust, the dealer wins regardless of the dealer’s eventual hand. The dealer must hit until her cards total 17 or higher. Blackjack! (banspy/Flickr) Defining Blackjack Terms These are the blackjack terms you must know to determine the right play to make in each situation. I put the terms in alphabetical order. Blackjack: The best possible hand in blackjack. It consists of an ace and a card with a value of 10. At most casinos, blackjack plays 3:2. So for example, if you bet $10, getting blackjack pays $15. Bust: Busting is going over 21. As mentioned previously, if you bust, you automatically lose. Double Down/Doubling: Doubling down or doubling is when a player places an additional bet equal to his original bet and then receives just one additional card. You can only double down with your first two cards. For example, if you bet $5 and get dealt an 11, you can place an additional $5 bet and receive one more card. Regardless of whether you get a 2 or a 10, you can’t hit again. Hard/Hard Hand: Any hand that doesn’t contain an ace that can count as an 11. A 10 and a 7 is a hard 17. Hit: Hitting is asking for another card. Insurance: When the dealer shows an ace, the player can place a side bet of up to half of his original bet. If the dealer has blackjack, the insurance bet pays 2 to 1. If the dealer doesn’t have blackjack, the insurance bet loses. Based on probability, you should never take insurance. Push: When you push, your hand ties with the dealer and you keep your original bet. For instance, if you and the dealer both have 19, you push. Soft/Soft Hand: A soft hand is a hand that includes an ace valued at 11 instead of 1. For example, an ace and a 6 is a soft 17. You can be more aggressive with soft hands because there’s no risk of busting. If you hit on a soft 17 and get a 5, the ace will be valued at 1 and you’ll have a 12. Split: If a player is dealt two equal cards, he can split them into two separate hands by placing an additional bet equal to his original bet. For example, if you bet $10 and are dealt two 8’s, for another $10, you can split your hand into two separate hands, each with one 8. Stand/Stay: Standing or staying is sticking with your hand and no longer asking for more cards. Surrender: Surrendering is basically giving up before seeing what the dealer gets. If you surrender, you abandon your hand and recover half of your initial bet. Surrendering is the best option when it’s extremely likely that you’ll lose given your hand and the card the dealer is showing. Unfortunately, many casinos don’t offer the surrender option. A casino blackjack table (Thomas Hawk/Flickr) Blackjack Basic Strategy To perfect your blackjack game and completely minimize the house advantage, there’s quite a bit to remember. However, if you can just memorize the basic blackjack strategy rules, then you’ll be well ahead of the novice player. Following these rules won’t always be the 100% perfect play, but it almost always will be, and again, these rules are much easier to remember than perfect blackjack strategy. Compared to absolute perfect blackjack play, following these rules will only cost you about one hand in 12 hours of play. Basic Blackjack Strategy Chart Here are the charts outlining basic strategy. They tell you what to do given the value of your hand (left column) and the card the dealer is showing (right two columns). HARD 2 to 6 7 to A 4 to 8 HIT HIT 9 DOUBLE HIT 10 or 11 DOUBLE DOUBLE if more than dealer* 12 to 16 STAND HIT 17 to 21 STAND STAND *This means that if you have a 10 and the dealer is showing 9 or less, you should double. If the dealer is showing 10 or an ace, just hit. Similarly, if you have 11, double if the dealer is showing 10 or less. If the dealer is showing an ace, just hit. SOFT 2 to 6 7 to A 13 to 15 HIT HIT 16 to 18 DOUBLE HIT 19 to 21 STAND STAND SPLITS (Yes or No)* 2 to 6 7 to A 2/2, 3/3, 6/6, 7/7, 9/9 YES NO 8/8, A/A YES YES 4/4, 5/5, 10/10 NO NO *If you don’t split, treat your hand like a hard hand. For example, if you don’t split with two 7’s, make the appropriate play for a hard 14. Additional Rules On top of the blackjack strategy charts above, here are a few additional rules to remember: Surrender if you have a 16 and the dealer is showing a 10. If the table doesn’t allow surrendering, then hit. If the strategy says to double but you’re not allowed, then hit, except you should stand with a soft 18. Never take insurance. When the dealer shows an ace, the player can place a side bet of up to half of his original bet. If the dealer has blackjack, the insurance bet pays 2 to 1. If the dealer doesn’t have blackjack, the insurance bet loses. Similarly, never take even money when you get blackjack. If you’re dealt blackjack and the dealer is showing an ace, you’ll be offered an even money payout in case the dealer has blackjack. For example, if you bet $10, if you take even money you’ll win $10 instead of the $15 for a 3:2 payout. If you decline the even money and the dealer has blackjack, you’ll push and you’ll just get your original bet back. Perfect Blackjack Strategy While following the basic blackjack strategy will almost always have you make the right play, there are occasions when it won’t. If you’re really trying to master blackjack, then just following the basic strategy won’t quite cut it. The perfect blackjack strategy charts are based on the slightly different versions of the game. Blackjack can be played with a single deck or 4-8 decks. Most casinos I’ve been to have single deck or use six decks. Also, some casinos require the dealer to stand with a soft 17, and some mandate the dealer to hit with a soft 17. If the dealer has to stand with a soft 17, that will give you better odds. Perfect Blackjack Strategy Charts Here are the charts you need to memorize to get your blackjack strategy perfect. The numbers going horizontally at the top of the chart represent the card that the dealer is showing, and the numbers in the left most column are the value of your hand. This is the key to to the abbreviations used in the charts: H= Hit S= Stand Dh= Double down if allowed, if not hit Ds= Double down if allowed, if not stand Rh= Surrender if allowed, if not hit Rs= Surrender if allowed, if not stand Rp= Surrender if allowed, if not split P= Split Ph= Split if double after hit is allowed, if not hit Pd= Split if double after hit is allowed, if not double Ps= Split if double after hit is allowed, if not stand Single Deck Blackjack Charts These are the perfect strategy charts for single deck blackjack. The first set covers what to do if the dealer is required to stand on a soft 17 and the second set covers the strategy if the dealer is expected to hit on a soft 17. Each includes three charts that you can use depending on whether your hand is hard, soft, or split. Single Deck, Dealer Stands on Soft 17 Hard 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 5-7 H H H H H H H H H H 8 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 9 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 10 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H 11 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh 12 H H S S S H H H H H 13 S S S S S H H H H H 14 S S S S S H H H H H 15 S S S S S H H H H H 16 S S S S S H H H Rh Rh 17 + S S S S S S S S S S Soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 13 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 14 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 15 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 16 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 17 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 18 S Ds Ds Ds Ds S S H H S 19 S S S S Ds S S S S S 20 S S S S S S S S S S Splits 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 2, 2 Ph P P P P P H H H H 3, 3 Ph Ph P P P P Ph H H H 4, 4 H H Ph Pd Pd H H H H H 6, 6 P P P P P Ph H H H H 7, 7 P P P P P P Ph H Rs H 8, 8 P P P P P P P P P P 9, 9 P P P P P S P P S S A, A P P P P P P P P P P Single Deck, Dealer Hits on Hard 17 Hard 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 4-7 H H H H H H H H H H 8 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 9 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 10 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H 11 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh 12 H H S S S H H H H H 13 S S S S S H H H H H 14 S S S S S H H H H H 15 S S S S S H H H H Rh 16 S S S S S H H H Rh Rh 17 S S S S S S S S S Rs 18+ S S S S S S S S S S Soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 13 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 14 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 15 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 16 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 17 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 18 S Ds Ds Ds Ds S S H H S 19 S S S S Ds S S S S S 20 S S S S S S S S S S Splits 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 2, 2 Ph P P P P P H H H H 3, 3 Ph Ph P P P P Ph H H H 4, 4 H H Ph Pd Pd H H H H H 6, 6 P P P P P Ph H H H H 7, 7 P P P P P P Ph H Rs Rh 8, 8 P P P P P P P P P P 9, 9 P P P P P S P P S Ps A, A P P P P P P P P P P Do you think these fellows are following perfect blackjack strategy? 4- to 8-Deck Blackjack Charts The most common multi-deck blackjack I’ve seen is six-deck, but the same strategies apply for 4-8 decks. You’ll see that the charts are extremely similar to those for single deck. Again, the first set is for tables where the dealer is required to stand on a soft 17 and the second set is for tables where the dealer is expected to hit on a soft 17. Each includes three charts for hard, soft, and split hands. 4-8 Decks, Dealer Stands on Soft 17 Hard 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 4-8 H H H H H H H H H H 9 H Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 10 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H 11 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H 12 H H S S S H H H H H 13 S S S S S H H H H H 14 S S S S S H H H H H 15 S S S S S H H H Rh H 16 S S S S S H H Rh Rh Rh 17+ S S S S S S S S S S Soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 13 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 14 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 15 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 16 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 17 H Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 18 S Ds Ds Ds Ds S S H H S 19+ S S S S S S S S S S Splits 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 2, 2 Ph Ph P P P P H H H H 3, 3 Ph Ph P P P P H H H H 4, 4 H H H Ph Ph H H H H H 6, 6 Ph P P P P H H H H H 7, 7 P P P P P P H H H H 8, 8 P P P P P P P P P P 9, 9 P P P P P S P P S S A, A P P P P P P P P P P 4-8 Decks, Dealer Hits on Soft 17 Hard 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 4-8 H H H H H H H H H H 9 H Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 10 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh H H 11 Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh Dh 12 H H S S S H H H H H 13 S S S S S H H H H H 14 S S S S S H H H H H 15 S S S S S H H H Rh Rh 16 S S S S S H H Rh Rh Rh 17 S S S S S S S S S Rs 18+ S S S S S S S S S S Soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 13 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 14 H H H Dh Dh H H H H H 15 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 16 H H Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 17 H Dh Dh Dh Dh H H H H H 18 Ds Ds Ds Ds Ds S S H H H 19 S S S S Ds S S S S S 20+ S S S S S S S S S S Splits 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A 2, 2 Ph Ph P P P P H H H H 3, 3 Ph Ph P P P P H H H H 4, 4 H H H Ph Ph H H H H H 6, 6 Ph P P P P H H H H H 7, 7 P P P P P P H H H H 8, 8 P P P P P P P P P Rp 9, 9 P P P P P S P P S S A, A P P P P P P P P P P How to Learn These Blackjack Strategies You may be overwhelmed by the amount of charts and the information you have to remember to perfect your blackjack play. Start with learning basic blackjack strategy! Then, if you want, you can move on to perfect strategy. If you don’t have much time to learn, I recommend sticking with basic blackjack strategy. Remember that you’ll almost always make the right play with basic strategy, and the few mistakes you may make won’t cost you much. Some casinos will allow you to refer to blackjack charts while you’re playing, so you can also print them out and refer to them while playing. But the other players may get annoyed with you if you keep looking at your charts. If you want to learn perfect blackjack strategy, I advise you to learn one chart at a time. Also, if you know you’ll be playing a specific type of blackjack (e.g. 6 decks, dealer hits on soft 17) at a casino, just focus on the charts that are applicable to the game you'll be playing. Furthermore, once you think you’ve learned the blackjack charts, you’ll remember your perfect strategy by drilling it into your head by playing tons of hands and testing your knowledge. If you ever forget your perfect strategy while playing, just use basic strategy. Play the Best Game for You Finally, always remember that you want to play the blackjack games that offer you the best odds. There are many variations of blackjack at casinos that will impact your odds of winning. The ideal version of blackjack will allow doubling, doubling after splitting, splitting, and surrendering. If any of these aren’t allowed, your odds of winning will be lowered. Most are normally offered, but I haven’t found many casinos that allow surrendering. Additionally, your odds will improve if the dealer has to stand on a soft 17 instead of hitting on a soft 17. Finally, you want a table that will pay blackjack 3:2 as opposed to a lower payout (sometimes 6:5) or even money.

A white girls Burden

A white girls Burden†, written Amy Finnegan is an article about a social movement, which happened in 2012, this is most commonly referred to as Kony 2012. This movement was started by a group of 3 regular Californian guys who had typical lives who were motivated to started an organization on this situation which is called invisible children, which was first formed in 2003. The video titled â€Å"Kony 2012† is 30 minutes long and quickly made an appearance on many social networks and newspapers across North America, â€Å"sparking wide spread concern about the lords resistance army (LRA) war in central Africa†. Once this video became viral thousands of people became moved about this issue and started to help fundraise thousands of dollars to help the cause from all ages of people. â€Å"Invisible children mobilizes predominantly young, privileged, evangelical Christian, female Americans to participate in a unique form of â€Å" non-wave-making activism† (Finnegan, 2013). Aside from fundraising people were also reaching out to all the contacts and sources they had to further raise the awareness of the war in Africa. Soon after the video was released invisible children had already raised 1 million dollars after a week. The founders of the organization â€Å"invisible children† all had faith and were into religion, however they did not want to mix religion and business. Invisible children made a social movement unlike many others, through social medial and non-violent actions. â€Å"Distinct from activism that seeks to make social change by engaging institutions through civil disobedience or public protests, invisible children promotes legal, institutional forms of engagement. † (Finnegan, 2013). Some major events that invisible children has achieved is hosted the largest lobby day ever about an African issue in U.  S history, they have also successfully gained several minutes of unscheduled airtime with Oprah to raise awareness about this conflict. In â€Å"less than an year, of the lords resistance army disarmament and northern Uganda recovery act, at a bipartisan piece of legislation that mandated that the Obama administration provide funds for the northern Uganda recovery and transitional justice initiatives, and eventually send 100 military advisors to the region in October 2011† (Finnegan, 2013). Invisible children have also being contacted by George Clooney, and other popular films like Blood Diamond. However there are 3 main problems discussed in this article regarding invisible children, firstly the media seemed to misrepresent Uganda and what one knows about it. Secondly, â€Å" invisible children also promoted policies that are highly controversial† and lastly â€Å" Americans shallow an ill-informed understanding of Africa, and a distorted picture of their own role in social change. † (Finnegan, 2013). Invisible children have focused on gaining the attention on young people because these types of people are the future and are becoming more passionate and involved in stories and issues similar to this concern all around the world. Mobilizing young people to become active on these issues is very important and very effective to changing the world, young people are more socially active online and do participate in other subjects such as invisible children and stopping Joseph Kony. This issue is still going on but has gotten better; problems like this cannot be solved overnight but throughout the past 2 years have made a significant difference and will continue to get better. Because of the generous donations and support a lot has been done regarding this issue and has led others to become aware of different problems, situations, organizations, and groups around the world.

Using Power and Influence to Get a Promotion Research Paper

Using Power and Influence to Get a Promotion - Research Paper Example Case in point is a person who has been working as a fiber optic network technician for the past 13 years in the organization and feels ready and qualified to take the next step into a management role. Having the requisite work experience, background, education and passion, it does not make sense why the person has not been promoted yet. An interview reveals: â€Å"My education has given me the tools & skills to work as an effective manager. Given the company’s organizational structure it is very difficult to move up without relocating, but not impossible. Relocating is not an option for me. The company typically will not allow someone to supervise current peers†. This case shows an instance in the organization where a qualified person is facing a ceiling towards their steady career progression, with no obvious means at their disposal to help the situation. This raises the question of whether it is possible to utilize power and influence within the organization to get the promotion without having to relocate. Despite having appropriate work experience and education in the field to be able to take on a management role at the company, a person is overlooked for promotion based on the inability of the person to relocate. Without the option of relocating, there are very limited chances of getting a promotion. Is it possible to use power and influence to get a promotion in the company without relocating? Having power and influence in an organization means having access to more information, having control and influence over peers and subordinates and having a say in the decision making process. This power wielding can be done formally or informally. Therefore, power is in a way a product of ability and willingness to control other persons, important information and ‘instrumentalities’ (Mechanic 1962). To attain power, one must not only have the knowledge and the deep

Unit 7 Discussion Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Unit 7 Discussion - Research Paper Example nking alcohol: â€Å"youth under age 21, college-age young adults, senior citizens, women, and ethnic and racial minorities† (National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, n.d., p. 1). From the evaluation of the performance of the NIAAA and other agencies tasked with preventing and addressing alcoholism, it could be deduced the program that aims to prevent and treat alcoholism seems to be ineffective. From the statistics reported by the NIAAA, it was revealed that as much as 17 million Americans have been diagnosed with AUD (National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, n.d.). The figure represents 5% of the total population of the United States which is 313.9 million, as revealed from the U.S. Census Bureau. Concurrently, treatment fidelity means â€Å"the strategies that monitor and enhance the accuracy and consistency of an intervention to ensure it is implemented as planned and that each component is delivered in a comparable manner to all study participants over time† (Smith, Daunic, & Taylor, 2013). It could effectively determine the effectiveness of a human services program since the monitoring would entail focusing on the population at risk over a considerable length of time. Actually, the weaknesses in the program should be identified and appropriate interventions should be improved to appropriately and ultimately prevent identified deviances or maladjusted behavior. National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.). Alcohol Use Disorders. Retrieved from niaaa.nih.gov: http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-use-disorders National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.). Special Populations & Co-occurring Disorders. Retrieved from niaaa.nih.gov: http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/special-populations-co-occurring-disorders Smith, S., Daunic, A., & Taylor, G. (2013). Treatment Fidelity in Applied Educational Research: Expanding the Adoption and Application of Measures to Ensure

New Product Questionnaire Essay Example for Free

New Product Questionnaire Essay As a woman you are created with a special gift, it’s like little extra ingredients that all women have within them. The poem â€Å"Phenomenal Woman† by Maya Angelou, she speaks about the elegance of a woman, her inner being the way she glow without saying a word Maya expressed how men are amazed by her presence â€Å"men themselves have wondered what they see in me† (line 31-32). It’s hard to put your finger on it all women were born with the power. In the poem â€Å"Still I rise† by Maya Angelou she described the struggles of life trials and tribulations you face in society and the way people may judge you. As if she was writing about a woman â€Å"does my sassiness upset you? †She also wrote in another stanza â€Å"does my sexiness upset you? †She used this comparison to show she is a sexy woman who demands respect. Maya’s attitude in this poem is portraying a confident black African American woman. She is really laughing at men challenging them. They cannot stop her from rising above all expectation. This poem gives you not only inspiration encouragement to be fearless; to the end of it all you must believe you still rise above it all. The title gives a sense of entity and power. This masterpiece the poem â€Å"phenomenal woman† has also empowered women to get more in touch with their inner beauty. Maya describes in great detail the mystery of women and the behavior of men and their reaction. It shows women to not only love your-self but to embrace every aspect of your mind, body and soul. Maya show that sexuality isn’t only related to outer beauty, or by the way you dress it more about how you feel within your own skin . she shows you instead of hating your body love it from the crown of your head to the sole of your feet. In society today women enhances their body by doing plastic surgery to feel accepted. She feels inferior clearly stating that every part of a woman is beauty. In comparisons to â€Å"Phenomenal Woman† and â€Å"Still I Rise† both poems Maya speaks about not bowing to the â€Å"oppressor†. You can feel her compassion in every word in Phenomenal Woman â€Å"now you understand why my head’s not bowed† (lines 47). Still I Rise forth stanza â€Å"with head bowed and eyes lowered? †Within these lines she stresses that she will not conform to what society made her out to be, that she will soar above and beyond everyone expectations. The little gives a sense of entity and power. In conclusion these two poems have few similarities; Maya characterized the strength of an African American woman. By using powerful words she described the emotional aspect of inner beauty, standing proud professing no one will ever bring her down not by the color of her skin nor the fact of being a woman that there’s more within.

Pro-War Characters with an Anti-War Message Essay -- Literary Analysis

In the first chapter of Slaughterhouse-Five, the narrator goes to meet an old war friend, Bernard V. O’Hare, who served with him in World War II and was also witness to the bombing of Dresden. The narrator, having attempted to write a novel based on his experiences during that time for many years, was hoping that, between the two of them, they could come up with some good war stories to incorporate into his novel. After many failed attempts to find something of substance upon which to base his novel, both men failed, for â€Å"there is nothing intelligent to say about a massacre† (19). Instead, the most important thing anyone came up with that evening was one who hadn’t even served in the war. Mary O’Hare, Bernard’s wife, was opposed to war, â€Å"it was war that made her so angry†, and feared that, through the narrator’s story, he would make war â€Å"look just wonderful, so we’ll have a lot more of them† (15, 14). Upon hearing Mary’s outburst, the narrator promised her â€Å"there wouldn’t be a part for Frank Sinatra or John Wayne† in his telling of his experiences during war (15). Instead, the narrator pledged that he would title his novel â€Å"The Children’s Crusade†, which Slaughterhouse-Five is subtitled, and dedicated the novel to her. While Slaughterhouse-Five may not have any characters Sinatra or Wayne would be suited to play, it does contain many characters that hold pro-war views. In many ways, the narrator’s honest portrayal of characters who view war in a positive manner or who attempt to justify the bombing of Dresden works against them. The narrator, for the most part, doesn’t attempt to rebuke or criticize these views, but instead represents them in all their unflinching honesty. By highlighting the inhumanity and cruelty of these char... ...more sympathetic than Eaker to those who lost their lives in the Dresden bombing. Saundy believed â€Å"that the bombing of Dresden was a great tragedy none can deny†, and that it wasn’t necessary to the Allies efforts to win the War (187). However, he does defend those who directed the bombing, stating they â€Å"were neither wicked nor cruel†, but instead forced into making a tough decision in a decisive time in the War (187). Saundy presents a much more humane view of the bombing of Dresden than Eaker. Saundy doesn’t attempt to justify or condemn the bombing; he instead portrays it as one of the many horrors of war that can only be viewed in hindsight as such. These official assessments offer the observation that â€Å"military men responsible for such slaughters act not out of malignity but from muddled values which prevent them from seeing simpler moral truths† (Reed, 54).

Life today is better

Modern life is very different from life 50 years ago. Some people think the changes were positive changes while some people thinks the changes were negative changes. It Is true; life 50 years ago is simpler than life now. 50 years ago, the pace of life is slower and family could spend their time together longer. They could attend family occasions like wedding and Did. Besides, 50 years ago, the living cost Is lower than now.They Just spend a few ringlets per day to buy groceries and consumer Items or they can Just grow vegetables or raise animals Like chicken, cow or goat as their food sources. Notwithstanding, I think life today Is much better than It was 50 years ago. Life today has a higher technology. First of all, technology brings about a great many convenience and amenity. When we need to contact people, we use cellophanes to call them, we can fax them, we can send an e-mail to them or we can make a video call with them.Nowadays, we have Internet that direct us to Backbone, Tw itter, Keep and other application that can be used to connect with people. Besides, we can search for worldwide information in the internet. When we want to abroad a flight, all we need o do is just call the flight ticket agency and buy the tickets online. Using smoothness, everything is much easier as everything is Just on your fingertips. Hence, we can say that with the advancement of technology, life today is better than years ago. Other than connecting with people, internet has thousands of uses.We even can make money using the internet as an example Madam. Com that helps people to sell and buy items in the internet in Malaysia. Next, we have e-Bay which is a site that can be used to pay bills and stuffs. Then, communication is also one of the factors to prove that life today is better than it was. As what we can remember, 50 years ago people didn't have the modern vehicle to move from one place to another place. If before, people usually walk, or uses bull carts or sampan to mo ve but now, we have variety of cars, airplane, train, buses and lorry to get us to our destination.More advances, we also have ALERT, Commuter and MR. as our public transport to send us to our destination faster and more convenience. This proved that life today is better than it was years ago. Next, human rights today is been uphold more than 50 years ago. Now, women can do what they want to do. They can have the career that alt with their passion and interest. They can go out and socialize with their friends. If we look 50 years ago, women is Just a wife that act as person who do the house chores and the one who got to take care of their children and husband and.They even can't go out easily without the permission of their husband. Women 50 years ago usually were forbidden to continue their studies or work In the Job of their Interest. However, nowadays we can see women as the top people In the world In many fields. Equally Important Is the children's right. Children's rights are t o get loves from their parents. They also have the rights to go to school and study. However, children's 50 years ago works as a slave. Their rights' on their education was not been concerned.As have been said, the human rights' today is much better than 50 years ago. As conclusion, life today is better than it was 50 years ago. Nowadays, people live with high technology that eases their daily works. Nowadays, we have modern that help us to connect with people. Today, human rights' had been upheld. There are no more women or children that had been treated the way that suppress or oppress them. In other word, life today is totally mush better than it was 50 years ago.

Burts Bees Essay

A while back in 2007, Burts Bee’s was bought out by Clorox for $913 million. In buying Burts Bee’s Clorox is promising to go green. This was Clorox’s start in buying out other green companies to help them achieve their goal in going completely green. Mr. Shavitz and Ms. Quimby the original owners of Burt’s Bees had a huge fall out that began in the late 1990’s which has been going on ever since. (1) The reason that Clorox was willing to pay almost $1 Billion for Burts Bee’s because they see a big opportunity in the market to make their products green. The Burt’s Bess is really into the whole giving back to the community, and always helping. A few events they have done for the community is Urban Gardening when they teamed up with NEEM, to help make Durham, North Carolina greener, and help them plant more community gardens. Another event that they have done is help create green homes in North Carolina. As I was looking on the Burt’s Bees website on their most frequently asked questions someone asked how they can receive donations, and the answer the company gave threw me aback. â€Å"At this time, Burt’s Bees is not currently providing product or financial donations. We remain committed to supporting local community organizations committed to The Greater Good† (2) Personally in reading this I feel like if they want to help create that customer satisfaction, they should be willing to help everyone go green and not just the community. Since the buyout according to Clorox, their natural care products already account for over $6 billion in sales and is growing at a fast rate. The sales are climbing to a yearly rate of around 9%. As for the stalk holder Clorox states, they rose from $1. 69, 2. 8%. to $62. 69. This was a huge boost for the stockholders, and for people who wanted to buy into the stalk. As of 25th 2013, the stalks are at $83. 25. (3) This was also helping Clorox’s public relations by helping them get well known. Clorox does a whole bunch of press releases to help show that they have turned green. They also do press releases when they win an award or do contests for people to enter. When you go on the Clorox website they give you three options to choose from, Press Releases, Media Resources, and Press contacts. Since working together with Burt’s Bee’s, Clorox is also trying to get more involved in the community which they never used to do. On their website they state, â€Å"Clorox knows that it can’t do it alone and actively seeks partners and other affiliations to help us become a more sustainable company. Clorox also cares. In addition to our work to make Clorox a more sustainable company, we strive to make a positive eco impact beyond Clorox. † (4) Clorox donates nearly $1 million dollars to environmental causes. Some of things they do to help the community is they donate products to the Save the Frogs, and Save the California Oaks. They also have their own foundations to help Keep America Beautiful.

Penelope and Telemachus Essays

Penelope and Telemachus Essays Penelope and Telemachus Paper Penelope and Telemachus Paper I believe that Telemachus and Penelope were the true heroes of the odyssey. I think Penelope and Telemachus were honest and Odysseus was not because he slept with a lot of women such as Circe and calypso. I believe Penelope was loyal, even though there were suitors that were trying to convince her to marry them. On the other side, Telemachus had hope that his father would return. All of these qualities are hero like. Penelope was the hero of the odyssey because she was true to her husband in spite of compelling reasons to give him up. She managed to raise her son by herself. She was loyal and devoted to her husband because the suitors tried offer her many things such as ship full of gold, ships and food her but she refused the offer. She is a good house wife because she can weave. She is believed to be one of the most beautiful women ever. Not only Penelope is beautiful and talented, she is also clever, although usually its Odysseus who is said to be clever or cunning. But when shes backed into a corner and forced to choose a suitor, Penelope agrees shell wed one of them, but first must weave this special cloth. Then, as the suitors get drunk each day, she weaves in full view. But at night, while theyre all sleeping it off, she stays up late; ripping out everything she wove during the daylight hours. So she makes very little progress on this weaving! And theyre too dull to notice. I think Telemachus has remained hopeful because he think that hes is still alive. One key trait that Telemachus shows is hope towards his fathers life, and his mothers love for his father. No, please, I need the boat, my father is still alive, I know it, and he really is. (Book XVIII, 212) This just shows his hope towards his father, and how he tried to persuade his fellow Ithacans to give him a boat to go out and search for his father. Another skill that Telemachus has, is courage, which he shows specifically when he tries to defend his father. The extraordinarily interesting fact about his courage is that he is a smaller man, so despite the fact that he cannot defend himself from the suitors, he still manages to stand up for him and his father. Telemachus is much matured; however he is a normal teenager like us. I admire Telemachus for this, and I just hope that I can have that kind of hope throughout my life, as he did throughout his. I like Penelope because the She managed to trick the suitors and I like her because she is loyal person. I believe Penelopes greatest strength was loyalty. I think Telemachuss was courageous and brave. This assignment can clear out the doubts about who are the true heroes of odyssey.

Quantitive Article Anaylsis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Quantitive Article Anaylsis - Assignment Example The study aimed at finding out the effects of artefacts for teams that are working on innovation tasks. In this regard, the study focused on the creativity and collaboration applied in the development of innovative business models. To make the research more comprehensive, the following research questions were employed; The study ought to propose a model that would explain the impacts of artefacts on team processes in the creation of business model ideas. It further posits that the artefacts have positive impacts on team creativity and collaboration. To expound the above stated aspects, the study formulated the following hypotheses: Thirty managers from Switzerland acted as subjects in the study. They worked in groups of five individuals ((Eppler, Hofmann & Bresciani, 2011). All the groups were required to create an innovative model for the newspaper industry. The subjects had the same instruction and were assigned randomly to the managers. The subjects were given questionnaires to collect data from a given population, and write down their perceptions on collaboration and creativity within their team. The experiment had three conditions. The first one was a control condition in which subjects utilised PowerPoint slide to gather ideas. The second one was a treatment condition, which constituted of office supply objects that acted as stimuli. The third one was a treatment condition that had a business model template, which is essential in mapping the software environment (Frischer & Pigneur, 2012). The dependent variable of collaboration wa measured by telling the subjects to assess their perceived team collabora tion, through filling a questionnaire. Creativity was measured through the use of self – developed scale so as to evaluate perception of participants based on innovative research. The study analysed the data by comparing means of various groups. In addition, the study conducted an ‘analysis of variance (ANOVA)’ so as

The impact of Information Technology on a career or profession of your Term Paper

The impact of Information Technology on a career or profession of your choice - Term Paper Example Industry leaders keep talking about ways to gain competitive edge and their action plan in this context invariably highlights the strategic value that Information Technology now holds for the industry. Information Technology has had very strong social, economic and professional impacts to an extent that it transformed everyone’s life from a student up to almost all the Heads of State. Healthcare – a socially relevant domain too has been impacted by the applications of Information Technology. In almost all the countries, the healthcare delivery system is facing unbending and intransigent issues. The key issue that the healthcare deliver systems worldwide face is: Uneven distribution and shortage of infrastructural and human resources at primary, secondary, tertiary and even super-speciality levels within a healthcare delivery system. This issue gives birth to disparity within the boundaries/same region. This disparity, at times, produces strange dynamics those have the p otential to create serious imbalances which are unique to each setting. The issues being faced by healthcare delivery systems are such that they not only highlight existing gaps but can also affect the utilisation of the resources available; such unyielding issues need extraordinary solutions. Information Technology through its highly promising applications is helping this one of the most significant parameter of human development to scale newer challenges (being raised because of ever increasing demands at the healthcare delivery systems, expectations of the beneficiaries), in order to improve efficiency of clinicians and enhance quality of life of the populace on the planet. It is worth mentioning that there are numerous applications of Information Technology and each of them is aimed at empowering all or at least one of the following stakeholders: healthcare delivery systems, clinicians and the patients alike. This research throws light on some of the cutting edge applications of Information Technology in this safety and security domain of medicine and it also includes the impact that these applications have made on the clinicians and paramedical personnel. Telemedicine (Sood, et al., 2007) is a flagship application of Information Technology in health that uses communications networks for delivery of healthcare services and medical education from one geographical location to another. Ranging from public health to surgery, telemedicine has found its roots in almost all the specialities of medicine and this is the reason that gradually telemedicine is merging with the delivery of mainstream healthcare services. Telesurgery and mHealth are two upcoming forms of telemedicine but they have already proved to be practically feasible, reliable, useful and safe. Both these forms of telemedicine can be practised in the modes of teleconsultation (between a doctor and a patient or between a general physician