Chattanooga Ice Cream Case Essay

ABSTRACT In this paper I will do an analysis on what I think cause the downfall of Chattanooga Ice Cream. I will also give and observation of the Chattanooga Ice Cream Division and how lack of respect and communication caused them to lose one of their biggest clients. I assay Charlie Moore’s leadership style. I will see how things could have been handled differently, if they would have applied teamwork and good leadership to the equation. INTRODUCTION Chattanooga Ice Cream, Inc. was a division of Chattanooga Food Corporation, which was founded in 1936. The Ice Cream Division of Chattanooga Foods was one of the largest regional ice cream manufacturers in the United States, (Sloane, The Chattanooga Ice Cream Division, HBR, p.2). Following the loss of Stay & Shop one of their largest customer, Charlie Moore the division’s president and general manager, and his executive management had several  meetings to discuss the future of the division and their product. Moore was responsible for the outcome of the company’s future, and dealing with the conflicting attitudes and opinions of the members of his team. It was his responsibility to make sure everyone was on the same page to get the company back up and running properly. CHARLIE MOORE AS A LEADER If I had to give detail as to what type of leader Charlie Moore was on the DiSC he would be a S & C leader. He preferred an orderly environment. He believed in collaborating to get things accomplished. The Downfall of Chattanooga Ice Cream 4 He strived to make progress in the company. He wanted to help the company meet its goals with getting its products back on the market and being competitive. He also wanted to have the team make steady and careful progress toward meeting the goals for the company. Moore values group’s efforts. He is not an aggressive leader and tends to avoid competitive environments and conflict. â€Å"Disdaining such behavior, Moore feigned a deaf ear to it, hoping his subordinates would get the signal and cease complaining about each other.†,(Sloane,2003, p.2). These are all good qualities to have in a leader, but I think it also led to his failure as a leader. When Moore took over the division he came with a history of leading openly, preferring to operate in an environment of group decision making. He assumed that everyone would be able to come together in agreement as to what direction the company should go in. His judgment proved detrimental to the team. As the management team was incapable of coming to a compromise, because they had no respect for their teammates. Their action physically and verbally showed a lack of trust for one another. Everyone was pointing the finger, and no one person saw fault in their part of the company’s downfall. Moore never developed an environment of trust among his team members. Moore did not prepare the team for the change that was to come. He needed to â€Å"prepare organizations for change and help them cope as they struggle through it† Week 2, Lecture -What Great Leaders Do. Instead of showing â€Å"positive energy† (Welch, 2005, p.84) he called the team together to â€Å"mourn† (Sloane, 2003, p.1). So he had already set a negative atmosphere for the meeting. Moore showed a lack of Candor. As a leader he should have all the questions, and those questions should create a debate among the team members, â€Å"Rule 6: Leaders probe with curiosity that borders on skepticism, making sure your questions unleash debate and raise issues that get action† (Welch,2005,p.74). Charlie should have come into those meetings with a communication strategy. That way the team would have understanding, and everyone would support a common vision. THE TEAM DYNAMIC AND DYSFUNCTION All companies have ups and downs. All companies win accounts and loose accounts. What all companies should not have are teams that bicker, point the finger at each other and don’t communicate. This type of behavior is symptomatic of an unhealthy environment, and will be detrimental to a company. That is the type of behavior that was displayed by the Chattanooga Ice Cream Division. When the Shop & Stay account was lost each of the management team members seemed to think that the blame for the loss of the account laid in every other department other than their own. They thought that, that department needed to be corrected. Rather than taking a good close look at their department, and seeing what could be improved there. There were a lot of negative energy and emotions involved in the meetings, which halted the chance for real teamwork. There were too many Chiefs and not enough Indians. Everyone was acting as managers except for the real  manager. Moore was a leader who made decisions publically. Unlike the former manager of the division who made decisions privately without the consensus of the rest of the team. THE DOWNFALL OF CHATTANOOGA ICE CREAM 7 The old leadership did not foster an environment where team work and group decisions were accommodated. They in turn did not know how to communicate with one another, and the team dynamic became one of conflict. There were no clear operating rules for the team on how decisions were going to be made. Week 4, Lecture – Building High Performance Teams suggests that â€Å"when managers agree on ground rules in advance, the teams are much more likely to run efficiently,† which Moore did not do. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHATTANOOGA ICE CREAM DIVISION My first recommendation would be for Charlie Moore to see that is not just one of the team members. He is the Manager, their Supervisor. No goals can be obtained and no decisions can be made if he as there leader does not step up and take ownership of his role. You want bigger solutions ask questions; healthy debate, decisions, and actions will get everyone there† (Welch, 2005, p. 76). A team will only be as good as its leader. If I were the leader I would have the teams do research on the competitors. Then I would have them target other clients to take on our product to make up for the clients we lost. I would also create an environment to get the team motivated to accomplish a new goal, and have them focus their efforts on one vision. I would also strategically pair the team member’s individual weaknesses and strengths together, not only to complement each other, but to build credibility and trust among the team. As a leader I would start to build a foundation for candor, voice, and dignity going forward. By setting these rules in place the team will learn how to communicate effectively. By making  these changes this will ensure each individual has a voice, while not obstructing the process of productivity.

Early Adulthood Cognitive Development

Cognition pertains to the acquisition, processing, transformation, storage, and retrieval of any information concerning the world (Louw, Van Ede, and Louw, 1998). This process affects every aspect of our personality. Cognitive processes such as perceiving, conceptualizing, reasoning, remembering, and contemplating are all necessary for us to solve everyday problems, to work and do the household chores properly, to arrive at a sound decision and perform other daily activities that make use of our minds (Louw, Van Ede, and Louw, 1998).Thus, the development of the cognitive attributes of every individual molds his or her future for cognition is the crucial factor in meeting the challenges of life (Louw, Van Ede, and Louw, 1998).According to Piaget, cognitive development is the product of the interaction of the individual with the environmental events (Louw, Van Ede, and Louw, 1998). The cognitive attributes of every individual is fundamentally shaped by the heredity.Heredity dictates ou r physical appearances and other biological and physiological characteristics (Louw, Van Ede, and Louw, 1998). In this connection, our genetic make up spontaneously manifests in our physical appearance and personality through maturation (Louw, Van Ede, and Louw, 1998).Even though we have different genes, human maturation is identical to all races. This means that differences in our physical appearance is dictated by our genes but all humans pass through, as a result of maturation, identical stages of development.Early AdulthoodEarly adulthood generally included individuals within the age-range of eighteen to forty years (Hewston, Fincham, and Foster, 2005). After adolescence stage, individuals have attained formal and abstract reasoning and capable of solving problems by considering all possible means (Hewston, Fincham, and Foster, 2005). In his theory of development, K. Warner Schaie described the transition between adolescence to adulthood stages as a cognitive change from acquisi tion of knowledge to knowledge application (Santrock, 2006).He proposed that cognitive changes occur in two distinct stages. In achieving stage, the individual applies intelligence in achieving long term goals like career development. The honing of cognitive skills for behavioral regulation leads to the acquisition of the sense of independence (Santrock, 2006). On the other hand, during the early to middle adulthood, the responsibility stage commences.The young adults in this stage start to establish and nurture their own career and recognize their social responsibility (Santrock, 2006). Also, during this stage, individuals form families, focus effort and attention on the needs of children and spouse (Santrock, 2006).Gisela Labouvie-Vief believed that young adults undergo thought synthesis and intensive changes on thinking (Santrock, 2006). The young adults tend to look for their proper place in the society and seldom use logic in problem solving. Due to strong cognitive attributes, logical skills do not suffer a slump in the adulthood (Santrock, 2006).Meanwhile, William Perry suggested the differences in the process of thinking between adolescents and young adults (Santrock, 2006). The view of the adolescents on the world is described as dualistic thinking wherein every object has its opposite like right or wrong and good or bad. As maturity takes it course, multiple thinking replaces dualistic thinking (Santrock, 2006).Then, young adults tend to recognize myriad opinion and ideals of community members which leads to realization that not every problem can be resolved by the authority (Santrock, 2006). As a result, young adults start to shape their own thinking style, recognize the possible equality of opinions among the populace, and form their own opinion.This process results to relative subordinate thinking where the knowledge assessment is practiced and one’s opinions are challenged by the other members of the community (Santrock, 2006). After the s ystematic evaluation of knowledge, full relativism arises which leads to the realization that knowledge is constructed, context-based, and nom-absolute; thus, one realizes that truth is relative (Santrock, 2006).Furthermore, Jan Sinnot viewed that cognitive attributes of every individual develops as pressured by real-life problems (Santrock, 2006). As the individual strive to solve the problems at hand, he or she considers different perspectives resulting to realization that knowledge is non-absolute (Santrock, 2006).Jean Piaget’s Formal OperationsThe fourth stage, Formal Operations, of Jean Piaget’s cognitive development corresponds to adolescent period of humans and extends to the adulthood (Elliot, Kratochwill, Cook, and Travers, 2000). This is the stage of decentralization where the individual learns to thinks objectively and considers every aspect of a problem.Although every adult develops the ability for formal operations, most may not reach the summit of formal operations; they continue to have a single-minded and ego-centered judgment (Elliot, Kratochwill, Cook, and Travers, 2000). Meanwhile, a decentrated individual has the capacity to rearrange and simplify information which in turn facilitates his or her understanding.The individual has the ability to conceive principles or scientific law applicable to observations, formulate hypotheses and design experiments for testing, and operate on operations (Elliot, Kratochwill, Cook, and Travers, 2000).In the stage of formal operations, individuals learn to perform formal operations by means of logical and abstract forms of thinking (Louw, Van Ede, and Louw, 1998). Individuals’ thoughts at this stage tend to shift form ideal to reality. In addition, adolescence at this period has developed hypothetico-deductive form of reasoning (Louw, Van Ede, and Louw, 1998).They already have the ability to gather data and investigate, formulate hypotheses, and deduce generalization from the results of investigation. Â  Further, the satisfactory completion of formal operations leads to continuous development of knowledge’s structure and the intellect. However, in the absence of the appropriate mental stimulus, it would be an arduous task for the individual to hurdle the stage of formal operations for the mental structures required were not attained (Hewston, Fincham, and Foster, 2005).Nevertheless, even the student s of the higher educational institutions and some professionals failed to reach the formal operations; they tend to be stagnant on the stage of concrete operations (Hewston, Fincham, and Foster, 2005). For those who will successfully attain the formal thought level, further development of mental capacity and completion of process of maturation spontaneously occur (Hewston, Fincham, and Foster, 2005).Information Processing Theory and CognitionThe information processing theory described the information processing of humans similar to computers. Perceived stimuli through our senses are encoded, transformed, and stored by our cognitive system (Louw, Van Ede, and Louw, 1998).Then, retrieval to stored data happens as the need arises. With respect to cognitive development, the information-processing theory emphasized the changes on the perceived information during the processing (Louw, Van Ede, and Louw, 1998). For instance, the capacity to perceive stimulus varies with age while the ability to apply the process of encoding also changes with age (Louw, Van Ede, and Louw, 1998).Research and CognitionIn 1975, Riegel postulated that our experiences serve as cognitive challenge which leads us to the discovery of opposite of dialectical forces in our immediate environment (Hewston, Fincham, and Foster, 2005). He suggested that by dealing with every dialectic force in our life, intellectual ability is enhanced.Based on research concerning postformal thought, development continuously progresses beyond Piaget’s formal operational stage (Hewston, Fincham, and Foster, 2005). In a study, participants were given complex tasks like political problems, personal relationship, and problems on the economy (Hewston, Fincham, and Foster, 2005). Then, they were asked to give their own views and its rationale.It was revealed that adults exhibited different levels of reasoning (Hewston, Fincham, and Foster, 2005). Similarly, according to Kramer, postformal individuals pass through absolutist, relativist, and dialectical cognitive levels (Hewston, Fincham, and Foster, 2005). Most young adults are absolutists; they are able to face problems and often believe that every problem has its own solution (Hewston, Fincham, and Foster, 2005).Relativists recognize variation on perspectives for a single issue and the rightful solution for the problem is always context-dependent (Hewston, Fincham, and Foster, 2005). In the dialectic phase, individuals tend to integrate and synthesize all possible views concerning the problem. According to Basseches, this level of reasoning can be observed among university students and professors in the higher educational institutions (Hewston, Fincham, and Foster, 2005).In line with this, the postformal operation stage comes into the scene when the individual has a thought-provoking environment between twenty to thirty years of age. The nature of work or profession of the individual triggers his or her knowledge on concrete operations for further development (Hewston, Fincham, and Foster, 2005).At about twenty years of age, the individual had undergone roughly two decades of changes in cognitive aspects (Fischer, Yan, and Stewart, 2003). The cognitive development beginning from the infancy stage has been becoming complex.Along with this, as revealed by researches in developmental psychology, individuals exhibit cognitive skills at different levels of cognitive development (Fischer, Yan, and Stewart, 2003). This means that the individuals at this point can apply both basic and a considerable cog nitive skills complexity in dealing with life problems.In addition, the concept of upper limit or the set of tasks beyond which the individual can not perform is not absolutely real for appropriate scaffolding or contextual support can facilitate the attainment of goals (Fischer, Yan, and Stewart, 2003). Instead, the absence of scaffold or tasks per se is the caused why certain skills won’t be observed in an individual (Fischer, Yan, and Stewart, 2003).Thus, the progress of cognitive development should be analyzed as a continuous process from infancy to the present state. In fact, the present cognitive skills honed by cognitive tasks are built upon the previous cognitive skills attained (Fischer, Yan, and Stewart, 2003).The theory of Dynamic skills described the context-based development and refinement of cognitive attributes. Cognitive tasks from infancy to the present state have been building and restructuring conceptual categories and concrete skills upon the minds of indi viduals (Fischer, Yan, and Stewart, 2003). Both adolescent and young adult restructure tasks from representation to abstractions.Also, the ladder of skills is not merely just a reflection of development, rather a yardstick onto which variation in cognitive tasks are assessed (Fischer, Yan, and Stewart, 2003). This permits for the comparison of every activity under optimal, scaffolded, or functional classification.AnalysisCognition is generally defined as set of metal activities involved in the encoding, perception, storing, and retrieval of information. It is described as a set of inter-related process that guides one’s contexts of action as well as emotion. The information processing theory holds that proper allocation of attention on a task or stimulus results to efficient perception.On the other hand, perception means recognition of stimuli; thus, successful perception entails efficient processing of information that becomes the basis of one’s volition. Meanwhile, t he cognitive faculties of the individual are primarily shaped by the cognitive tasks and scaffold or contextual support provided by his or her immediate environment.Thus, although every human has inborn capacity for cognitive advancement, environmental influences take precedence on the expression and further development of cognitive attributes. As a result, the age demarcation for any cognitive stage is just a rough estimation for some people may advance or lag far behind, on age basis, with respect to cognitive skills attainment.Moreover, even though Piaget’s theory was extremely attacked by criticisms, it provided insights on the development of cognitive skills from infancy to adolescence. On the other hand, Lev Vygotsky proved that through proper scaffolding, a child can accomplish a task higher than associated tasks under his or her classification in Piaget’s stages of cognitive development (Elliot, Kratochwill, Cook, and Travers, 2000).Hence, cognitive development is not made of distinct phases, but the development can proceed gradually. This means that a child at pre-operational stage by means of scaffolding can accomplish cognitive tasks under formal operations. Further, the respective theories of Schaie, Sinnot, Perry, Vief as well as of Riegel and Kramer, similarly recognized the crucial role of environmental support on the cognitive development of every individual.ReferencesElliot, S.N., Kratochwill, T.R., Cook, J.L., and Travers, J.F. (2000). Educational Psychology: Effective Teaching, Effective Learning, 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.Fischer, K., Yan, Z., and Stewart, J. (2003). Handbook of Developmental Psychology. Valsiner, J. and Connolly, K.J. Eds. London: SAGE Publication.Hewston, M., Fincham, F.D., and Foster, J. (2005). Psychology. United Kingdom: BPS Blackwell.Louw, D.A., Ede, D.M., Louw, A.E. (1998). Human Development, 2nd ed. Cape Town, South Africa: Pearson Education.Santrock, J. W. (2006) Life-Span Development, 10th ed. Ne w York: McGraw-Hill.

The Others-Movie Review

Nurul Hazwani Bt Hatta M12L THE OTHERS Movie Review The Others is one of the psychological horror movies that impress me with its good story plot and suspense elements. It was written, directed and scored by Spanish director Alejandro Amenabar, starring Nicole Kidman and Christopher Eccleston. It is inspired partly by the 1898 novella The Turn of the Screw. Grace Stewart (Nicole Kidman) is a Catholic mother who lives with her two small children in a remote country house in the British Crown Dependency of Jersey, in the immediate aftermath of World War II.The war was playing vital role in being contributing factor that cause depression in Grace. The stress is the triggering element that cause phychology disorder in her. The children, Anne and Nicholas have an uncommon disease, xeroderma pigmentosa, characterized by photosensitivity, so their lives are structured around a series of complex rules designed to protect them from inadvertent exposure to sunlight. The new arrival of three se rvants at the house — an aging nanny and servant named Mrs.Bertha Mills ,an elderly gardener named Mr. Edmund Tuttle, and a young mute girl named Lydia — coincides with a number of odd events, and Grace begins to fear that they are not alone. Anne draws pictures of four people: a man, a woman, a boy called Victor, and an old woman, all of whom she says she has seen in the house. A piano is heard from inside a locked room when no one is inside. Grace finds and examines a â€Å"book of the dead,† which shows mourning portraits taken in the 19th century of recently deceased corpses.I was so shocked when the doors which Grace believes to have been closed are found mysteriously ajar. Grace tries hunting down the â€Å"intruders† with a shotgun but cannot find them. She scolds her daughter for believing in ghosts — until she hears them herself. Eventually, convincing herself that something unholy is in the house, she runs out in the fog to get the local priest to bless the house. Meanwhile, the servants, led by Mrs. Mills, are clearly up to something of their own. The gardener buries a headstone under autumn leaves, and Mrs.Mills listens faithfully to Anne's allegations against her mother. Outside, Grace loses herself in the heavy fog, but she miraculously discovers her husband Charles who she thought had been killed in the war, and brings him back to the house. Charles is distant during the one day he spends in the house, and Mrs. Mills is heard telling Mr. Tuttle, â€Å"I do not think he knows where he is. † Grace later sees an old woman dressed up like her daughter. Grace says, â€Å"You are not my daughter! † and attacks her.However, she finds that she has actually attacked her daughter instead. Anne refuses to be near her mother afterward, while Grace swears she saw the old woman. Mrs. Mills tells Anne that she too has seen the people, but they cannot yet tell the mother because Grace will not accept what she is not ready for. Charles is stunned when Anne tells him the things her mother did to her. He says he must leave for the front and disappears again. After Charles leaves, Anne continues to see things, including Victor's whole family and the old woman.Grace breaks down to Mrs. Mills, who claims that â€Å"sometimes the world of the dead gets mixed up with the world of the living. † At last, I know that actually, it is Grace’s family who is dead, not the intruders. The intruders are the living people who bought the house after the death of Grace’s family. Grace and her children cannot accept the fact that they are dead. Grace may have some mental illness when she killed her children with pillow and then kill herself with a rifle.She was suffering from stress as she was feeling isolated and lonely as her husband didn’t come back from war. I love the suspense element and the twisting plot story. At first, I thought that the intruders are the bad guy, but actuall y Grace’s family is the one that possess the house and reluctant to leave their mansion even when they are dead. From this story,I learn that it is important to control our emotion and be patient in facing any difficulties in our life to lead a healthy and happy life.

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Case Summary - Essay Example This is because the ruling will affect the way she runs her business in a very big away, being the owner and operator of The Grove. The case also captures the Australian Olive industry which has been on the rise. According to the case, agriculture forms a meager but important part of Australia’s economy, and accounts for about 3 percent of the country’s GDP. However, in a bid to ensure that the country’s agricultural industry remains profitable, sustainable and competitive, the Department of Agriculture started a strategic review of the olive industry. The industry began in the year 1880 with George Suttor being the first person to plant the first olive tree in Australia. The industry would then become popular after World War II when migrants from the Middle East and Europe settled in the country. While Australia was a net importer of olives in the year 2005, analysts believed that growth in the industry would be able to meet the domestic demand in about 5 to 10 years. Every year, about 13 to 18 million tons of olives are produced in the world, and Australia is forecast to produce about 4000 0 to 50000 tons every year by the year 2011. In terms of the table olive sector, Australians consume about 0.9kgs of table olives per individual. The top olive consumers worldwide are the E.U, the U.S, Turkey and Syria, with the European Union accounting for 33 percent of the world consumption. From the case, one can deduce that this consumption has increased by 30 percent between the years 1998 and 2003, with olive production reaching record levels in 2003. While production had increased by 50 percent since 1990, it sharply increased by a staggering 18 percent in the year 2002. Syria, Turkey and the EU produce about 65 percent of table olives in the world, with Australia being forecast to produce about 18 to 45 thousand tons of table olives annually by the year 2013. Many of Australia’s enterprises that deal with table olives are

Schools and Delinquency Essay Example for Free

Schools and Delinquency Essay The research done on chapter 5 from the book juvenile justice is very interesting to say the least. The way it made the information on it easy to understand is very helpful to me.. Also the research done describes the truancy and dropout rate and the thing that the state is doing to prevent them from increasing more. One of the reasons why researchers think that drop out accrues is because of the race or the ethnicity. One thing that is for sure is that they don’t know the order in which delinquency accurse whether it’s due to drop out or the other social factors or maybe something that’s happening in the youth’s family. They have put up curfews and other programs that have proven to drop the dropout rate and truancy. Which I think is great because the less time the youths have outside the less likely they are to get involved with gangs or start abusing drugs or alcohol. Another research is the shooting rate in schools and how it is a rare crime compared to any other youth related crime, and because it is a rare crime the media covers it and I shock the nation because of it. Because of this the states have given more funding’s to make the schools safer. They want to make sure that the schools are a place where the students can feel safe and not have to worry about being in danger all the time. But still schools still continue to have a high level of crime in them even with all the precautions that are being taken. Most of the time having to do with bullying or sometime it has to do with the fact that students are being introduced to illegal drugs in school premises. The research on bullying say that bullying is one of the factors in school shootings, and because of this research they have started to make programs for anti-bullying. Research also says that males are more likely to report being bullied than females. I think that this is because of the reason the females are more afraid of what is to happen then the males. Also they say that bullying has an effect on attendance for the reason that some kids don’t want to go to school for the reason that they are scared of the people there, and also it has proven to ave a long lasting effect that affect the victim of bullying for long periods of time. The way I think schools should deal with troublesome or kids engaged in delinquency are these. I think that they should be put in different classes. So that the teachers are more focused on the troublesome students and not have to worry about the other well behaved students. Another way to handle this situation is to make a school for youths that are going down the path of delinquency. In this school they should have stricter rules on attendance. If they missed school for to many days they should be taken on a trip to show them what there life could be in the future. I have seen a show where the parents take action and put their kids in a program where they take them to jail and they are treated like criminals. They also introduce them to male and female prisoners that yell and tell them the reasons why there are where they are. Some of the times this program helps put the youth back on track and show them that what they are doing is bad and the life that they could be living is behind bars in a squared box. In my opinion the schools are doing everything in their power to help the trouble some students. I do believe that some teachers don’t worry as much for the youths that are misbehaving because they think that they will get nowhere in life. For this reason is why I think that we should make the things that I mentioned earlier a must that way they get the attention that they need to get and everyone is learning in one way or another. From my experience I think that it is necessary to take action now. I have seen many people drop out of school because they thought that what they are learn is use less but because most of the time teachers don’t give them the attention they needed because sometimes when youth misbehaved was because they thought that the work was hard and the teachers would not help them with it because they may have not cared about them because of the way they behaved. Being involved in a youth’s life is important for many reasons and one main reason is so that the youth does not fall into the wrong steps in life. Having read all this research on delinquency has opened up my mind that it does not only happen for one reason but for many like for example being bullied or not understanding the work given to them at school and acting out on it in a bad way so that their peers don’t realize the reasons to why they never want to do their work.

The global economy Essay Example for Free

The global economy Essay In a highly interdependent world, the global economy is one of the major concerns of countries since anything that happens to one country’s economy can largely affect other countries, especially if the country where the economic shift happened is as powerful and prominent as the United States of America. More importantly, the flow of goods, labor and resources need an enabler for their ease of movement from one country to another. With the rising doubts in the current system of the global economy, people are now looking for ways to reform it. Capitalism, as the dominant economic model for the world was shaken with the collapse of Wall Street and the recession in America and elsewhere. The conundrum of global reform is that the proposals that go far enough, such as establishing a global financial regulator, are wildly unrealistic, while those that are realistic, such as reform of the IMF, fall far short of what is needed. In the midst of all these problems, however, an economic experiment on a large scale is happening in Europe. The European Union is not only a strong political bloc, but is also a consortium of economies that are working together to improve the economy in their region. Although this is not yet a replacement to the American-style capitalism that dominates the world, this new economic movement could play a large role in the future as a replacement to the current global economy. b. Yes, one can be both a globalist and, at the same time, be culturally parochial. In both the West and the East, this is what is happening, which is why countries fail to reach agreements with the consensus of everyone in the international organizations they are in. In the north and south, conflicts spark in the opposing goals of cooperating with one another to make a better globalized society and forwarding their own national interest. These are evident in China’s continuing efforts to expand its economy through an undervalued Renminbi, and a nationalistic thrust. Sometimes, they even go to the extent of openly opposing Western nations that are not of the same mind as they are such as in the issue of the global climate where they agree that Western nations should do act on it but refuse to act on the issue themselves prioritizing their economy over taking care of the environment. Western nations, on the other hand, are often criticized because of their pushing for a more global movement of goods, labor and resources while protecting their own borders from competition. Another criticism they receive is that they exploit 3rd world nations while harping on the importance of helping these nations out of poverty. Even in smaller scales, that is, concerning the individual, have issues such as migrants who refuse to adopt the cultures and laws of the country they migrated into and hold strongly on their own cultural backgrounds. c. Globalization is indeed inexorable. With the advent of technologies that speed up this process, people need to adapt to the growing interconnectivity of peoples that were once out of reach by thousands of miles. To adapt to the growing trend of globalization, there are many tools in our hands, one of which is the internet. The internet, as one of the causes of the acceleration of the globalization process can be used by people to become a part of the greater global society through knowledge acquisition and even being active in other nations through having a voice online. Other technologies like mobile phones, VOIP, television, etc. can help us become more cosmopolitan. The most important tool in adapting to globalization, however, is our minds and that we must keep them open. With globalization as the marketplace for many ideas internationally, myopic views are causes of conflagrations between people and even nations.

An introduction to the Discount House in Nigeria

An introduction to the Discount House in Nigeria In selecting an industry, the Discount House, a sub sector of the Nigerian financial sector was selected because they are peculiar in their own special way in that they offer unique financial services which put them in almost the same pedestal as the regular banks in Nigeria but they are not banks. They could also be referred to as specialised banks. In carrying out an analysis of its competitiveness, the PESTLE model was used to analyse how the Discount House sub sector is affected by environmental factors while the Porters Five Forces was used to analyse the various threats and challenges that beset the Discount House sub sector. Discount houses are specialised financial Institutions created by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to assist its management of liquidity in the economy (Consolidated Discount Limited, 2009). They are composite but specialised financial services solution provider (Associated Discount House Limited, 2009) whose primary function is to provide safe and secured short-term investment opportunities within the banking system. (Express Discount Limited, 2009). The Structure Of The Nigerian Financial System The Nigerian financial system is made up of two sub sectors; the formal and the informal sub sectors. The formal sub sector comprises of the regulatory bodies, money market, capital market, foreign exchange markets, insurance companies, brokerage firms, deposit money banks (DMBs), development finance and other financial institutions. As at the end of March 2010, there were 24 deposit money banks(DMBs), 5discount houses(DHs), 941 microfinance banks(MFBs), 107 finance companies(FCs), 101 primary mortgage institutions(PMIs), 13 pension fund administrators(PFAs), 5 pension fund custodians(PFCs), 1 stock exchange, 1 commodity exchange, 1621 bureau-de-change operators(BDCs), 690 securities brokerage firms, 5 development finance institutions(DFIs) and 73 insurance companies. The informal sub sector includes self-help groups, financial cooperatives and credit associations. It is imperative to know that there is a weak relationship between the informal sub sector and the formal sub sector (financial stability report, 2010) Discount House Sub Sector Overview: Discount Houses in Nigeria were first established in 1993. They were licensed to commence operations with just three discount houses as players. Their number later increased to five and their foundation can be linked to Great Britain, which is generally regarded as the origin of discount houses. These institutions evolved to provide a link between the banks and the Bank of England by serving as a channel for the interchange of banks funds as well as providing access to the Bank of England as a lender of last resort (Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, ) and in like manner discount houses in Nigeria are to act as intermediaries or mediators between the Central Bank of Nigeria and other licensed banks in Nigeria in Open Market Operations transactions (Revised Guidelines for Discount Houses, 2004). There are five discount houses in Nigeria wholly owned by consortiums of banks and other financial institutions as allowed in the Discount House guidelines 2004 by the Central Bank of Nigeria. However the maximum allowable equity holding for any investor in a discount house is 40% (Revised Guidelines for Discount Houses, 2004).These Discount Houses are named as follows: Associated Discount House Limited (ADHL), Consolidated Discount Limited (CDL), Express Discount House Limited (EDL), First Securities Discount House Limited (FSDH) and Kakawa Discount House Limited (KDHL).They fall under a common umbrella referred to as Nigerian Discount Market Association. They are presently not listed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The Discount House sub sector is highly monitored, guided and regulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria requiring of them their daily, weekly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual reports showing the state of their affairs. Their daily operational activities include the injection and the withdrawal of funds by the Central bank of Nigeria from the money market through them (Ezirim and Enefaa, 2010) of which they must invest 60% of their deposit liabilities in government securities at any point in time (Revised Guidelines for Discount Houses, 2004). By this a balance is maintained in the economy thereby guarding liquidity. Apart from this function, the discount houses also facilitate the issuance and sale of short term government securities, provide discount/re-discount facilities for treasury bills, government securities and other eligible financial instruments, accept short-term investments on an intermediary basis from banks and wholesale investors and lastly provide short term financial accommodation to banks (Revised Guidelines for Discount Houses, 2004). The Discount House Sub-Sector Environment: The discount house sector is greatly influenced and controlled by environmental forces; global and domestic. The global economic environment shows that the global economic crisis appeared to have eased off in the latter part of 2009 but general optimism is being replaced with pessimism of a double dip recession, as fears grow that governments and policy makers around the world might be forced (due to pressure or mistakes) to remove monetary and fiscal props, too soon. So even though developed economies are gradually beginning to come out of the general recession, the situation is still delicate (First Securities Discount House, 2009). In emerging market economies, growth has been robust but inflationary pressures are strong and on the rise. The negative impact of the political crises in the oil-producing Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region on oil prices and the disruptions and destructions associated with the earthquake and tsunami in Japan have added to uncertainty about the sustainability of global economic recovery and growth%( Central Bank of Nigeria communiquà © No 75, 2011). This has great implications on the discount houses with Nigeria being a developing and emerging economy and the effect of the global crises is strongly felt with a probability of increases in the international interest rate. The domestic economic environment is being characterised by a fluctuating inflation rate which has significant impact on interest and lending rates. It has been a herculean task trying to bring down the inflation rate to a single digit as proposed and rather the rate rose from 11.1% as at March, 2011 to 12.8% in April, 2011(Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, 2011). This inflationary rise still has a tendency to heighten further as a result of the general increase in global and food prices. The operating economic environment is full of challenges as there are array of issues. In March 2011, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank increased MPR from 6.5% to 7.5% maintaining interest rate corridor of +/-2% around the MPR. By this, the Standing Lending Facility Rate (rate at which CBN lends to Banks and Discount Houses as bank of last resort) became 9.5% and has remained so. On the other hand, the Standing Deposit Rate (rate at which Banks and Discount Houses place excess funds with the Central Bank of Nigeria) remained at 4 %. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) had a projection of an increase by 7.43% in the first quarter of the year 2011, giving a generally good outlook to the Nigerian economy. This projection arose as a result of the expectation for a perk up in the oil sector and also the increasing emphasis on the development and improvement of the other sectors in the economy (Central Bank of Nigeria communiquà © No 75, 2011). Finally on the political scene, the year 2011 being an election year for Nigeria, there are a lot uncertainties associated with the electoral process and the election results and this could affect the discount house sub sector and the Nigerian economy as a whole and it is projected that the effect of these uncertainties will result in higher exchange rate risks with lower reserves and high spending-currency devaluation possible and that Inflation will remain over 10% with implications for demand, input costs and projects(Resource and Trust Company Limited, 2011). Competitiveness In The Discount House Sub- Sector The discount house sub sector is just a small sector in a large financial sector with just a few players who are almost of equal standing; hence, there is strong competition among the services providers which have led to innovation, efficiency and the upgrade of competitive advantage by the players. The provision of specialised personalised services allowable within the scope of the discount house guidelines. Example is the personal pension plan developed by Consolidated Discount Limited which was created as a way of preparing clients to be less vulnerable to loss of earning capacity after retirement (Consolidated Discount Limited, 2009). Also Associated Discount House Limited in conjunction with the Debt Management Office (DMO) of Nigeria organized an awareness seminar on 12 February, 2009 to enkindle the interest of retail investors both local, international and in the diasporas in Federal Government of Nigeria Bonds (Associated Discount House Limited, 2009). Opportunities In The Discount House Sub- Sector Without gainsaying, there are opportunities in Discount Houses businesses (if not many) which gives them an edge over banks and other specialised banks. As earlier inferred, discount houses are allowed to offer certain unique financial services which puts them almost in the same stand as banks and even much more but they cannot be referred to as banks and one of the reasons is because there is minimum paid up capital imposed on the regular banks which amounts to N25,000,000,000.00(Twenty five billion naira) only at any point in time. For the discount houses sub sector, the minimum paid up capital shall be N1,000,000,000.00(One billion naira) only or as may be prescribed by Central Bank of Nigeria from time to time (Revised Guidelines for Discount Houses, 2008). There is a revised Guideline for year 2008 which also relaxes the ownership of Discount Houses to now include non-financial institutions and individuals. This revision provides the opportunity for Discount Houses to grow their capital base to enable them to explore new areas of business and boost their profitability (Kakawa Discount House, 2009). Discount Houses have sizable support from the Central Bank of Nigeria as they often have the privilege of being able to gain access to cheap funds by using the government securities in their custody to borrow. Discount Houses are tightly regulated therefore there can be little room for carrying out activities outside their stipulated guidelines. Discount Houses are proactive in monitoring and managing money market trends to the benefit of their clients. Unlike other deposit taking institutions, the financial assets acquired by Discount Houses are of the finest quality with little or no credit risk (Express Discount House Limited, 2009). Threats To The Discount House Sub- Sector Naturally the discount house sub sector is faced with its own threats and challenges as from inception, discount houses operated in an environment that could termed as unusual or abnormal. There was a distress situation in the banking sector which was at its peak and most banks patronized discount houses in order to ensure the safety of their funds, but with the return of orderliness and calm, discount houses patronage by banks reduced. Rather, the interbank and foreign exchange markets seem to have provided more attractive trading options for the banks, to the detriment of the discount houses. Licensing of additional discount houses to make the total number of discount houses 5 proved to be a challenge as it had an adverse effect on the total turnover of the discount house sub sector, following the initial boom from the year of operations of 1993 where total asset stood at N9,600,000,000.00(Nine billion, six hundred million naira) only which dropped significantly to N3,400,000,000.00(Three billion, four hundred million naira) only in 1995 following the entrance of a new entrant into the market. With these happenings, licensing of new discount houses might still impact on the sub-sector further negatively. Their narrow scope of operations has also proven to be a major challenge for the Discount House sub sector being a specialised bank is inhibiting a lot of opportunities for expansion (Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, 2010). Finally, from the inception, discount houses had the exclusive right to conduct Open Market Operations transactions (OMO). Open Market Operations (OMO) is an indirect monetary policy technique that is used to control the level of money supply. It involves the sale/purchases of money market instruments in the open market; these instruments being Nigerian treasury bills (Ezirim and Enefaa, 2010). With the Central Bank of Nigeria opening up the window to banks as well, the discount house sub sector lost the sole right of Open market Operations. Conclusion In spite of all the challenges and threats faced by the Discount House sub sector, the Discount Houses are still are very vital part of Nigeria as an emerging economy and just the existing players in the market are not enough to keep a balanced financial sector and the economy as a whole. In the light of the fact that the Central Bank of Nigeria as the major regulator keeps on revisiting and revising the guidelines of the Discount House sub sector, there is hope yet still for growth, expansion, innovation and maximum output which should encourage new players to participate. Part 2 Strategy Overview Strategy is a plan or blueprint of what an organisation intends to achieve and how to go about it. Artto, Kujala, Dietrich and Martinsuo (2008) define strategy as a firms goal to attain a desired position in its competitive external environment. This is in line with Kenneth Andrew (1987) school of thought that views strategy from the corporate angle where he views corporate strategy as the nature of decisions a company takes which reveals its short and long term goals, how it plans to go about achieving these goals and how its outcome will affect all stakeholders and community at large. There is a popular belief that an organization that fails to plan or strategise, plans to fail and Goold (1996) goes on further to share his own view when he says that matured businesses can easily become staid and resistant to change. Usually this behaviour leads them to a decline and the only way it can regain its position is through strategy or change in strategy. This resolve usually involve the p ursuit, accomplishment, and maintenance of competitive advantage in its industry (Varadarajan and Clark cited in Morgana and Strong, 2003). Whittington (2001:10) summarises it all when he says strategy is all about thinking better and thinking differently and claims that a good strategy means doing something different from every other person. But there are pitfalls to strategy as Mintzberg (1994) puts forward the question; is a climate conducive to strategic planning necessarily one conducive to effective strategic thinking and acting? He claims that there are underlying issues which affects the ability of plans to make head way and emphasizes that these issues are neither technical nor analytical but rather human (Abel and Hammond cited in Mintzberg, 1994). But Smith and Reese (1999) argue that as long as there is a fit or alignment between operational elements and business then there should be no pitfalls where he defines fit as the degree to which operational elements match the business strategy. Alternative Approaches to Strategy: Similarities and Differences There are various approaches to strategy but Whittington (2000) classifies strategy into four approaches: the Classical, Evolutionary, Processualist and Systemic. He further analyses each approach as follows: The classical approach sees strategy as a process of rational deliberation, calculation and analysis, intended to achieve long-term benefit and that good planning is what it takes to master internal and external environments. The Evolutionary approach analyses strategy from the point of view that rational long term planning is often irrelevant and that strategies that turn out to be successful only turn out so because it was inevitable. The Processualist approach sees long term planning as basically pointless, but they are not so doubtful or cynical about the fate of businesses that do not take full advantage of environmental opportunities as they do not their see inability or failure to think up and strategise is going to lead to any serious competitive disadvantage. Finally the Systemic approach to strategy sees organizations strategic planning as basically being influenced and controlled by the social system in which they operate. Meaning the demographic setting of the organizations environment needs to be taken into consideration when strategizing. In analyzing the similarities and differences of these approaches, their style or processes and their end result is paramount. In comparing the classical and evolutionary approaches to strategy, Whittington (2001:2) posits profit maximization as the natural outcome of strategy-making. This he made in reference from the point of view of their end result which is profit or return on capital. These approaches associate profitability with strategy and believe the higher the level of strategy employed, the higher and better the profit generated. This view is shared by (Friedman and Baumol cited in Vining and Meredith, 2000) where they argue that the only appropriate goal or strategy in any organisation is to maximize profit and that any other goal is considered inappropriate. As much the classical and evolutionary approaches are similar in terms of profit maximization being their goal; they differ in style and processes. The classical approach adopts a style of rational planning (Whittington, 2000:11) whereas the evolutionary approach lacks confidence in rational planning where they argue that no matter the level or intensity of strategy, the outcome is usually driven by market dictates and how well a manager is able to perform and that investing in long term strategies can be counter productive (Whittington, 2000: 19). In this instance, the evolutionary approach can be compared with the Processualist approach to strategy in that they also do not believe in rational planning. This view is shared by Peppard 1995, who argues that in a claim to gaining competitive advantage, management develop strategies with seemingly superiority above others which is just a way of them being seen to be doing something and not necessarily hope to achieve anything by their strategies. By this claim, peppard tries to show that rational planning is just an act which is not necessarily relevant to the overall performance of the organisation but it is something that is done for the corporate image. His view is supported by Cyert and March ( cited in Whittington 2000:22) who argue that firms can plan in such a way that major strategy sessions could be cut off and yet still deliver just enough to keep everyone satisfied. Although the processualist approach is similar to the evolutionary approach in terms of processes and style, that where all their similarity ends because in terms of outcome. The Processualist approach can be compared with the systemic approach of strategy whose school of thought sees not only profit maximization but other outcomes as a an end result of strategy (Whittington 2000: 21 27). Werther Jr and Chandler (2005) argue that firms are continuously appraised in terms of both the financial and social benefits that result from their corporate actions or strategies. The systemic approach proposes that firms differ according to the social and economic systems in which they are embedded (Whittington, 2000:27) thereby viewing strategy as being guided and controlled by the environmental forces in which they operate. In the same spirit, the processualist advice against striving after unattainable ideal of rational fluid action, but to accept and work with the world as it is (Whittington, 2000:21). Finally, the systemic approach can be compared with the classical approach in that they both believe in rational planning and do retain faith in the capacity of organizations to plan forward and to act effectively within their environment'(Whittington 2000:26). This view is shared by Casadesus-Masanell and Ricart, (2010) when they opined that strategy is a high-order choice that has profound implications on competitive outcomesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. and strategy should contain provisions against a range of environmental contingencies, whether they take place or not and Stallwood (1996) maintains that strategy is necessary but insists that whatever strategy is used must be appropriate and simple enough for it to become adopted by an organization without necessarily having to change after its initial usage. Conclusion Strategy can be seen as a means of avoiding [perhaps] costly and damaging warfare (University of Leicester, 2009:90) and it is quite clear that all the approaches of strategy have their own benefits even though they are similar and also dissimilar in their own unique ways. Therefore which ever method adopted should be seen to add to an organizations performance and must be duly analysed and deliberated on ensuring it is in alignment with the organizations goals and objectives before adoption.

Essay example --

The Influence of social media on the modern teenager’s relationships What should a relationship be based on? Communication: this is fundamental in relationships because if there is no communication then there is no relationship. It is also the way to solve problems and bring up issues that can be attended too. We build a relationship using communication by interacting using common interests or opinions. Accepting differences: people are all different and the sooner we accept one another’s differences and tries to work with them the faster the relationship can advance. Realise differences and try to talk about them but if you cannot come to an agreement rather agree to disagree and try to respect one another’s view on the topic. Respect: without respect you can’t build a relationship. Respect is the foundation on which relationships are built and if there is no respect the relationship will be unstable. Trust: trust is fundamental for a relationships survival if you do not trust the other half in the relationship the relationship will fail as there will be a sense of insecurity. Trust is hard earned and easily lost. Sincerity: there will always be conflict within a relationship and you need to be able to apologise and realise when you are wrong. The sooner there is an apology the sooner the relationship can advance. Self-restraint: if you are going to say something make sure it will not offend the other person and rather not say it. To be able to practise self-restraint you need to be aware of each other’s differences. What forms of media are there to influence teenagers? Newspapers: this is an old type of media that informs us of the news that is happening in the world around us. It is a document that is issued daily c... ...ne another’s vulnerabilities, boundaries and you will not take the relationship for advantage. There will be happiness or feeling of contentment when you are together and you are easily able to enjoy one another’s company. You are able to express yourselves with ease and express exactly what you are feeling. You will want to be together and will be happy to spend time in each other’s company. With regards to romantic relationships you are able to show physical affection with ease as well as in front of others, this will show that you are both comfortable in the relationship. There will be a feeling of equality for both sides. These are all signs of a well-balanced relationship. All of the above points apply to all relationships be it social, romantic or even family relationships. Done by: Joshua Boucher 11JD - Please see following page for reference list. Essay example -- The Influence of social media on the modern teenager’s relationships What should a relationship be based on? Communication: this is fundamental in relationships because if there is no communication then there is no relationship. It is also the way to solve problems and bring up issues that can be attended too. We build a relationship using communication by interacting using common interests or opinions. Accepting differences: people are all different and the sooner we accept one another’s differences and tries to work with them the faster the relationship can advance. Realise differences and try to talk about them but if you cannot come to an agreement rather agree to disagree and try to respect one another’s view on the topic. Respect: without respect you can’t build a relationship. Respect is the foundation on which relationships are built and if there is no respect the relationship will be unstable. Trust: trust is fundamental for a relationships survival if you do not trust the other half in the relationship the relationship will fail as there will be a sense of insecurity. Trust is hard earned and easily lost. Sincerity: there will always be conflict within a relationship and you need to be able to apologise and realise when you are wrong. The sooner there is an apology the sooner the relationship can advance. Self-restraint: if you are going to say something make sure it will not offend the other person and rather not say it. To be able to practise self-restraint you need to be aware of each other’s differences. What forms of media are there to influence teenagers? Newspapers: this is an old type of media that informs us of the news that is happening in the world around us. It is a document that is issued daily c... ...ne another’s vulnerabilities, boundaries and you will not take the relationship for advantage. There will be happiness or feeling of contentment when you are together and you are easily able to enjoy one another’s company. You are able to express yourselves with ease and express exactly what you are feeling. You will want to be together and will be happy to spend time in each other’s company. With regards to romantic relationships you are able to show physical affection with ease as well as in front of others, this will show that you are both comfortable in the relationship. There will be a feeling of equality for both sides. These are all signs of a well-balanced relationship. All of the above points apply to all relationships be it social, romantic or even family relationships. Done by: Joshua Boucher 11JD - Please see following page for reference list.

The Rewarding Career of a Veterinarian Essay -- animals, clinic, rease

Many people have lost their pets and close family members because there is no way to get the help or medical attention that the animal so desperately needed. Every day in the United States, veterinarians are working hard to save animal’s lives. People will always continue to want and to breed pets. Therefore, to help and cure all these pets, a steady stream of veterinarians will be needed for many years to come. Over the years, the requirements and processes to becoming a veterinarian have changed. To become a successful veterinarian one must complete all necessary education and on the job training, be friendly and love animals, and have a burning passion to help both the pet and the pet owner. For anyone to become a veterinarian, one must have all the necessary requirements for both education and on the job training. During high school, science courses are highly recommended. After high school, one must obtain their doctor of veterinary medicine degree. To achieve this goal, Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center says one must â€Å"attend 4 years at college of veterinary medicine, complete 45-90 hours of undergraduate study, and must pass at least one examination in the state at in which they intend to practice† (3-4 2014). During a person’s schooling, Veterinarians are expected to make decent grades and to show an interest for learning the sciences as well as technology. Besides having the education, a person must also indulge in some training both on the job and in shadowing experiences. Most if not all training will be completed in veterinarian school and will allow the veterinarian to start working right away. â€Å"According to the 2006-07 edition o f the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook, in 2004 annual sala... ...ool and dedication are necessary for succeeding in a career. Works Cited Greenland, Paul R., and Anna Marie L. â€Å"Veterinarian.† Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center.Facts On File, Inc. Web. 9. Jan. 2014. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp? Item ID= WE34&SID=58iPin=COCEO66&SingleRecord=True. Devantier, Alecia T., and Carol A. Turkington, Carol A. . â€Å"Holistic Veterinarian.† Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center. Facts on File. Inc. Web. 14 Jan 2014. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp? Item= WE34&SID=iPin=EJAN10016&SingleRecord=Truen. â€Å"Veterinarians† Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center. Facts on File, Inc. Web. 9 Jan 2014. Lee, Mary Price, Lee, Richard S. In: McGraw Hill Professional. Edition: Rev. ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. 2009. eBook. Todd, Benton. Personal Interview. 26 Nov 2013.

Internet Marketing :: E-commerce business Marketing Essays

Internet Marketing Marketing is currently standing verge of the greatest change in lifestyle, which he has ever undertaken. All around the globe businessmen and other entrepreneurs are racing to cash on the future of marketing. Tradition is being turned on its head as all of free enterprise begins plans to phase out age-old methods to more effective and cost-conscious world of the Internet. Their logic is not too difficult to understand. Last year, American businesses spent millions of dollars advertising their products by magazine, newspaper, radio, television and mass mailers. They flooded the homes of America, targeting every breathing carbon based life form they could find, with countless jingles, images, song and dance in an attempt to peddle their often unwanted goods. This type of nuclear marketing (dropping a power load at a random percentage of the population) has been the backbone of corporate America. Times, however, are a changing’. With the deregulation of the Internet in 19 91, the federal government opened the door industry to the potential of advertising twenty-four hours a day, almost free of charge to anyone in the world who accessed their link. While it is true that this new advertising is not seemingly as direct, it does provide a marketing tool that directly targets interested parties. Their largest problem with traditional marketing stems from the fact that, in order to determine who is interested in a product, the business would have to ask everyone. Changes in information access are forcing the game to evolve. Now businesses can enjoy presenting their product to those who seek them out. Moreover, this new media revolution costs almost nothing to set up. It is clear that traditional marketing is approaching a revolution. It is a twitching dinosaur who is awaiting his doom. As the world continues to interline itself, business will alter the way in which it reaches its customer. Those who evolve will prosper. Those who do not shall perish. The Internet is a world wide network of tens of thousands of computers, all connected. Individuals and businesses get on the Internet by getting an Internet account through a local Internet Service Provider, offering access to e-mail and the World Wide Web. The â€Å"Web† allows potential customers to visit a business’s storefront to the world, and view the company’s on-line color brochure stored in pages or files which can be viewed in both text and picture.

Implementing a plan for workforce diversity is in any organizations not easy Essay

The fact that you are dealing with people of diverse backgrounds makes the implementation difficult. â€Å"Diversity in the work force represents an effort towards ensuring a high performing inclusive workforce† (http://www. ornl. gov). When trying to promote diversity in a population based public health has its problems to. â€Å"Population-based practice focuses on the entire range of factors that determine health rather than just personal health risks or disease†. (http://www. health. tate. mn. us). Things taken into consideration are social status, education, employment, and personal health. If I was in charge of developing a plan for implementing a population based health institution, I would first look at the population itself. I would collect data on the health of the population; analyze that data taking into consideration the risk factor. I would then try to identify the cause of the health issues of the people and find out what their needs are. I would consult with others with knowledge of this nature, such as the stakeholders. Then I would derive the best solution for serving the people. Doing this would present some problems. Working with a diverse population would be a problem if not handled properly. If the workers aren’t educated in dealing with people of diverse backgrounds then they will be unable to meet their needs. â€Å"One of the great challenges facing organizations is getting all employees, from the CEO to the hourly workers, to realize that to become the best, they have to embrace diversity† (http://www. nwlink. com). Therefore, I would mandate that all employees take a course in diversity.

God Is Love

â€Å"God is Love. † This simple yet complex statement is found only twice1, 2 in the Bible and is commonly presented out of context. It is generally misunderstood and often circulated in a fashion that leads many into Hell. The statement –while very easy to make and accept when presented in its undefined form– has a depth of reality far beyond what the average person wants to know even though such knowledge is critical to salvation. 1. â€Å"Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. † [1 John 4:8 ] 2. â€Å"We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us*.God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. † [1 John 4:16] * This usage of the term â€Å"us† refers only to men of faith. In the following important prelude to the above passages the term â€Å"if† is used five (5) times. Entry into eternal life must always be considered as conditional: â€Å"Now this is the message that we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say, â€Å"We have fellowship with him,† while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth.But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. If we say, â€Å"We are without sin,† we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we acknowledge our sins,3 he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. If we say, â€Å"We have not sinned,† we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. † [1 John 1:5-10] 3. â€Å"Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained. [John 20:23] — This authority was given by Jesus to the eleven apostles –even though only ten were present at the time– and to their validly ordained successors on Easter Sunday durin g His first visitation with them. All validly ordained priests (also known by the terms presbyters and elders) have this authority even though not materially present during this visitation. NOTE: The references in the book of Hebrews to Jesus being High Priest should be seen as a clear statement that there were other priests serving under His authority. (Priests can only be ordained by someone with demonstratable authority from God to ordain.They can never be elected or self-appointed. ) It must be understood that true love reflects the totality of goodness. Absolute goodness resides in God alone and is shared by Him with those who have sincerely sought association with Him. When one honestly seeks out God one is looking for that fullness of truth found only in God. A fullness of truth that few have any real desire to put into practice. Those who eventually reach Heaven have all truth present to them and can utilize any truth they seek, but they remain incapable of possessing at any given time the totality of truth.Goodness is dependent upon truth and truth leads to justice. Not only must one desire truth and make a sincere effort to acquire all of the spiritual truths that are available and within one's capacity to understand, but one must also be willing to put them into practice as opportunities present themselves. Without truth their can be no understanding of goodness and goodness demands service to God and neighbor according to the teachings of Jesus, Son of Man/Son of God. Justice is a cohort of goodness and has as its foundation the Word of God that is always truth.Justice is the exercise of works in the service of both positive and negative commands of God – what one must do and what one must not do to obtain eternal happiness. Good deeds are meritorious works (witnesses to faith), benefitting the Heavenly Kingdom, that are performed by those who still reside in this life. While no quantity or quality of works can substitute for the salvific ac t accomplished once by Jesus on the cross – that allowed access to Heaven to those judged worthy (Matthew 25:32), they are necessary witnesses to that love of God which is required for one to enter Heaven.Again, the mercy of God has been made obtainable only through the redemptive act of Jesus. Prior to this act no one was permitted entry into Heaven no matter how worthy they might be deemed to have been including Able, Enoch, Abraham, Joseph, Moses and many others. The ultimate mercy –redemption from the sin of Adam that caused separation from God– is received only by those who have put the fullness of God's Word (commands – direct or implicit) into practice by actions of faith. Summarization: God is love and love is shed upon those who seek knowledge of required truths that lead to the practice of justice in respect for the goodness of God.A greater appreciation of God can be obtained by meditating upon the qualities or attributes of God. Anyone who pur sues truth and practices justice is loved by God, that is, comes under the umbrella of that love which can be received from God alone. For those who do not pursue goodness, through the seeking of truth and the practice of justice, God is for them anger, hatred and wrath. To be a recipient of salvation/mercy one must sincerely develop a full love of God and pursue Him through the practice of justice that can be understood only through the acquisition of spiritual truth.One must develop a sincere interest in God, listen –accept and practice– to His word, and grow in God's love. God is love for those who love truth and practice justice and mercy –Reference the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy– according to His will. This is the true meaning of the phrase, â€Å"God is love. † One should never mistake the statement, â€Å"God is Love,† to mean that God does not condemn those who do not seek His love according to His (God's) definition of lo ve while sincerely seeking His mercy.Those who ask for His mercy must be sincerely repentant, turn their lives around, and develop a humility that allows them to be of true service to the Lord through service in this life demonstrated in the form of good deeds/good works. Without the witness given by good works, any protestation that one loves God or has faith in God is meaningless. God's mercy –salvific act of redemption for people of active faith– does not benefit those who culpably profess a false position of faith or love. In effect such people are lovers of evil and servants of Satan. God is good. Goodness loves and associates with that which is good.Perfect goodness –which is the nature of God– is only able to associate with that which has been made/becomes perfectly good. Perfection is not gratuitous. Absolute perfection is necessary before one can enter the presence of God. If perfection is not achieved in this life by those not condemned to Hell, then it must be obtained through a purification process in an intermediate state of existence. In this state –referred to as Purgatory by those who accept Catholic doctrine (mandatory for Catholics)– one's attachment to any imperfections, brought about by self-will, is gradually overcome.The removal of attachment to sin –often a degree of denial relating to bad habit(s) not fully dealt with in this life– is facilitated through the application of that degree of encouragement (pain) that proves necessary over an extended period of time to make one accept the necessity of turning away from accumulated dysfunctional desires and activities that had been accepted by the spiritual mind. It should be understood that many opportunities (much encouragement) are presented while in this life to turn away from sin.Problems and sufferings in this life were meant to focus one's attention and reliance upon the stated will of God. One must learn to accept what is univers ally good instead of that which is only self-serving. In life one is given instructions and at times painful encouragement that is focused upon turning one away from sin and all attachment to it. Purgatory is for those who have only made a partial effort at turning away from association with sin. Please keep in mind that there are no free rides into Heaven, for anyone.Further, there is no simple method for gaining perfection at the conclusion of life. After years of stubbornness relating to the retention of wrong doing one should not expect to be instantly made perfect. No one is gratuitously made perfect as this would limit that quality of free will which is necessary for one to effectively share with God in eternal life to the degree deserved through meritorious actions during life. Those who are not redeemable (unrepentant grave sinners) through a process of purification are condemned to eternal suffering commonly referred to as Hell.Eternal suffering is necessary for incorrigibl e sinners. They have eternally living spirits that would be destructive to the harmony of Heaven if allowed freedom. Ceaseless pain keeps them from developing into a force that would be disruptive to those living in eternal happiness. When one fails to adhere to the commands of God –statements of His will that are either positive or negative– one is not in the love of God. Everyone wants to be able to do things their own way. They want to consider their way as the right way.This is a product of egocentrism (self-centeredness). Most are not willing to accept that God's way is the product of great wisdom known through the explicit true teachings of the one authorized and unified (under supreme but controlled papal authority) Church established by Jesus. The avenue of established truth does not often agree with one's personal preferred way. God is love, but He is also light, truth and justice. Mercy is a by product of justice and while necessary for salvation it is not gr atuitous even though Jesus' redemptive act was gratuitous.Mercy is not granted to those who do not have sincerity of repentance. Everyone must make a humble request for mercy that has been warranted as worthy of being granted through meritorious deeds. Depending upon circumstances such deeds can be either simple or complex. SUMMARY: God, being love, has the perfection of that love which is goodness. He sheds Light (knowledge) upon those who seek truth and then put the acquired truths into practice (justice – good works versus misdeeds or indifference).One who truly loves God will act in a way that demonstrates a sincere love of God. One must give God sincere worship and humble himself before Jesus. Service to Jesus is through placing into action spiritual knowledge that has been obtained. A major part of learning is focused upon love of neighbor. The simple way to accomplish this is to put into practice the Golden Rule, that is, â€Å"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. † The corporal and spiritual works of mercy are of major importance in relation to serving others in this life in the service of almighty God.

Conflict Resolutions, Cultrual Differences Essay

The American way of dealing with conflict, according to the article, is arguing. This might not be the best way, and it’s definitely not the only way. The article serves the purpose of exploring the cultural differences in how others deal with conflict. It provides alternatives and different ideas in how to resolve conflicts, as oppose to arguing. Arguing is a method of dealing with conflict. In the argument culture â€Å"nearly everything is framed as a battle or game in which winning or losing is the main concern.† The pillars of argument rest on this win-lose idea. Argument is expressed through â€Å"polarized†, two sided, debates and battles. The result elicits a winner and a resolved conflict. This method is commonly used in the â€Å"Western culture in general, and in the United States in particular†. It is also used by â€Å"individuals of Eastern European background†, â€Å"Jewish tradition†, and in some Indian cultures. Joanna Repczynski, for example, had an experience in her visit to France. Her host kept initiating â€Å"a heated intellectual debate over dinner.† When Joanna agreed, another argument would be on its way. Another example is Andrea Talarico. When her â€Å"Italian-American family† argues, their â€Å"voices would raise and objects would be thrown in an intense discussion†. Another example is the Japanese woman who is married to a Frenchman. The Frenchman started arguments with his wife. Finally when she argued back, â€Å"he was overjoyed† rather than getting upset. The advantages of arguments are various. In the case of Joanna and her host, the host felt as if arguing would â€Å"keep things interesting†. Agreement was just to boring. â€Å"Andrea sees advantages to her Italian-American family’s style: â€Å"We always know how each other feels at all times.†Ã¢â‚¬  This is a sign of her family’s closeness. The Frenchman was overjoyed that his wife argued back because it was a sign of â€Å"showing interest† and showing respect for each other’s intelligence. To him â€Å"disagreement was a sign of a good relationship.† There are disadvantages of arguments. It can be upsetting and it can turn violent. The Japanese women â€Å"found it so upsetting† and Andrea’s family threw objects. For people who aren’t used to the argument culture,  arguing can come off to be a â€Å"surprise, confusion, or alarm† and be very offensive. The disadvantaged result of an argument or deb ate is that there is always a loser. Another method of resolving conflict is ritual vituperation. This method works by the means of screaming insults and song lashing. It was created by traditional societies; the rules are culturally agreed upon, which gives this method a ritual context. It is used by â€Å"Women in Gapun, Papua New Guinea† and in traditional Nigerian villages. â€Å"Women in Gapun Papua New Guinea, when angered by husbands, relatives, or fellow villagers, can erupt in a kros, shouting insults and obscenities loudly enough to be heard all around.† The shouter waits near or in her home and waits for her offender to go far enough away. The villagers, then, watch up close as the women shouts. In Nigeria, a very similar method is used, song lashing. It â€Å"consists of familiar proverbs or original verses† that implies insults. Like kros, onlookers also watch. It’s different in the way that the target is referred to indirectly. An advantage of this way of managing conflict is that it provides â€Å"outlets so aggression can be expressed†. It’s their way of relieving anger. The advantages stem from it’s ritualized, structured rules. The onlooker’s role is to prevent any physical violence. The onlooker’s provide the speaker with the satisfaction of listening. The speaker provides the onlookers with entertainment. â€Å"Effective song-lashers are admired for their verbal skill†. The target is relived of any direct abuse. There are two major disadvantages to this method. The conflict doesn’t get resolved and the children in the surrounding area are subjected to this inappropriate verbal aggression. An alternative to the idea of winning or losing is â€Å"victors without vanquished†. This method of dealing with conflict is to honor the winners as well as the losers. There is more emphasis on harmony â€Å"rather than winner take all.† This method is used in the Asian culture and has a historical  significance in Japan. An example of this method is the 1868 Asian revolution. The two sides of the conflict were the supporters of the Western government model and the old, Chinese model. â€Å"The people who had fought for the old regimen were not punished but invited to join the new government (and most did).† The Western supporters won, but the supporters of the traditional, Chinese model maintained their respect and dignity; they were â€Å"allowed to remain in existence.† The main advantage of this method is that the loser gets recognition, â€Å"retaining a large measure of respect.† According to Ben-Ami Shillony, an anthropologist, this method â€Å"helped Japan avoid disastrous internecine ethnic and religious strife.† The advantage of this method is that it resolves conflicts without disastrous escalation. The disadvantage of this method is that â€Å"social pressure to maintain harmony can actually cause conflict.† The actions of people on conflicting sides are altered by the interference of harmony. For example, a person in disagreement with another might want to take action, but the emphasis on harmony might yield that action, which can cause frustration or even anger. Another disadvantage is that in a society that emphasis harmonic competition, competition â€Å"tends to become more fiercer† than in a society where competition is normal. Another way of dealing with conflict is by the use of intermediaries, third parties. This method rests on the idea that â€Å"community pressure takes the place† of direct conflict.† â€Å"This reflects an emphasis on harmony and interdependence†. The conflicting sides are dependent on a mediator, or peacemakers to resolve a conflict. This method can be â€Å"formally ritualized†, or informal. This method is used in Asian societies and in many Pacific cultures. An informal example of this method is the use of â€Å"matchmakers or marriage brokers†. Another example is â€Å"when neighbors pressure a son or a daughter-in-law to stop neglecting a parent or parent-in-law.† There are no ritualized rules in these examples, only third parties that take the place  of direct confrontation. The use third parties can be ritualized or formal. For example, the use of â€Å"standard structures or rules† and â€Å"hierarchical relations to maintain harmony.† In the Solomon Islands, fa’amananata’anga is the way that conflicts can be resolved. The event is held over a family dinner, speaking is serious and formal, and the most senior person is the peacemaker, all making this ritualized. In Tannan, a South Pacific island, â€Å"Conflicts among villagers or between villages are discussed publicly by groups of adult men at special meetings that last all day.† The people present are the go-betweens and the most senior people hold hierarchy positions within the group. Rather than resolving the conflict, these meetings are a way of taking part in a â€Å"joint journey† that results in â€Å"consensus flowing from the interaction of all.† They accomplish harmony of the minds and general understanding out of group effort. Another example is the Fijian Indians. They set up committees, third parties, which interview the opponents before a formal meeting called pancayat. The Japanese use a similar method called nemawashi. It rests on the idea that â€Å"there are two wrongs and now it is right.† Neither opponent is blamed as being the only wrong and â€Å"seriously at fault.† An advantage of intermediaries is that they â€Å"offer the needed apology without the principal losing face and can absorb rejections without taking them personally.† In the case of the matchmaker, the groom avoids the risk of rejection from the potential bride. The groom is then saving face, keeping his dignity and pride. Another advantage of using intermediaries is that the third party offers motivation. The third parties also play a role in maintaining peace and help to avoid potential violence. The idea of pancayat and nemawashi â€Å"seems a much better way of gathering information than forcing people to speak in a high-pressure public event.† The committees take the pressure off of the opponents. A disadvantage of using intermediaries is that the third party is placed in potentially â€Å"unhealthy and inappropriate† circumstances. The third parties are subjected to others conflicts, anger and possible violence. The third parties have a chance to get hurt. The cultures that use intermediaries form a dependence on them to handle their disputes. â€Å"Even some psychologists tend to regard† handling your own conflicts is â€Å"a sign of maturity†. The use of third parties can be a sign of interdependence and immaturity. Another idea of resolving conflict is ritualized fighting. The fighting has specific rules and culturally inclinations. This method is the â€Å"expression of opposition.† The opponents do not gage in physical contact, only express it. It is used in Bali, Indonesia and in Tori, Ireland. In Bali, Indonesia ritualized cock fighting is a fundamental way of dealing with conflict. In Tori, Ireland neighborhood street fights are ritualized ways of dealing with conflict. The rules are not â€Å"in the sense that the players could recount them†. They are just normal and taken for granted. The fighters come out in public and threaten each other. â€Å"Everything about the fight was structured so that the two men could seem eager to exchange blows without ever landing one.† No one gets hurt because no physical contact is actually exchanged. Finally, the mothers, or a female relative, of the fighters would break it up. â€Å"She would implore the fighter to come home and stop fighting.† An advantage of this method is that no one gets hurt. â€Å"The fighters could rely on their kin to restrain them, preventing them from hurting each other.† The onlookers, especially the kin take the role of stopping any physical contact. Another advantage is that the fighters provide the audience with entertainment and â€Å"excitement for both participants and onlookers.† The fight also provides outlets for the fighters and a way they can show their manhood and get more respect. These ritualized customs â€Å"reinforce social bonds and alliances†. The interactive part and support of the society helps to bond them closer together. A disadvantage to this method is that if the kin of one, or both, fighters are not present during the fight, physical contact might occur and someone can get hurt. Another disadvantage is that some of the onlookers may be children. The children are then subjected to cursing and threatening. They might look up to the manly fighters and want to mimic them. A major disadvantage of this method is that the conflict does not get resolved. Comparing the argument culture to ritualized methods of dealing with conflict, it seems that arguing overemphasizes winning, loosing and â€Å"war and sports metaphors†. Too much concentration on polarized views and not enough  on harmony that â€Å"discourages confrontation†. The cultural, ritualized rules provide that culture with boundaries, values, and â€Å"controlled ways to manage† conflict. â€Å"We cannot simply adopt the rituals of another culture, but thinking about them can give us pause and perhaps even ideas for devising our new ways to mange conflict.† The article provides insight on many ideas how to manage conflict. These new ideas can influence an individual, perhaps myself, to manage conflict more constructively.